Are you interested in meditating but aren’t sure where to start? Does meditation intrigue you? Would you like to finally give it a try?
If you answered yes to any of the questions above, then you have come to the right place! Here, I will give you 10 tips to make your meditation practice a success. With all of this newfound free time during quarantine, this is the perfect opportunity to try meditating. With these tips, you are sure to love it!
But first, let’s dive into what meditation is.
Meditation is actually difficult to define as many people and cultures attribute different meanings to it. According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of meditate is “to engage in contemplation or reflection.” Lexico defines it as “focusing one’s mind for a period of time.” Yet another definition is “to engage in mental exercise for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness.”
All of these are great definitions, so it will ultimately be left up to your own interpretation and what makes the most sense for you. Personally, I like to define meditating as a calming, reflective practice that allows me to create an inner awareness in order to develop a better understanding of myself.
Meditating will look different for everyone and that is perfectly okay because what works for you may not work for the next person. These tips are simply meant to aid beginners and make your meditation practice as successful and rewarding as possible.
While meditation is a simple concept, it is not always easy to practice.
This is because our minds are constantly busy and usually not living in the present moment. Meditation is meant to help quiet this noise and bring us back to the present. These results will not happen immediately, though, and can discourage some people. However, through time, meditation will allow you to control that busy mind of yours and experience a sense of calmness and relaxation. Meditation develops an inner stillness, makes you more focused, gives you a better understanding of yourself, reduces anxiety, lowers stress, creates a positive state of mind and helps to expand your consciousness.
With all of these benefits, who wouldn’t want to give meditation a try?
10 Simple Meditation Tips for Beginners
1. Make meditation a part of your daily routine
This means you should block out the same window of time every day to meditate. This will help to ensure that you actually do it and that you have enough time for it. Setting a reminder on your phone is the perfect way to hold yourself accountable! Ideally, make your daily meditation routine in the morning or before bed. Meditating in the morning is a great way to start your day and set a positive intention for the rest of it. Meditating before bed allows you to reflect on your day and fall asleep relaxed, allowing your subconscious mind to be in a positive state. Personally, I like to meditate before bed because I have more time and do not feel rushed in my practice. I also like to reap the benefits of positively reprogramming my subconscious mind while I sleep.
2. Get comfortable
Finding a comfortable position is important so that you feel relaxed and do not need to adjust mid meditation. You should find the position that is best for you. This can be sitting cross legged on the ground or on a cushion, sitting in a chair with your feet on the ground, or laying down with your palms facing up. Feel free to take the time to try out all of these. Whatever position you feel most comfortable in is how you should meditate. I have been interested in buying a cushion to use while I meditate. You can check out the one I have had my eye on by clicking on the photo below. It has great reviews and looks suuuper comfy!
3. Meditate for just 2 minutes
As a beginner you might have a lot of apprehensions. Meditating might sound boring, you might worry you will be restless simply sitting there or you may think that it doesn’t even work. To combat this, meditating for just a couple of minutes in the beginning is the perfect solution. These short sessions are intended to be very manageable for anyone. Come on, who doesn’t have just an extra 2 minutes in their day to give meditating a try? This will help you to overcome any doubts you may have and realize how fruitful meditating is. Then as you see its benefits and enjoy meditating, you can gradually begin to increase the time each day.
4. Check in with yourself
Upon finding your comfortable position to meditate in, begin to analyze how you are feeling. Did you have a difficult day? Are you stressed from work? After addressing these feelings, allow yourself to release them. Meditation is all about relaxing the mind and developing a sense of calmness. Therefore, it is pertinent to begin meditating with a clear mind. Thoughts and feelings may pop up as you go, so simply acknowledge them, but do not let them affect your meditation practice. You want to be receptive to positive energy when you begin.
5. Focus on your breath
Focusing on your breath is one of the best ways to bring yourself into the present moment. If you would like, you can even count your breaths, so your focus is even stronger. This will help bring you to the present moment, let go of the past and not look into the future. Living in the now means living more consciously. It means that we are choosing to live where life is happening, not where it happened or where it may happen. Learning to live in the present moment is a true gift of meditation.
6. Gently remind yourself to refocus if your mind begins to wander
Don’t be upset if your mind does wander. It is okay for that to happen during meditation. It is actually very common! We are programmed to always be thinking of something, so meditating can be very difficult at times. I still notice that my mind will drift from topic to topic. I just have to gently remind myself that I can think about all of those things later, but presently, I am meditating. This reminder is usually enough to get right back on course, and I will focus on my breathing once again.
7. Don’t feel pressured to completely stop your thoughts
Meditation is not about completely stopping your thoughts. This can happen, but it does not need to. Meditation is more importantly about being aware of your thoughts and focusing your attention on just one thing (typically the breath for beginners). You shouldn’t meditate expecting that your mind will be completely void of thoughts. This will leave you feeling discouraged and feeling like you are doing something wrong. Instead, remember that meditating is simply about holding your focus on the present moment and becoming aware of your busy mind.
8. Tune in to how your body is feeling
Tuning into how your body is feeling helps to keep you in the present moment and will lead to a more successful meditation. What is your body telling you? Are your muscles tense? Does your body feel tired? Addressing these questions will allow you to calm down even further and fall deeper into meditation. Imagine your body relaxing and all of the tension leaving it. You can start with your face and work all the way down to your toes until all of the tension is released. I also like to visualize myself in the present moment. I know this may sound odd or be difficult, but I like to try and look at myself in my current surrounding. Taking this objective viewpoint immerses me fully into the present moment and allows me to visualize what I look like relaxing into the environment around me.
9. Follow guided meditations
Personally, I LOVE guided meditations. These allow you to set a specific intention and focus for your practice. There are many guided meditations out there so you should have no problem finding one that best suits your needs. Some examples include guided meditation for detachment from overthinking, for confidence and self love, for weight loss, for attracting loving relationships and for finding your life’s purpose. These meditations are excellent ways to attract what you want in your life. As the law of attraction states, “thoughts become things” and these guided meditations will help bring your thoughts to fruition.
10. Close with a smile
The best way to end your meditation practice is with a smile! Smiling is scientifically proven to boost your mood. This will help feel even more relaxed, calm and positive. I find that I almost always finish meditating with a smile on my face because it just makes me feel SO good. Give it a try!
I hope these tips were helpful for anyone who is apprehensive about meditating. I truly cannot stress enough how valuable meditating is and how wonderful you will feel because of it. If you want more information, you can also check out this book for beginners:
Comment below with any questions you may have, I would love to help!