Meditation. You’ve tried it, but feel unsure if you’re doing it right. Maybe you want to try it, but you’re not sure what exactly you’re supposed to do. Or you have meditated and experienced the far-reaching benefits but can’t seem to make a regular meditation practice a priority. In this article, I’m sharing with you the key meditation tips and techniques that you need, to get a regular meditation practice going (and stick with it), especially if you’re just starting out. We want to help you effortlessly bring that daily meditation practice into your everyday routine. So, let’s dive in!
Benefits of Meditation—Why do we meditate?
Meditation involves taking dedicated time to focus on your breath, thoughts, and body, allowing yourself to become fully immersed in the present moment. Not only can this bring a sense of calm and clarity, but it has also been linked to a host of health benefits, including reduced stress and anxiety, regulating moods, improved sleep quality, and lower blood pressure.
It can help manage time, organize thoughts, improve productivity, and even improve your relationships. Meditation techniques have been practiced for centuries, and cultivating a meditation practice is more relevant now than ever before. So how can we seamlessly add a meditation session into our daily routine, and what should we know?
Start Small—Build your meditation practice
It may seem counter-intuitive, because with a healthy practice we may be tempted to think ‘more is better’. But start with just a few minutes a day. Trust me, a meditation session 30 or 60 minutes long in the beginning can hinder you. Starting with long sessions can send alarm bells to the subconscious mind. Your subconscious mind will try to sabotage your efforts because it fears change. This is normal. It will generate all kinds of fancy and legitimate sounding reasons as to why you can’t meditate today, so keeping them short in the beginning is your best defense against subconscious self-sabotage.
Start with 3-5 minutes, 1-3 times per day. Increasing the length of time slowly will ensure you build a consistent routine, which is the real key. Other common challenges with meditation will arise, but don’t worry; we have compiled a list of solutions for you in this article. Starting small and finding a quiet space is all that is needed for the first few weeks; increase by a few minutes as it feels natural to do so.
Prepare Your Space—Setting the energy
Prepping your space is more important than it seems. Your environment plays a role in how you hold your vibration, but it doesn’t have to take long. Find somewhere quiet, free from distractions; a little background noise is fine. Prepare the energy of the room with some tools, like an essential oil diffuser, lighting a candle, or playing meditation music; it helps set the tone in the space and prepares your mind for the practice. If it feels like a task to you, keep the setup quick and simple in the beginning. What’s most important is that you start meditating.
If you feel inspired, designate a space in your home and prepare it with some serene decor. That way, you can retreat to it at any time. While you don’t need anything but yourself and a comfortable, quiet space to meditate, I find that when I enter my special, dedicated space, I have the ability to enjoy a much deeper meditation experience and lower into an alpha brain state much faster.
Whether you’re transforming an entire room into your own dedicated space or just carving out a corner of your bedroom, make it yours, using elements and a style that personally sets the tone for a zen experience for you. If you’re tight on space, try to choose the same spot each time; it helps create a safe space for your mind to fall into relaxation more quickly.
Use a Guided Meditation—Support yourself
If you’re new to meditation, guided meditations or apps might be a great way to start your practice. Not only do they offer a gentle introduction to the many meditation techniques available, but they can also help to keep your mind focused and engaged. I loved to use guided meditations or meditation apps in the beginning.
These are the first meditations that I used when I started meditating; some are voice-guided, and some have meditation music. I love them and still use them at times. They are free on YouTube; check out my list of favourite guided meditation videos here.
If you’d prefer to try out a meditation app, there are many available. Most offer a few free ones or a free trial; you’ll likely have to pay a small amount beyond that, but they offer a wide range of techniques and styles. Plus, they are super convenient and easy to use. Here you can find a list of the highest-rated meditation apps to find one that suits your needs.
Choose a Meditation Technique—Finding what resonates
With so many types of meditative practices out there, how do you decide where to start? The good news is that each can serve a different purpose. Mindful meditation asks you to be present in the moment without judgment, allowing you to observe your thoughts and sensations. From there, you can branch out and explore other techniques like somatic meditation, where focus on bodily sensations can help with negative emotions, or a grounding meditation, that can help achieve calm confidence and focus.
While there are many different techniques to experiment with, don’t get overwhelmed; just go ahead and try one out or read more about each technique to find the one that fits your specific needs right now. I’ve prepared a detailed list of techniques and their specific benefits for you here. But if you’re still unsure, the mindful meditation technique is a simple practice for a beginner.
Certain types of meditation will resonate differently for you at different times in your life, so it’s important to experiment and find what works best for you. Here’s a short list of some popular methods to get you started:
Mindfulness Meditation
Be fully present in the moment, observing thoughts and sensations without judgment.
