You might have been hearing about Meditation a lot lately, or you may have started reading up on it and it made you curious about this age old practice. Whatever the reason, if you have decided you want to give meditation a go then don’t hesitate any longer. Here we will tell you how to start meditating and what to do if you are totally new to the game.

Step One – Sit

Learning how to meditate isn’t so difficult after all, the first step is to simply find somewhere you can sit down and get comfortable before you start the session. Posture is important, so make sure to sit up straight whether you are on a chair or on the floor.

Step Two – Relax

Now that you are in position and almost ready to begin, you need to relax and release the tensions in your mind and body. Depending on how naturally stressed you are as a person, you might find this step difficult but it is imperative to your success at meditation that you learn to let go, even if only for the duration of the session.

Step Three – Breathe

A simple beginner’s meditation starts with getting the basics right, and that means controlling your breathing and taking deep, steady breaths throughout that make you feel calm and centred. Spend the first 30 seconds focusing on the rhythmic motion that occurs as you inhale and exhale and start clearing your mind.

Step Four – Be Still

As you become more aware of yourself and your surroundings, allow yourself to become as still as possible both physically and mentally. As thoughts start to flow, recognise and acknowledge them but do not interrupt or engage with anything going on inside your mind, simply let it be.

Step Five – Mantra

If you want to take your beginner’s meditation a step further, why not introduce a short, simple Mantra into your session. A mantra can help to focus your mind and bring you into the present, so choose whatever phrase you feel comfortable with or that you think will resonate with you and repeat it throughout the meditation.

“I am here, I am present.”

Step Six – End Your Meditation

When you want to end your meditation is completely up to you. If you are just starting out, it might be a good idea to keep them relatively short so around 3-5 minutes each time, building up to longer sessions if you wish. It is better to do short meditations consistently than to do an hour once a week or once a month. To end your meditation practice, slowly bring your conscious back to your surroundings and make yourself aware of what is around you. Start to move the different parts of your body such as your arms, legs and toes, and when you are ready you can slowly get up from your sitting position.

That was our 6 step guide for learning how to start meditating, we hope you found this useful and keep in mind that there are many ways to meditate so if this doesn’t work for you, try something else!