A Beginner’s Guide on How to Meditate

If the demands of daily life have you feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and anxious, meditation could be the answer you’re looking for. Meditation is an ancient mind-body practice that has been shown to provide a variety of benefits for both mental and physical health [3]. At its core, meditation involves focusing your attention to create a state of deep relaxation and calmness. Many beginners struggle with meditation; if you are one of them, this blog is written to help you.

Meditation for Beginners: Simple Instructions

One of the simplest and most common ways to start meditating is by focusing on your breathing [2]:

• Choose a quiet, distraction-free area and settle into a comfortable position, either sitting upright in a chair, cross-legged on the floor, or lying down.
• Close your eyes or leave them partially open and lowered, whichever feels best.
• Bring your attention to your breathing. Breathe slowly and naturally, focusing your attention on the sensation of air moving in and out of your nostrils. Notice how your belly rises and falls with each inhale and exhale.
• If you find that your thoughts are straying, that is perfectly normal. Refocus your attention on your breathing slowly.
• Continue this focused breathing for 5-10 minutes to start. Over time, you can work up to longer sessions of 15-20 minutes or more.

During meditation, do not judge or force yourself to focus – treat yourself with kindness.

Different Meditation Techniques to Try

Meditation helps us hit the pause button on the chaos of daily life. There are many different styles of meditation you can try until you find one that works best for you [4].

Mantra Meditation

Mantra meditation is all about silently repeating a calming word or phrase to yourself, like “peace” or “om.” This anchors your wandering mind to the present [4].

Body Scan Meditation

Body scans bring awareness to physical sensations by consciously focusing on one part of the body at a time from head to toe. You can sync with your breathing too [4].

Visualization Meditation

The visually inclined people can use visualization to create a favorite serene scene in their mind, like a beach or forest. Observe the place in detail by noticing the sights, sounds, and smells around you [4].

Loving-Kindness Meditation

In the Loving-Kindness method, you need to repeat positive affirmations, like “May I be happy and healthy,”. This repetition develops feelings of warmth for both yourself and other people [4].

Movement Meditations

If you don’t feel comfortable while sitting, you can try moving meditation. This technique includes walking meditation, qigong, or yoga [1][4].

How to Meditate Consistently

Stillness meditation is an art. To get the most out of it, you have to be consistent with it [6]. Start small: You don’t have to start big directly. You can start with just 5 to 10 minutes per day and when you feel you can increase the time, go for it. Schedule it: Fix a time of the day for how to meditate to make sure you’re always present for yourself, like an appointment with yourself. Use reminders: You can set a phone alert if you find it hard to remember. You can also  download an app to set reminders. Don’t get discouraged:  It’s completely normal for your mind to wander constantly at first. Be patient and keep re-focusing gently. Experiment with different approaches: If a particular meditation technique is not working for you, try another one from the list above. Make it a habit: Do it every day for at least one to two months. With time, meditation will become more effortless. Be kind to yourself: Meditation isn’t about perfect focus; it’s about practicing acceptance and self-compassion.

Start Meditation for Stress Relief & Better Health

It is extremely beneficial to set aside time for calm meditation in today’s world of constant busyness and stimulation. You can re-center yourself, find relief from mental chatter, slow down, and live a healthy lifestyle through meditation [5].  

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