Meditation for Beginners: How To Meditate, Even If You’ve Never Done It Before

Meditation for Beginners

If you’re needing more zen in your life, perhaps it’s time you try meditation. In this beginners guide to meditation, you will learn what meditation is, different types of meditation, and how to meditate, even if you’ve never done it before. Whether you’re looking for mindfulness techniques, daily meditation, or even just want to learn how to relax, meditation is for you. 

What Is Meditation?

What is meditation? According to Merriam Webster, the definition of meditation is: the act or process of meditating.

Meditation has been around for thousands of years. There are various types of meditation practices, but a few of our favorites are: mindfulness meditation, focused meditation, and movement meditation.  There are also other more in-depth types of meditation such as: transcendental meditation, spiritual meditation and even progressive relaxation.  Don’t worry if you don’t know what those all mean; meditation for beginners is a simple way to gain clarity, focus and ironically more energy. A meditation practice doesn’t have to be complicated. You can meditate—even if you’re a beginner!

What Are The Different Types of Meditation?

If you want help learning how to meditate, many individuals choose a guided meditation. A guided meditation is one in which a teacher or guide tells you what to focus on and how to control your breathing.

An unguided meditation is you paying close attention to your body and your thoughts in the present moment.

Both guided and unguided sessions can be varying lengths of time.  A recommended amount of time for a meditation for a beginner is to start out small and then increase as your confidence grows. It is important to continue a regular meditation practice by making meditation part of your daily routine.

How Do I Learn How To Meditate?

 Even if you’re a beginner, a meditation practice is completely achievable. Meditation is for anyone, from beginner to expert.

People meditate in various ways. The process is simple: just be quiet and practice.

Many people meditate by sitting comfortably with their back supported and eyes closed. Some individuals choose to do a walking meditation, or may lay down in a comfortable spot to meditate.

When learning how to meditate, many beginners choose to sit with their back supported against a couch or wall. It is helpful to keep your neck and jaw relaxed and eyes closed during your meditation. Resting your hands on your knees is also helpful when learning how to meditate.

When you first begin to meditate, you may experience feelings of trepidation or distraction. Meditation is a learned skill which requires no effort on your part except to be still. Continue to meditate regularly and you will soon see the benefits of meditation.

What Are The Benefits of Meditation?

There are many benefits of meditating. Lower stress levels and decreased anxiety are a few benefits of meditation. Some people use meditation to lose weight. Meditation has also been proven to increase imagination and creativity, and can even help you achieve your goals.

Meditation allows you to focus on your body and thoughts in a present moment. Calming your mind and being present increases your self awareness, and promotes emotional health.  Meditation also increases your attention span.  One study on meditation found that people who had a habit of regular meditation had a greater attention span than those who did not have a regular meditation practice.

Meditation is also important for your brain health. Studies show that meditation can help with age-related memory problems. In fact, this study proves meditation can even prevent dementia and Alzheimers in some patients.

Though meditation has been around for thousands of years, meditation is simple, even for beginners. There are many benefits to meditation. Meditation can teach you how to relax, how to lose weight, and even how to keep your brain healthy.

How Do I Know the Best Meditation for Me?

The best meditation is the one that works for you. Learning how to meditate is helpful for mindfulness, being aware of your body, emotions and thoughts in the present moment. How to meditate is a skill you will learn, so it is ok to start out as a beginner.

Most experts suggest starting out with a 10 minute meditation session. You can then grow your focus and increase your session to 15, 20 or even 25 minutes. As your confidence grows in learning how to meditate, so does the timing of your meditation practice.

Life doesn’t slow down just because you are learning to be still. You can still expect challenges and changes in your life. Learning how to meditate gives you a new perspective on yourself and those around you.

“The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear”-Rumi

This meditation quote by Rumi will hopefully inspire you to learn how to meditate, even if you’ve never done it before.

The first step to learning how to meditate is simply to begin. Then, commit to a regular practice. You can meditate to go to sleep or to wake up. Meditation can be done to increase your motivation. If increasing your attention span or lowering stress is your goal, you should learn how to meditate.

Learning how to meditate doesn’t have to be a daunting experience. Meditation is for anyone, even for beginners. You can meditate, even if you’ve never done it before! There’s no better time to learn how to meditate, why not start now?