BELIEVE
HOW TO MEDITATE
When we learn how to meditate, we are also learning how to reduce stress, calm our minds and bodies, improve our sleep quality, get along better, and feel happier. Learning how to meditate is a meaningful life skill, and it’s never too late to learn.
MEDITATION FOR
BEGINNERS
So you’ve decided to start looking after the health of your mind by meditating. But where to begin? How to get started? What are the basics? How will it feel? What to expect? All perfectly normal questions, and, lucky for you, we’re here with the answers you need to get started.
Most first-time meditators find it strange to sit in silence, to sit with their innermost thoughts and feelings, to sit and do nothing — the very things that, funnily enough, the mind tends to resist. To a beginner, meditation might initially feel a little alien, perhaps even daunting, but that’s okay. People have been meditating for around 3,000 years, and many have doubtless experienced the same reticence, trepidation, or wonder that first-time meditators often feel.
5 STEPS TO
MEDITATION
1. Find a comfortable position for your body
Many people sit in a chair, feet flat on the floor. Others prefer to sit cross-legged on the ground or on a cushion. Others prefer to lie flat. What’s most important is that you feel comfortable and relaxed.
2. Close your eyes
If closing your eyes feels uncomfortable for any reason, you may softly focus your gaze on something specific, instead. Maybe there’s a tree out the window, or a pen on your desk.
3. Breathe
There’s no need to control your breath at all. Just let it come in and go out as it does naturally.
4. Pay attention to your breathing
Notice how it feels as you inhale, and then exhale. Notice how the in-breath changes to an out-breath. Notice the sensations throughout your body. What do you feel inside your nose, your throat, your chest? Notice the movement of your rib cage. (All this noticing is the meditation. You’re doing it!)
5. Gently return your attention to your breath
Our brains are creative marvels. They produce so many thoughts per second. Your mind is a busy place. When you notice you’re following a trail of thought, simply return your attention to your breath. You may have to do this many times, and that’s entirely okay. It’s part of meditating.
Resources: These resources will help you get started with your meditation journey
Resources: These resources will help you get started with your meditation journey
