How To Start Meditating
Ready to start your meditation practice?
You’ve decided that meditation is going to be your thing. Awesome! You sage your space, light some incense, and close your eyes. But after a few minutes, you want to give up because you can’t quiet your mind. Don’t worry, I’m here to help and give you some tips on how to start your meditation practice.
Decide when’s the best time for you to meditate. I find it’s easier to meditate in the morning right as I’m waking or at night just before bedtime. These are the moments when my immediate world is still quiet and my thoughts are too. Make sure you are in a private area with no one to interrupt you. The more distractions you can cut out of your environment the better. If you have your smartphone nearby, set a timer for 5 minutes preferably a nice chiming tone. Sit or lie in a comfortable position. You can close your eyes or softly focus on one object in your immediate view.
Begin by taking few normal breaths. Pay attention to your chest expanding and deflating. When you feel ready, breath deeply through your nose and exhale through your mouth. After a few of these, you can return to your normal breathing pattern. Allow the sound of your own breath to be the sound that guides you through this meditation.
If you get distracted by a sound outside of your own body, it’s okay. Your mind may wander but gently invite it back to focusing on your breath. If you get an urge to scratch and itch or reach for your phone to see if the time is up, remain still. These are simply thoughts and these thoughts do not dictate what you should or shouldn’t do. Choose to focus on your breathing. Choose stillness.
Before you know it, your time up. Gradually come back into your body and the room. Wiggle your fingers. Wiggle your toes. Show gratitude for the experience. Ayyyy! You did that! A dear friend of mine says even if you meditated for a few moments, you did it. Acknowledge your huge accomplishment and keep going. Remember it’s about practice, and not practice to be perfect just practice. Everything we do doesn’t have to be a competition. You don’t have to challenge yourself to do better next time. You just have to do it.
Chime in: What are some thoughts that come up while you meditate? Think about it and write it down in your journal.
How to amplify your mediation practice?
This is totally up to you and feel free to try whatever feels right. You can carve out a special place within your home to mediate. Maybe it’s a corner or an open area free of clutter. Let this be your sacred quiet space. Find calming scents to help you slip into your meditation practice. I like to add a few drops of an essential oil like eucalyptus or sweet orange to my palms, rub my hands together, and then breathe in the aroma right before I close my eyes to meditate. You can also try rubbing peppermint oil on your temples. Perhaps candles are more your cup of tea. I like scents that are not too loud or distracting but refreshing like orange and lemongrass. Or you can go old school with classic Nag Champa incense. When you are easing into your day after a morning meditation, try sipping on a tea on fragrant jasmine tea and mix in dried lavender.
Creating your own mediation practice is golden. The more you do it, the more your mind will be able to find peace. I can say that meditation has helped bring though some tough times when I couldn’t see through the fog my own thoughts and emotions. When you meditate you are giving yourself permission to breathe easier and truly find that clarity within you.