Want to get started with meditation? Here are 5 helpful tips
One of the greatest things about mindfulness is that you can do it no matter where you are, and no matter what you’re doing. Mindfulness, as the name implies, is something done with your mind, not with your body. So whether you’re sitting at a desk, riding a bike, chopping vegetables, or even having an argument with a loved one, you can still be practicing mindfulness (that last one is tough, but definitely possible!).
That being said, if you’re just beginning to learn how to practice mindfulness, some places will be easier than others. In this article you’ll find a few tips on how to get started with meditation. Here are 5 tips to help you get started with a mindfulness practice:
1. Find a quiet place to sit
One of the best ways to get started with a mindfulness practice is in a seated position, in a quiet place. In the first few years of practice, it can be hard to not get “distracted” by sounds in your environment, so it can helpful to practice in a place that is relatively quiet (later on, you can start using sounds as your object of meditation, and they cease to be distractions).
Find a place in your home or at work to set up a place for meditation. I’d recommend choosing a place that feels calm, serene, and free from clutter. It’s best to set up your meditation spot in one place, and leave it set up. Dedicate that spot for meditation and nothing else. You want to make it as easy as possible to practice, and having a dedicated space will reduce excuses to avoid practicing.
2. If you choose to sit on the floor, a sturdy cushion will help
One mistake I often see with beginners is poor posture when sitting on the ground or on a cushion. Here’s a quick self-check test: if you’re sitting on the floor and your knees are higher than your hips, it’s not a good sign. Although good posture is not necessary for “good” mindfulness (because again, you can be mindful in any position), it can be helpful to have good posture when you’re just starting out.
When your posture is upright, rather than slouched, it brings more blood-flow to your brain and encourages more alertness. Additionally, good posture will help when you want to sit for long periods of time. I recommend purchasing a zafu (a fancy word for meditation cushion) filled with buckwheat hulls, as these are sturdy and provide great support. A quick search for “buckwheat zafu” on Google or Amazon should turn up many results.
3. Don’t be afraid to use a chair
Many people incorrectly assume that in order to be a good meditator, you have to sit on the ground in a full lotus yoga pose. Fortunately, that’s not necessary at all. As I mentioned earlier, mindfulness is a state of mind, an attitude of friendly curiosity, it’s not about yoga poses or turning yourself into a human pretzel. So, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with sitting in a chair to practice mindfulness.
The one big downside to sitting in a chair is that it can be easy to slouch and get too relaxed. If you choose to use a chair, try to sit with your feet on the floor, and with your back straight and not touching the back side of the chair. This will help encourage an alert awakeness that is good for mindfulness practice.
4. See if you can sit still (and avoid fidgeting)
When you sit down to meditate, set an intention to move as little as possible after you have settled in. I usually take 20-30 seconds at the beginning of a sit to do any adjusting the feels necessary. After that, I avoid adjusting my position. Imagine a glass jar filled with water, dirt, dust and rocks. Every time you fidget, it’s like swirling the glass jar around and around. If you let the jar sit on the table-top for five minutes, all the dirt and dust settles down at the bottom, leaving pure, clean water at the top.
Meditation is like this. We need to be still in order to let all the junk in our minds settle down. Then we can see into the mind with more clarity. If you absolutely have to move, just see if you can move slowly and mindfully.
5. Meditate at the same time each day
Mindfulness only works if it becomes a habit in your life. If you do mindfulness once a month, you won’t see many changes in your life. In order to help build this into a habit, it helps to meditate at the same time each day. Although many people choose to meditate in the morning, there is no “correct” time to choose. Simply find what works best for you.
If it turns out that meditating right before bed each night works best, then do that. If there’s a time at work when you can do it every day, maybe that will be your time. The key is to set a determination to do it every day, and stick with it. And if you miss a day, don’t worry about it! Simply start back up again.