So you’re new to the idea of meditation, and you’re not sure where to begin. You’ve come to the right place. There are simple steps you can take to bring your meditation practice without a hitch and begin reaping the benefits sooner, rather than later.
I heard meditation is really beneficial (but is it?)
There are a lot of people out there who talk about how great meditating is, and what it can do for you. But is it really anything special?
Well, like anyone who has taken on a consistent meditation practice, I can only honestly give you a resounding yes. Meditating really can change your life!
Have you ever wished you could just stop thinking something or stop telling yourself a sad, debilitating story? By meditating, you can finally get control over your thoughts.
It can also help you manage intense emotions, bring you into a more peaceful waking state, help boost your memory, your problem-solving skills, and even help you sleep better.
There are also more spiritual, less mindfulness-based approaches to meditation that you may come across after adhering to and researching a meditation practice for a while.
These techniques have been linked with finding answers to some of the biggest questions in life, spontaneous healings, and according to some people, even meeting the divine creator. Whether you believe in a spiritual side of life or not, meditation can be a great, transformative tool for you.
Is meditation dangerous?
Meditation is a very powerful tool. One that must be used wisely in order to get the benefits you seek. The biggest risk in meditation is falling into a sort of rut where you use it as a distraction from your life.
Meditation can be a great escape. It is very comforting and very relaxing. But it’s important to remember, anything you use as a distraction from living out your life is going to go sour, and have a negative impact on you. Just remember this, this transformative, amazing properties of meditating will be yours as long as you’re using your practice as a tool to live a better life—not escape from it.
If I clear my mind, will I become possessed?
Some people may not understand the roots of this question, or even see it as a joke, but I hear you. There are real people out there, with real fears of being psychologically overrun by evil forces. If this is you, I have two pieces of advice for you.
Firstly, to flat out answer your question, no. You will not get possessed. Clearing your mind isn’t like opening a door for whatever entities want to come in and take over. I promise you that as far as your mind goes, you’re the only one in there. If you let go of everything, you’re still you. Just a less stressed, less worried version of you.
Then there’s another piece to the puzzle. If you’re still scared of being overtaken, maybe try different forms of meditation like chants or visualization, which we will talk about in a moment. These other approaches also have great benefits and don’t require you to make your brain a blank canvas.
What do you want?
Meditation has a lot of purported benefits! Some of them are peaceful and practical, others are more fantastical in nature.
It’s important for you to get straight what you’re doing looking for with meditation, because your goals will definitely inform your practice.
Do you want to have a spiritual experience? To be more at peace with yourself and the world around you? Or maybe you want to be more productive, and mentally disciplined.
All of these goals are achievable with meditation, but any one of these specifically will be achieved with slightly different approaches.
Clearing my mind???
So there is an idea that the practice of meditation is the process of clearing your mind. I’m not trying to be a naysayer, but this is partially, if not totally incorrect.
The practice of meditation can mean a couple things, but you can either be in training to clear your mind, or to fill it. Either way is meditation and either way works to get specific results.
If you think you cannot clear your mind, it may be easier for you to start by filling it. You can look up “guided meditation” sessions on YouTube for free, and there are a wide array of options. Doing this only requires you to sit back, relax and follow the spoken instructions.
If you’re not comfortable being told what to do by someone else, you can also try visualization, in its many forms. For instance, you can visualize yourself achieving a goal that you are having trouble attaining. You could also use visualization to have a conversation about unfinished business with someone who passed away years ago.
Essentially, in visualization, you can live out whatever situations you need to get past and heal from old wounds. But what if you don’t want to visualize?
How to clear my mind
If you are not looking to fill your mind and focus it on something, the flip side is to learn how to let go of your thoughts. This can seem intimidating, but there are many ways of going about attaining this skill.
Some people like to imagine their being as a sky, and the thoughts as clouds passing through. This can help you stop identifying yourself by your thoughts, and help you allow them to pass without getting caught up in them.
