Top 10 Meditation Tips for Beginners
The benefits of meditation are unparalleled. This ancient focus technique promotes a balanced mind-body connection – and so much more.
Its therapeutic effects go beyond relaxation and stress relief. Studies show that it can reduce high blood pressure, ease pain, and ward off depression.
It does, however, take some time and practice to nail down the technique of meditation. Unfortunately, this deters many people away from continuing it.
Are you looking to try meditation? Have you already tried it but you’re struggling to find your groove?
Don’t fret! With a little push and encouragement, you’ll be well on your way to meditating in no time.
To help, we’re bringing you these 10 meditation tips for beginners. That way, you can begin experiencing the benefits for yourself.
Let’s get into it!
1. Be Persistent
People practice meditation for all sorts of reasons. Some do it to improve their self-perception and well-being. Others do it to relieve their anxiety, sleep better, or enjoy a healthier lifestyle overall.
You likely have your own reasons for wanting to learn meditation. To reap the benefits, it’s necessary to practice at least once a day.
2. Start with the Basics
Although meditation is about focus, there are different methods of doing it. When you’re just starting out, begin with breathing exercises. This is the most basic form of meditation, and it’s quite simple.
Sit down and close your eyes. Breathe in and out of your nose.
In the beginning, thoughts will interrupt your concentration. But this is actually the nature of breathing meditation when you’re starting out.
When disruptive thoughts pop up, shift your focus back to your breath. This conditions your brain to better recognize and cease these thoughts.
3. Count Your Breaths
The process of meditation is not easy in the beginning. But the technique of counting your breaths can help.
One inhale and the proceeding exhale count as one breath. Slowly count each of these breaths.
Some people count all the way up to 10 and then start back at zero again. When disruptive thoughts arise, resume counting. This will realign your focus.
Eventually, you’ll stop counting, and this is when you’ve achieved a meditative state.
There’s no set amount of time for the process of meditation. In the beginning, aim to meditate for five minutes. Eventually, you’ll be able to do it for longer.
4. Choose a Convenient Time
The beauty of meditation is that you can practice it anytime, anywhere. But you have to do it when you’re less likely to experience disturbances.
That doesn’t mean you can’t meditate in the presence of others. A lot of people meditate while commuting on public transportation, for example.
If you have kids, the best time to meditate is when they’re at school or away from home. Or you can meditate while on your lunch break at work.
Choose a time that’s convenient and flexible for you. As long as you’re not expected to interact with others, you can practice wherever and whenever.
5. Meditate in a Quiet Place
It is possible to meditate in a loud and crowded place. But if you’re a beginner, it’s best to do it in solitude.
Choose a place where others won’t disturb you. Here are some ideas on where you can meditate in peace and quiet:
- A closed office
- Locked bathroom
- Bedroom
- In a park or garden
- In a parked car
As you learn meditation and get better at it, you’ll be able to do it anywhere.
6. Get Comfortable and Fix Your Posture
When you’re uncomfortable, it’s hard to focus on anything – let alone meditation. By the same token, meditating can alleviate discomfort. So, to help you relax, focus on your posture.
Sit in a chair with your belly, spine, shoulders, and head aligned. Your feet should also be flat on the ground.
If it helps, imagine a string pulling the top of your head from above. You should feel your shoulders and belly pull inward as you do this.
You can also try sitting cross-legged. Just make sure not to hunch forward.
If you’re still uncomfortable, lie flat on your back. The position is not so important as much as your ability to focus and relax. But how you position your body can certainly help you meditate more effectively.
7. Try Stretching
Still can’t get comfortable? Sore muscles and poor circulation may be to blame.
In that case, start out with warm-up stretches. A couple of basic yoga stretches will suffice. These include, but aren’t limited to:
- Downward facing dog
- Child’s pose
- Twists
- Eagle arms
- Pelvic twists
The less restless and uncomfortable you feel, the more focused you’ll be. Experiment with different yoga poses and find which ones work best for you.
8. Meditate on a Somewhat Empty Stomach
It’s normal to feel full and tired after a meal. But meditating right after a meal could make you fall asleep.
At the same time, feeling hungry can disrupt your concentration. This can make it harder for you to focus on anything but food.
Make sure you meditate on a somewhat empty stomach. That way, you can concentrate better and not risk falling asleep.
9. Find Intention
Before each meditation session, set an intention. These don’t always have to be the same. Begin by asking yourself what you would like to achieve out of today’s session.
Some days, you may want to relieve any anxiety or sad feelings. Other days, you may want mental clarity or to channel your inner spirituality.
Whatever your intention is, acknowledge it. This way, your mind can bring it out of your subconscious and into focus.
10. Don’t Be in a Hurry
As you end your meditation session, you should come out of it slowly.
You don’t have to open your eyes right away. Instead, start moving your body in slow, gradual movements. Start with a neck or shoulder roll, for example.
Then, work your way to opening and closing your eyes in a repeated motion. You’ll feel yourself come back to your surroundings. That’s when the meditation session will end.
Try These Meditation Tips for Beginners
It takes time to learn meditation and to find what works for you. But the best part about meditation is that anyone can practice it. And everyone can experience and reap its benefits.
Wondering how else you can work on these meditation tips for beginners? Check out our self-improvement blog!