by Alanna Ketler, Collective Evolution
Whether you are looking for more peace or less stress in your life, meditation could be exactly what you need. For beginners, or people who are just learning about the amazing benefits meditation can provide for your mental clarity and well-being, however it can be frustrating at first.
When you first start meditating, you may experience a mix between waiting for something to happen and having your mind over flooded with thoughts; the practice of meditation can be a daunting task, and you may even feel overwhelmed by it at first –I know I have. That is why I have compiled this list of 20 tips to help get you in that perfect environment –inside and out –to begin to implement this sacred practice more regularly into your daily life.
1. Practice Makes Perfect, Make Time For Meditation Every Day
When you are first starting out, it is important to keep with it, you may not notice the benefits right away, but the more you practice the easier it will become to quiet the mind, and get into the state of relaxation and allow the clarity to come through. Even for just 5 minutes a day, this will guarantee you stay on track.
2. Start With The Breath
Begin every practice by breathing deeply, slowly inhaling and then exhaling and focusing solely on your breath.
3. Let Go Of Any & All Frustrations
It is completely natural and normal to feel frustrated while learning to meditate. Try not to hold onto these thoughts, and don’t try to stop them. Just let them float on by and go back to focusing on the breath.
4. Pick A Specific Room In Your House To Meditate
Try to pick a room in your house that is free from a lot of outside noise or distractions; preferably, pick a room with minimal electronics.
5. Set Up A Peaceful Space
Consider having dim or no lights and burning some candles. Burning a little bit of incense or diffusing some calming essential oils (such as lavender) can help your mind and body to feel relaxed and at ease.
6. Make Sure To Not Be Distracted
Let your family, friends or roommates know that you will be busy for the allotted amount of time and to not disrupt you, put your phone on silent.
7. Feel Your Body Parts
When you first begin, while focusing on the breath, consciously try to feel each body part, starting with your feet. Don’t actually physically touch the body parts just feel them. After you feel the feet, work your way up to the ankles, calves and so on. This is a great technique to put you in the zone.
8. Make The Commitment
Be committed to the practice. For the long haul, if you can’t find time to incorporate 5-10 minutes per day in your life for meditation, then you definitely have some big issues that need to be resolved.
9. Start Slowly
Begin by practicing meditation for just 5 minutes per day, you can even set a timer if you like, as you start to get the hang of it and feel more comfortable you can increase the time to as long as you feel you need to get into that deep relaxed state.
10. Read A Book On Meditation
To get even more tips for meditation, and to learn about some of the benefits and other simple tips check a book or two out of the library, see what you find.
11. Check Out Some Guided Meditation CD’s Or Listen To Meditation Music
If you still have trouble clearing your mind sometimes, listening to a guided meditation CD can be excellent by giving you something to focus on and listen to so that the mind can just take in the instructions.
12. Practice Being “Present” Throughout The Day
During the day, while driving, working, eating lunch, cleaning or whatever, find a few moments of stillness in your day by quieting the mind and taking a few deep breaths.
13. Experiment With Different Positions
You can try the typical yogi, “lotus” position, sitting cross-legged with each foot on the opposite thigh, you can sit on a chair, with your palms facing up, you can lay down, whatever you like. As you get more comfortable, you will find a position that works best for you. When I first started, I loved to lay down, but I was finding the calmness I would feel would put me to sleep almost every time, soon I realized this position was too comfortable for me and it was better for me to sit up.
14. Experiment With Different Techniques
There are so many different ways to meditate, there are: breath techniques, guided meditations, transcendental meditation, binaural beats, rainforest sounds, etc. To read about a few different methods of meditation click here. Experiment with what works best for you and what puts you into that state more effectively.
15. Let Go of Any & All Expectations
The benefits that you will receive from meditation will come in a variety of different ways. You may receive messages during your practice or even later in the day, you may have visions, you may have an out of body experience, or you may not. If all you get from meditation is 5 minutes a day of a clear head, than that is perfect in its own way and will be enough to relieve stress and bring peace into your life in a way that you may never thought was possible. Don’t get caught up with what others claim to have experienced, focus on yourself and remember you are doing this for yourself only. It is not a competition; remember there is no right or wrong way to meditate.
16. Consider Meditating In The Morning
Meditating in the morning can give you a clear head and set you up for a peaceful start to your day. It can help eliminate stress before it begins.
17. Use The Flicker Of A Candle As A focus Point
Staring at the flame of a candle can assist you with quieting the mind.
18. Set Your Intention Ahead Of Time
If you have a specific issue or decision you need to make and are having trouble finding the answer, set your intention for what you would like to receive during the meditation. Don’t expect to get a clear answer in the form of your own voice, but just pay attention to any feelings you may feel or signs that may possibly come afterwards. Sometimes the best way to solve a problem is to stop thinking about it and let the answer come to you.
19. Visualize Light Flowing Through Your Body
More specifically, if you feel that you have a specific chakra blocked, you can actually visualize white light coming from the sun and into your body, this can help to release the blockages. Intend to let go of any old emotional patterns, or vibrations and infuse yourself with the high vibration of the white light.
20. Have Gratitude For Your Practice
Even if you feel like you didn’t get much from the practice, don’t give up. Be grateful that you took the time to sit down and practice. The effects may not be obvious at first, but in time you will be glad you started.
Do you have any tips or advice for meditation beginners? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!
All the best, much love!
