Meditation can be really enjoyable and beneficial once you get the hang of it. Here, we’ve compiled a list of useful meditation tips to help you focus.
Choose Different Locations
You can practice meditation anywhere. It doesn’t require anything but your mind, body, and soul. While some experts recommend you go through your meditation routine in the same place at the same time each day, don’t be afraid to get creative with it. Choose a unique location, like in the open fields of a park or under a white oak tree near your favorite hiking grounds. It doesn’t matter where you meditate, so long as you can find your zen without distractions.
Begin With Small Meditation Sessions
If you’re new to meditation, trying to dive deep into it right away isn’t the best way to start. Instead, try starting with just two minutes a day. Trust us: It does the job! Just take 120 seconds of serious, dedicated, undisturbed alone time and allow your mind to go blank. Do that every day for one week, then the next week, increase your meditation time to four minutes, then six the week after that, and so on.
Stay Consistent
Consistency is key with meditation. If not, it becomes much more difficult to get back into it. Try making meditation a daily habit – preferably at the same time every day. If you do this, your brain will instinctively know when it’s time to chill out. With that said, making meditation a military rule of thumb will make it seem like a chore. Schedule time every day to ease your mind, but try not to be rigid about your practice.
Listen to Your Breathing
To complete a meditation session, it’s best to focus on one thing and let every other thought in your brain pass you by. You shouldn’t be making plans for the rest of the day or thinking about work or what you’re going to make for dinner. Instead, focus on the one thing that’s always present during meditation: your breath. Just get into a comfy position, close your eyes, and listen to your breath. Don’t try to inhale more air or force out in exhale. Breathe normally.
Let Your Mind Wander
Even though best meditation practices require you to focus, it doesn’t mean you have to obsess over it. It’s a mere suggestion, not a requirement. That’s why we encourage you to make meditation mistakes. Focusing so hard on one thing, like breathing, can be difficult at first, which can trigger emotions like anger and judgment. Instead, know that it’s completely normal for your brain to wander.
Don’t Worry About Posture
While you’re focusing on your breathing, don’t worry about how your body is placed on the floor, mat, bed, or chair. Your position and posture don’t necessarily matter once you’re in deep meditation. Get as comfortable as you want to be. Do you like your legs crisscrossed? Do it. What about your knees tucked under your butt? That’s fine, too. Just make sure you’re in a tranquil state and a cozy place where distractions can’t get you.
Try Guided Meditation
It can be difficult to make meditating a regular part of your routine. A little bit of assistance and guidance may be needed, and that’s perfectly fine. Whether it’s a dedicated meditation app or a group session, participating in guided meditation can give you a better understanding of how it works and help you tap into a deeper concentration.
Do you have any meditation tips? Share them with us in the comments below!