Have you been meditating for awhile and your Practice is getting stale? Maybe you are need of a Meditation upgrade.

Meditation is a great way to relieve stress, center yourself, find inspiration, and calm your racing mind. It is also an excellent tool to help one cope with the many difficulties we all face in life. Because of this, more and more people have started a daily meditation practice.

For most people, meditation consists of following a guided app online, or just spending time working toward more inner silence. These are both great options, especially for a beginner. 

But there is more to meditation than trying not to think, or following someone else’s guidance. Actually, there are countless ways to meditate, as humanity has been practicing it for at least as long as recorded time. Some of these techniques are well known and commonly taught today, and others are only known to an advanced few.

If you have been meditating for a while and are interested in learning how to go deeper, or if your routine has become stale and you want to try something new, consider these 5 Advanced Meditation Techniques to help you go deeper within:

5 Advanced Meditation Tips

1. Pranayama
2. Tongue Relaxation
3. Root Locks
4. Tongue Curling
5. Reflection

Pranayama

Pranayama is the term used to describe the practice of repeating specific breathing patterns for various benefits. The reason for doing this before you begin your meditation practice is that is relaxes the body and calms the mind, helping you to go deeper into your meditation.

There are thousands of breathing patterns to try, as well as YouTube videos on the subject. Here is one from Wim Hoff that is a favorite for many.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tybOi4hjZFQ

Try several until you find one that suits you, and do it right before your meditation practice.

Tongue Relaxation

If you ever see a dog relaxing and lounging around, you may notice that its tongue is lax and hanging out of its mouth. The tongue, it seems, is directly correlated with the amount of tension one holds in the body.

Before you begin your meditation, try completely relaxing your tongue. If you do, you will find that your racing thoughts will stop, your mind becomes still, and you feel relaxed.

This is also a great tip to use when you can’t sleep, or anytime you are holding too much stress and you need to calm yourself.

Root Locks

The human energy system runs its most potent current along the central spine. When you meditate, holding specific areas known as the Root Locks will stimulate your spinal energy to run upward, toward the top of your head. This area, known as the crown chakra, is the center for one’s spiritual experience of life.

The root locks are located at the rectum, sex organ, and navel. To hold the root locks, pull-up and tighten the muscles in these areas while simultaneously tucking in your chin enough to straighten the back of your neck. Doing this while meditating will coax your energy upwards, possibly delivering you to the blissful experience of your Divine connection to all.

Tongue Curling

Inside your mouth, roll your tongue a centimeter or two above the roof of your mouth to the back edge of your nasal septum, where the palate becomes soft. This position is called the Kechari mudra.

The Kechari Mudra stimulates one of the most blissfully sensitive regions in the whole body. It is said that holding your tongue there is like hitting a master switch to turn-on the spiritual mode of your nervous system.

Although there are 4 advanced progressions of this practice, to begin simply try holding the Kechari mudra as you meditate, and see for yourself how deep you can go in your practice. (See book references below to learn more.)

Reflection

When you are finished with your practice, don’t just jump back into your life. Doing so will send a jolt to your nervous system, causing irritation and potential crabbiness. Essentially, moving back into activity too fast will negate the whole reason you meditated to begin with.

Instead, when you finish your practice, make sure to take time to gently come back into present awareness. Sit still with your eyes open for a few minutes, and gently reflect on your experience. You might even try journaling at this time, to cement your experience into reality.

Although this one seems simple, it’s surprising how many people forget to do it. Reflecting after meditation will anchor you into the calming energies you brought forth, and stay with you for the rest of your day.

Daily Practice, Lifelong Benefits

Your natural state of being is one of silent, blissful stillness. When you reach this state, you realize your access to the infinite storehouse of creativity, peace, optimism and bliss that is at the source of all life.

Try adding these 5 advanced meditation techniques to your daily  routine to deepen your practice  and harness your natural ability to experience inner peace.

For Further Reading:

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