Another technique is to become an observer of your thoughts. When you hear a noise out your window and feel annoyed that you’re being interrupted, just observe that feeling. Instead of letting it goad you into coming with it, just let that feeling sit there and burn itself out.
Either way, the aim of this exercise is to not necessarily cease thinking (although that is a byproduct), but rather to allow your thoughts to come and go and not be roped into them, with stories and emotions.
How often to meditate
When beginning a meditation practice, you’re going to want to ensure that you set aside time for it regularly. This is for a couple reasons.
Firstly, so that you continually get practice and improve. Beginning meditation can feel a lot like attempting something impossible, or at least something you’re really bad at. It helps to be able to see your improvement, so as not to get discouraged.
Secondly, the more frequently you meditate, the more of the benefits you get. While it’s important to balance meditation and contemplation with actually living in reality, if you can manage to meditate more often during your week, then the “inner peace” factor is bumped up to a more consistent way of being. This is definitely desirable.
I suggest that in the beginning, you strive for about three times a week, or once a day if you can manage it. This helps meditation to become a habit for you, helps you get used to it, and also helps you consistently see both benefits and the progress you make.
When do I meditate?
The second part of scheduling a meditation practice is asking yourself what time of day you want to meditate. Now this is up to you, and different people definitely have different approaches to the subject.
Some people find it helps to meditate first thing in the morning, to get their thoughts in order for the rest of the day. This technique is common amongst successful people in the business world who like to have better control of their mind and emotions.
Others enjoy meditating in the late evening. The ultimate relaxation meditation brings can help you fall asleep, especially if you have problems with thinking too much when you lay down at night to sleep.
And then you may also like to meditate to renew yourself and your energy levels midday or after work, the way you would utilize a nap.
All of these ways are valid, and work. It’s up to you to decide what you use this tool for, or maybe you would prefer a more varied approach. I suggest toying around with your time for meditating to see what you like best and what helps you the most with your goals.
Where to meditate
In the beginning of your practice, it’s important to be choosy in your decision of where to meditate. You want to make sure you get a safe, quiet place where you have everything you might need and are unlikely to be disturbed.
You want a place where you will have no distractions, to start with, so that it is easier to focus. If you stick with your practice, you will be able to meditate in a louder, more chaotic environment, without getting so distracted, but to begin with, it’s easier to train your brain in placid conditions.
Never meditate somewhere that it would be unsafe to fall asleep in. First, there is a possibility, especially as a newbie, that you may fall asleep during meditating. But even if you don’t, you are still in public (or wherever), not paying attention to your surroundings, with your eyes closed. Effectively, you may as well be asleep. Remember, safety first.
And it’s important when beginning to meditate in a familiar place, stocked up with all your favorite comfort items. Your brain, when beginning a meditation practice, is a bit of a loose cannon. While you’re beginning to train it, it’s hard to be sure of what it will come up with when you try to empty or fill it.
Parting words
Meditation can bring you face to face with some pretty deep realizations and emotions, which can take you by surprise if you’re not ready for them. Just remember this, it’s just your brain. Your brain is your friend. It’s helped you survive this far, and it is nothing to be afraid of.
It’s important to learn to take care of yourself and trust what’s coming up for you in the moment. A meditation journey can help you with this lesson, but only if you let it. So bring some tissues, have a small, healthy snack on hand, and block some time off for some self-care afterwards, just in case.
Remember that you’re learning to train your brain, and sometimes with emotional experiences, the only way out is through. Give yourself the gift of your own presence. Be there for the most vulnerable parts of yourself, instead of neglecting and even letting this side of you be abandoned. Don’t do to yourself what you fear others will do to you.
The moral of the story is that if you want to start a meditation practice, it is probably right for you. So give it a try. Find a nice, quiet place to sit down, and take a deep breath. Followed by another one. Now you’re well on your way.
(If you run into some emotional experiences and are unsure how to deal with them, try reading my article on feeling your feelings to get set in the right direction. You can find it by clicking right here.
Do you meditate? If so, what benefits have you seen from your practice? Let us know in the comments down below.
