A Simple Guide on How to Meditate

In today’s fast-paced world, more and more people of all ages would like to calm their mind and reconnect to their bodies by learning how to meditate. Let us help you to get started on this path.

Meditation, which has many known beneficial effects can be an important part of a conscious lifestyle. However, meditating is not as easy as it appears on stylish pictures on Instagram. How to meditate

Often we can see the portrayed meditator smiling, being carefree, and seemingly feeling great. But anyone who has already tried different meditation techniques may know that, especially in the beginning it can be especially difficult, requiring a lot of mental discipline. Let’s see how we can give you an easier start with our tips on how to meditate.

Where to Meditate

You can meditate literally anywhere, as it is a mental practice. However, it is recommended for beginners to start in a quiet room so that nothing distracts you or disturbs you. Meditation can be done while sitting on a chair, sitting or lying on the floor. Don’t do it in bed, since you can easily fall asleep. The best way is to sit on the floor in lotus seat (on a meditation pillow) with your spine long and errect. Take off your shoes and get rid of all other distractions – such as watches and other annoying jewelry.

What to Do with Your Body

So we already know that the most optimal meditation posture on the ground is sitting with your back straight. But what should you do with your limbs? For your legs the lotus pose is perfect. If this is too hard for you, you don’t necessarily have to put our feet on top of each other, just cross your shins in front of you.

You can place your hands loosely on your knees or form mudras with your fingers. Keep your back and neck straight, do not tilt your head forward or backward. It is best to close your eyes initially because convexation is so much easier.

How Long to Meditate

Start with 5 minutes of meditation every day to get used to the new habit and then increase the time slowly to 30 minutes or even an hour, if you want to. But if you settle for 20 minutes of meditation practice each day, it is more than enough to benefit from it’s positive effect, But starting small will increase your experience of success and make you more persistent with practice. Done  consistently for 21 days, it can be easily turned into a habit.

We recommend setting a timer before starting meditation, as time might pass very slowly at first. However, be careful not to set an unpleasant, loud beeping noise, as returning from meditation like this can be quite an unpleasant experience! Instead opt for a softer sound, like the one of a meditation bowl. Setting a timer will help you not to think about how much time may have passed since you started meditating.

What to Do with Your Mind

This is where it gets tricky. There are several types of meditation. For instance in Vipassana meditation you observe a point, in transcendental meditation we repeat a mantra. However, the most popular form is mindfulness meditation, which is easier to learn. During this type of meditation you focus on observing your breath.

When breathing, observe how you exhale and inhale through your nose. Watch as the air flows in, is absorbed and then flows out again.Also observe a break between breaths. Just watch the process from all perspectives without judging it.

You will soon notice that after a few seconds, your attention will wander and various thoughts will begin to zigzag in your head that will distract you. When you realize that you have deviated from the practice, do not resist, just softly redirect your attention back to your breathing. This happens to everyone and it is very important that you do not blame yourself for it or get upset. With regular practice, your mind will become trained and able to focus longer..

If you would like to join a community or learn how to meditate with an experienced instructor, you can visit a meditation course. Maybe you will find one in one of the best yoga studios in Budapest.

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barbara