How To Start Meditating | 7 Effortless Ways

1. When to Meditate?

Some hard-core meditators may get up at four in the morning to meditate when they believe everyone is asleep.

You will be happy to learn there isn’t a perfect time to meditate that is going to benefit you more. It is more about what time works best for you that you can schedule and carry it out without any distractions.

For most people that is the mornings as soon as they wake up as it sets a calm and productive tone before the day’s activities and distractions begin.

Others prefer evenings as it often helps them to get to sleep. However, over time meditation will do that anyway as you become more relaxed in general.

Try not to meditate when you are extremely hungry or too full as this can make you feel uncomfortable.

2. How often should I meditate?

The most important thing about meditation is consistency. The key to getting the benefits out of it is to do it daily. It is better to meditate for 10 minutes every day seven days a week than 70 minutes once a week.

With that in mind, just start small so that you can get used to it. Even if it is just one or two minutes, to begin with. Just doing some deep breathing. When you get used to doing it regularly, you can start to increase the time.

It might help in the beginning to have reminders to prompt you. You can put a reminder on your smartphone. Post it notes on your fridge. Whatever it takes.

Just think of it as brushing your teeth. If you just brushed your teeth once a week, you would not have them for very long. It is that routine practice of keeping them clean that keeps them healthy. It is the same with meditating.

3. Where can I meditate?

You can meditate anywhere quiet where you won’t be disturbed, and you will be physically comfortable.

I understand that it could be difficult to meditate if you have a busy home, or if you share your home with a lot of people and there is little privacy.

But you’ll find a place somewhere. It may be your bedroom. It could be your study. It may even be in the bathroom if you really have no other place. At least that door has a lock.

4. Before you start

As mentioned before please ensure that you are not too hungry or too full.

It would help to start with some slight stretches for your back and shoulders in particular. Just in case you feel stiffness in this area.

Also, have some water so you are not thirsty but not too much, so you need the loo five minutes later.

5. Get comfortable

You can meditate lying down in bed you would be pleased to know. Even though sitting is the best position.

When you wake up after a good night’s sleep or a nap, instead of getting right up and engaging the world in a disoriented, dopey state, you can stay in bed a few minutes longer and take a couple of minutes to meditate.

As long as you are in a position where you would be comfortable for the time you are meditating. It’s fine. It would help to keep your back as straight as possible, so you are not hunched over.

When sitting down, you can either sit on a mat or cushion on the floor. Alternatively, you can sit on a chair or on your sofa. Preferably not a chair that swivels as that would be too distracting. If you have a chair that reclines, perfect!

When walking, it would be more important to ensure that your clothes are secure and comfortable. Also, you have dressed appropriately for the weather.

6. The Challenges!

I think about too many things

The key here is not to worry about your thoughts. The more you practice it the more you will get used to it and the less they will disturb you. I can tell you this from personal experience. It is the perfect way to help you to calm your racing thoughts.

It’s boring

It does seem like it would be boring and that there are better things you would rather do with your time. Firstly, there are so many different types of meditation and there is bound to be one that suits you.

I can’t begin to explain how many videos there are on Youtube. You will be spoilt for choice. There are so many people with different accents, and tones of voice. You can listen to music, the rain, the sea, birds, etc. You can meditate on things that are abstract and magical or on something concrete and realistic.

I tried it a few times and it didn’t work

Well, OK. Hope you’ve read through to this point and can predict how I will answer this question.

When you brush your teeth a month ago once or twice, are your teeth OK?

I’m too impatient

Some people can get instant gratification from meditating when they find the right one.

For most of us it takes time to get the complete benefits where you can actually see changes. This is where you need to trust the process. Even if you don’t have much faith if meditation. Trust that it has worked and is working for billions of people over thousands of years.

I want to go on a course to learn how to do it properly

Well, you don’t need to really. Not to make a start anyway.

Getting Started

It might help to have a stopwatch to time your sessions. Just make sure that the alarm is quite soft and gentle, not too loud.

Decide beforehand what you want to do. You can either just sit in silence doing deep breathing, follow a particular type of meditation or listen to a guided meditation recording.

Have a journal handy so you could record any thoughts that come to mind. You would need to record these after you meditate.