How to Learn to Meditate, in 8 Easy Steps

Meditation is an ancient practice that is experiencing great popularity in the West in the last decade, because there are many benefits it provides for mental and emotional well-being and it is very useful in these times.

Whether to calm the mind, to find oneself or to reduce anxiety or stress, more and more people are interested in introducing this practice into their daily lives, improving their quality of life.

But meditating is not always easy, especially at the beginning, as it requires discipline and practice for perfection. And as much as it may not apparently be very physically demanding, it also requires effort. Nothing is free in this life, but if you know everything that meditation can bring to your life, it is quite likely that you will feel the need to start familiarizing yourself with its techniques.

The benefits of meditation

In recent years, research on this practice has shown that meditating is effective in improving people’s mental health.What are these benefits? What is the use of meditating? Meditation benefits us for different reasons:

You can learn more about these benefits in our article: “Benefits of meditation backed by science”

The 8 steps to learn to meditate

The key to developing a meditation habit is finding the perfect time for you and the type of meditation and posture that suits you. At first You can experiment with different types of meditation and the correct posture to find the necessary comfort and the ideal mental state to carry out this practice.

But you should know that to overcome the resistance that you may sometimes encounter during the meditative process, continuing with the practice is what really makes you improve. If you want to know how to meditate correctly, follow these steps which I indicate below.

1. Put on comfortable clothes

The first thing you should do to meditate and be in the here and now is to wear comfortable clothes. .Removing your shoes and choosing a loose garment is the best alternative to feel ready to meditate Forget about tight clothing and take off your watch or other accessories that may be annoying.

2. Find a quiet place

It is necessary to find a place that allows you to be relaxed and without interruptions or interference. It can be the room in your house, the seashore, your garden, an area of ​​the park away from cars. Any place is good if it allows you to feel comfortable and focus on the practice of meditation without bombarding you with stimuli that distract you, totally immersed in the activity you are going to start.

3. Sit correctly

Keep in mind that even if you spend a few minutes on it, if you stay in a bad posture to meditate, you will immediately feel discomfort due to having a strained back, sleeping legs or arms flexed in an inappropriate way, and this will distract you.

To meditate you must sit correctly, that is, on the floor with your back straight, but without tension, breathing deeply and keeping your shoulders and arms relaxed. Some people prefer to sit in a chair or on their knees instead of the classic posture, and there is also lying down meditation, but in these cases you must have more practice and know in advance that this way you will not feel discomfort right away (each body is unique, after all). Whatever position you adopt, your back should always be straight and your body, especially your shoulders and arms, relaxed.

4. Focus on one object

Focus on an object or breathing (with eyes closed) when you begin meditative practice For example, you can hold a small rubber ball in your hand, or have a cushion on your lap. If you direct your attention towards the stimuli that these objects transmit to you, it will be easy for you to stay in the here and now through your senses.

This way it will be easier for you to start practicing meditation, because you will have a clear goal and you will not feel the uncertainty of not knowing where your mind will wander. Later, you can do other types of meditation, such as “body scan” or sound-focused meditation.

5. Accept the thoughts that arise and move on

It is common that, during the practice of meditation, different thoughts arise: our personal problems, the discomfort of the moment or the insecurity of whether we are doing the meditation well or not (something that usually happens when we start this practice). But this is normal and, therefore, we must accept it

Meditation focuses on the idea that psychological well-being is a state that emerges from the acceptance of thoughts, emotions and bodily sensations without trying to eliminate or modify them, you simply have to observe them in a non-judgmental way. Therefore,When these thoughts appear, you simply have to accept them and then return your attention to the object breathing, sound or body sensation.

6. Increase your meditation time progressively

When you start meditation, You should start little by little and then increase the time It is ideal to start with a one-minute meditation, to progressively reach 20 or 30 minutes a day that will help you improve your well-being. Take a look at this video to learn what the one-minute meditation is:

7. Add it to your daily routine

After reading the previous steps, Now you are ready to make meditation a healthy habit With practice you will become a great meditator, which will help you achieve the benefits of this ancient practice.

8. Look for people who also want to start meditation

Few things are more effective than looking for “allies” for your daily routine Whether it is to practice meditation together or to keep up with each other’s progress or to share interesting routines, having support will make your adherence to meditation higher.

Do not lose sight of the fact that the practice of relaxation and meditation should be a pleasant moment, and sharing it with someone else will increase this positive feeling.

Psychology and meditation: Mindfulness exercises

In recent decades, meditation has become part of psychological therapy (for example, thanks to cognitive therapy based on Mindfulness or MBCT), but it has also begun to be implemented in organizations, schools or sports.

And it is that, From psychology, many professionals have realized the benefits of meditation, and specifically mindfulness for mental health, interpersonal relationships, creativity or optimal performance, whether in sport, school or work.