Beginners Guide to Meditation

Through meditation we find our way back to ourselves, our true nature. We sit in stillness and are able to hear the whispers of our soul.

The chaos of daily life can disconnect us from our inner guidance, sometimes we even take on others’ beliefs as if they were our own. Meditation brings the body, mind and soul back into alignment, helping to restore a sense of peace and calm.

We often underestimate the power of having an established meditation practice, however devoting 20 minutes a day to settling into stillness can be life changing. The tips below will help you create a successful meditation practice.

How to Create a Successful Meditation Practice

• Make time for your practice.

Determine what time during the day you will devote to meditating. This may be at 7 am on week days and 8 am on weekends, or you may choose to meditate in the evenings. Set an alarm as a reminder for yourself that it is time to meditate if you need to. If you cannot devote time to meditating every day that is okay!

• Create a meditation space.

It is important to have a quite space for your meditation practice where you will not be interrupted. This doesn’t need to be a space that is always dedicated to mediation, it could be a quiet corner in your home office where you are able to roll out your yoga mat and pillow for 15-20 minutes a day. If you can dedicate a space in your home to meditation, try adding crystals, candles, incense, plants and other objects that help you feel relaxed.

• Lead with an intention

Go into your meditation practice with an intention in mind. Some good examples of intentions are:

I am grounding and balancing my energy

I am releasing stress and finding my center

I fill my heart with joy and gratitude

• Find a comfortable position for meditation.

It is not imperative that you sit cross legged on the floor to meditate. I prefer to sit on two yoga blocks in a supported kneeling position when I meditate. The most important thing is to be in a position where your back is straight, and you can relax deeply.

Developing Your Meditation Practice

Starting your meditation practice slowly helps to establish a strong base. It can be challenging at first to sit with our thoughts and focus on breathing when we are used to being in a state of constant motion. The following 6-week program is a guide to gradually building up to a 20-minute meditation practice, starting with just 5 minutes of meditation a day.

For each week practice meditating for the number of minutes noted. Aim to practice meditating at least 5 days per week.

Week one: 5 minutes

Week two: 7 minutes

Week three: 10 minutes

Week four: 12 minutes

Week five: 15 minutes

Week six: 20 minutes

I often set a timer for my meditation practice as it allows me to settle in deeply knowing I will be notified when it is time for me to come out of my practice.

Meditation Technique for Beginners

Now we will cover how to start meditating. Meditation can be challenging as the mind is used to being in a constant state of thinking. The goal of meditation is to quiet the mind and come to a place of inner stillness, a state where you are being instead of doing. If you find yourself unable to quiet your thoughts at first don’t worry, stillness comes with time. It is important not to get upset with yourself for having thoughts when you are trying to meditate. Sitting quietly and noticing your inner dialogue is a big step in the right direction!

Steps for basic meditation:

• Find a quiet space where you will not be disturbed.

• Sit or lay down in a comfortable position with your back straight.

• Begin by closing your eyes and taking in a slow deep breath through your nose. Breath as deeply into your belly as you comfortably can, be gentle with this breath. Once you have filled up the belly with breath as deeply as you comfortable can release the breath slowly through your nose.

• Continue taking slow gentle breaths. Focus on the breath as it enters your nose and travels down into your belly and back out. If thoughts arise let them pass, you do not need to push the thoughts away, just try not to engage with them.

• When you are finished meditating take a moment to thank yourself for making time for your practice.

As I mentioned, when you first begin to meditate you may have a lot of thoughts coming into your mind, some days more than others, this is completely fine. Over time you will find it is easier to quiet your mind and sink into your meditation. If you are struggling with quieting your thoughts, some things that can help quite the mind are:

- Soothing meditation music

- Repeating mantras aligned with your intention

- Counting breaths

Overtime you will start to experience deeper states of stillness and inner connection during your practice, but don’t be in a rush. Meditation is a journey just like everything else, your practice will evolve overtime as you experience new levels of your inner world.