Meditation tips for beginners

1. Find a space where distractions are as minimal as possible.

If I have a cell phone near me I will be tempted to look at my email or check my text messages. By eliminating distractions I am able to thoroughly sink in and allow myself to detach, truly bringing my awareness to the present moment.

2. There are different types of meditation; Choose the one that speaks to you.

Meditation apps that offer guided meditations help me the most. If you choose to go this route make a conscious commitment to keep your phone as a meditation tool only rather than checking your phone for other purposes. I have ADD so I know that distractions can get the best of me. I know I need to use this time as a dedicated sacred space for myself and my mental health. Having this self care perspective gives me the willpower to put my life on hold while I meditate.

Gaiam, (http://www.meditationstudioapp.com/) headspace (https://www.headspace.com/), Insight Timer (https://www.insighttimer.com/) are all apps that support my meditation practice. I have a hard time meditating without some support so I found that having someone guide me helped me stay focused.

3. Sitting for one minute can be enough

I had an expectation that when I wanted to meditate I needed to sit for at least 5-10 minutes for it to be effective. If I couldn’t be still in lotus pose, seated with finger to thumb creating a blank mind then I wasn’t meditating. I had no idea that mediation could simply be watching my thoughts move in and watching them move out.  I realized that the less I attached a number to meditation or the perfect position with my body/mind, the more I enjoyed it. Even one minute of being quiet and still can be enough.