Meditation gained popularity some years back, with mindfulness widely recognised for its ability to reduce stress, improve sleep, and regulate the nervous system. Beyond this, the ancient contemplative practice of meditation is still widely misunderstood — yet regular and consistent practice has the capacity to create permanent perceptual shifts and a profound sense of inner freedom. Four key categories of practice include:

Vipassana: an open monitoring practice often referred to as Insight Meditation, aims to penetrate our understanding of the nature of self and reality. The word Vipassana means insight, and the practice involves observing sensations, thoughts, and emotions without attachment or judgment. Through sustained mindfulness and focused attention, practitioners begin to perceive the impermanent and impersonal nature of all phenomena, encountering the three marks of existence; anatta (not-self), anicca (impermanence), and dukkha (suffering).

Samatha: a concentration-based practice meaning Calm Abiding that gently trains the mind to rest in the present moment. By focusing on a single object — often the breath — it cultivates tranquility, clarity, and steady attention. Over time, Samatha can purify the mind-stream and provide a stable foundation for deeper meditative insight and states of samadhi.

The Brahmaviharas: known as the Four Sublime States, include Loving-kindness (metta), Compassion (karuna), Sympathetic Joy (mudita) and Equanimity (upekkha), are practices devoted to developing qualities like unconditional love, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity. Metta, translated from Pali as loving-kindness, nurtures goodwill toward oneself and others. When practiced consistently, it can open the heart and support deeper states of meditative absorption known as the jhānas.

Self-transcending & Emptiness Practices such as Dzogchen from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, represent the pinnacle of non-dual teachings. These practices aim to transcend the egoic sense of self and dissolve mind-based projections and narratives, pointing directly to the nature of pure awareness beyond conceptual thought and personal identity.