How do you learn to meditate? In mindfulness meditation, we learn to pay attention to the breath as it comes in and out, as well as to notice when the mind wanders away from the activity at hand. The practice of returning to the breath strengthens the muscles of attention and awareness.
When we focus on our breath, we learn how to return to and stay in the present moment—to anchor ourselves in the here and now on purpose and without judgement.
Why Learn How to Meditate?
A selection of benefits that are associated with learning how to meditate.
While meditation isn’t a cure-all, it might help you clear some space in your life. Sometimes that is all we need to make better decisions for ourselves, our families, and our communities. The most crucial tools you can bring to your meditation practice are patience, kindness towards oneself, and a comfortable space to meditate.
When we meditate, we add far-reaching and long-term benefits to our lives. As an added advantage, no additional equipment or membership fees are required.
Here’s are some reasons to meditate:
1-Understanding your anguish.
2-Reduce your stress.
3-Enhance communication and attentiveness.
4-Reduce brain chatter.
How to Meditate
Meditation is something everybody can do; here’s how.
Meditation is easier (and harder) than most people believe. Read these steps, make sure you’re in a place where you can relax into the process, set a timer, and try it:
1) Take your seat.
Find a spot to sit that is calm and quiet for you.
2) Assign a time limit.
If you’re just starting out, consider a short time frame, such as five or ten minutes.
3) Observe your body.
You can sit in a chair with your feet on the floor, cross-legged, or kneel; any of these positions is acceptable. Just make sure you’re sturdy and can stay there for a while.
4) Feel your breath.
Follow the sensation of your breath as it comes in and goes out.
5) Recognise when your thoughts have wandered
Your focus will eventually shift away from the breath and towards other things. When you realise your mind has wandered—in a few seconds, a minute, or five minutes—return your focus to the breath.
6) Be nice to your wandering mind.
Don’t judge yourself or stress over the content of the ideas that keep you stuck. Please come back.
7) Close with gentleness.
When you’re ready, softly raise your gaze. Take a moment to observe any sounds in your surroundings. Observe how your body feels right now. Be aware of your ideas and feelings.
That is it! That is the standard practice. You concentrate, your mind wanders, you bring it back, and you try to do so as gently as possible (as many times as necessary).
How Much Should I Meditate?
Meditation is no more challenging than we’ve stated previously. The task is both simple and tough. It’s also powerful and valuable. The trick is to commit to sitting every day, even if only for five minutes. According to meditation instructor Sharon Salzberg, “One of my meditation teachers once told me that the most important moment in your meditation practice is when you sit down to do it.” Because you are telling yourself right now that you believe in change and self-care, and you are making it a reality. You’re not only embracing a value in the abstract, such as mindfulness or compassion, but really making it a reality.”
Amishi Jha, a neurologist, found that meditating for 12 minutes, 5 days a week, can improve attention and focus.
Meditation Tips and Techniques
We’ve covered basic breath meditation, but other mindfulness techniques use different focal points to anchor our attention, such as external objects like a sound or noticing spontaneous things during an aimless wandering practice. But all of these routines have one thing in common: we recognise that our thoughts are often in control. It is true. We usually ponder about something before acting on it. Here are some useful techniques to mix that up:
How to Make Mindfulness a Habit
It’s believed that 95% of our behaviour is automated. That’s because neural networks underpin all of our habits, converting our millions of sensory inputs each second into manageable shortcuts that allow us to operate in this chaotic environment. These default brain messages are so effective that they frequently force us to relapse into previous behaviours before remembering what we were supposed to do instead.
Mindfulness is completely opposed to these default processes. Executive control, rather than autopilot, allows for deliberate acts, volition, and decisions. However, it requires practice. The more we use the intentional brain, the stronger it becomes. Every time we do something intentional and novel, we trigger neuroplasticity, engaging our grey matter, which is full of newly sprung neurons that have not yet been groomed for the “autopilot” brain.
But here’s the issue. While our conscious brain understands what’s best for us, our autopilot brain drives us to take shortcuts through life. So, how can we remind ourselves to remain attentive when we need it the most? This is where the concept of “behaviour design” comes in. It’s a method of putting your deliberate brain in control. There are two methods to do this: first, slowing down the autopilot brain by putting impediments in its route, and second, eliminating obstacles in the path of the purposeful brain, allowing it to seize control.
However, shifting the balance to give your deliberate brain greater power will need some effort. Here are some ideas to get started.
