Do you need to sit cross-legged for hours, achieve a completely silent mind, light incense, or be a spiritual guru? Of course not. Meditation for Beginners is much more simple than you might imagine… and the benefits, well they can be life changing, setting you up for benefits that will continue to reward you for decades to come.
The key isn’t perfection right of the bat, it’s about consistency and simply getting started. Ok, its time to forget this idea of clearing-your-mind… the idea is to observe your thoughts, without judgment and gently guide your focus.
Meditation for Beginners: Start Small (Really, Really Small!)
“I always advise people to start really, really small, just 2 minutes… setting 20 or 30 minutes as your first attempt and deciding to do it everyday is like aiming for 100 push-ups a day when you’ve not done one since school.” John Vincent.
The big secret isn’t being perfect, it’s just about showing up and giving it a go.
Everyone can find two minutes!
- Focus on Your Breath. Simply notice the sensation of your breath as it enters and leaves your body. When your mind wanders (and it will) gently bring your attention back to your breath.
- Gradually Increase. Once two minutes feels comfortable, add another minute. Work your way up slowly, maybe to five, then ten minutes.
Stacking Your Habits for Success
Making meditation a regular practice, this is where a lot of people fall down. Habit stacking is the answer. This is simply linking your meditation to something you do every-day already.
- Do you always have a cup of tea or coffee in the morning…? Try meditating for a couple of minutes before you take your first sip.
- Brushing your teeth before bed… add a short meditation immediately after.
- Waiting for your computer to boot up… take advantage of the time it takes to boot up for a quick meditation session until your desktop appears.
- Sitting down to eat… before you pick up your fork for your first bite of a meal, close your eyes for a brief meditation. This is great for gratitude and your digestion.
By attaching your new practice to an existing routine it will become an automatic part of your day.
Your Brain Will Think – It’s Supposed To!
One of the biggest issues for beginners is that they think they’re doing it wrong because their mind is busy. Having thoughts during meditation is completely normal… your mind is designed to think.
Meditation practice isn’t about emptying your mind… it’s about how you react to those thoughts. When a thought pops up, just acknowledge it (like, “Hey there, random thought about what’s for dinner!”) without judgment and then gently guide your focus back to your breath.
Imagine it like watching clouds drifting across the sky… you notice them, but you don’t chase them.
Meditation for Beginners: Find Your Style
Meditation isn’t a one-size-fits-all practice… there are as many way to meditate as there are people meditating.
- Silent Meditation: Just you and your breath. Simple.
- Guided Meditation: A voice talks you through it…
- Mindfulness Meditation: Just being aware of what you’re experiencing in the right now.
- Loving-kindness Meditation: Sending out ‘good vibes’ to yourself and others.
- Visualization: Using your imagination to voyage…
- Chakra Meditations: Focused on the energy systems of your body
- Focus Meditation: this can be a candle flame, a mandala or simple a mark on the wall
Play around with different meditation techniques and find what clicks for you.
Instant Results: Meditation for Beginners
You might get some instant results… but like most things, time is important. Working-out, tending to a garden, the benefits grow slowly over time. Think of it as a relationship you build with yourself.
Over the weeks and months you will start to notice things:
- A greater sense of calm and clarity
- Increased patience
- Better quality sleep
- Reduced reactivity to stressful situations
- Lengthening your attention span and focus
You can of course pick outcomes you’d like to experience: to become kinder and more compassionate, to enhance your self-awareness… and focus your practice on achieving those.
Ready?
Start right now… Close your eyes, focus on your breath, play a nature soundscape in the background or listen to a guided meditation (this one is >> for Gratitude).