How to Start a Meditation Practice
Breath awareness meditation is one of the simplest and most widely studied mindfulness practices. Research suggests it may help reduce stress, improve focus, and cultivate a sense of calm.
Despite knowing the benefits, I struggled for years to establish a consistent meditation practice.
Here are some tips that helped me build the habit.
Schedule a Regular Time
The first step is to find a regular time you can devote to meditation. I meditate every day, first thing in the morning as soon as I wake up. Maybe right before bed is better for you. Or maybe you can’t meditate every day. Maybe every other day. Maybe during your lunch break on weekdays only. More is better, but picking a time you can consistently practice is much more important. You’re more likely to stick with it if you have a scheduled time set aside. If that turns out to be only once a week, that’s better than nothing!
Start with 5 Minutes
As a beginner, start with 5 minutes of meditation practice per session. You can always add (or subtract) time as needed. I added a minute to my practice time every month until I got to 30 minutes. Sometimes I’ll sit longer than 30 minutes but it’s not common.
All You Need is Your Breath (and Maybe a Comfy Chair)
You can spend a lot of money on meditation equipment. There are cushions, clothing, special meditation objects like singing bowls, and many other things for sale online. You don’t need any of these things to begin. I meditated for more than a year before I ever bought a special cushion. You just need a chair or other place where you can sit comfortably and your breath.
How to Meditate
So, your chosen time has come around. Now what?
Settle Your Body
First, sit comfortably in your chair or on your cushion. You should be relaxed but also maintain good posture. If you’re sitting in a chair put both feet on the floor. If you’re sitting on a cushion simply cross your legs beneath you and sit up straight. Place your hands face-down on your thighs.
Close your eyes if you like, or simply lower your gaze.
Find Your Breath
Next take a few deep, slow breaths, in and out from the nose. Breathe from the belly instead of the chest. If your belly expands as you breathe but your chest stays still you’re doing it right. You can check by placing a hand on your chest and abdomen as you breathe. The hand on your belly should move outwards as you breathe in, and the hand on your chest should remain still. Once you’re breathing from the belly, move your hands back to your thighs. Continue breathing in whatever rhythm comes naturally to you. There’s no need to try to control or “improve” your breathing.
Place Your Attention
Lastly pay attention to your breath. Let your focus follow your breath as it enters your nose, fills your lungs, and expands your abdomen. Notice where you feel the strongest sensations. It may be at the nose, the lungs, or somewhere else. For me it tends to be the abdomen around my diaphragm. Let your attention rest at this point as you breathe in and out. Feel the sensations at that location. If you’re focusing on the nose, you may notice the coolness of the air as it comes in and its warmth as it goes out. If you’re focusing on the lungs, you may feel stretching and fullness as you breathe in and relaxation and emptying as you breathe out. If you focus on the abdomen as I do, you may feel an increasing amount of pressure in the diaphragm as you breathe in and relaxation as you breathe out. Don’t try to name what you’re feeling. Just feel it.
If your attention wanders from the spot you’ve chosen, don’t beat yourself up. Just gently return your attention to the spot and start over.
You Can't Fail
Meditation is a skill. Like any skill, it takes time and practice to learn. Be gentle with yourself as you practice. Distraction and a wandering mind are completely normal. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad meditator or a failure. The whole point is to notice when your attention has wandered and gently return it to your breath. That’s the skill you’re practicing. At first you may not even be able to go a single breath before your mind wanders. As you practice you’ll be able to go longer periods of time focused on your breathing. Remember, focusing on your “failure” is just another distraction from your breath!
If It's Still Too Hard
I struggled with meditation in the beginning. It’s hard! If you can’t keep your attention on your breath, commit to just sitting and breathing for five minutes. Keep trying if you can, but if it’s too frustrating, just sit for the five minutes and breathe slowly and deeply from the belly as described above. You can always try to meditate again tomorrow. Sitting during your scheduled time will help you stay consistent, and the breathing will provide some relaxation as well. Experiment with counting your breaths. As a last resort, consider reducing the amount of time you start with from 5 minutes to 3 or even 2.
I invite you to follow these steps and establish your own meditation practice. There’s no better day to start than tomorrow!
Good luck and happy meditating!