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Tips for How to Meditate

Writer's picture: LauraLaura



Meditation may be a bit of a daunting prospect when first giving it a go. Having to sit still for 10 minutes, brain empty? Nah. It would take a very special person to sit with ease and meditate first time with no difficulty. But with practice and knowledge on how meditation works and how to do it, it is so much less daunting.


  1. Find a quiet place First things first, let's make life easier for ourselves. One of the most challenging parts of meditation is allowing the brain to quieten down. To let go of distractions and just be present. So attempting to meditate somewhere with lots of distractions or demands isn't the best place to start. If you live in a busy household try shutting yourself away in a quiet room and making it clear to those you live with that disturbances are very unwelcome. This is your time and you deserve to enjoy it to the fullest. Make your area quiet, comfortable and inviting. Meditation is a wonderfully enriching practice, let your environment reflect that.

  2. Find a good position Another crucial aspect to deepening your meditation practice is your position. This is where the physical side of yoga, asana, can really play a vital role. Historians state that asana was originally developed to strengthen the body enough to endure long periods of sitting during meditation. So while you build strength and stamina to maintain a comfortable seated position there's no shame in mixing it up. If you find that sitting cross legged and trying to meditate is uncomfortable, so much so that it interferes with your meditation, try another position. Sitting in Suhkasana with supportive props, or Dandasana, on a chair, or taking Savasana are all wonderful and valid options to meditate in. If you feel comfortable then meditation will become so much more accessible.

  3. What type do you want to practice? Another important aspect of meditation to consider is what type you want to try. Not all meditation is the same and if you've tried sitting with eyes closed attempting to think of nothing and almost torn your hair out with frustration, don't worry. There's plenty more options out there. Take a pew and allow yourself to be guided through a relaxing meditation with the help of an app, youtube video or a trained teacher. Maybe visualisation is your thing, guided meditations can be particularly helpful in transporting you away from the stresses and worries of life to a calming beach or energising forest. Maybe sound is the way to go, tune into the frequencies of a sound bath or simply reside in the present moment by observing the sounds around you. Body scanning may be a good option for those who are more tactile. Observing the body from toes to crown and noticing the way it feels, how material feels pressing against the skin, how the breath affects the body etc... There are a multitude of meditation techniques to choose from, so play around and find what works for you.

  4. Pranayama The breath is such an important aspect within meditation and yoga as a whole. Understanding and practicing various pranayama techniques will have a positive knock on effect within your meditation practice. Knowing how to drop into breath awareness and anchor the mind in the sound and sensation of the breath can really help a newcomer in practicing meditation. Centring the mind and body simultaneously through pranayama is already a deeply meditative act requiring the same skills as meditation. Therefore making meditation just that bit more accessible.

  5. Routine What's that old saying, to form a habit practice it 21 times? Well while practice may not make perfect it can make a habit, which can then become routine. Committing to meditation once a week or trying to meditate every morning for 5 minutes for 7 days may be the way to form an enriching habit for life. The more you meditate the easier it can become to drop into that state. While this varies from day to day, and believe me when you meditate routinely you really notice the difference in your daily mental state, over time this practice will become an old friend. Not a new challenge.

  6. Spontaneity While routine is fantastic at building meditation as a practice, spontaneity isn't to be sniffed at either. Often the most fulfilling meditations I experience happen from being inspired by the weather or my surroundings. Blue sky, torrential rain, the warmth of the sun or the smell of dew can really stir a need to meditate in me. So if you find yourself thinking of meditating simply because you want to. Do it. I bet it'll be amazing.

  7. Recommendations There are many free resources to try meditation from on the internet and simply typing 'guided meditation' into Youtube will turn up a bountiful harvest of results to choose from. Don't be afraid to get stuck in and find what works for you. If you're looking for an app to try Headspace is brilliant as well as Calm. For more information on meditations and to try a guided meditation from only £5 check out my website or contact me!


By Laura Carey

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