How To Meditate For Beginners

Learning how to meditate is often confusing for beginners. Let’s face it... There are many different meditation techniques. How are you supposed to know what to do? As a beginner you probably have many questions.

Are you supposed to sit down with your legs crossed, sit upright in a chair or lie down?
Should you keep your eyes closed or focus on an object such as a burning candle?
Do you have to think about something or try not to not think about anything?
Is it a good idea to play music in the background while meditating?
For how long should you meditate at a time and how often?

And, you probably have many more questions...

The problem is that just about every person practising meditation has his, or her, own opinion on what you should or should not be doing.

Well, meditation is a very personal experience. What may work for one person may not work as well for you. In fact, it may not even be right for you. With that said, let’s get started!

How To Meditate For Beginners

The basic foundation of meditation is very simple...

Meditation is about relaxing the body and calming the mind.

This simple truth is the main reason why there are so many different meditation techniques. You see, we are all different. What works for me in calming my mind may not necessarily work for you. Some people find sitting cross legged relaxing... I find it uncomfortable.

There is not only one way to meditate. There are many different ways and they can all be equally effective. You have to find the right way for you. This means experimenting with different meditation techniques until you have found the best one for relaxing your body and calming your mind.

Here are some tips I normally share with beginners on how to meditate.

1. Getting prepared to meditate.

Use the bathroom before you start your session and drink a glass of water.

Prepare the room where you’re going to meditate in. Make sure you will not be disturbed for the next 15 minutes and switch your phone off. If your outside environment is noisy it’s a good idea to play some soft and relaxing music in the background.

Turn the room into your own personal, sacred space. You can create a nice and relaxing atmosphere by lighting some candles or burning incense but this is completely up to you and not a requirement.

2. Preparing your body and mind.

Before you start your meditation session it’s a good idea to do some very light stretching exercises. The intention is not to exercise but just to increase your blood circulation and oxygen intake.

• Stand up straight and start by gently moving your head from side to side, releasing any tension in your neck.
• Roll your shoulders gently forwards and backwards, releasing any tension in your upper body.
• Stretch out your arms out as far as possible, without hurting yourself, and then relax them.
• Next, focus on your fingers. Wiggle them around until they are completely relaxed.
• Relax the middle part of your body by gently moving your hips in a circular motion.
• Tense the muscles in your thighs and calves by standing on your toes (hold on to something for support) and relax.
• Sit down on a chair and cross your legs (like men normally do) and start rotating your ankle and wiggle your toes. Do the same for the other ankle.

You will feel much more relaxed with your finished.

Note: Some people recommend following a program that is similar to the above while you’re already sitting or lying down to meditate. Personally, I find it a lot more difficult to go through such a program sitting up or lying down. But, you have to do what works best for you.

The next step is to prepare your mind. You need to get into the right state of mind before you start to meditate. Think of something positive such as how much you love your child. It can be anything really, as long as it fills you with loving thoughts. Don’t think about it for too long. You only need one loving and positive thought to set the mood.

3. Start meditating.

Sit or lie down in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Try not to think about anything. If a thought pops into your mind just gently push it away. Do not stress over it.

Focus on your breathing. Take slow deep breaths through your mouth and exhale slowly through your mouth. If this type of breathing feels awkward revert back to the way you normally breathe but try to take slow deep breaths and exhale slowly. It should take you longer to exhale than to inhale.

Remember that meditation takes practice, especially if you’re a beginner. You will find that the longer you meditate the easier it will become.

Make meditation a part of your daily routine. Meditate at least once a day, twice if possible, for 15 minutes at a time and you’ll soon start to realize the huge benefits behind meditation. It’s possible to live to happier, healthier and more fulfilled life by meditating for as little as 15 minutes every day.