Meditation: Tips For Beginners
How to Meditate: A Beginner's Guide
Meditation is a simple yet profound practice that can transform your life. It’s not just a way to relax; it’s a tool for developing mindfulness, improving focus, and fostering emotional well-being. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the basics of meditation, share some benefits, and offer tips to help you make meditation a consistent habit.
What is Meditation?
Meditation is the practice of focusing your mind to achieve a state of calm, clarity, and heightened awareness. Through focused attention—often on the breath or a specific object—meditation helps you quiet mental chatter, reduce stress, and cultivate a present-centered awareness. In its simplest form, meditation involves training the mind to return to a specific point of focus (like your breath) whenever it wanders, fostering greater mindfulness.
Why Learn to Meditate?
Meditation offers far-reaching benefits that can improve your overall quality of life. Here are 10 compelling reasons to begin your meditation practice:
Lower Stress: Regular practice helps reduce stress and promotes relaxation.
Improve Focus: Meditation strengthens your ability to concentrate and stay present.
Enhance Emotional Health: It fosters a balanced emotional state, improving your mood and resilience.
Increase Self-Awareness: Meditation deepens your understanding of yourself, your thoughts, and your feelings.
Improve Relationships: By cultivating mindfulness and empathy, you connect better with others.
Support Mental Resilience: Meditation helps you cope with challenges and setbacks more effectively.
Promote Better Sleep: Regular practice can help you fall asleep more easily and improve sleep quality.
Reduce Brain Chatter: It helps quiet the constant mental noise that can lead to anxiety and distraction.
Boost Immunity: Meditation can enhance immune function, helping the body resist illness.
Understand Your Pain: It helps you become more aware of your physical and emotional pain, allowing you to address it with greater clarity and compassion.
How to Meditate: A Step-by-Step Guide
Meditation can be simple, but it requires practice. Here’s a basic step-by-step guide to get you started:
Find a Comfortable Seat
Sit in a quiet place where you can relax without distractions. You can sit in a chair with your feet on the floor, cross-legged on the ground, or kneel—whatever feels comfortable. Make sure your posture is stable, and your body feels relaxed.Set a Timer
If you're just beginning, start with a short duration, like 5 to 10 minutes. Setting a timer allows you to meditate without worrying about the time.Notice Your Breath
Gently close your eyes (or soften your gaze) and focus your attention on the sensation of your breath. Notice how it feels as you inhale and exhale. Is your breath shallow or deep? Where in your body do you feel it the most (belly, chest, nostrils)?Observe When Your Mind Wanders
Inevitably, your mind will wander. Thoughts, emotions, or memories will arise. When you notice this happening, gently bring your attention back to the breath. Don’t judge yourself for getting distracted—this is part of the process.Be Kind to Yourself
If you find yourself lost in thought, don't criticize yourself. Gently return your focus to the breath. The key is to practice patience and compassion, allowing your thoughts to come and go without attachment.End with Awareness
When your timer goes off, don’t rush to end the practice. Gently open your eyes (if closed) and notice how your body feels. Tune in to any sounds or sensations around you, and reflect on your thoughts and emotions.
How Long Should You Meditate?
Meditation doesn’t need to be a long process to be effective. The key is consistency. Even 5–10 minutes a day can yield noticeable benefits. As you build your practice, you can gradually increase the duration, aiming for 15–30 minutes.
Research by neuroscientist Amishi Jha suggests that 12 minutes of meditation, 5 days a week, can help strengthen your ability to focus.
Tips to Make Meditation a Habit
Making meditation a daily habit takes intention and effort. Here are some tips to help:
Use Reminders
Set up visual reminders to prompt you to meditate, like placing your cushion in a visible spot. Post-it notes with motivational messages can also help.Create a Routine
Meditate at the same time each day. This builds consistency and helps you fit meditation into your routine.Start Small
If you’re new to meditation, start with shorter sessions and gradually increase the time as you get more comfortable.Make it Enjoyable
Find a meditation style or practice that resonates with you. Experiment with different techniques, like loving-kindness meditation or walking meditation.Practice Patience
Meditation takes time and practice. It’s normal for your mind to wander, and it’s important to be kind to yourself when it does. The more you meditate, the more easily you’ll be able to return to the present moment.
Guided Meditations for Beginners
Guided meditations can be incredibly helpful when you’re just starting. They provide structure and support, helping you stay on track. Here’s a free app you can try with free guided meditations
Vata, Pitta, & Kapha Dosha Predispositions in Meditation
Some of us naturally gravitate towards meditation, sitting for long periods feeling "blissed out," while others struggle with the idea of stillness, even for a minute. Then, there are those who approach meditation with curiosity, knowing that some days flow easily and others feel like a challenge.
Kapha types (earth and water elements) tend to find it easier to sit still, as their grounding nature supports calmness. Vata types (space and air elements), on the other hand, might feel restless, as their light and erratic energy makes stillness difficult. Pitta types (fire and water elements) usually fall somewhere in between, using their discipline (tapas) to maintain focus.
