A Beginner’s Guide to Meditation
Written by Leslie K. Hughes
Meditating is not easy. Slowing down both the body and mind is one of the most challenging things you can do. That’s exactly why meditation is referred to as a “practice.” It’s something that you continue to work on and make a little progress each day.
The key to meditation is regular practice. You won’t reap the full benefits of this exercise if you only do it once a month. You may find momentary calm, which is great, but the true magic of meditation happens with dedication to your practice, just like anything else.
If you’re interested in getting started with meditation, you’ve come to the right place.
We’ve put together this beginner’s guide to help you launch into your journey. So let’s get to it.
What to expect from your first meditations
The key thing to remember as a newbie to meditation is that your mind will wander. No one sits down to their first meditation, even their first 10 meditations, and completely calms their mind.
Expect your mind to get distracted, to be busy, and struggle with sitting in calm. When this happens, don’t panic. Instead, focus on your breath to get you back into the present moment. Your breath will always bring you back into focus.
Also, keep in mind that it is impossible to meditate poorly. The difference between one meditation and the next is your level of awareness. Some days you are more aware than others, and as your practice continues, you will find the distractions become less and less.
Find the right setting and time
There is no right or wrong way to do a meditation practice – it is whatever works for you. Some people find that their best meditation happens while sitting on the floor, with legs crossed, listening to calming music.
Others find that their best meditation happens while laying down and in complete silence.
Try out a few different methods of meditation to see what works best for you. Whatever position you choose, pick one that allows you to be comfortable. Comfort is key in you getting into the proper mental state.
Also, start easy with just 10-15 minutes. This is a manageable amount of time to begin with and as you progress in your practice, prolong the length of your meditation.
Make sure you make this practice part of your daily routine – that is the only way to reap the full benefits of meditation. You may find that meditating first thing in the morning works best or maybe an evening meditation is more your style. Either way, find a time and stick to it.
Find your reason
Why do you want to meditate? What are you hoping to get out of it? Have a clear reason as to why you’re bringing this practice into your life and you will find more success in it. Knowing your reason gives you focus, purpose, and a reason to set aside this time every day to improve on that specific area of your life.
Don’t judge yourself
When you find that your mind gets off-track and starts to wander into thoughts about your to-do list for the day, the argument you got in last night, remembering to pay rent, and more, don’t get frustrated or angry with yourself for losing focus. Instead, acknowledge that your mind wandered, focus on the breath, and slowly bring yourself back to the present moment.
Meditation is a journey and progress is slow, so be kind to yourself as you move through your practice. Also, meditation is not linear. Each day is different from the one before and the next one to come. You may have 5 days where you are hyper-focused and centered, and then you may have a day where your mind can’t seem to stay in one place. And that’s okay! That is not a bad thing, and do not get down on yourself on the days that distractions seem to be especially strong.
Start with a body scan
Sometimes it can be hard to flip the switch and get into meditation. We’ve found the best way to transition from normal life into meditation mode is by doing a body scan.
Sit with your eyes closed and imagine a scanner running over your body. Start at the top of your head and slowly work your way down to your toes. Pay attention to any physical sensations in each part of your body as you scan your head, your neck, your shoulders, your fingertips, and so on. Note where you feel extra tension and also note where your mind wanders from the scan and bring it back on track.
This exercise helps you to not only get into the “meditation mode,” but it also helps you to build awareness of your body, your thoughts, and your feelings.
Tools to help
It can feel intimidating to jump into a meditation on your own. Especially if your idea of meditation is trying to sit in silence and think about nothing. The point of meditation is not to think of nothing – it is to bring awareness to the present moment.
When you start, you may find a helpful way to do this is by using a guided meditation app, such as Headspace. These apps help you to learn the process of meditation and provide you with guidance on the techniques that you can use in your practice.
You may find that eventually, you don’t need the help of the app anymore, or you may find that you prefer to continue using the app. Either way is great. In the end, this is your meditation journey, and it does not have to look like anyone else’s.
