Meditation has become increasingly popular in recent years, as an increasing number of people realize its powerful benefits. From boosting your health to helping you deal with stressful situations, meditation offers many rewards to those who learn how to do it properly. However, some people find the whole process intimidating and confusing, especially if they’re just starting out and aren’t sure where to begin. The following are five simple meditation tips for beginners that will help get you started on your mindfulness journey with confidence.
Simple Meditation Tips
Sit up straight
If you’re just starting out with meditation, it can be difficult to get right. The best way to approach it is by trying to sit up straight and relaxed, with your eyes closed.
Calm your thoughts
At its core, meditation is a practice of quieting your mind and letting go of any thoughts that arise. If you’re just starting out, don’t worry if your mind seems too chaotic or you can’t silence it—with time and practice, you will be able to let go of thoughts more easily. This doesn’t mean that you won’t ever have unproductive or wandering thoughts again—we all do.
Focus on breathing
Meditation is about training your mind to focus on one thing, and one thing only. When you first start out, meditating can be difficult; you may find yourself distracted by a lot of random thoughts.
To eliminate these distractions, it’s important to focus on your breathing as you begin your meditation session. It doesn’t matter if your mind wanders as long as you bring it back to focusing on your breath; with practice, over time, you should be able to drop distractions altogether.
(Focusing on your breathing is a helpful practice whether you’re meditating, exercising, walking, or just existing. Speaking of walking, read about the health benefits of doing so in this post)
Start small
Don’t expect to sit down and meditate in a cross-legged position for hours on end when you begin (or ever!). Start with simple meditation techniques that work—that don’t require you to cross your legs, but do allow you to clear your mind. With practice, you can advance your way up to more complex techniques and positions (or not).
The most important thing is starting small and allowing yourself time to settle into it. Practice every day. It doesn’t matter if you only spend five minutes at first; every little bit helps!
Be consistent
One of the most important factors to meditating is consistency. In order to reap its full benefits, you have to commit and do it on a regular basis. Make your meditation practice part of your daily routine. Set a specific time, every day, when you will dedicate yourself to sitting and being still. Consistency is key to achieving long-term results from your practice.
Try These Simple Meditation Tips for Yourself
Anyone can get started meditating—it’s a practice that anyone of any age, gender, or skill level can participate in. Try out these simple meditation tips today to de-stress and get in touch with your mind, body, and soul and feel better both mentally and physically.
