- If you're new to meditation, it's important to be patient, consistent, and kind to yourself.
- Make sure to start slow, get comfortable, and find the meditation practice that's right for you.
- Try to build a habit of meditation — even just a few minutes a day can bring health benefits.
Meditation may help boost your health, improve your mood, and increase feelings of connection with those around you. But for beginners, it might seem daunting to navigate.
There are plenty of reasons why meditation for beginners can seem off-putting. Sometimes the meditation-curious never get started. Other times, they throw in the towel too soon. Here are a few common thoughts that might be preventing you from meditating and why they're just myths:
- Meditation is not something people like me do. Anyone can meditate. In fact, many business leaders meditate in order to keep their minds clear, improve productivity, and be better leaders for their companies.
- I don't have the time to meditate. Meditating for just a few minutes each day may still provide benefits. The most important thing is to keep up the habit of coming back every day so your brain can reap the benefits of meditation.
- I just can't stop thinking. Meditation isn't about not thinking. Your mind won't automatically shut off and become thought-free. Instead, meditation can help you become more aware of your thoughts and better regulate them over time.
It's important to move past these ideas and understand that anyone — including yourself — has the time and ability to benefit from meditation. However, it can also be helpful to have some guidance.
Meditation techniques for beginners
To help you start meditating and keep your practice going, consider the following 20 tips — from trying useful meditation apps to setting the perfect mood.
1. Go into your meditation practice without expectations
Meditation is no instant quick-fix to solving all of life's problems. As with any other form of exercise, meditation takes effort, and it takes time to reap the benefits.
Try not to go into each meditation with expectations of how you will feel after or how much better of a person you will become. Instead, approach each time to meditate as an opportunity to get to know your own mind better.
2. Choose a time to meditate, and stick to it
When you schedule a time of the day to meditate, it can be easier to establish the practice as a habit, and you'll be more likely to do it each day.
For example, you may want to try pairing meditation with a daily habit you already have in place, like journaling before bed or having a cup of coffee in the morning.
3. Mediate for short periods of time at first
If you're a beginner, long stints of meditation could be challenging. When starting anything new, taking it slow can help you build confidence.
According to research on establishing healthy habits, people should aim for small and manageable behavior changes because failure can be discouraging. If you're getting into meditation, consider starting with just one or two minutes a day. Over time, you can work your way up to longer sessions.
4. Create a designated space to meditate
Choosing a room or a space to meditate can help train the body and mind to feel more comfortable and allow you to more easily transition into meditation.
Think of it in the same way you'd only go to your home office to focus on work — it's important to set a dedicated space to help you stay focused on meditation.
Creating a meditation space and keeping it clean and uncluttered can help make meditation feel special and important. It is also an opportunity to create a space that nourishes a more relaxed state of mind; for example, you could add plants, find a cool spot by a window, and keep it a phone-free zone in your home.
5. Wear your favorite clothing
Meditation can feel like a battle for focus and attention. You can make it easier on yourself by limiting distractions like uncomfortable clothing.
Clothes that are too tight, too loose, or restricting, can be a drain on your attention. Keep the temperature in mind, as well. If your clothes are making you too hot or cold, it could be hard to meditate. Choose clothes that fit well and that are appropriate for the temperature.
6. Get comfortable
A floor cushion, pillow, or yoga mat can also help you sink into a more comfortable position. Consider lighting a soothing candle or turning on a white noise machine to get the ambiance just right.
Overall, the more comfortable you are, the easier the meditation will be.
7. Take a couple of moments to wind down and clear your mind
Jumping right into meditation after an intense work meeting may not be best. It might be harder to sit still and calm your mind after these stressful moments.
So, try to take a few minutes to wind down, and then begin your meditation practice. This can help keep the mind from wandering back to something that was said during the meeting and allow you to focus more clearly.
8. Start with a few deep breaths to calm the body
Taking a few deep breaths before you begin your meditation can trigger a relaxation response, which is essentially the opposite of your nervous system's fight or flight response. When the fight or flight response is triggered, the body gets ready for danger, but when the relaxation response is stimulated, the body begins to feel safe and at ease.
Then, as you start the meditation, your breathing should return to a normal rate. Paying attention to your breathing will be important throughout the meditation, and this type of mindful breathing can lower stress levels in the body.
9. Try not to fidget or move too much during meditation
It's common to feel restless and want to change positions throughout your meditation. If it's too distracting or you're in pain, feel free to readjust. But try not to let your position become a distraction in itself.
