Comparing individual preferences for four meditation techniques: Zen, Vipassana (Mindfulness), Qigong, and Mantra.
Explore 2012 DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2012.04.003 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Within-subjects comparison Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 247 |
| Population | Undergraduate university students |
| Interventions | Vipassana (Mindfulness) Zen Mantra Qigong Visualization |
| Duration | Six-week training period |
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation |
| Key points | Significantly more participants preferred Vipassana or Mantra meditation over Qigong Visualization and Zen. |
Abstract
A significant number of studies have been published examining the mind-body effects of meditation and its clinical efficacy. There are very few studies, however, which directly compare different meditation methods with each other to explore potentially distinct mechanisms and effects, and no studies comparing individual preferences for different methods. As preference is seen as an important factor in consumer healthcare decision making, greater understanding of this aspect is needed as meditation becomes a more widely used therapeutic modality. For this reason a pilot study was conducted to compare four meditation techniques for personal preference. A within-subjects comparison design was employed. A convenience sample of 247 undergraduate university students participated in the study. Participants learned two open observing meditation techniques-Vipassana (Mindfulness) and Zen, and two focused attention techniques-Mantra and Qigong Visualization, practicing one method per week. At the end of a six-week training period participants ranked the four meditation methods in order of personal preference. Ranking of subjective preference of meditations practiced. A within subjects comparison revealed that significantly more participants chose Vipassana or Mantra meditation as their preferred techniques compared with Qigong Visualization and Zen. This study provides information on differences in preference for type of meditation. As the benefits of meditation accrue over time, selecting a method that motivates sustained practice is a critical objective if therapeutic effects are to be achieved.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on buddhism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEG Alpha Blocking Correlated with Perception of Inner Light During Zen Meditation Zen-Buddhist practitioners who had been practicing meditation for years | 2003 | Experimental study | |
| Zen meditation and ABC relaxation theory: An exploration of relaxation states, beliefs, dispositions, and motivations Experienced Zen meditators and college students | 2001 | Controlled experimental study | n = 83 |
| Exploring Emptiness and its Effects on Non-attachment, Mystical Experiences, and Psycho-spiritual Wellbeing: A Quantitative and Qualitative Study of Advanced Meditators. Advanced Buddhist meditators | 2019 | Within-subjects experimental design with qualitative analysis | n = 25 |
| Ready to help, no matter what you did: Responsibility attribution does not influence compassion in expert Buddhist practitioners. Expert Buddhist practitioners and trained novices | 2024 | Experimental study | |
| ZEN MEDITATION AND TIME-EXPERIENCE | 1989 | Experimental study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 26
- Predicting Individual Preferences in Mindfulness Techniques Using Personality Traits Frontiers in Psychology June 18, 2020
- Intrinsic neural timescales exhibit different lengths in distinct meditation techniques. Neuroimage August 15, 2024
- Music mindfulness acutely modulates autonomic activity and improves psychological state in anxiety and depression. Frontiers in Neuroscience 2025
- The Impact of Vipassana Meditation on Health and Well-Being: A Systematic Review of Current Evidence. Cureus September 1, 2025
- Reply: The PHIOMM Framework for Implementing Mindfulness in Public Health, With Groundwork Mindfulness March 1, 2025
and 21 more in the library
Cites 12
- Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence Journal of Neuroscience October 21, 2009
- Mindfulness‐based approaches: are they all the same? Journal of Clinical Psychology January 19, 2011
- Mindfulness Meditation for Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review Substance Abuse October 1, 2009
- Differential effects on pain intensity and unpleasantness of two meditation practices. Emotion 2010
- Clinical Trials of Meditation Practices in Health Care: Characteristics and Quality The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine December 1, 2008
and 7 more in the library