Meditation allows you to have more control over your thoughts, life, and overall well-being.
There’s a lot of confusion around meditation, especially for beginners.
How does it work? Will it help you? Is it even possible to shut your thoughts off while you do it?
These are great questions and I put together this guide to help walk you through it.
Meditation has so many benefits, and is a great option if you struggle with anxiety, stress, or feeling overwhelmed.
And if you want to get into it to become more centered in your body and improve your focus, meditation helps with that, too!
How to Practice Meditation as a Beginner
I want to remind you that meditation isn’t scary or impossible.
If you can open your mind a little bit to the idea of it, then it’ll be easier to practice it.
Meditation is all about being more mindful of yourself, your thoughts, and your surroundings.
So, you can start out very simple.
Start in a quiet place with little distractions. You can even put on some peaceful meditation music if you want.
Sit on your bed, or the floor or couch.
Close your eyes and breathe in deeply.
Pay attention to your breaths, and as you keep your eyes closed, notice how you feel.
Your senses are a great way to feel more centered if you aren’t sure what to think about.
What do you hear? Feel? Smell.
Sit in this moment for as long as you feel comfortable.
As a beginner, you want to start small with 5 minutes here and there.
Starting small allows you to have an enjoyable experience with meditation and reduces pressure to have to get it right.
How Long Should you Meditate as a Beginner?
It’s recommended to start with 5-10 minutes a day.
If you’re serious about adding meditation into your daily routine, then start by creating a schedule for yourself each week.
Find a time of day that works best.
Some people prefer to meditate in the morning right when they wake up so they feel calm to start the day.
Others like to end the day with meditation, to release all of the stress of the world.
It’s up to you! Schedule out 5 minutes at these times when you’ll be in the comfort of your home.
Then, you can build you way up from there.
Meditation Tips for Beginners
There are different ways to practice meditation.
If you prefer to work on being more mindful during the day, then set reminders in your phone to take a break throughout the day.
This might look like sitting alone and taking in deep breaths as you identify 3 things you hear, see and feel.
You can also practice meditation through yoga, allowing your mind and body to connect through the exercises.
Let go of expectations you may have for yourself at the beginning.
Meditation isn’t about getting rid of all thoughts.
It’s about being aware of your thoughts, and allowing them to come and go without judgement. View them with a different perspective.
Meditation allows you to control your thoughts that may cause anxiety or depression.
Don’t worry about not thinking, just be more aware of what your thoughts are telling you.
There are also a lot of great meditation videos on youtube, this is one of my favorites:
What should I think about while meditating?
It’s important to set a goal of what you want to accomplish with meditation.
That way, when you practice, you’ll have a better idea of what you want to work towards.
If your goal is to have more positive thoughts, then during meditation you can practice different mantras that align with your values.
Or, you can listen to guided meditation and this helps quiet down your thoughts.
Otherwise, you’re free to think whatever you’d like. There are no rules and some people like to practice mindfulness to calm down for a few minutes.
Whatever your goals are, align that with the type of meditation you’d like to practice.
Can you meditate in bed?
Of course! Meditation is an amazing thing to do before you go to bed, after you wake up, or both.
Sit up in your bed and make sure you’re comfortable.
It may help to put on some candles and calming music and to dim the lights. Allowing your mind and body to completely relax.
Does meditation really work?
It really does and it can do wonders for you. It just depends on what you want out of it.
And what’s great about it is that it requires very little of your time to see amazing benefits.
Starting with 5 minutes like I’ve mentioned will help give your mind a break from the chaos of life.
You have a busy schedule and are constantly racing against the clock.
Meditation slows that clock down.
It slows your mind down so you can think clearly and focus better.
You’ll gain control over your surroundings because meditation helps train you to focus on what’s most important in your life.
Best Meditation Books For Beginners
If you’re curious to learn more about meditation for beginners, here are some amazing books you can check out:
Zen as F*ck: A Journal for Practicing the Mindful Art of Not Giving a Sh*t (Zen as F*ck Journals)
Practical Meditation for Beginners: 10 Days to a Happier, Calmer You
