If you are new to meditation and interested in making it a part of your life, I’m thrilled to be able to share some information and encouragement with you.
Meditation can transform your life. It can help you work with and manage your mind and emotions. It helps you to feel connected, grounded, and centered.
What is Meditation?
Meditation is simply the practice of calming your mind and focusing on something (usually your breath).
It’s a mental exercise that allows you to relax, quiet your mind, and feel connected. It allows you to simply be – your thoughts and emotions don’t control you.
Why is Meditation Important?
Meditation can be an incredible way to transform your life and mind. It allows you to observe your mind and allows you to understand your being in the world. It helps reduce stress and allows you to focus.
I consider meditation an absolutely essential practice in my life. It’s changed how I deal with my emotions and stress. I hope it can do the same for you.
Why is Meditation Good For You?
By allowing you to be in the present moment, meditation slows down your racing thoughts and anxieties. It can help you physically and mentally. And it’s certainly helpful in dealing with stress.
However, meditation can be even more than this. It can help you feel more connected to yourself and those around you. It can be the start of a spiritual awakening.
How to Meditate for Beginners
Here’s how to start meditating. I want to start by saying – don’t take this too seriously or feel overwhelmed by meditation. It’s common to feel like you aren’t “doing it right” because your mind wanders. That’s okay! It happens to all of us, just continue to encourage yourself to come back to the present moment.
Feel free to set a timer (I like this timer with gongs) if you’d like to practice meditating for a certain period of time. I’d suggest starting with 5 or 10 minutes.
Step 1 – Find a quiet place where you feel safe. Sit in a spot where you feel comfortable.
Step 2 – Allow yourself several deep breaths. Try to feel these breaths in your body.
Step 3 – Close your eyes if you’d like. (this helps me focus)
Step 4 – Allow your mind to relax and let go of any thoughts you can. If it helps you, focus on your breath.
Step 5 – Sit in peace and if your mind wanders, simply come back to the present moment. There’s no need to be upset if your mind butts in and starts having all sorts of ideas! Just notice the thought and let it go.
Step 6 – Close with a moment of gratitude. When your meditation time is finished say a quick thanks for the time you’ve been able to take.
That’s it, friend. That’s basic meditation. There are lots of kinds and types of meditations – like guided meditations or types where you repeat a phrase (like transcendental meditation). But they all similarly come back to this pattern of stillness and focus.
Meditation Music
You certainly don’t have to listen to music while you meditate, but if it helps you, there is lots of wonderful music available. Here are some of our favorite resources:
- Anything by Jai-Jagdee – find her on Spotify. I love her Expand into Intuitive Knowing song.
- This study music on YouTube is incredibly calming. It aids with concentration.
- This OM Mani Padme Hum Chant can also be helpful. It’s a Buddhist mantra that’s focused on purifying the body, speech, and mind.
Guided Meditation
If you aren’t confident with sitting in silence (it’s a learning curve for sure), you might enjoy a guided meditation. There are lots of apps for guided meditation that are helpful and you can find great resources on YouTube.
More Meditation Resources
These are some of my favorite meditation resources. I’ve used all of these and can highly recommend them.
- How to Meditate by Pema Chodron – this book is written by a Buddhist nun. Her work has changed my life.
- How to Walk by Thich Nhat Hanh – If sitting isn’t your thing, you will love this book on walking mindfully. I consider my walks as meditation as well.
- 35 Powerful Quotes on Meditation – a resource from our site sharing some inspiring quotes about meditation.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this has been a helpful resource on how to meditate for beginners.
Remember that you get better at meditating with practice and there is really no wrong way to meditate.
Meditation can change your life – it’s a powerful way of understanding and working with your mind. Please let us know if you have any questions about meditation.