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Meditation, you either love it or you hate it. Most of us are used to multitasking, so the idea of sitting still and doing nothing can be borderline terrifying, but past the initial discomfort, meditation is a wonderful practice that can bring peace to our mind and bodies and positively impact our lives.

There are so many benefits to meditation but where do you start? How do you even meditate? If you’re asking these questions, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’re going to be learning what meditation is and how to do it, even for those who don’t know where to start.

What is meditation?

At its core, meditation is the practice of finding inner peace and stillness by engaging in mindfulness practices. This can be done through many different forms of meditations, such as guided, silent or walking, but the most common form of meditation is simply sitting still and focusing on the breath. By focusing on the breath, we allow ourselves are to release negative thoughts and be completely immersed in the present moment.

A large aspect of meditation is to observe our thoughts rather than identify with them. When we are able to separate ourselves from our thoughts, we release the need to chase every thought that comes up and we find ourselves more grounded in the present moment.

By simply watching our thoughts, we can allow them to come and go without the need to pursue them.

Benefits of meditation: 

• Releases stress
• Reduces anxiety
• Improves concentration and thinking
• Helps you to become more present and grounded
• Encourages body and mind connection

Although meditation can’t erase our problems in life, it can help us to better overcome them by encouraging us to respond in a more calm and thoughtful manner. People who meditate tend to be better at responding to difficult situations in a more relaxed way. Having a clear mind can also help to reduce misunderstandings and conflict.

This article by the Cleveland Clinic mentions how, while meditation might seem like the act of sitting still and doing nothing, it has great positive benefits for a person’s brain health and for their overall mental and physical wellbeing.

Even though you may not be physically doing anything during meditation, your mind is taking some much-needed rest and healing. So, if you need a boost in the mental health area, try practicing a couple minutes of meditation to get you feeling your best.

How to Meditate

Find a quiet place where you can be alone. Meditation often requires finding a quiet place where you can settle down and be present with your body. Once you find a quiet place, find a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down where you are able to fully relax.

Set the Mood. Setting the mood for your meditation session can be great for helping you to relax and settle into your meditation practice with more ease.

 Find an anchoring point. An anchoring point will give you something to return to if you find your mind wandering. While there are many anchoring points to choose from, the breath is a great anchor to have. Whenever you find your mind wandering, try and focus back on your breath to help bring your awareness back to the present moment.

Set a timer. Setting a timer is a good way to have a set end point for your meditation session. If you’re just starting out, you may feel anxious or even stressed when you first meditate. You’ll probably find yourself wondering how long you’ve been meditating and when to stop. Setting a timer allows you to better relax into your practice, knowing your timer will go off soon enough and mark the end of your session.

Watch your thoughts. When it comes to meditation, it’s pretty much impossible to clear your mind of all thoughts. Just the act of trying to clear your thoughts often shows up as a thought. So, rather than trying to completely clear your mind, try and sit back and simply watch them when they appear. Imagine your thoughts as waves in an ocean, coming and going. Rather than try and control them or chase after them, simply watch them rise and fall.

Types of meditation

When it comes to meditation, there is not just one way to practice. There are many different types of meditation you can use to incorporate a better sense of peace into your life.

Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness meditation is the practice of slowing down your thoughts and become grounded in the present moment. Different from typical meditation, mindfulness meditation can be done anywhere and at any time. It only requires us to pause and bring our awareness back to the present moment.

Mindfulness meditation doesn’t need any preparation and there’s no need to go to a quiet place to sit and meditate (unless you’d like to). In fact, mindfulness meditation can be done during any time of the day and can be used as a tool to help you come back to the present moment whenever you need.

Metta Meditation

Metta meditation, also know as loving-kindness meditation, is the practice of cultivating kindness for yourself and others. During metta meditation, your objection is to become aware of the love and kindness you feel towards yourself and others. Objects of focus in metta meditation might include:

• Family members
• Friends
• Strangers
• Animals
• Difficult people
• Yourself

Through the use of metta meditation, we can begin to cultivate a more loving and forgiving mindset, bringing a boost of positivity into our lives.

Often used in metta meditation are phrases and words to help cultivate loving-kindness, for example: “I forgive anyone who has hurt me in the past and chose to move forward”.

These phrases can help to bring us into a more positive and loving state and can cause us to feel more grateful for ourselves and the people in our lives.

If you’re interested in learning more, this is a wonderful book for more information on metta meditation and the practice of loving-kindness.

