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Meditation is also called Dhyana. There are several definitions of meditation provided by various mediums. Meditation is essential in Buddhism. Therefore, in order to achieve enlightenment, Buddhists must know how to meditate properly. There are two main kinds of meditation, Samatha meditation and Vipassana meditation. Samatha meditation focuses on mindfulness of breathing. Vipassana meditation is known as insight meditation. It is not just about focusing on breathing-it is also about focusing on exploration. It can even be done when walking. Actually, the Great Buddha practised both forms of meditation. The aim of some meditations is to achieve right mindfulness, one of the steps of the noble eightfold path. It is a way of developing calmness, insight and compassion. The ultimate aim of Meditation is to achieve the wisdom that leads to enlightenment.

The system of meditation teaching at Girimānanda Dhammā Sāsana Trust and Girimananda Forest Meditation Centre is based on the instructions according to Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta taught by The Buddha as found in the Tipiṭaka (the Pāli Canon) and its commentaries. Meditation (Bhāvanā) is of two kinds, (1) Samatha (Tranquility meditation) and (2) Vipassanā ( inside meditation). These two dhamma, samatha and vipassanā,In order to make the unstable mind is stable, samatha and vipassanā should be practiced, if you practice without concentration and without insight knowledge, you will not get wisdom and without wisdom Nibbāna is unattainable;These two practices, samatha and vipassanā, have different objects. Both of method or meditation we need to practice by breathing (Ānāpānasati), In Visuddhimagga it is mentioned as samatha meditation, Concentration meditation and tranquility meditation.
In the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta it is mentioned as vipassanā meditation and inside meditation. Then how can we distinguish it between the vipassanā aspect of breathing and the samatha aspect of breathing. If we are mindful of the absolute reality of breathing, that will be call vipassanā meditation. If we are mindful of the concept regarding breathing, that it will be call samatha meditation.
(1) Samatha: Samatha means tranquility, concentration, calmness, when the mind is deeply concentrated on the object of meditation, the mind become calm and tranquil. The purpose of Samatha meditation is to attain deep concentration of the mind on a single object. Samatha meditation is practiced to attain higher concentration of the mind, peaceful and blissful living and the cessation of suffering. So, the result of Samatha meditation is the attainment of deep concentration such as absorption (jhāna) Jhāna means fixed the mind or absorption. “Paccanīka dhamme same tīti samatho”, meaning, the dhamma which tranquillizes and removes the opposite dhamma, is called samatha. The practice of samatha meditation generally is based on concept objects, like Buddhānussati (the qualities of the Buddha) and Catudhātuvavaṭṭhāna (Four elements), In samatha practice, there are two kinds of concentration, (1) Access concentration (Upacāra samādhi) and (2) Jhāna concentration (Appanā samādhi), Appanā samādhi are 28 kinds, The objects possible are the four elements, earth element (Pathāvīdhātu), water element (Āpodhātu), fire element (Tejodhātu) and air (Vāyodhātu); and the color concepts dark, blue, yellow, red and white; and the space (Ākāsa) and light object (Āloka) also. In the Visuddhimagga Ānāpānassati as samatha meditation there are 40 subjects of samatha meditation. They are 10 Kasiṇas, 10 Asubha, 10 Anussati, 4 Brahmavihāra, 4 Formless spheres, perception of the loathsomeness of food, and analysis of the four elements. Ānāpānassati is one of them.
(2) Vipassanā: “Vi” means various or different aspect; “passanā” means to see, to observe, to realize by knowledge, vipassanā means a knowledge which sees life as impermanent, suffering and uncontrollable, is called vipassanā. We observe our own mind and body in order to see actually we are impermanent, unsatisfactoriness and non-self as a result of in this side we begin to let go about attachment less burden by attachment. Vipassanā meditation is to give us insight into the true nature of our experiences. “Aniccā-divasena-vividhehi-ākārehi dhamme passatīti vipassanā”, meaning, the knowledge that sees saṅkhāra-dhammas in various ways as impermanent, etc., is vipassanā. It focuses on the deep interconnection between mind and body, The Buddha taught a complete path that was to be followed in order to achieve results that would lead to awakening and liberation from dissatisfaction and suffering. We feel free and as it’s, even an unpleasant situation, vipassanā bring free from suffering and the happiness that do not depend on output condition, inside meditation is not religion but it is a technique for purifying the mind. It can practice by any one and anywhere, whether male and female, young and old, healthy and sick person, eastern and western. I am giving how to practice vipassanā meditation while sitting standing, walking and laying down. Specifically, as a practitioner who teaches from the Theravada tradition, the form of mindfulness – Vipassana or insight meditation that can be applied to every element of life; Vipassana or insight meditation has five main characteristics that allows it to be not only a form of meditation, but a way of life that is incorporated into our daily lives. These five characteristics are:

a) Observing the breath at the nostrils.
b) Noting (Knowing)
c) Going very slowly and
d) Not looking here and there
e) Not talking

As stated, this mindfulness is a way of life and extends to all we do; walking, lying down, sitting, eating, and, for the adept yogi, these four characteristics can be brought into asana practice, allowing a yogi to cultivate a deeper practice.
We observe the breath, or rather the sensations caused by breathing, in order to bring a moment-to-moment concentration. This calms the heart-mind because it is a neutral object. There are various places where people feel the sensations of breathing more acutely—keep the mind at the nostrils, at the breathing in and breathing out of the nostrils. All of these places are valid in terms of vipassana meditation. The Girimananda Forest Meditation Centre, however, favoured the nostrils as a place of observation.