There are many different types of meditation that you can try, and some of them allow for postures other than sitting, such as lying down, as done during sleep meditation, or walking meditation.
10. Just breathe
Meditation does not have to be complicated. The essence of mindfulness meditation is simply about bringing your awareness back to your breath, over and over again.
For example, whenever you notice a thought arising, you can acknowledge that thought by saying "thinking" or "thought" and then come back to the feeling of yourself breathing. You can even label the breath "in" as you inhale and "out" as you exhale to help stay focused.
11. Be kind to yourself — some days will be easier than others
At its root, meditation is about learning how to treat yourself with kindness no matter what you may be experiencing at any given moment.
Just like exercising, some days will feel easier than others. This could be due to the amount of sleep you had the night before or the amount of stress you were under that week. Remember that it's a meditation practice — it's not always going to be perfect.
12. Allow thoughts to come and go
Meditating isn't about totally clearing your mind of thoughts. In fact, you'll have tons of thoughts popping up — both good and bad.
If you're a meditation beginner, failure to control your thoughts might make you feel like giving up. If that was the case, no one would keep up with their meditation practice.
Instead of trying to have a clear mind, just allow thoughts to come and go. Acknowledge these thoughts when they pop up and give yourself permission to address them later.
13. Try body scan meditation
During a body scan meditation, you will focus on body sensations in addition to your breath. You will typically start with your feet, paying attention to how they feel on the floor — and then work up your body, noticing the sensations in each part, all the way to the top of your head.
14. Add some music
Sitting in total silence isn't for everyone. If you prefer relaxing music to slip into a meditative state, go for it. In fact, some studies suggest that listening to music to relax can reduce stress levels.
A 2018 study found that Meditative Binaural Music (MBM) music, which features a slow tempo, gradual changes, and binaural beats, could provide relaxing and comforting effects for people in younger age groups. This same study found that people in older age groups had similar results when listening to classical music.
You can find plenty of free meditation music online. Try YouTube or Spotify, if they are available to you, and search for "meditation music" or "yoga music." There's plenty of variety within the genre, so try out a few playlists to find what works best for you.
15. Use a personalized mantra
A mantra is a word, phrase, or syllable that you repeat during your meditation practice. You can say it out loud or silently in your mind. A mantra is commonly used in transcendental meditation. It's meant to help keep you calm and focused during your practice.
You can choose a mantra based on many factors. If you're a beginner, you may want to develop a mantra based on why you're meditating. For example, "I am calm" or "I am conquering my fears" are both effective mantras.
16. Slowly reintroduce movement after meditating
Once you're getting to the end of your meditation, you can gently begin to move your fingers and your toes, and then you can move your hands and feet and stretch your arms or legs.
Meditating is about creating a pause in your day, so try to give yourself a few minutes before jumping into a stressful task. By easing into your next activity, it'll make it easier to bring the skills you are learning through meditation into your daily life.
17. Acknowledge your emotions
It's normal to feel happy after meditating, but it's also normal to feel a bit down.
Meditation brings up good emotions, as well as bad emotions, so we can better recognize what our emotions actually are — fleeting thoughts and feelings that come and go.
Perhaps even take a moment to thank yourself for practicing self-care and be proud of the effort you took to meditate.
18. Come back the next day, even if you don't feel like it
The power of meditation comes in creating a routine and making it a daily practice.
In fact, a 2018 study found that meditating for 15 minutes every day promoted positive well- being and reduced stress levels. The study concluded that daily meditation had a similar effect on the body to taking a vacation.
So, even though meditation may not feel like a vacation when you have to do it every day, remember that keeping up a routine is key to feeling these effects.
19. Try guided meditation apps or take a class
If it's difficult for you to stick to a daily meditation practice on your own, you may want to try using an app or class for further accountability and guidance.
20. Find a meditation teacher
If you've tried these meditation tips for beginners and you're still not seeing progress, you may want to try a meditation teacher. While this may not be a practical or affordable option for many people, meditation teachers do exist.
A meditation teacher should carry some certifications that indicate they've had training. A few of those credentials could include:
- Training in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction training (MBSR)
- A degree in psychology
If it makes sense for you, find a meditation teacher who offers in-person or online classes. They may be able to guide you and provide support through your journey. If you're looking for a meditation teacher, here are a few directories of certified teachers to check out:
For a low-cost or free option, search YouTube for "meditation class" and see what you find.
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