3 helpful tips for meditation beginners:
1-Setup a daily meditation practice
Like anything in life really, whatever we practice consistently becomes second nature or quote on quote “perfect”. In my humble opinion though, looking to achieve perfection can only add undue pressure, so I prefer to use the word “progress” instead of perfection.
Progress is something that can easily be measured based upon the direct efforts one puts in. So incorporating a daily meditation practice is key to creating a sustained, consistent practice! Meditating first thing in the morning before the busyness of the day starts is a great way to start your day . However I also find later in the evening usually before bed is a great time to tune out and release anything carrying over from the day. My personal favorite these days is meditating after exercise. I like doing Yoga in the mornings and find it easier to quiet the mind after an intense or gentle session.
In all honesty, mediation is good anytime you can steal 5-10-15 minutes or longer throughout the day.
Find what works with your schedule and remember the goal is never to box yourself but to allow yourself the flexibility to adjust time as needed in order to keep your practice going on a daily basis and enjoy the great “progress” you will be making!
2-Create a sacred space
It is always recommended to create a sacred space if possible! This allows not only the privacy but the intimacy to connect with your practice. So whether it’s your favorite room in the house, or a designated space/corner in your bedroom, create a space that is just for you…to retreat! It does not have to be fancy, expensive or elaborate. It just needs to be a space that is authentic to YOU. Another option I really like is meditation alters. I created mine using a cheese board that I found at TJMaxx for only $22-the whole set cost no more than $200 (accent pieces candles, crystals and plants, included.) Feel free to try something similar to jazz things up a bit!
It’s a fun creative activity anyone can do and enjoy. Also you can transport the alter in different areas of the house or even road trip with it. So give it a try if you’re up for a fun family project that is guaranteed to score BIG with the kiddos 🙂
3-Start with a guided meditation
If you have a hard time quieting your mind…let me clear my throat 🙂 Maybe start with a short guided meditation. There’s plenty of meditations and lots of guided meditations on YouTube. I have a few personal favorites and channels I follow: the mindful movement is a personal favorite because they have an extensive collection of guided meditations you can try…all for FREE! You can choose from various topics and lengths. Let’s face it we’re human some days will be easier to get in the flow, other days not so much! This is why a guided meditation can give you a format that your mind can easily track–sort of like a guided roadmap. However that doesn’t always mean you won’t veer off. It’s nearly impossible to quiet the mind for long periods unless you’ve been practicing for some time and even then I’d argue that you get good at not being attached to your thoughts, but thoughts will inevitably continue to pop up! Guided meditations allow the ability to come back to the meditation and try again…that’s what meditation is really all about! it’s the art of losing track and being able to bring the mind back to focus-again, again and AGAIN! Hence why many call say it’s a practice. It’s much like riding a bike, you may be the World’s greatest rider but the chance of falling is always there. However you know if you ever fall, you will get back on that bike and try again, you’re not going to “give up”.
If guided meditations are not your stich the other option is to just sit in silence and watch your thoughts from a detached state, don’t engage in the chatter just watch your thoughts like watching a movie–with curiosity! The purpose is to know why you’re thinking these thoughts and what they’re teaching, telling, revealing, saying, showing, asking…or NOT! Observing from a place of no judgement may or many not open up many questions like:
- What is the deeper meaning behind the thoughts?
- What are your thoughts trying to reveal or teach you?
- What do you need to know or not know?
- What are you suppressing or resisting?
- What are you holding on to or not?
- What is trying to emerge?
- What can you learn from your obstacles?
- What is your body trying to tell you?
A lot of insight and revelations can occur from this state! But there’s also great possibility that nothing will surface at all, the goal is to be open and allow yourself to experience meditation while embracing whatever may or many not show up for you in that moment. Also remember to make progress, not “perfect”!
