10 Easy Meditation Tips for Beginners

It is not easy to switch off to the everyday plans and meetings from work, children’s needs and job deadlines, bills to be paid and life and all that stresses us out daily. Most people do not even bother to attempt relaxing anymore, because it only lasts a few seconds before your mind begins to race again, right? True, however, practicing meditation can help.

Nothing is more annoying than that one girl at work who seems to let everything roll off and is always smiling, telling you that you can also achieve her level of calm with some meditation now and then. So, how effective is meditation, and why do we need to try it at least once?

A study conducted at Harvard University showed that active meditation could lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, relieve stress, and curb depression. Meditation played a huge role in fighting insomnia and anxiety, which in turn increases concentration, learning, general emotional well-being, and even inner peace.

How do you Start Meditation as a Beginner?

If you have decided to give meditation a try, here are some simple tips to get you on that rowboat to serenity without being a veteran meditation guru.

1. Start Small

It is advised to start by sitting still and meditating for just two minutes. It sounds easy. A lot of people find it difficult even to sit still and think of nothing that spurs them to action, but once you can master being still for two minutes, you are well on your way. Start with two minutes per day, every day. After a week, work it up by adding another two minutes for another week. Follow this tip, and soon, you will be able to meditate for 10 minutes at a time.

2. Check Yourself

Most people think meditation is solely for relaxation purposes, or perhaps to cultivate the ability to levitate things with your mind, but in truth, meditation is conditioning to teach you how to read your thought processes, so that you can effectively learn how to approach your inner thoughts. When you start meditating, first focus on how you feel. Focus on what your experience is. In other words, are you tired or worried or stressed, etc.? Whatever you find yourself, tell yourself that it is okay. It is for these reasons we meditate.

3. Morning Is Best

The reason the morning is the best time is apparent. It is the only time where your day has not begun yet, and your mind is still in a state of relaxation. It will help to set your alarm for a bit earlier to accommodate your daily meditation or even stick a reminder in the bathroom or kitchen to prompt you to meditate. As soon as you get into the habit, you will automatically be accustomed to doing it.

4. Location

When you first start to meditate, you will not need to have a special place that looks like something out of a Buddhist temple to get you started. Just meditate. Forget about the right cushions or the proper airflow and sit somewhere, anywhere, where you can have solitude and focus on your little slice of peace. As you lengthen your sessions, you can start finding a special place with scents and colors that optimize your comfort, but for now, find a spot and do your thing.

5. Breathing Is Key

The first thing people make fun of when talking about meditation is breathing techniques. However, correct breathing is imperative to enhance your concentration and relaxation to explore your thoughts. After all, this is what meditation is about – getting to know your thoughts so that you can control your emotions better.

Concentrate on how the air enters your nose, follow it through your nose down to your lungs and then hold it for a moment. Count as you inhale and exhale, in other words, a count to ten would be five breaths in and out.

6. Come Back

It is almost impossible to maintain a steady-state of concentration, especially if you are new at meditation. It happens to all of us. Our minds wander as soon as we lose grip on that stern focus, but that is entirely normal. Just take a moment and bring yourself back, knowing that this is not a failure. Like everything, it takes practice to get it right, and having your mind wandering off is just par for the course.

7. Take Note of Your Surroundings

Once you have eventually managed to get your breathing just right, you can start concentrating on more. Start taking note of things like odors and light in your vicinity. Just look at one point in the room and allow your mind to capture and appreciate the surrounding light. Whereas the next week, you might focus on the sounds around you. Taking notice will help you train your senses to be more keen on elements around you every day.

8. Go With It

People expect to be able to clear their minds and think of nothing before attaining some form of meditation. To entirely clear, your mind is not the point. Very few people (with proper practice) can completely void their minds of any thoughts or sensations while meditating. Don’t worry when your thoughts come flowing in. Go with it. See what is there and try to look at it objectively while you explore the origin of this particular idea or thought. Even if it is a negative emotion, examine it and try to let it gradually tell you how to deal with it, while you learn to minimize its impact on your psyche.

9. No Worries

If you should think you are doing meditation wrong, remember that there is no such thing. Reflection is subjective, and we all do what works for us. If you are breathing and listening to your thoughts and senses, you are doing what you set out to do, aren’t you? No worries, if you do not attain that pinnacle of peace yet. Just keep doing, exploring and persisting, and soon you will develop your way.

10. Be Friendly

When your thoughts wander, smile as you corral them back. If you forget to breathe right, smile as you restore your method. Smile, relax, it is just you, taking note of you and there is no judgment or right and wrong here. Be friendly when you confront thoughts and emotions and be friendly to yourself.

Start Meditating Today

Meditation is not about being enlightened and super wise within weeks. It is not about competing with others about how secure your resistance to negativity is. It is about you. Just you. Only you can do this in a way that will train your mind to enjoy your own company and control your environment.[sc_fs_multi_faq headline-0=”h2″ question-0=”How do you start meditation as a beginner?” answer-0=”Start Small – It is advised to start by sitting still and meditating for just two minutes. It sounds easy. A lot of people find it difficult even to sit still and think of nothing that spurs them to action, but once you can master being still for two minutes, you are well on your way. Start with two minutes per day, every day. After a week, work it up by adding another two minutes for another week. Follow this tip, and soon, you will be able to meditate for 10 minutes at a time.” image-0=”” headline-1=”h2″ question-1=”What is meditation?” answer-1=”Meditation is not about being enlightened and super wise within weeks. It is not about competing with others about how secure your resistance to negativity is. It is about you. Just you. Only you can do this in a way that will train your mind to enjoy your own company and control your environment.” image-1=”” count=”2″ html=”false” css_class=””]