Mantra Meditation

While doing meditation, choose a mantra, a word or a phrase that resonates with you. Once you have chosen your word or phrase, repeat it during your meditation. This can be a helpful tool to help reduce anxious thoughts and help encourage focus and concentration. When you find your mind wandering, repeat your mantra to help bring your awareness back to the present moment.

To spice up your practice, you could also use mantra cards to give you some inspiration.

Yoga Meditation

When it comes to yoga, meditation is an essential part of having a good practice. Being able to connect to the present moment helps us to become more aware of our minds, bodies and our emotional selves.

Yoga meditation is a great activity for beginner meditators who don’t know where to start and need some help to gently ease into the practice. If sitting still is too daunting for you, practicing a gentle yoga is a great place to begin.

Visualization Meditation

Visualization meditation is a type of meditation where, rather than focusing on simply watching your thoughts and clearing your mind, your ultimate goal is to gently guide your thoughts through a gentle, relaxing visualization session.

Visualization can also help you to become more focusing during your meditation practice without having your thoughts wander off in a million different directions.

Choose something to visualize and focus all your awareness on that thing. For example, if you choose to visualize a forest, try and see the colors, hear the birds and feel the wind. Try and see as much detail as you can in your mind.

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These are only a few examples of the many different ways to practice meditation and incorporate more peace into your life.

Most of the practices we’ve discussed require sitting still for a certain period of time and, as great as they are, they’re not always for everyone. If you find sitting still to be too difficult, no worries! There are many different meditation practices you can engage in while keeping your body occupied. Feel free to check out my post on 7 Ways to Meditate Without Sitting Still for more inspiration.

What to do when the mind wanders

Your mind will inevitably wander during meditation, so when it happens, don’t beat yourself up over it. Rather than getting frustrated with yourself, gently bring your awareness back to the present moment and try your best to let go of your thoughts.

You can also choose a word, like a mantra and repeat it over and over again in your head in order to bring your awareness back to your meditation practice. Any word will work, but I’ve found that words like “Ease” or “Peace” actually help to encourage those feelings.

If you find it especially difficult to come back to present moment, try using a guided meditation practice. These can be helpful in leading you through a gentle, relaxing practice.

Rather than pushing away your thoughts, try accepting them. Accept them when they rise up and wave goodbye as they fall. Your mind is like an ocean. Trying to control it is futile so going with the flow is your best bet.

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If you find yourself looking for some more inspiration and encouragement, this online meditation center is the perfect place to begin. With relaxing guided meditations, it’s sure to help you in your practice!

What time should I meditate?

The time you meditate definitely impacts your practice. Many people prefer to meditate first thing in the morning because it allows them to get into a meditative state more easily. When we are just waking up, our minds are refreshed, which makes meditating a more pleasant experience.

Of course, morning isn’t the only time you can meditate. Taking a couple minutes throughout your day can be helpful in grounding you back to the present moment.

Night time meditation is also helpful when we need to unwind, relax and let go of the problems of the day. If you struggle falling asleep, try practicing a short meditation beforehand.

Make it a habit

Sitting down to do a 30 minute meditation once every couple of months isn’t going to be all that helpful to you. Instead of forcing yourself to do long, agonizing meditation session, try meditating in short increments. This way, it’ll be easier for you to engage in the practice and you’ll feel more motivated to make it a habit.

Making meditation a habit is helpful in the long run. Not only does it help us to connect back to the present moment, but it also reminds us to take some time to stop, breathe and reconnect with ourselves.

Meditation can also help us to show up to life in a more peaceful and relaxed manner, allowing us to resolve problems with more grace and ease.

Start Small

When you first start meditating, sitting still for half an hour is scary. So, rather than scare yourself away with the discomfort, try setting a short timer for your practice. You can begin with just one minute. Even a minute a day can be beneficial!

Start small and, as you begin to make meditating a habit, try increasing the time of your practice. Eventually, you’ll find that you have no problem meditating for 10, 15 or maybe even 30 minutes!

In the end…

Meditation shouldn’t be something you force yourself to do. Although it may be difficult to get into the habit of, it can help to change your life for the better by bringing in more peace, mental wellness and and overall sense of connection with yourself.

So, don’t be afraid to get started! Use a guided meditation, or start with a single minute to gently ease yourself into this new habit. Overtime, you’ll find yourself craving the peace and positivity that comes along with the meditation practice.