Simple Meditation Tips for Beginners

by Caz Makepeace on August 1, 2011

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If you asked anyone to describe what meditation looked like the majority of people would describe a person  sitting in a candle lit room, hands in prayer style, eyes closed and repeating the ‘Om’ mantra.

While this is indeed a technique to help you on the path to meditation, it is not the only road.

There is no right or wrong way to meditate. It is a very individual thing  and takes many shapes and forms.

Meditation actually means paying attention. Paying attention to your world and paying attention to yourself and becoming more self aware as a result

Any time you are completely focused on an activity and are completely present your are meditating. That means you can be meditating while reading, eating, painting, playing sport, running or listening to music.

As long as you are totally present.

See it is easy to meditate.

Photo: AlicePopkorn

Meditation Tips to Get You Started

Breathing Room

Paying attention to your breath is meditation. Most of us take breathing for granted and tend even forget to breathe.

Breathe is life and proper breathing then is critical to our healthy and vitality. Conscious breathing is a big part of meditation.

You want to be aware of your breath, replacing short, shallow unconscious breath with calm, full deliberate breath. Expand your abdomen and fill up your lungs.

Anytime you focus on your breath and breathe deeply you are meditating. It can be done anywhere and will instantly relax you. Spend a few minutes every morning meditating your breath in this way.

Creating your Space

You can meditate anywhere, any time and in any way.

It often isn’t as easy as this sounds though as many distractions will surround you. To begin with it’s easier to start meditating in a calm, quiet and peaceful place.

A comfortable, inviting tranquil place will help you to quieten your mind and get in touch with your self. Make the place an encouraging and inspiring retreat. This will help to keep you practicing and it will be a place you will long to return to.

Make sure your space is free from mess and clutter. Your mind needs a clear and clean area to keep it from being unsettled.

Be sure to have all the equipment you’ll need such as a candle, CD player, pillows and anything else that will help you feel relaxed and comfortable.

Get Comfortable

Wear something cozy when doing your meditation. You need to be comfortable. You don’t want to wear anything too loose or tight and it must suit the climate.

The less outside distractions the better it will for you to find the quietness within. Sit in whatever fashion is most comfortable for you. You want to avoid lying down as it’s too easy to fall asleep.

Use a pillow or cushioning if you need it.

I will be presenting some more techniques in a later post.

For now, wear something comfortable, find a quiet and tranquil space, close your eyes and just focus on deep breathing.

Practice being totally present with everything you do