- Put meditation reminders around you. If you intend to do some yoga or to meditate, put your yoga mat or your meditation cushion in the middle of your floor so you can’t miss it as you walk by.
- Refresh your reminders regularly. Say you decide to use sticky notes to remind yourself of a new intention. That might work for about a week, but then your autopilot brain and old habits take over again. Try writing new notes to yourself; add variety or make them funny. That way they’ll stick with you longer.
- Create new patterns. You may use a succession of “If this, then that” messages to generate simple reminders to switch to the conscious brain. For example, you may come up with the phrase, “If office door, then deep breath,” to help you transition into mindfulness as you begin your job. Or you may say, “If phone rings, take a breath before answering.” Each purposeful activity towards mindfulness strengthens your intentional brain.
Some Basic Meditations
Here are some meditation techniques to get you started.
A Basic Meditation for Beginners
The first thing to emphasise is that we are striving for mindfulness, not some miraculous procedure that clears your mind of the innumerable and infinite ideas that erupt and ping incessantly in our minds. We’re just practising focusing our attention to our breath and then returning to it when we sense it has wandered.
- Prepare to sit motionless for a few minutes. After you finish reading this, you’ll just concentrate on your own natural breathing and expelling of air.
- Concentrate on your breath. Where do you feel your breath the most? In your stomach? In your nose? Try to focus on your inhale and exhale.
- Spend two minutes focusing on your breath. Take a deep inhale, extending your belly, and then gently exhale, lengthening the out-breath as your stomach contracts.
Welcome back. What happened? How long did it take your attention to drift away from your breath? Did you notice how active your mind was even while you weren’t consciously thinking about anything in particular? Did you find yourself becoming distracted before returning to read this? We frequently have unintentional storylines going through our heads, such as “Why DOES my boss want to meet with me tomorrow?” “I should have gone to the gym yesterday.” “I’ve got to pay some bills” or, for that matter, “I don’t have time to sit still, I’ve got stuff to do.”
If you’ve encountered these types of distractions (as we all have), you’ve made a vital discovery: they’re the polar opposite of awareness. It’s when we live in our brains, on automatic pilot, allowing our thoughts to wander here and there, investigating the future or the past, and essentially missing the current moment. But that’s where most of us spend the majority of our time—and, to be honest, it’s very uncomfortable. But it does not have to be this way.
We “practice” mindfulness so that we might learn to recognise when our brains are performing their typical everyday gymnastics and perhaps take a little break from that to pick what we want to focus on. In a nutshell, meditation promotes a far healthier connection with ourselves (and, by implication, others).
3 Guided Meditations for Beginners
Guided meditations are a fantastic tool for beginners because they give a focus and gentle guidance to help you connect and let go of self-judgment.
Try this three-part guided audio series from Mindful Editor-in-Chief Barry Boyce:
How long do you want to meditate? occasionally we just have time for a brief check-in, and occasionally we can stay for a bit longer. Meditating every day increases awareness, resilience, and reduces stress. Make meditation a habit by practicing these short meditations from our founding editor, Barry Boyce. Make time to visit the site once a day for a month and see what you discover.
More Styles of Mindfulness Meditation
Once you’ve tried seated meditation, you might wish to try other types of meditation, such as walking or lying down. Unlike the preceding meditations, which employed the breath as a focal point for practice, the meditations listed below focus on other regions of the body.
Introduction to the Body Scan Meditation
Try it: feel your feet on the ground right now. It makes no difference whether you are wearing shoes or not. Then trace or scan your entire body, bit by bit and slowly, all the way to the crown of your head. The goal of this exercise is to check in with your entire body, from fingertips to shoulders, buttocks to big toes. The only restrictions are to avoid judging, wondering, and worrying (all things that your mind may want to undertake); instead, focus on your bodily sensations. Aches and aches are fine. You are under no obligation to take any action here. You are just observing.
Begin to direct your attention to other regions of your body. You can focus on one region or go in this order: toes, feet (sole, heel, top of foot), legs, pelvis, belly, lower back, upper back, chest, shoulders, arms down to the fingers, shoulders, neck, various areas of the face, and head. Spend a few seconds focusing on each region of your body and noticing the various feelings.
When you find your mind has gone, refocus your attention to the last body part you remembered.
It’s acceptable if you fall asleep during the body scan practice. When you realise you’ve been dozing off, take a deep breath and rearrange your body. When you’re ready, redirect your concentration to the portion of your body that you last recall concentrating on.
