7 advanced techniques to experience deep meditation
Looking to go deeper into meditation? These advanced techniques will enhance your practice in a simple and fun way.
Deep meditation is more than just feeling relaxed—it’s about finding peace and understanding within yourself. Achieving this peaceful state can feel impossible to reach, especially if you’re new to meditation.
In this article, we look at what deep meditation is, why it’s good for you, and what special techniques you can use to experience the full benefits of your meditative practice.
What is deep meditation?
Deep meditation is a mindfulness technique that takes your mind to a peaceful place where the endless thoughts and noise eases. And the deeper you go, the more peaceful it can become. When you’re in a deep state, you are able to hear your thoughts and feelings more clearly, and you can even come to better understand yourself.
Benefits of deep meditation
Practicing deep meditation has many great benefits that you can experience during–and after–meditation.
Meditation can relieve stress
Deep meditation can help reduce stress by empowering you to prioritize tranquility and calm over a jumbled mind. Once you get into the meditative flow, it can also help you react differently when faced with stressors.
Meditation can help you get to know yourself
When you meditate deeply, you may get to know your mind better. As you intentionally quiet the thoughts in your mind, it can become easier to tap into your feelings and intuitive desires.
Meditation may help you sleep better
If you often toss and turn at night, deep meditation can help you sleep more easily. The more you remain relaxed throughout the day in both your body and your mind, the easier it can be to fall asleep.
Meditating might brighten your mood
Regular meditating, even just five minutes a day, can help make your outlook more optimistic, impacting your experience of life, as meditation often goes hand-in-hand with gratitude.
Meditation can help you keep calm
Meditating deeply can help you stay cool and collected, even in tricky circumstances, as it teaches you to focus on your breath and slow down. Meditating can also help you stay in the moment, which can be helpful when faced with a heightened situation.
Meditation may support clear thinking
Thinking and making decisions can become easier the longer you meditate, especially deep meditation. Over time, meditating can help support a clearer mind, because you’re allowing your body to sort through thoughts and process emotions in real time.
Meditating can cultivate deep focus
When you meditate regularly or for a prolonged time, you might enter a flow state. Flow state is when you deep-dive into a task with such focus that time often passes without you noticing. Flow state is incredibly impactful and, if achieved, can boost productivity.
Meditation may increase mental clarity
Just as physical exercise keeps your body strong, deep meditation can keep your mind in shape by keeping your thoughts sharp, intentional, and clear. Combine both physical and mental exercise through walking meditation.
Meditating can help you understand others’ feelings
Meditating is a powerful tool in sharpening your own mind to better understand your own feelings, but it can even help you understand the feelings of others around you. When we become connected to others, we begin to cultivate a deeper sense of empathy and compassion.
Soothe anxiety through meditation
If you’re often consumed by worry throughout the day, a meditative practice can teach you how to manage anxiety. Instead of anxiety driving your day, meditating can teach you how to regain control of the wheel.
5 signs that you’re in deep meditation
When you begin to practice deep meditation, you might wonder how to know if you’re making progress. Everyone’s meditation experience is unique, so your signs of deep meditation might be a bit different—and that's perfectly okay.Here are several signs that show you’re on the right track.
Profound calmness: You feel a sense of calmness that's different from just feeling relaxed. No racing thoughts. No fast heartbeat. Just peace.
Deep relaxation: Your body feels relaxed, like you're pleasantly melting into your seat.
Time lapses: You might lose track of time. What seems like a few minutes might be much longer. And you might not mind.
Fewer thoughts: Your mind isn’t racing with thoughts. It's quiet and still and feels good.
Feelings of joy: You might feel a soft sense of joy or happiness bubbling up from within. Feel it. Let it flow.
7 techniques to go deeper into meditation
The more you practice, the more familiar and comfortable you can become within the quiet space of deep meditation. With this technique, you can learn to visit this peaceful place anytime, finding calmness and clarity amidst the daily stressors, activities, and neverending to-do lists that crowd our minds. Ready to try meditation? Let’s dive deeper into a meditative state with the following techniques:
1. Focus on your breath
Deep breathing is a powerful tool to help you get into deep meditation. As you sit comfortably, close your eyes and turn your attention to your breath. Feel the cool air as you breathe in and the warm air as you breathe out.
💙 Breathe in and breathe out with Jeff Warren in Breathing With Affection, a guided breath exercise for self-compassion.
2. Practice a body scan
A body scan is a method to check in with your body, part by part. Start at the top of your head, moving through your body to your toes, and notice how each part feels.
💙 Ease into meditation with a Follow Along Body Scan with Emiko Susilo.
3. Repeat a phrase
Sometimes known as a “mantra,” choose a word or phrase that holds special meaning for you. Quietly repeat your phrase in your mind to help keep other thoughts away and guide you into a state of deep relaxation.
4. Relax your muscles progressively
Focus on relaxing your muscles from your head to your toes one area at a time. If your mind starts to wander, ease back into your bodily awareness.
💙 Release the pressure in your mind and tension in your muscles and Breathe Into Relaxation with Jay Shetty.
5. Get comfortable
Find a comfortable and quiet spot for meditation. Whether you choose a chair, a cushion, or the floor, make sure it’s a place where you can sit for a while.
💙 Do you prefer to add sound to your meditation? Try out Calm’s Relaxing Guitar playlist for soothing background music.
6. Try visualization
Picture a scene or place that makes you happy. It could be a sunny beach, a quiet forest, or even a cozy room. Keep this image in your mind and come back to it during your meditation session.
💙 Visualize with Oren Jay Sofer in an episode of 7 Days of Soothing Pain that dives deep into the power of visualization.
7. Stay open to your thoughts
Whatever thoughts or feelings show up while you meditate, don’t chase them away. Instead, simply notice them—it's part of the process.
💙 Listen to Noticing with Tamara Levitt for practicing deep, mindful listening.
Deep meditation FAQs
Q: What is deep meditation?
Deep meditation is a meditation practice where you go beyond just relaxing. It's about finding a deeper sense of peace and calm inside of you. Deep meditation means you try to shut out the outside world and dive into a quiet place in your mind. It's where you discover more about yourself and experience a profound state of relaxation.
Q: What happens during deep meditation?
During deep meditation, your mind becomes extremely calm. It’s like the noise in your mind takes a break. You also might feel your body relaxing in a way that's different from just lying down. Some people say they lose track of time or feel a sense of joy or inner peace.
Q: What is the deepest state of meditation called?
The deepest state of meditation is often referred to as "samadhi" in traditional terms. In this state, people experience a supreme concentration where the mind is still and clear. It's a stage where many people feel united with everything around them. It might take a lot of practice to reach this state, but every step along the way is beneficial in getting there.
Q: How do you finish deep meditation?
Finishing deep meditation is as important as starting it. A good way to end is by slowly bringing your awareness back to the outside world. For example, you can gently begin moving your fingers and toes and then slowly opening your eyes. Sit for a minute to feel how you are before you get up. You can also take a moment to feel grateful for the time you spent meditating.
Calm your mind. Change your life.
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