How to meditiate for beginners

People find meditation an easy way to escape the trouble and stress of the daily grind. You can even do it in the office, or on your commute to work. Sounds easy right? But how to meditate for beginners? Is meditation for you? The answer is yes, meditation is for everyone. For everyone seeking to relieve stress and improve their well-being. It does not take an expert to fully benefit from meditation. Although it might take some practice to train your mind to focus when you meditate. Here are some simple meditation tips for beginners that will guide you in this practice.    

What is meditation?

Meditation is a practice that uses mindful techniques to create a stable mental and emotional state for a person. Meditation aims to train the mind to focus and develop concentration. It can also help you boost your mood and be more connected to your inner self. This can also give you awareness of the present moment and your surroundings. Meditation is a practice that can be done alone at home, or in a group with a helpful meditation coach. It can be done using breathing exercises, listening to music, or simply walking.

Basic meditation tips for beginners

It might take you a few days or even weeks to get the hang of it, but once you learn your technique, it will be easy for you to meditate. For those looking for meditation tips, meditations do not need to be complicated. To get started with meditation on a daily basis, here are some useful and helpful tips to get a good and relaxing meditation for beginners.   

1. Do not set high expectations for yourself and be OK if you feel like you did not achieve anything on your first try.
2. Have a goal in mind. Start meditating with a target outcome in mind. It can be to feel good about yourself, to clarify your mind or just to loosen up.
3. Meditate regularly. Amidst your busy schedule, always find a specific time of the day to do a simple breathing exercise or a moment of silence to meditate.
4. Before doing meditation, try to calm your mind first. Diving into meditation right after a chaotic day may not work at all. Give your mind and body to calm down and rest before doing any meditation exercise.
5. Find a comfortable position for your meditation. You can either lie down on your back or sit on the floor as long as your body will feel relaxed.
6. Start with small breaths and just keep on breathing. You can start by focusing your attention on your breathing. You can also listen to meditation sounds at different hz. By listening to these sounds, you can concentrate more.
7. You are not supposed to think about anything while you start to do meditation. During this state you might come with different thoughts which are normal. You just let go of those thoughts and don’t focus on those. Once you let go, those random thoughts that came into your mind will disappear after you do meditation regularly.
8. Introduce movements to your meditations. Once you master your mindfulness meditation, try adding small and simple movements like stretching your hand or your feet.
9. You need to know that there are good days and bad days. Day one might be a good and relaxing meditation, but day two may be a challenge. Acknowledge your thoughts and moods, even if they are bad ones.
10. Don’t skip a day. Make meditation a part of your routine so you can feel the effect of this practice.

What are the types of meditation?

1. Concentration meditation

Concentration meditation is an excellent way to train your mind to focus. This form of meditation requires you to focus on a single thing. It can be your breathing, chanting a mantra, or staring at an object. Focusing your mind on a single object or subject allows you to improve your focus and concentration. This form of meditation may be a bit of a challenge for beginners. You might find your thoughts wandering to other things. Just refocus on your subject and let your thoughts go.

2. Mindfulness meditation

Mindfulness meditation practices the mind to be more aware of your thoughts and feelings. Unlike concentration meditation, mindfulness meditation allows you to acknowledge your thoughts and feelings and get involved with them. According to the Mayo Clinic (2020), mindfulness is a type of meditation where you focus on being intensely aware of what you are sensing or feeling moment by moment without judging or trying to interpret. This is a good way to create awareness to what you are feeling without getting stressed on how to handle them. Just allowing them to flow freely in your mind.

3. Body scan meditation

A body scan meditation is a type of meditation that allows you to focus on the part of your body that you feel is causing you discomfort. You may have some physical issues that you do not know, which you can realize by doing body scan meditation. Body scan meditation cannot cure the discomfort that you are feeling but it can give you awareness so you know how to handle the discomfort. This type of meditation also allows you to be aware of your physical health, which more often than not, we take for granted until we feel any physical pain.

4. Moving meditation

There are many ways to do moving meditation. One way to meditate while moving is by walking. You can also do other moving meditation techniques like yoga and tai-chi. This simple meditation for beginners does not only affect the mind. This is also helpful in reducing physical pain and increasing the blood flow to the brain. 