Introduction to the Walking Meditation
Fact: Most of us live pretty sedentary lives, leaving us to build extra-curricular physical activity into our days to counteract all that. Point is: Mindfulness doesn’t have to feel like another thing on your to-do list. It can be injected into some of the activities you’re already doing. Here’s how to integrate a mindful walking practice into your day.
As you begin, walk at a natural pace. Place your hands wherever comfortable: on your belly, behind your back, or at your sides.
- If you find it handy, you can count steps up to 10 and then reset to 1. If you’re in a small place, halt when you reach 10 and find an intentional moment to turn around.
- Pay attention to how your foot rises and falls with each step. Pay attention to how your legs and the rest of your body move. Take note of any shifts in your body from side to side.
- Focus on the experience of walking, regardless of any distractions. Your mind will wander; without becoming frustrated, lead it back as many times as necessary.
- Maintain a heightened awareness of your surroundings, especially when outside, to keep safe and alert.
Introduction to Loving-Kindness Meditation
You cannot will yourself to have specific sentiments towards yourself or others. Instead, tell yourself that you deserve pleasure and relaxation, as do your kid, family, friends, neighbours, and everyone else in the world.
This loving-kindness exercise entails silently repeating statements that promote positive attributes for oneself and others.
- You can start by taking delight in your own goodness—calling to mind things you have done out of good-heartedness, and rejoicing in those memories to celebrate the potential for goodness we all share.
- Silently recite phrases that reflect what we wish most deeply for ourselves in an enduring way. Traditional phrases are:
• May I live in safety.
• May I have mental happiness (peace, joy).
• May I have physical happiness (health, freedom from pain).
• May I live with ease. - Repeat the phrases with enough space and silence between so they fall into a rhythm that is pleasing to you. Direct your attention to one phrase at a time.
- Each time you notice your attention has wandered, be kind to yourself and let go of the distraction. Come back to repeating the phrases without judging or disparaging yourself.
- After some time, visualize yourself in the center of a circle composed of those who have been kind to you, or have inspired you because of their love. Perhaps you’ve met them, or read about them; perhaps they live now, or have existed historically or even mythically. That is the circle. As you visualize yourself in the center of it, experience yourself as the recipient of their love and attention. Keep gently repeating the phrases of loving-kindness for yourself.
- To end the exercise, let go of the visualisation and continue repeating the sentences for a few minutes. Each time you do so, you are altering your old, hurting connection with yourself and moving ahead, propelled by the power of compassion.
Beyond the Beginning
What to know and where to go when you’ve started.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mindfulness Meditation, Answered
When you’re starting to meditate, it’s natural to have questions. These answers may put your mind at ease.
1) If I have an itch, can I scratch it?
Yes—however, first try scratching it with your mind before using your fingers.
2) Should I breathe fast or slow or in between?
Only worry if you’ve stopped breathing. Otherwise, you’re doing fine. Breath in whatever way feels comfortable to you.
3) Should my eyes be open or closed?
No hard-and-fast rules. Try both. If open, not too wide, and with a soft, slightly downward gaze, not focusing on anything in particular. If closed, not too hard, and not imagining anything in particular in your mind’s eye.
4) Is it possible I’m someone who just CANNOT meditate?
When you find yourself asking that question, your meditation has officially begun. Everyone wonders that. Notice it. Escort your attention back to your object of focus (the breath). When you’re lost and questioning again, come back to the breathe again. That’s the practice. There’s no limit to the number of times you can be distracted and come back to the breath. Meditating is not a race to perfection—It’s returning again and again to the breath.
5) Is it better to practice in a group or by myself?
Both are great! It’s enormously supportive to meditate with others. And, practicing on your own builds discipline.
6) What’s the best time of day to meditate? Whatever works. Consider your circumstances: children, pets, work. Experiment. But watch out. If you always choose the most convenient time, it will usually be tomorrow.
7) What if I get sexually (and physically) aroused by thoughts in my head?
No big deal. Meditation stokes the imagination. In time, every thought and sensation will pop up (so to speak). And come back. Same old story. Release the thought, bring awareness and receptivity to body sensations, bring attention back to your chosen object (the breath, in this case). Repeat.
8) Do you have any tips on integrating pets into meditation practice?
While meditating, we don’t have to fight off distractions like a knight slaying dragons. If your dog or cat comes into the room and barks and meows and brushes up against you or settles down on a part of your cushion, no big deal. Let it be. What works less well is to interrupt your session to relate to them. If that’s what’s going to happen, try to find a way to avoid their interrupting your practice.