A Guide to Meditation for Beginners

LION WELLNESS | Whether you’re feeling anxious and looking for a new way to channel your energy, or just want to press pause on the outside world for a moment, now is the perfect time to try meditation. Training the mind through meditation can increase self-awareness, reduce stress, and improve focus. Meditation can also give you a different perspective in life; it can change how you choose to relate to, react to, and view situations happening around you.

For first-time meditators, sitting in silence with your thoughts can feel strange. On the plus side, meditation is simple learn and only requires a short amount of time for practice. Give these techniques a shot:

  • Set a place and time: The key is to pick a place where you won’t be disturbed or distracted. It’s also important to commit to a regular practice and decide how much time you’ll be dedicating to it daily. Start with five minutes and then gradually work your way up.
  • Get comfortable:You can meditate inside or outside, and can sit on the floor, a pillow, a comfortable chair or any other quiet place that works for you. Rest your hands loosely on your lap or knees.
  • Follow a guide: Anytime we start anything new it can feel overwhelming, especially if we don’t feel like we know what we’re doing. Meditation apps can be a good way to help beginners. Ten Percent, Calm,Breethe, and Insight Timerare just a few of the many apps that offer free guided meditations of varying lengths.
  • Be aware: Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. The mind tends to be busy, restless, and get easily distracted. This is inevitable and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it. When you feel your mind drifting simply take a moment to notice what you were thinking about, pause, and then slowly return to the object of focus (breathing). Keep at it and the periods between distraction and focus will only increase.

Most importantly, remember to take your meditation journey day by day!

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