The most helpful beginner tips for meditating

The most helpful beginner tips for meditating

Meditation is a healthy habit with a plethora of benefits. It can lower stress levels, improve your focus, boost your mood, and even make you feel more connected to the world around you. However, it is not an easy skill to master. While sitting in silence may seem like that’s all there is to it, meditation is a skill that requires serious diligence to do well, and must be worked at from the ground up.

If you’re interested in starting this practice, this gallery is a great place to start. Click through to learn about what to do before, during, and after meditation to really get the most out of your time, and to help you continuously improve.


Pre-meditation

Here are some things you can do to prepare yourself before you even get down to the actual practice of meditation.


Remind yourself that anyone can meditate

It’s going to be more difficult and more stressful to get into meditation if you already feel like you’re going to fail. Meditation is truly for everyone–remember that.


Set aside time

Pick a time of day that you consistently have time to meditate. Try to make this as sustainable a routine as possible.


Try for first thing in the morning

While it’s more important to be consistent, many experts say that the morning is generally a more effective meditation time.


Get rid of expectations

Many people have expectations about how meditation works and what it should feel like. However, it works differently for different people. Don’t assume you’re going to jump right into monk-level mindfulness.


Pick a meditation spot

Pick a spot in your home that you can use for your meditation. Picking the same space consistently can help you associate that area with tranquility and relaxation.


Turn off your phone

Phones (or any other technology, really) are a constant distraction. Unless you need it for the meditation, try and stay away from the modern world until you’ve finished.


Find your perfect position

While we often see people meditating cross-legged, that’s not a comfortable position for everyone. Find a position where you can be comfortable, though preferably sitting up.


During meditation

Now that you’ve prepped both yourself and your space, here’s how to get down to the actual act of meditation.


Assess how you’re feeling

How does your body feel when you’re beginning your meditation? What about your mind? Take note of whatever emotions seem to be present and tell yourself that it’s ok to feel this way.


Start with a small amount of time

While you may think of meditation as a larger time commitment, that’s something you need to work up to. Start with two minutes, then work your way up from there.


Focus on your breath

Try to clear your mind and just focus on your breath, whether that means counting how many you take, or focusing on the motion of your stomach as you breathe in and out.


It’s not about a blank mind

It’s normal for your mind to wander as you meditate, and that’s completely normal. Feelings, thoughts, and memories are sure to pop up as you relax.


Be forgiving of your emotions

Don’t get frustrated when you can’t seem to maintain your focus on your breath the whole time. Acknowledge your feelings, but don’t judge them.


Bring your mind back

After you’ve acknowledged that your mind has wandered, just bring it back to your breathing.


Check in at the end

After you’ve completed your set time, begin to take notice of yourself and things around you. Pay attention to the sounds and sights, and take stock of how you feel physically and mentally.


Give yourself a time cushion

After meditating, give yourself a few moments before jumping right into another task. This will allow you to better appreciate the time you just spent in mindfulness, and will help you to bring it with you throughout the rest of the day.


Post meditation

Now that you’ve tried meditating, here’s how to continue with the practice.


Be patient

Meditation is not a practice that you’re going to jump right into and be good at. It takes time, practice, and a whole lot of patience.


Stick to a schedule

You’re not going to get much better at meditation through sporadic practice. Instead, you have to make it a daily activity, focusing on doing it at the same time.


Increase the time

As you get better, you can slowly increase the time of your meditations. Start with something small like two minutes, and you can work your way up from there.


Be flexible on location

While the ideal is to have a specific meditation spot in our home, we’re not always at home to use this area. But instead of using this as an excuse to skip meditation, find another location that you can use for meditation while you travel.


Follow guided meditation

If you’re feeling particularly lost and like you may need a hand, there are numerous options for guided meditation that you can use.


Explore other points of focus

While breathing is certainly the most common focus, you can try others to see if they work better for you. Some examples include focusing on sounds, light, or energy.


Try different types of meditation

Sitting meditation is not the only type of meditation out there. You can mix things up, or stick to one type that you find particularly helpful. Some other forms of meditation include walking meditation, loving-kindness meditation, or body scan meditation.


Be mindful even when you’re not meditating

Mindfulness just means that we’re deliberately noticing the things going on around us (or within us). Essentially, that you’re trying to get rid of autopilot. If you attempt to really focus on the sights, sounds, and textures around you, it will only help your meditation.


Find a buddy

A buddy can help you to remain accountable on your meditation journey. You can do the meditation together, or do it separately and merely check in with each other about how it’s going.


Find a group

There are also meditation groups or communities that you can join. This may mean a class where you can all meditate together, or an online group where you can simply pose questions and ask for advice.