Meditation may seem intimidating at first, so beginners may benefit from starting off slowly by starting off with shorter sessions like five or ten minutes.
Sit comfortably, either on a chair or cross-legged on the floor, and close your eyes. Pay attention to the sensation of breathing; whenever your mind wanders off track, bring it back.
1. Sit in a comfortable position
Sitting for just a few minutes each day to meditate can make an enormous difference to your overall well-being, but it is crucial that you find a comfortable position which allows you to keep your back straight. Sitting with an arched back is known to lead to feelings of fatigue and stress in the body – even leading to eventual back problems! If sitting up straight is difficult for you, experiment with different sitting positions until one works for your body best.
Some people like to sit cross-legged on the floor, but you could also try sitting comfortably on a chair or even your bed. Just ensure your feet are well apart and knees don’t rise too high above hips; also attempt to maintain a slight arch in your low back to avoid excessively arching your spine or slouching.
If you don’t feel flexible enough to sit in a quarter lotus position or higher, a meditation cushion, pillow, or towel may help maintain an upright spine. Some meditation practices actually call for lying down instead if this causes pain or other obstacles; that is perfectly fine too.
Some find it beneficial to place their hands in a “mudra” (prayer) position with thumbs touching each other; this helps awaken their bodies and focus attention back on breathing when thoughts start wandering away from it. But it’s not necessary; some prefer keeping hands loose or resting them lightly on top of thighs instead. Beware, though; doing this may cause tingling sensations in fingers so if trying it on your own first might help avoid getting distracted by sensations that arise while practicing meditation.
2. Breathe
Breathing is an integral part of meditation. It helps the mind stay focused and calm despite distractions, whether sitting, cross-legged on the floor, or lying down. Try to focus on your breath – how it feels like when breathing in or exhaling; try slow, deep breaths while paying attention to when your lungs expand with each inhalation or contract with each exhalation; experts often suggest starting off with multiple deep breaths before counting out breath cycles such as one inhalation/exhalation as one/ two/ three/ four etc.
As a beginner, your mind may wander from time to time – that’s okay, just notice it and return your attention to breathing cycle. If your thoughts begin racing away with you, simply count again; don’t worry about reaching a specific number; your goal should be cultivating mindfulness rather than trying for higher numbers.
Beginners to meditation often prefer keeping their eyes closed, though it is ultimately your decision. Some find it easier to stay focused with closed eyes while others find it more beneficial to leave them open and focus on one point in front of them. Another popular practice involves conducting a body scan: this involves deliberately paying attention to all parts of your body from head to toe and noting any physical sensations that arise; perhaps starting with feet then working up through knees, torso and arms before returning back down again to feet again and so on.
3. Focus on your breath
Many people assume there are strict guidelines about how to meditate, such as sitting cross-legged on the floor for a specific amount of time. But meditation doesn’t need to be any specific way; you can practice in whatever position is most comfortable for you – sitting, lying down or even standing up can all count as forms of mediation! Finding one that allows you to concentrate on breathing without distraction is essential.
Concentrate on your breathing and the sensations associated with every inhalation and exhalation. If possible, notice where in your body the breath can be felt such as in your chest or belly. Beginners might find counting cycles between inhalations and exhalations beneficial; counting to ten isn’t required and counting back from one will work just fine if they lose track!
When your mind wanders, simply acknowledge that you have lost track of your breath and gently bring it back. While this may be challenging when beginning, remember to not get frustrated with yourself for getting distracted – instead, focus on returning your attention back to it as often as possible, letting thoughts and emotions pass by without attachment or judgment.
By focusing on your breath, you will begin to become more aware of your surroundings – making this an opportunity to practice gratitude for life’s beauty. Closing your eyes during this meditation may allow you to heighten your senses and connect more closely with yourself; if this proves challenging for you though, there are guides available online which provide instruction for how to meditate with closed eyes here.
4. Allow your mind to wander
Meditation practices typically encourage you to concentrate on the rhythmic movements of your breath, which is great, but it’s perfectly acceptable if your thoughts wander off-course. According to Belzer, “mind-wandering is an integral part of meditation; just like rest and awake states within the body.” It’s important to notice when your mind wanders, in order to bring it back onto a focused state such as breathing again.
If your thoughts wander off topic or start replaying past conversations or considering potential outcomes of projects at work, let them go and focus on breathing instead. Soon enough, you should return to focusing on that, and you can decide whether to continue or end your session.
Some meditators find it beneficial to close their eyes during meditation, while others find this too distracting. If you’re new to meditating, we advise trying both open and closed meditation techniques until finding what best works for you. When closing your eyes softly but slightly downward (rather than staring directly at the floor) will help maintain focus while decreasing tension in your face, neck, and eyes.
As a beginner, many find it helpful to meditate with either an instructor or audio recording, particularly at first. Apps like UCLA Mindful, Calm, Ten Percent Happier and Headspace provide free recordings or subscriptions that walk users through a meditation. YouTube channels such as Goodful Headspace & Calm provide guided meditations as well. A meditation or yoga studio may also have instructors available who will offer instruction. Identify why you want to meditate so you stay accountable and stick with it over time.
5. Come back to your breath
Goal of mindfulness meditation is to become aware of our thoughts without becoming consumed by them. One effective method to do this is through returning your focus back onto breathing cycles: inhale-exhale. Beginners can start counting these cycles.
Focus first on the rhythmic nature of your breathing, especially the curve wherein you move between inhaling and exhaling. Make this part last about 2 seconds. Additionally, begin with doing a body scan by focusing on different areas such as toes, feet, legs, hips, stomach, chest back shoulders neck arms to fingers hands shoulders head face forehead face; taking time for each part linger a moment longer then moving to another.
Beginners often feel discouraged about meditation when their minds wander or they struggle to silence the chatter in their heads. Instead of becoming frustrated when this happens, accept that your focus may drift and work on returning it back to breathing exercises.
Beginners to meditation may find guided sessions helpful. There are many free options online or apps like UCLA Mindful that feature recordings to guide you through each session; podcasts or YouTube videos also may offer some guidance, while you could sign up for free trials with apps such as Calm, Ten Percent Happier or Headspace to see which works best.
