8 Meditation Tips for Beginners

I have a love/hate relationship with meditation. Can you relate? There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that meditation is a wonderful tool that helps me reduce stress, but I’m also human… and I get caught up in life and tend to put my practice on the back burner time and time again.

A few years ago, I realized how much better I felt when I meditated. I knew it was good for me but was avoiding it because I felt that if I couldn’t do it ‘right’ I couldn’t do it at all. And then, I started thinking: if I could adapt other daily practices to fit my schedule, then why couldn’t I adapt my meditation practice.

Adapting a conscious meditation practice to fit your life gives you flexibility, helps you de-stress when you need it, and frees up your headspace. Without spending so much time avoiding meditation because you are afraid you won’t do it right; you can finally show up for yourself in a way that is sustainable to you.

I attended a meditation retreat and made a few notes as to what it would take for a beginner to successfully gain self-awareness and overcome the stresses of meditation. Here I’m sharing those 8 tips with you.

How to meditate:

I’ve been a huge advocate of learning, reading, and trying new things only to take the nuggets that resonate most closely with me and apply them to my own life. You can do this too. It is one of the most effective things you can do with meditation. Not only will it save you stress in the long run, but it’ll also help you carve out a practice that is sustainable in your life.

While it might seem daunting to start, it’s not that hard. It’s all in deciding you want to do it, then taking the first step.

So, my friend - grab a tea and a blanket, and let’s start meditating with these eight tips for beginners.

Don’t get attached to thoughts.

Arising thoughts, feelings, and sensations are the body's way of releasing stress. Notice them as you are meditating but don’t get attached to “follow” them or get caught up in them.

Thoughts show up by themselves let them leave by themselves. The real you is free - your thoughts are only visitors that come and go.

Let go of your agenda.

Set your intention for the meditation then let go of attachment to outcomes. Drop your intention into your awareness like dropping a pebble in a lake of still water.

By realizing that you have control over your choices but not over their consequences you can activate the law of karma and acknowledge that there are reactions to our actions and consequences to our choices. Click here to learn how to activate reciprocity through the law of karma.

Keep showing up.

The more you let go – the better it will get. Meditation isn’t about perfection; it is an individual journey of self-examination. If you’re finding it difficult to concentrate, try your best then show up again tomorrow. Don’t give up, keep showing up!

Stay warm and comfortable.

Use blankets, pillows, socks, or whatever else it takes to allow you to deepen into stillness without having to “think” about physical comfort.

Don’t worry about hand positions.

It’s important to stay flexible in your approach to meditation. Even though the hand positions you use during meditation determine the flow of energy, when starting out, it is more important to make sure you are comfortable.

As you become more mindful, you can try different “mudras” or hand positions until you find one that is comfortable for you.

Length of time does not matter.

According to Psychology Today, it’s best to start small, meditating for three to five minutes or less. I started by practicing mindfulness and counting breaths every night before I went to sleep, then I slowly worked it into a meditation practice.

As I became more aware of the effortless inflow and outflow of my breath time melted away and became irrelevant.

Set an intention.

Above I talked about letting go of your agenda and setting an intention before you begin. It’s also a good idea to set an intention for the day before finishing your meditation and resuming your activities. As you set an intention and detach from the outcome you commit to flexibility and allow yourself and those around you the freedom to be themselves. You embrace uncertainty and immerse yourself in the field of all possibilities.

Remain contemplative.

Stay contemplative after your meditation instead of rushing into your day. Give yourself time to savor the effortlessness of the present moment as it is and realize that by being in that state you are in the best position to influence the flow of life. There is nothing more disruptive than being bombarded with the responsibilities of life while you are in an introspective state. Give yourself time to return.

There you have it, eight tips for successful meditation. Step 1 Don't get attached to thoughts. Step 2 Let go of your agenda. Step 3 Keep showing up. Step 4 Stay warm and comfortable. Step 5 Don’t worry about hand positions. Step 6 Length of time does not matter. Step 7 Set an intention. Step 8 Remain contemplative. Adapting a meditation practice to fit your life gives you flexibility, helps you de-stress when you need it, and frees up your headspace. Without spending so much time avoiding meditation because you are afraid you won’t do it right; you can finally show up for yourself in a way that is sustainable to you.