If you’ve ever sat down to meditate and thought, “This just doesn’t work for me,” you’re not alone.
The problem isn’t meditation. The problem is that most people are taught one way to do it, and that way is usually the sit-still-and-clear-your-mind version, which doesn’t work for everyone. It certainly didn’t work for this Parrot!
Your personality shapes how you think, feel, and recharge.
It should also shape how you meditate.
I use four birds—Eagle, Parrot, Dove, and Owl—to represent four core personality styles. Each one benefits from a different approach to mindfulness. Here’s how to find the one that works for you:
🦅 Eagles: Focused. Driven. Purposeful.
Eagles want results. Fast. Telling them to sit quietly with no goal in mind is a waste of time to an Eagle.
Try:
- Visualization meditations (seeing yourself succeed at something big)
- Goal-focused meditations that focus on attaining success
- A “5-Minute Power Reset” to build energy, confidence, and clarity
If Eagles get an ROM (Return on Meditation), they’ll keep doing it.
🦜 Parrots: Expressive. Energetic. Restless.
Stillness and silence are not what you think about when you think about a Parrot. So why are we telling Parrots not to move or talk?
Try:
- Chanting or repeating affirmations like “I am grounded”
- Walking meditations or Tai Chi
- Drumming or sound bowl journeys
Parrots don’t need to sit still to find peace. They just need to feel alive while they do it.
🕊️ Doves: Gentle. Compassionate. Emotionally tuned-in.
Doves seek connection more than focus. For them, meditation is about feeling safe, loved, and at peace.
Try:
- Loving-kindness (Metta) meditations
- Gratitude meditations
- Sitting quietly in nature, near trees, water, or open sky
Doves don’t need to push thoughts away. They need space to feel them.
🦉 Owls: Analytical. Structured. Thoughtful.
Owls like systems and clearly defined processes. So, give them to use while meditating.
Try:
- Box Breathing (inhale-4, hold-4, exhale-4, hold-4)
- Guided meditations with a clear beginning, middle, and end
- Body scans that move attention in a logical sequence
Give Owls a framework, and their minds will settle into it.
Fit the Practice to the Person
There’s no universal “right way” to meditate. When you match your practice to your personality, meditation becomes easier, more natural, and more powerful.
About the Author:
Merrick Rosenberg is the author of The Chameleon and the creator of the Eagle, Parrot, Dove, and Owl personality model. He is the founder of Take Flight Learning and a keynote speaker who helps people become the best version of themselves by understanding the power of personality. Learn more at MerrickRosenberg.com and TakeFlightLearning.com.