Meditation Guide For Beginners

Seemslikeeveryoneistalkingaboutmeditationthesedayswhichisagoodthing!AsabeginneritcanbealittleoverwhelmingtoknowwheretostartsoIwanttosharesometipsandinfotogetyouoffontherighttrackandhelpyouavoidthecommonpitfallsthatgetinthewayofbuildingaconsistentmeditationpractice.

What Is Meditation? Meditationisaseriesoftechniquesthatallowsustodevelopawarenessandfocusedattention.Ithasbeenpracticedforcenturiesandhasmanydifferentformsandtraditions.Whileoftenusedinterchangeably,thereisadistinctionbetweenmindfulnessandmeditation.Mindfulnessisawayofbeingorinteractingwiththeworld.Itcanbepracticedinformallyatanytimeandinanysituation,withanyactivity.Meditationontheotherhandisaformalpracticethatinvolvessettingasideaspecifictimetositsilentlyandtrainourminds.Meditationthattakestheformofsustainingourattentiononourbreath,noticingourbody,thoughts,emotionsorsensations,orwhateverarisesineachmoment,andgentlyreturningourattentiontoourbreath,issometimescalledmindfulnessmeditation.ThispracticehelpstrainthemindtofocusonthepresentratherthanthepastorfutureandteachesushowtocontrolourreactionssothatwecanrespondratherthanreactRegularmeditationpractice,oranythingthatallowsustopause,bestillandtuneintothepresentmoment,infacthelpsusbecomemoreconsciousaboutthebusynessinourlives.Withthatawareness,wecanmakemoreconsciouschoicesabouthowwedirectourthoughtsorspendourtime.Forexample,bybuildingourskillsinformalmeditationpracticewecanthenusethemtofocusourfullattentiononapersonoractivityathandwithoutbeingdistractedbyourwanderingmindsorthebeepingofourphones.

Meditationistheultimatemobiledevice;youcanuseitanywhere,anytime,unobtrusively.

SharonSalzberg

Why Meditate? Withanincreasinggaininpopularity,meditationisoftenheldoutasacureallforjustaboutanythingthatailsyou.Thetruthisthatmanyoftheseclaimsdonothaveanybasisinsoundresearch.

Thereare,however,someimportantdocumentablebenefitsofaregularmeditationpracticeincluding:

• Reducingstressandanxiety• Enhancingemotionalhealthandwellbeing• Improvingemotionalregulation• Improvingmemory&focus• Increasingcognitiveflexibility• Enhancingself-awareness

Insteadofmeditatingwithagoalinmind,focusinsteadoncreatingaconsistenthabitandthebenefitswillfollow.Thebenefitsofmeditationareonlyexperiencedthroughconsistentpractice.

Simple Breath Meditation Whiletherearemanyformsandtraditionsofmeditation,asabeginneritishelpfultochoosesomethingthatissimple.Usingabasicbreathmeditationistheeasiestwayforbeginnerstostartameditationpractice.Byusingthebreathasafocalpoint,youwillbegintobuildfoundationalskillsthatwillserveyouwellasyourpracticedevelops.Onceyouhaveestablishedaregularhabitofmeditation,thenyoumightwanttoexploreothermethodsandtraditions.

Beginwithshortsessions.Afewminutestosettleyourselfandthen3to5minutesofsilentpracticeisagreatstart.Youcanaddtothelengthofyourpracticeasyoufeelcomfortable,graduallybuildingupto20minutes.Youdon’thavetorushtogetthere.

Consistencyisthekey.It’sbettertopracticeforashortsessioneverydaythantotakeahitandmissapproachifyouwanttoreapthebenefits.

Breathingin,Icalmbodyandmind.Breathingout,Ismile.

ThichNhatHanh

Guided Meditations Guidedmeditationsareledbyateachereitherinperson,orbyaudioorvideo.Theycanbeusefulforbeginnersastheyprovidesomesupportandencouragementasyouestablishyourpractice.Thereisadifferencebetweenguidedvisualizationswhicharetypicallyusedforrelaxationorsometimesinsight,andguidedmeditationswhichdemonstratetheskillsofmeditationandincludeperiodsofsilence.

Usingonlyguidedmeditationssometimescreateadependenceonthemthatdoesn’tencouragethedevelopmentofskills.Trytointegratetheskillsthatyouarelearningintheguidedmeditationinordertobeabletousethemduringyour“onyourown”silentpractice.

Youcandownloadafree,short,guidedmeditationhere:https://www.stonecirclecoaching.com

Aspeoplebecomemoreexperiencedinmeditation,theytendtouseguidedmeditationslessfrequently,orperiodicallytorefreshtheirpractice.Ultimatelyyouwillwanttofindtherightbalancebetweenusingguidedrecordingsandpracticingsilentmeditationthatbestworksforyou.

