Apr 9, 2025 4 min read

10 Alternative Ways to Practice Meditation (Part 2)

The key is to find what resonates with you—what allows you to slow down, tune in, and reconnect.

Last week, we began the countdown of my 10 Alternative Ways to Practise Meditation, and this week, we continue with my top five favourites!

Remember, when building a daily meditation practice, it’s important to explore a variety of techniques. The goal is to discover the one that allows you to enter a meditative state with ease and presence. Meditation is only truly effective when you're actively engaging with that state—how you enter it matters less than how consistently you return to it.

Here are the top five methods from my list of ten alternative ways to meditate. They may just help you build a meditation practice that fits naturally into your everyday life:

5 – Active Listening

Active listening is exactly as it sounds: a practice of consciously paying attention to the sounds around you. Begin by identifying individual sounds—what or who is making them, where they’re coming from, and how near or far they might be.

If you’ve ever seen a diagram of our solar system, imagine yourself as the sun at the centre, and place each sound in orbit around you like planets and distant stars. Pair this with deep, mindful breathing, and you’ll find yourself in an immersive meditative state.

This technique is particularly powerful when practised in nature. Many of my autistic students have found it helps them manage their sensitivity to sound. By developing a heightened awareness and sense of control, it also prepares you for navigating louder, more chaotic environments like busy city centres.

Active listening can also improve your empathy and connection to others—try tuning into the stories people tell, noticing shifts in their tone, rhythm, and emotional energy.

4 – People Watching / Bird Watching

Much like active listening, conscious observation can be a form of meditation in itself. Watching the world unfold around you—whether it's people passing by or birds fluttering in the trees—can help centre your attention and bring stillness to the mind.

For beginners, I often recommend a simple ritual: during your morning coffee or tea, spend five minutes sitting by a window. Watch the world outside, even if it’s something as small as a raindrop making its way down the glass. You’ll be amazed at how alive and intentional the world around you begins to feel.

This method is a wonderful starting point and an excellent way to cultivate patience, presence, and a deeper appreciation of the now.

3 – Singing and Chanting

A few weeks ago, I spoke about the transformative power of transcendental meditation and chanting frequencies. Singing and chanting work in similar ways. They allow you to express emotion, connect with breath, and create internal resonance that aligns body, mind, and spirit.

Whether you're humming a favourite melody, chanting a mantra, or singing your heart out, you are activating vibration within your body—and that vibration can be healing, grounding, and incredibly meditative.

Singing from the soul releases emotional blockages, boosts your mood, and elevates your energy. It’s no surprise that across cultures and spiritual traditions, voice and sound have always been integral to meditative and sacred practices. So the next time you feel overwhelmed or disconnected, try singing. Even if it’s just to yourself—it’s a beautiful way to return to the present moment.

2 – Listen to Music

When was the last time you really listened to your favourite album—from start to finish, without distractions?

Music is one of the most universally accessible meditative tools we have. It has the power to reflect our emotions, inspire thought, shift our mindset, and even facilitate healing. It can comfort us through heartbreak, amplify joy, and open us up to love and connection.

Try pairing music with your meditation routine—perhaps calming ambient sounds during breathwork or an instrumental piece while you journal or stretch. I’ve even curated a few playlists on Spotify from my own meditation journeys, and I’m always happy to share them!

1 – Dance, Dance, Dance!

Those who know me know how much I love to dance. When music moves through my body and the world transforms into a dance floor, I experience a freedom that feels close to spiritual awakening.

Dance is inherently tantric—it connects breath, movement, and sensation in a deeply expressive way. When I lose myself in movement, I feel as though I’m stepping into a higher state of consciousness. It’s as if my body is interpreting emotions, energies, and even the divine.

If you’re seeking a dynamic, joyful, and deeply embodied form of meditation, give dance a try. Push past the self-consciousness, let go of expectation, and surrender to the rhythm. In those moments, you may find yourself touching something that feels like true liberation.

Meditation doesn’t have to look like sitting silently with your eyes closed. It can be found in music, motion, observation, and sound. The key is to find what resonates with you—what allows you to slow down, tune in, and reconnect.

As you explore these alternative methods, I encourage you to stay curious, open, and kind to yourself in the process. The meditative state is not a destination, but a doorway—a space you can return to, again and again.

Next week, we’ll explore what meditation feels like—diving into the experience of entering the meditative state and how to recognise when you’ve arrived.

Dive in deeper:

Follow me on TikTok! For video lessons, tips and techniques and a whole array of meditation insights, headover to @meditationbytalwinder
Want to learn some new meditation techniques? Enrol in one of my FREE MEDITATION COURSES!
Have questions? Drop them in the comments! Sign in and start the conversation. Your feedback and contributions to this community are greatly appreciated.

Please note: Esoteric concepts are not meant to be taken literally or as absolute truths. However, they can provide valuable perspectives and context, helping our limited human minds grasp complex ideas.