Meditation For Beginners

The goal of meditation is to focus and quiet your mind, eventually reaching a higher level of awareness and inner calm. It may come as a surprise to learn that you can meditate anywhere and at any time, allowing yourself to access a sense of tranquility and peace no matter what's going on around you. This article will introduce you to the basics of meditation, allowing you to begin your journey on the path of enlightenment.

Part 1 of 3: Prepare to Meditate

1.   Choose a peaceful environment. 

Meditation should be practiced somewhere calming and peaceful. This will enable you to focus exclusively on the task at hand and avoid bombarding your mind with outside stimuli. Try to find somewhere that you will not be interrupted for the duration of your meditation - whether it's five minutes or half an hour. The space does not need to be very large - a walk-in closet or even your office can be used for meditation, as long as it's somewhere private.

Ø For those new to meditation, it's especially important to avoid any external distractions. Turn off TV sets, the phone or other noisy appliances. If you play music, choose calm, repetitive and gentle tunes, so as not to break your concentration. Another option is to turn on a small water fountain - the sound of running water can be extremely calming.

Ø Understand that the meditation space does not need to be completely silent, so there should be no need to reach for the earplugs. The sound of a lawnmower running or the dog barking next door shouldn't prevent effective meditation. In fact, being aware of these noises but not letting them dominate your thoughts is an important component of successful meditation.

Ø Meditating outside works for many meditators. As long as you don't sit near a busy roadway or another source of loud noise, you can find peace under a tree or sitting upon some lush grass in a favourite corner of the garden.

2.  Wear comfortable clothes

One of the major goals of meditation is to calm the mind and block out external factors- however, this can be difficult if you feel physically uncomfortable due to tight or restrictive clothing. Try to wear loose clothing during meditation practice and make sure to remove your shoes.

·        Wear a sweater or a cardigan if you plan on meditating someplace cool. If you don’t the sensation of being cold will consume your thoughts and you will be tempted to cut your practice short.

·        If you are somewhere that you can’t easily change your clothes, do your best to make yourself as comfortable as possible. Take off your shoes and jacket, open the collar of your shirt or blouse, remove your belt or enjoy being in your Baju-Kurong.

3.  Decide how long you want to meditate for.

Before you begin, you should decide how long you are going to meditate for. While many seasoned meditators recommend twenty minute sessions twice a day, beginners can start out doing as little as five minutes, once a day.

·         You should also try to meditate at the same time each day - whether it's 15 minutes first thing in the morning, or 5 minutes on your lunch hour. Whatever time you choose, try to make meditation an unshakable part of your daily routine.

·         Once you have decided on a time frame, try to stick to it. Don't just give up because you feel like it isn't working - it will take time and practice to achieve successful meditation - right now, the most important thing is to keep trying.

·         Although you will want to keep track of your meditation time, it is not beneficial to be constantly checking your watch. Think about setting a gentle alarm to alert you when your practice is up, or time your practice to end with a certain event - such as your partner getting out of bed, or the sun hitting a certain spot on the wall.

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