Therearemanyappsavailablewhichincludeguidedmeditations.ThemostpopularappsareInsightTimer,CalmandHeadspace.

Managing Expectations Hereareafewbeginnerexpectationsthatcanmakemeditationachallenge:

• Tryingtositfortoolongatthestart.Moretimeisnotnecessarilybetter.Consistencyisfarmoreimportantthanlengthoftime.

• Tryingtostopthoughtsoremptyingtheirminds.Yourmindisdesignedtothinksoyouwillnotstopyourthoughts.Whatyouwilllearntodoistodirectyourattentionandfocussoyouarenotcontrolledbythem.

• Waitingforana-hamoment.Whilemeditationdoesincreaseself-awarenessandinsight,itisnottypicallyaprofoundexperienceeverytimeyoupractice.Beopentowhatevershowsup,evenifitisnothing.

• Gettingitright.Beginnersoftenworryaboutwhethertheyare“doingitright.”MindfulnessexpertJonKabat-Zinnhasthebestadviceaboutthisworry.Hesaysifyouaredoingit,thenyouaredoingitright.

Thegoalofmeditationisn’ttocontrolyourthoughts,it’stostoplettingthemcontrolyou.

Setting Up A Space Whileitispossibletomeditateanywhereanytime,asabeginneritshelpfultohaveaquietspacetopractice.Thiseliminatessomedistractionsthatyoumightotherwisehavetomanage.Choosesomewhereyoucanbeundisturbed

Keepitsimple.Therearelotsofthingsyoucanaddtoameditationspaceifyouwantbutallyoureallyneedisacomfortableplacetosit(eitheronacushionorchair)thatallowsyoutomaintaingoodposture.

Ifyoudowanttopersonalizeyourspace,thesearesomeotherthingsyoumightinclude:

Inspirationalpictures

Natureelements–flowers,plants,stones

Candles

Incenseoroildiffuser

Prayertableoraltar

Youwillfindmoreinfoaboutcreatingameditationspaceonmybloghere:

https://www.stonecirclecoaching.com/mindfulness/meditation-space-room/

Getting Started 1. Chooseatime

Anytimeisagoodtimetomeditateifyouaredoingit!Manypeoplefindfirstthinginthemorningworkswellbecauseasthedayprogressestherearemoredemandsonyourtimeandenergy.Chooseatimethatfitsyouandyourlifestyle.

2. SetatimerSetatimerfortheentirelengthofyourmeditation(settlinginandsilentpractice)soyoudon’tneedtolookattheclock.

3. FindacomfortablepostureSituprightinachairoronacushion,oragainstawalltosupportyourback.Ifyouareinachairputbothfeetonthefloor.Chooseapositionthatyoucanmaintaincomfortablyforthelengthofyourpractice.Feelfreetoshiftpositionatanytime.Meditationisnotmeanttobetorture!Allowyourhandstorestcomfortablyinyourlap.Allowyoureyestocloseorsoftenyoureyesanddropyourgazetowardthefloor.Thishelpsremovevisualdistractions.

4. SettleyourselfTakeafewminutestosettleintoyourpractice.Breatheinthewaythatisnormalandnaturaltoyou,inhalingandexhalingthroughyournose.Youmightbeginbydoingaquickscanofyourbodytonoticeanytension.

5. SimplebreathmeditationBringyourattentiontoyourbreath. Justnoticeyourbreathastheair isgoing inandoutofyournostrils.Breatheinthewaythatismostnormalandnaturalandcomfortableforyou,andjustnoticeyourselfinhalingandexhaling.While you’re focusing on your breath, thoughtsmay cross yourmind. Just notice them andbring your attention back to your breathing. It’s normal and natural for you to be thinkingthings. Youdon’thave to chaseyour thoughts. Justnotice that youare thinkingandcomebacktoyourbreath.

If you notice physical sensations, perhaps part of your body is not in themost comfortableplace,adjust itsothatyoufeelcomfortable. Noticethatyouwerea littledistractedbythatandbringyourattentionbacktoyourbreath.Ifyounoticeothersounds,againsimplynoticethedistractionandbringyourattentionbacktoyourbreath.Be kind about your wandering mind.It is normal and natural for you to become aware ofthoughtsandotherdistractions.Simplyre-directyourfocustoyourbreath.

6. ClosingthemeditationWhenthetimerrings,takeafewdeeperbreaths,wiggleyourfingersandtoes,andwhenyoufeelready,openyoureyes.

Ifyouareinterestedinmoresupportinbuildingyourmeditationpracticeorwaystocultivatemindfulliving,visitmywebsiteandlearnmoreaboutcoaching:

https://www.stonecirclecoaching.com/products-services/coaching/

Youshouldsitinmeditationfortwentyminuteseveryday…unlessyou'retoobusy;

thenyoushouldsitforanhour.Zenwisdom