All of this is perfectly normal. The key is to show up and be present without attaching any labels to your meditation practice—not even positive ones. The true goal of meditation is to have no goal, simply to sit with what is.
If you find yourself uncomfortable or anxious during meditation, it could be because you’re not used to allowing emotions to surface. You are not alone—this is common for many meditators! With consistent practice, however, meditation becomes a space for self-inquiry, where you can observe your thoughts, deepen your breath, and calm your nervous system.
Over time, you’ll notice triggers for negative emotions or behaviours and, from this awareness, can shift patterns that no longer serve you. Meditation offers a powerful tool for personal growth and transformation.
Vata, Pitta, & Kapha Dosha Meditation Techniques
VATA DOSHA
Vata dosha (out of balance) becomes easily distracted, gets anxious at the idea of meditating and avoids sitting still.
Japa meditation: The tactile sense of passing mala beads through the fingers while reciting a mantra offers a more tangible tool for cultivating concentration and indefatigable focus.
Rudraksha mala beads are known to relieve the stress caused by anxiety and depression, improve concentration and ease the pain often associated with vata disturbances.
When new to meditation and using mantra, it is recommended that the mantra be shorter so as not to encourage the mind to get lost along the way. You may think of this as being analogous to keeping a dog on a short leash; so to speak.
Om Namaha Shivaya can be used as a mantra.
If you are not inclined to use mala beads, you can use rosary beads or any other kind of beads. The objective is to offer the mind something tactile on which to bind its attention.
In place of a Sanskrit mantra, you can recite a prayer or any positive affirmation that resonates with you.
Do your meditation while seated (avoid lying down) in a comfortable, yet attentive position with eyes closed.
Consult with a qualified yoga teacher or Ayurvedic Practitioner to learn how to use mala beads.
PITTA DOSHA
Pitta dosha (out of balance) can tend toward being irritable, angry, judgmental and prone to burning out from too much intensity. Meditation might be approached as if it were a competition; being bound and determined to get it done and check the box at the expense of missing out on truly integrating the experience.
Metta meditation: This is loving-kindness meditation. Focusing on loving kindness toward others and one’s self diffuses intensity, infuses the meditation with compassion and softens the experience. In this space, we can open up to the invitation of love and acceptance of ourselves and others.
You may choose to offer this meditation up to yourself and/or all beings.
This is also a great practice for releasing anger or resentment toward someone.
When we direct anger at someone, that angers passes through us on the way out and also harms us. By directing loving kindness to someone with whom we are angry, we have the opportunity to let that sh*t go!
Do your meditation while seated (avoid lying down) in a comfortable, yet attentive position with eyes closed.
KAPHA DOSHA
Kapha dosha (out of balance) is prone to being sedentary and becoming too attached. Sitting for prolonged periods, even for the benefit of meditation, might encourage laziness and unhealthy attachments.
Walking meditation: Walking on a nature trail or in a labyrinth is ideal but if that is not available to you, walk anywhere!
Walking meditation is a great way to combine breath and movement. Synchronize your steps-inhale right foot, exhale left…
Another option is to inhale as you swing your arms up into the air and exhale as you swing them back down by your sides.
Breathe smoothly in and out of your nostrils with your mouth closed and maintain a steady gaze about 6 to 8 feet in front of yourself on the ground.
Beyond the Beginning: Developing Your Meditation Practice
Once you’ve established a basic meditation habit, consider exploring other mindfulness practices:
Body Scan Meditation: Focus on different parts of your body, noticing sensations without judgment.
Walking Meditation: A mindful movement practice that integrates awareness with each step you take.
Loving-Kindness Meditation: Practice extending compassion to yourself and others through repeated phrases and visualization.
Frequently Asked Questions About Meditation
Should I meditate with my eyes open or closed? You can meditate with your eyes open or closed. If open, maintain a soft gaze. If closed, don’t try to visualize anything specific.
What if I have an itch during meditation? It’s fine to scratch it. However, before using your fingers, try focusing your mind on the itch and observe it as part of your experience.
How can I deal with distractions during meditation? Distractions are part of the practice. When your mind wanders, simply notice it and gently return to your breath or focus. Don’t judge yourself—this is the essence of mindfulness.
How long should I meditate? Start with short sessions (5–10 minutes), and gradually increase as you become more comfortable. Most people find 15–30 minutes is ideal for regular practice.
Conclusion
Meditation is a simple yet transformative practice that can bring immense benefits to your life, from reducing stress to improving focus and emotional well-being. Remember, the key to success is consistency and kindness to yourself. Even if your mind wanders frequently, you’re still practicing mindfulness each time you return to the present moment. Start small, stay patient, and enjoy the journey!
References:
Book- Ayurveda and the Mind: The Healing of Consciousness, by Dr. David Frawley
Helpful Resources:
Mindfulness and Concentration- Michael Stone
How to Sit on a Cushion- Michael Stone
How to Sit on a Chair- Michael Stone
