The beginner's guide to meditation

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The mind is busy with its constantly racing thoughts. Add a fast-paced, hectic life, not forgetting the ongoing demands of social media, and ‘turning off’ becomes a huge challenge. For would-be meditators, the most important realisation is that thoughts are a natural part of meditation, so all is not lost.

BE STILL
Meditation is the simple act of sitting in stillness and silence for a dedicated period of time. But what about the constant thoughts? It works like this: the less attention you give them, the more easily and quickly they drift away.

With practice, you’ll start to discover a sense of calm. You’ll enjoy a feeling of being more centred within yourself and better connected with your body and spirit.

For some people this is a slower process, so if you feel like you’re not succeeding, keep going and focus on the benefits of meditation.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

There are many different forms of meditation with no right or wrong way to do them, so find what suits you. Four of the most popular are:

Breath meditation
Focus on breaths coming in and out. Some people like to focus on a point between the upper lip and nose. When you have thoughts, observe them and let them go. Focus back on your breath.

Mantra meditation
A mantra is a sound or vibration that has no particular meaning. Repeating one has a soothing effect on the nervous system and helps reduce internal dialogue. Think of a mantra as a ‘pause’ button that helps create distance between thought and action. This helps us to calm down, think, re-centre, and make better decisions.

Guided meditation
This is listening to someone guide you through a relaxing and calming meditation with music in the background. It takes you on a beautiful journey.

Mindfulness meditation
Be in the present moment of an experience. For example, when going for a walk, observe the plants and flowers, see the birds flying in the sky, and feel the sun on your skin.

RELATED: Five easy ways to fit meditation into your day

Make time to meditate every day

A SHORT GUIDE TO MEDITATING

Find a comfortable position. Sit on a chair or sofa with good back support and feet flat on the ground, or in bed with lots of pillows, on a floor cushion, or cross-legged in the lotus position.

Close your eyes. Slowly and calmly start repeating a mantra such as ‘So-Hum’, or alternatively focus on breathing in and out.

Let thoughts come and go. Acknowledge thoughts rather than resist them, and gently return to the mantra or focusing on your breathing.

Meditate for 20 minutes. If you find it hard to focus for that long, start with one, five or 10 minutes. With practice, you’ll discover the sessions lengthen naturally.

For maximum benefit, do two sessions of 20 minutes a day. You can download the free Mindfulness Bell app for a peaceful way to come out of your meditation.