Guided meditation tips for beginners

Trying to meditate for the first time can be challenging. That is why guided meditation is a good option. Guided meditation is a good way to start your meditation practice especially if you find it difficult to focus when you are alone. A meditation coach can help you focus and give you guidance to achieve your goal. Here are some tips to help you with your guided meditation.

1. You can either join a class or do courses so you can be guided by a meditation coach or an expert in meditation.
2. Download an app that will give you instructions on how to do meditations for beginners. 
3. Listen to music when you do your guided meditation.
4. Start with a simple meditation practice.
5. Meditate regularly for 5 to 15 minutes a day until your body and mind get used to the practice.

How to meditate in bed for beginners

The bedroom is one of the best places to practice your meditation. Other than it offers privacy, it is also a very comfortable and quiet place. You can use your bed to meditate which may lead to good and restful sleep. Meditating in bed before you sleep can make you fall asleep quickly. It can also induce deep sleep and help people with insomnia. Mindfulness meditation also helped people struggling with chronic insomnia, according to a 2018 study published in Mindfulness. You can do breathing meditation before bedtime. Or you can listen to music with a repetitive beat or hum to help you with your meditation.

How much should I meditate in the beginning?

How much time should you spend on meditation? As a beginner, you can meditate for 5 minutes a day. This will help you train your mind to focus without putting too much pressure on yourself. As a beginner, you might find your thoughts wandering about so many things. Five minutes is a good way to train your brain to commit to something. As you go on with your meditation, you can increase your timing to 10 minutes or 15 minutes per day. The key is to practice regularly until you learn how to meditate properly.

What are the main reasons to meditate?  

There are many reasons to include meditation in your day-to-day routine. Mainly, people meditate to relax their minds and to create a balance between their mind and body. Meditation is a shortcut to creating awareness and positivity which is why more and more people are trying this practice. By doing meditation, mental health and physical health can be improved. 

Benefits of meditation

Meditation has been present since ancient times. It is also used in religious activities to induce calmness. There are also studies that have proven the benefits of meditation to the mind and body.

1. Reduce stress, anxiety and depression
2. Promotes emotional, physical and mental health
3. Enhances self-awareness and mindfulness of the present moment
4. Improves focus and concentration
5. Can generate positivity and kindness
6. Improves sleep
7. Helps alleviate physical pain
8. Create balance energy flow and activate chakras

Stress relief meditation for beginner

Meditation is a good stress reliever. It helps in calming the mind and organizing our thoughts. Mindfulness meditation practice allows us to be more aware of our thoughts. It also gives us awareness of the things going around us. This will help us handle both good and bad thoughts and experiences without getting stressed and anxious. 

Meditation can also induce sleep. Doing a few minutes of sleep meditation before bed can help us sleep better. When we get a restful sleep, our mood becomes better and happier the next day. This means clarity of the mind and positive attitude which allows us to handle stress better.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I meditate at home?

Find a quiet space in your home where you can sit comfortably. Close your eyes and start breathing. Focus your attention on your breathing until you feel relaxed. You can also play music with repeating beats and focus your mind on those beats. Do this for 5 minutes a day regularly to train your mind to meditate.

How long should I meditate as a beginner?

If you are meditating for the first time then you can start doing meditations for 5 minutes a day. You can increase up to 10 or 15 minutes a day once you get used to this practice. You may find it difficult to meditate on your first few tries. But that is completely normal. Meditation is a practice that needs time and patience.

Is it OK to sleep after I meditate?

Yes, it is perfectly OK to sleep after you meditate. Some people even go straight to deep sleep as they meditate.

What is the best position to meditate?

Find a quiet place and a comfortable position to meditate. You can meditate while sitting on a chair or sitting on the floor with your legs crossed. You can also meditate lying on your back as long as you are comfortable.

Is meditation good for your health?

Yes, meditation your mental, emotional and physical health. Meditation reduces stress and clarifies the mind. It can also help to alleviate physical pain and reduce negative emotions. Science has also proven the benefit of meditation to our minds and body.