Somatic Meditation
Tune into and explore bodily sensations to connect deeply with your physical self.
Walking Meditation
Transform walking into a meditative practice, focusing on movement and breath.
Grounded Meditation
Cultivates a sense of stability and confidence in your life and experiences.
Transcendental Meditation
Uses a personalized mantra in a structured way to access deeper relaxation and clarity.
Loving Kindness Meditation
Focuses on cultivating feelings of compassion, love, and goodwill towards yourself and others.
Yoga Nidra
Induces a deep relaxation response in a conscious state between wakefulness and sleep, focusing on a body scan, breath awareness, and visualization.
Breathwork
Involves controlled breathing techniques that can help to calm the mind, improve mental focus, and influence your mental health, emotional health, and physical well being.
Get Comfortable—The optimal position
Okay, so you’ve found a quiet place and chosen a form of meditation style to try out. Now, it’s time to find a comfortable position so you can fully immerse yourself in the experience. The good news is, you don’t have to force yourself into a lotus position like you see in pictures (unless you want to).
It is important, though, to keep your spine straight, which you can do with a meditation chair, a meditation cushion, or even a rolled-up towel behind your lower back. If you’re dealing with back pain or restlessness, you might find that sitting up straight for meditation is difficult. In that case, don’t stress, it’s totally fine to lay down or sit on a couch or chair. The goal is to find a position that allows you to relax and focus. And if you do fall asleep, don’t beat yourself up about it. Sleep might be just what your body needs in that moment.
Focus on Your Breath—Master this art
When it comes to meditation, one of the most fundamental practices is focusing on your breath. Why? Well, your breath is always with you—it’s a constant, ever-present anchor that can help you stay present and centered no matter what’s going on around you.
Mastering the art of breathwork can help you calm your mind, relax your body, and reduce stress and anxiety. It also cultivates awareness so that we may respond to life rather than react to it. So how can you focus on your breath effectively? One tip is to try counting your breaths—inhale for a count of four, hold for two, and exhale for six, for example. Another technique is to simply observe your breath—notice the sensation of air moving in and out of your nostrils or the way your belly rises and falls with each inhale and exhale. With practice, you’ll find that focusing on your breath during meditation becomes more natural and effortless. When I meditate, each time I notice my mind wandering, I always gently bring myself back to my breath.
Incorporate Mindfulness— Add it to your daily activities
Mindfulness can be practiced in more than just a meditation session. It’s a way of being present in the moment and fully engaged with whatever task is at hand. Incorporating mindfulness into your everyday life can help you stay in that calm, parasympathetic state you achieved during meditation.
Take eating, for example. Rather than scarfing down your meal in a rush, take a few deep breaths and savour each bite. Or, when you’re out for a walk, focus on the beautiful scenery around you, taking in each sight and sound. Even something as mundane as household chores can become an opportunity for mindfulness. Pay attention to the sensations of the soapy water on your hands when doing dishes or the sound of the vacuum as you tidy up. By bringing mindfulness into your daily routine, you’ll find yourself feeling more grounded, centered, and able to handle whatever comes your way.
Make it Easy—Don’t try to be a monk
If you’re new to meditation, it’s important to be patient with yourself. Don’t expect to suddenly become a monk-like master of stillness and concentration overnight. It takes practice, and you may find that your mind wanders quite a bit at first. But that’s okay! The goal isn’t necessarily to rid your mind of thoughts altogether but rather to learn to detach from them and observe them without getting caught up in them. Over time, the thoughts do tend to slow down naturally.
The key to seeing the full benefits is consistency, but don’t make it harder on yourself than it needs to be. Start with a few minutes a day. Make it as easy, convenient, and enjoyable as possible, and you’ll be more likely to stick with it. Remember, building a lifelong habit takes time and patience. So go slow and enjoy the journey!
Conclusion
In my opinion, meditation is without a doubt one of the most powerful tools we have in our arsenal when it comes to boosting overall well-being. Just a few minutes each day can significantly reduce stress levels, boost your immune system, and increase your focus and productivity. It’s simple, it’s free, and it’s incredibly effective. Keep in mind: start small, remove distractions, experiment with the styles, and make it easy for yourself. With practice and patience, you’ll soon be raving about the benefits and recruiting all your friends!
Truthfully, I fall off the wagon with my meditation routine all the time (life with 3 boys under 9, that’s my excuse!). Good news, it doesn’t hinder your progress if you just get back to it asap. Tell me, what tips have you tried to enhance your meditations? Or what keeps you from falling off the meditation wagon?
