How to Meditate: The Beginner's Guide

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So you've  heard about meditation and you finally want to give it a try! I’m sure you have seen movies and pictures of the stereotypical meditation guru who has his legs crossed with his hands on his knees touching his thumb to his middle finger. This looks very uncomfortable doesn't it? Well don’t worry, you don’t need to sit like this to meditate. Actually all you need to do to meditate is to get in a comfortable position. You could be laying down, sitting in a comfortable chair, or if you even prefer the lotus position that’s up to you. For me, I lay in my bed, turn off the lights, and actually put a small blanket over my eyes to block out any light. Be careful though if you decide to lay down, because you don’t want to fall asleep. Instead of meditating, you will just be sleeping.

Step 1: Getting Comfortable

Now here’s the first step. Get comfortable. I can not emphasize this enough. Not just the way you are sitting or laying. If you are hungry, thirsty, need to use the restroom, take care of it before you start. It will make it pretty tough to meditate when all you can think of is eating a big juicy cheeseburger. Also, make sure you are alone or at least in a quiet place.

Step 2: Deep Breathing

Okay, so now you are finally comfortable. The next step is to start taking long deep breaths. It is important to concentrate and be aware of every breath you take. Another good tip when breathing is to expand your stomach not your chest when breathing in. Breathing with your stomach helps relax the body and will put you in a comfortable and stress free state.

Step 3: Mindful Relaxation

 After a minute or two of the long deep breaths, keep taking deep breaths but take your awareness off your breathing and begin to concentrate on your body. Start with your feet and move up. Be aware of all the stress of the day and all the worry just leaving your body. As you feel your feet becoming more and more comfortable, keep moving up your body to your calves, thighs, and so on until your whole body is completely relaxed. Here is where you will begin to feel the effects of meditation.

Alternate Step: Mindful Countdown

If you are having trouble concentrating on every body part and completing the process, it’s okay. This is very normal and happens to many people when they begin to meditate. A simple solution to this is to count. Start counting from 100-1 or really any number you choose is fine. With every deep breath you take, count down a number. Make sure you focus on each number as you count down. If you forget to count down or lose track, it's okay. Just pick a number where you think you left off and keep counting. This is very common but gets easier to keep your mind from straying with practice. 

Final Step: Clear the Mind

The purpose of meditation is to clear your mind. As you may notice, you have a constant chatter inside your mind. This goes on endlessly as it is telling you what to say, think, how you feel, you may have conversations with this voice in your head. It’s okay you are not crazy, because everybody has it. Meditation takes this constant chatter away. It slows down the body and mind. As you continue to breath deeply, and concentrate on your body or counting, you will begin to feel a stillness or a calming sensation come over you. In this state, you will be able to relax the body and mind, solve daily problems, or even use positive affirmations. Congratulations!! You are officially meditating!

To make meditation much easier and help you get into a very deep meditative state check out my post 3 Simple Ways to Improve Your Meditation

Remember, the more you meditate, the easier it will be, and the faster it will be to get into a deep meditative state. So keep practicing and explore the vast depths of your mind.

If you really want to get into a deep meditative state and don’t have a lot of time to do it, I suggest using a Meditation Audio. This can bring you into the meditative state of a Buddhist monk in a fraction of the time. I use them almost every time I meditate, and it feels like I am almost cheating. I bought one for $12 and it is well worth the money. I know there are real expensive ones out there but I haven’t tried it yet so I don’t know. Check out Guided Meditation Site. They work great and you won’t need to dig deep in your pockets.

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