Quick Guide to Meditation For Beginners, Everything You Need to Know to Get Started 

If you have considered getting into meditation but haven’t quite taken the leap, this meditation for beginners quick guide will help you to get started on this incredible mindfulness practice! 

This post is just a starting place to help you build confidence and get a general idea of meditation in order to start practicing consistently. Can’t wait for you to get all the benefits of a regular meditation practice, let’s dive in! 

This post is all about the best meditation for beginners tips. 

Meditation For Beginners

1. Familiarize yourself with the different types of meditation 

When we think of meditation, it is easy to think of it as the stereotypical, sitting with your legs crossed and eyes closed but there are actually a lot of different ways to meditate! 

Before jumping into meditation, do some research to learn about all of the different styles you can choose from. Some people really struggle with sitting still for a long period of time or their body won’t allow them to sit in a cross legged position. 

Different types of meditation for beginners 

• Art meditation 
• Progressive relaxation/body scan meditation 
• Movement meditation
• Loving kindness meditation 
• Visualization meditation 
• Spiritual meditation 
• Mantra meditation 
• Yoga and meditation
• And more! 

2. Look into online  meditation or meditation apps 

A great place to start if you are brand new to meditation is free online guided meditations on Youtube. Rather than jumping right into things, these meditations guide you through tips on how to sit, breathe, and gentle reminders on what to focus on as you rest. 

If you want to have all of your meditations in one place you can opt for a meditation app. The most popular ones are Calm and Headspace. Personally, I have used headspace and loved all of the different instructors they had and types of meditations available.  

3. Consider starting your meditation journey with yoga 

When many people think of yoga the first thing they think of is the physical side of it, or the yoga asanas. Yoga is much more than just the physical poses! 

You may notice that when you are in a yoga class, the teacher encourages you to stay focused on your breath. 

This  not only enhances your body and mind connection but it also encourages you to stay present rather than focusing on things that are happening elsewhere in your life. 

Originally, the physical poses in yoga were taught to tire the body and prepare it to sit for long periods of time in meditation. 

{RECOMMENDED POST: *Free* Yoga and Meditation class for beginners}

4. Join a meditation group or sign up for a meditation class

Starting a new habit or endeavor can be so much easier when doing it with others! 

Consider checking out meetup.com to find a meditation group that you can join. Some may have a dedicated teacher and others might just be a group of people that are passionate about meditation and you can learn with each other as you go. 

5. Thoughts are guaranteed to float by-don’t latch onto them! 

The goal of meditation is never to completely quiet the mind-it’s impossible! 

All you have to do is notice the thoughts floating by and not grasp on to them. If you notice yourself starting to dissect your thoughts, judge yourself, or force yourself to “stop thinking” gently remind yourself that for this present moment you are free to stay present. 

Once your meditation is complete you can jump back into your to do list but for now you deserve to rest. 

You may find that you have to gently nudge yourself many times. This skill is like working out at the gym, you have to build the muscle of your mind to be strong and stay focused on the present moment. Don’t expect yourself to automatically be a pro at something you just started! 

The more you commit to meditation, the more natural the process will become and you will notice when you are not sitting in meditation you may be less disturbed by the thoughts that float by. 

{RECOMMENDED POST: *Free* Yoga and meditation class for beginners}

6. Stop your meditation session and come back to it later

One of the most helpful pieces of advice I received from a meditation teacher was that if you really can’t quiet your mind in your meditation session, it is ok to just give up. 

Funny right? 

We are so used to powering through when trying something new as our ego gets in the way.

Sometimes there is power in sitting through the discomfort. But other times it takes just as much strength, if not more to give up and come back to meditation at another time. 

Meditation is not a cure all and sometimes it just isn’t clicking. Rather than getting frustrated, make the decision to walk away and try it again another time. You may be surprised the next time you sit down to meditate you have less resistance due to less pressure and can drop in more efficiently. 

Do you have any questions about starting a meditation practice? Let us know in the comments below! 

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Stay well, 

Maggie 

Other posts you may like: 

Ultimate Guide to Your First Yoga Class (Everything You Need to Know To Feel Confident)

12 Practical Tips For a Consistent Yoga Practice

Everything You Need to Know Before an Amazing Yoga Teacher Training Experience

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