The exciting thing about meditation is that anyone can do it — all they need is their mind and a quiet place to settle.
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As Thich Nhat Hanh, a world-renowned Buddhist monk, once said: “Meditation can help us embrace our worries, our fear, our anger, and that is very healing. We let our own natural capacity of healing do the work.”
People around the world value meditation for its physical and mental health benefits, and not just as a technique for reducing stress. Scientific studies now support many of these benefits.
There's evidence to show that meditation can:
- Treat depression
- Relieve Anxiety
- Enhance self-awareness
- Improve memory
- Help fight addiction
- Aid in pain management
- And so much more!
What is Meditation?
Put simply, meditation is the practice of focusing, observing, or letting go of a person’s thoughts and emotions. There are many types of meditation, and each approach can help people better understand and manage their inner experiences.
“Meditation” is an umbrella term for a wide range of contemplative and grounding practices. Many forms commonly seen in Western society today originated within Buddhist traditions.
Mindfulness meditation, for example, involves bringing attention to the breath or another routine action. It is accessible to beginners and is incorporated into many more specialized forms of meditation practice.
If you would like to learn more about mindfulness meditation, visit Sofia Health and connect with an expert practitioner.
How Does Meditation Work?
Meditation calms the mind and can produce a deep state of relaxation. While meditating, a person redirects their attention away from the constant stream of thoughts that normally occupy the mind.
Unhelpful thoughts can cause stress and distress, but meditation allows someone to take a step back from their inner dialogue. It helps them pay attention to the present moment, recognize when their focus has wandered, observe which thoughts arise, and release those thoughts without judgment.
With time and practice, the mind becomes more comfortable with stillness. As a result, meditation can often support a greater sense of physical and emotional well-being.
How to Start Meditating
People are often unsure how to meditate properly for the first time. Because meditation has such a rich tradition, it can feel overwhelming at first. However, beginning a meditation journey does not have to be complicated, and a person does not need to read a book to understand what they are doing.
Setting aside a little time every day, preferably at the same time each day, is a great way to build a routine and become familiar with meditation. Even a regular practice of just a few minutes can make a difference in someone’s overall well-being. The important thing is to show up and see where the meditation takes you.
Here are some simple steps for beginners:
Step 1 — Find a Calm Place to Sit
A quiet, calm place without distractions is the best place to meditate. Setting aside a small amount of time in the beginning keeps the practice manageable. Your body only needs to be able to stay in the chosen position for the duration of the meditation.
Sitting comfortably in a chair allows you to place your feet flat on the floor, which can feel grounding. However, kneeling or lying flat on the floor may feel more relaxing for some people.
Either way, your arms and legs should be uncrossed, with your hands resting on your lap or by your sides. Keep your back straight, but not too tense. A small cushion or rolled-up towel can help with this.
Step 2 — Breathe Deeply
Soften your gaze, take a deep breath in through your nose, expand your belly, then exhale slowly through your mouth. After repeating this four times, gently close your eyes.
Focus on the natural rising and falling sensation as you breathe in and out. There is no need to change the way you are breathing; simply observe the sensations it creates in your body.
Where do you feel the breath most — in your belly or in your nose?
Is each breath deep or shallow? Long or short? Fast or slow?
Step 3 — Notice When Your Mind Has Wandered
While breathing in and out, your attention will inevitably leave the breath and begin to explore different thoughts. These thoughts may be related to everyday stresses, whether at work, at home, or in relationships. It is completely normal for the mind to jump from one thought to another when you are first learning to meditate.
When you realize that your mind has wandered during meditation, do not give yourself a hard time for “not being able to concentrate.” Simply guide your attention back to observing your breath.
Your mind may wander after a few seconds, then after a minute, then after three minutes. Each time you become distracted, you get another opportunity to practice noticing it and gently returning to the breath.
Step 4 — Finish When the Timer Sounds
If you set a timer, there's no need to rush away from the meditation as soon as it sounds. When you're ready, you should gently lift your gaze or open your eyes.
Take a moment to notice:
- Any sounds in the environment
- Your thoughts and emotions
- How your body feels in the moment
That's it — the meditation practice is complete.
To learn more about meditation, the benefits and the different practices, read our article here.
Additional Ideas for How to Meditate
The steps provided above are for a mindfulness meditation that focuses on breath, but other techniques involve drawing attention to external objects like a sound in the room. Other popular types of meditation for beginners include the body scan method and walking meditation.
Transcendental meditation is another discipline that doesn't involve focusing or controlling thoughts at all. Instead, participants allow themselves to reach quieter levels of thought as their consciousness turns inward.
There's no compulsion to meditate in silence, either — here's a useful rundown of the most popular meditation music types people use.
For tip-top guidance on the path to blissful meditation, Sofia Health offers access to expert meditation practitioners teaching at all levels of ability. Simply type "meditation" into their search bar and find mentors to connect with.
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