How to Do Active Meditation

Last Updated: May 6, 2021

Active meditation is a style that advocates movement followed by silence. It was created by Indian mystic Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, later known as Osho. He advocated around 100 meditation techniques. He believed that a meditation style that involved physical activity was more practical for the modern world. Active meditation is practiced in stages and it can help to calm the mind and create better awareness of the world. There are no exact methods to practicing active meditation as there are many types, but there are some guidelines you can follow and on which you can base your future meditation routines. This article will tell you how to do active meditation.^{[1]
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Steps

1
Start to breathe deeply through your nose. Inhale and exhale slowly, filling up your lungs. Get used to this deep breathing style before starting your meditation, as it will be necessary throughout.^{[2]
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2
Stand up on a comfortable surface. Make sure you have plenty of room to move about chaotically, for at least an hour.
3
Breathe quickly and very deeply through your nose for 10 minutes. Focus on exhaling as thoroughly as possible before inhaling. Try to make your breathing get faster and faster, but make sure you always breathe deeply into your lungs.
- Your goal is to lose track of your body and "become the breathing."
4
Move chaotically for 10 minutes. Jump, dance, cry aloud, laugh, scream and lose track of your body's movements.^{[3]
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- Your goal is to hold nothing back, and create a catharsis for your body.
5
Raise your arms above your head.^{[4]
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6
Jump up and down, while shouting "Hoo!" over and over. Do this for 10 minutes.
- Every time you land on your feet try to feel it echoing through the center of your body.
7
Freeze in a pose and stay there for 15 minutes.^{[5]
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- Pay attention to what is happening with your body. Your goal is to "witness everything" during this time and feel the energy you have just created moving through you. Osho meditation advocates not moving at all, but continuing your deep breathing more slowly.
8
Dance for 15 minutes. Laugh, cry, sing or do whatever movement makes you happy in this time.^{[6]
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- Your goal is to celebrate your meditation with movement and let go of your body.