Anxiety is one of the most common struggles people face today. Whether it is caused by work pressures, uncertainty, relationships, or daily stress, many people are searching for ways to find relief.
Meditation is often recommended as a tool for calming the mind, but according to Australian spiritual teacher Patrick Marando, not all meditation practices work in the same way. Some can help ease anxiety in the moment, while others are designed to create bigger and more lasting changes in how a person relates to their thoughts and emotions.
Ahead of International Yoga Day 2026, Patrick Marando explains why both approaches have a place in a spiritual practice.
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How does meditation help with immediate relief?
When anxiety feels overwhelming, Marando says certain techniques can help bring attention back to the present moment.
One of them is mindful breath awareness. By focusing on the natural rhythm of breathing, people can interrupt cycles of worry and slow down mental activity.
Body scan meditation can also be helpful. The practice involves moving awareness through different parts of the body and noticing sensations without judgment. Since anxiety often shows up as physical tension, becoming aware of those sensations may help people feel more grounded.
Another option is mantra meditation, which uses the repetition of a sound, word, or phrase. According to Marando, giving the mind a simple point of focus can reduce mental chatter and help attention move away from repetitive anxious thinking.
5 Types of Meditation techniques for anxiety and stress?
Mindful breath awareness: Focuses attention on the natural rhythm of breathing. Marando says this can interrupt cycles of worry, slow mental activity, and help the body feel safe and relaxed.
• Body scan meditation: Involves bringing awareness to different parts of the body without judgment. This practice may help release physical tension that often accompanies anxiety.
• Mantra meditation: Uses the repetition of a sound, word, or phrase. According to Marando, this gives the mind a simple focus and can reduce repetitive anxious thinking.
• Mindfulness and Vipassana: Encourage people to observe thoughts, emotions, and sensations as passing experiences. Over time, these practices may help build emotional balance and resilience.
• Loving-kindness meditation: Focuses on cultivating feelings of compassion, kindness, and goodwill toward oneself and others. Marando says this can gradually soften fear, self-criticism, and emotional reactivity.
• Self-enquiry: Invites people to explore the question, “Who is aware of this anxiety?” Rather than changing thoughts, the practice helps people observe them from a different perspective.
• Nondual awareness practices: Encourage resting as awareness itself rather than focusing on thoughts or emotions. Marando explains that this can help people see anxiety as an experience arising within consciousness rather than something that defines who they are.
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The Question That Changes Perspective
Among the practices Marando recommends is self-enquiry, a method found in several spiritual traditions.
One of the questions he suggests asking is: “Who is aware of this anxiety?”
According to Marando, self-enquiry works by investigating the nature of the self. “Rather than trying to change thoughts, it reveals the awareness that observes them, helping loosen identification with the anxious mind.”
Disclaimer: Meditation and spiritual practices are not a substitute for professional medical or mental health care. Anyone experiencing persistent anxiety should seek guidance from a health professional.
