Learning to Meditate for beginners

Do you want to see the benefits Meditation a part of your life?

First off, congratulations on making the decision to learn meditation. There are many, many benefits. But the hardest part is getting started. So be proud of yourself for taking that first step.

It’s fair for me to say that Meditation has changed my life for the better. I’m grateful I stuck with my practice, but I also know many others who failed to get past the initial stages and quit. These people were intrigued by what Meditation could offer them but had foul tastes left in their mouths by practicing some of the most common misconceptions that beginners fall for.

In this article I’ll debunk a few myths about meditation while sharing with you some simple tips and tricks I wish I knew before I started, so you can make your first attempt at Meditation a successful one.

But many normal people enjoy the benefits meditation can offer every day. And more and more people are becoming addicted to meditation because of what it has to offer.

You’ll fail, over and over again

Well, you’ll sort of fail over and over again. When you first start practicing meditation you’ll find it difficult to stay focused, and your mind will wander. This is often the hardest barrier for beginners, but it’s all part of the practice. The most common excuse I hear from people who’ve given upon meditating is “I couldn’t stay focused, my mind just kept wandering”. If anything this only supports the idea that we should all be meditating. Now more than ever our minds are overstimulated (TV, smart phones, social media), and as a result we’re never truly in the present, and instead jumping between the past to the future. One of the benefits of meditation is that you’ll learn to focus your mind.

What to expect

In the beginning, meditating will feel strange – and you’ll find hundreds of reasons to give up.

“This is boring; I don’t feel any differently; I have more important things to do; I wonder what’s on TV”.

Like I said, hundreds of reasons. But don’t worry, this is totally normal…everyone goes through it. And when your mind does drift, because it will, don’t get annoyed or frustrated, just accept that this is normal and continue on with your practice.

An experienced meditator once told me that the reason we refer to it as ‘practicing meditation’ is because you never stop practicing. Like any skill you’ll keep building on your ability.

“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf” ~ Jon Kabat-Zinn

In the beginning

Find somewhere quiet: it’s very difficult to find/stay in a peaceful environment. Don’t make it harder than it needs to be. Find somewhere quiet. And if it helps, listen to some soothing meditative music (YouTube) to block out outside noises.
Sitting, standing, laying: how you meditate is entirely up to you. My preference when I was first started, was lying down. Then I moved to sitting in a chair, because I found that better. Every now and then I mix in some standing meditation. Some people are even advocates of walking meditation. The point is there’s no right or wrong way. It’s whatever you’re comfortable with.
Pick something to focus on: My preference is to focus on my breath. I focus my attention on my abdomen moving up and down. Some like to focus on their chest/abdomen rising and lowering. Others choose to focus on their breath inhaling and exhaling from their nose. There’s no right or wrong way. Try all of them to find what works best for you.
Set a timer: so you can focus entirely on your practice, so you don’t get distracted by how long you’ve been meditating. I use my phone timer.

Setting your expectations

The benefits of meditation are enormous, but they take time to be realised. While you don’t need long, give yourself at least a few months before judging your practice. I’ve found 15 minutes once a day works best for me. While you will see some benefits immediately, the full extent takes at least a few months. If you expect to be a master after a few weeks, you’ll be sadly disappointed.

How fast you progress differs from person to person. The reasons for how fast you progress depend on:

How often you meditate
How long you meditate for
How much mental chatter is circling in your head – the more that’s circling the longer it can take.

Make it a habit

If I could give you only one suggestion about learning to meditate it would be this, make it a habit!! Making meditation a habit was the fastest way I progressed. One of the things I notice when I miss a session now is how frustrated I get. I immediately notice the difference because of how good I feel after my sessions. As you improve you’ll find the same thing happens and you just won’t want to miss a session.

You’ll always find excuses, but if you make the time, you’ll start to find resourceful and creative ways to maximize your time. I did it by setting aside 15 minutes every morning.

Thinking of quitting

When I meet people who’ve tried meditation but quit their reasons are always the same:

My mind was racing
I couldn’t sit still for that long
I wasn’t seeing any benefits

These reasons are normal, but they’re still just excuses. In fact, their reasons for giving up, were part of the benefits to meditate in the first place. You can overcome these difficulties through practice, but also by setting your expectations..

If you were unfit you wouldn’t attempt a triathlon without training for it, would you?

Like I said earlier, give yourself at least 3 months before expecting any results. This will relieve the stress of expecting immediate results.

Key takeaways

Find somewhere quiet, close your eyes, get comfortable, focus on your breath, and set yourself a timer.
Your thoughts will distract you, and when they do don’t get frustrated, just gently bring your attention back to your breath.
Remember thoughts of quitting is just another voice trying to distract you. Ignore them and continue with your practice.
Set a routine, morning and evening, and stick to it for best results.
Improving any skill takes time, meditation is no different. Allow yourself 6 months before deciding whether it’s for you or not.