When you start a meditation practice, it can take a while until it becomes a habit. Until it feels weird NOT to meditate.
While working to make this a daily habit, there are a number of tips you can use to help keep you on track.
Meditate In The Same Place Each Day
Meditating in the same place each day helps you set a routine and familiarise your body and mind, letting them know that this is your meditation space and your meditation time.
Have A Ritual Before Your Meditation Session
Having a dedicated ritual before your meditation session helps to let your mind (and body) know it's time for meditation.
The rituals could include:
- lighting candles or incense,
- burning oils,
- saying affirmations,
- doing a breathing exercise,
- doing some stretching exercises or yoga.
Set An Intention Before Your Meditation
Setting an intention before starting with your meditation helps to focus your mind and help you work towards a specific outcome for that meditation session.
You could try using intentions like:
- this is a time for healing
- this is a time for creating peace in my life
- this is a time for manifesting and creating (insert desired outcome)
You could also read an inspiring passage from a book or say an affirmation.
Incrementally Build Up The Length Of Your Sessions As You Progress
If you are just starting to meditate, start out small with just 5 minutes a day for the first week or two. Then you can look to gradually increase this by 5 minutes every week, or even every other week, by another 5 minutes.
Do this until you can easily sit for 40 minutes at a time.
You could then also look to add a second session to your day. If you are doing a session at night, look to add another session in the morning.
Pick A Position That Is Comfortable
Make sure you pick a position that is comfortable and one that you can maintain for a period of time. But make sure it’s not too comfortable, you don’t want to fall asleep!
Always ensure your spine is straight and your chin tucked in slightly.
You Don’t Need To Sit In Order To Meditate
Some people think that the 'right' way to meditate is to sit in the lotus position, with your hands in awkward positions, chanting OHM.
Well, nothing could be further from the truth. You don’t have to sit at all if you don’t want to, or if you find it uncomfortable. There are numerous ways to bring meditation into your life, including going for a walk, dancing, chanting, or drawing.
It’s Ok To Use A Timer To Time Your Meditations
If you're worried you might fall asleep, or want to know how long you've been sitting for, it's ok to use a timer.
Just make sure to use something that doesn’t have a loud noise that might bring you out of a nice peaceful space with a jolt, spoiling the effects and benefits you were just receiving.
Make Sure You Won’t Be Disturbed
Do whatever you need to do to ensure you won’t be disturbed during your meditation time. This includes:
- letting your family know this is your time and you are not to be disturbed unless it is an emergency
- turning your phone off, or at least turning it to silent mode
Don’t Try Too Hard
One of the most common mistakes made by beginners, and also one of the hardest things NOT to do, is to try to force a certain experience. Or to feel it's only 'worked' if you 'had the same experience as yesterday'.
Expect some days to be the same, expect some days to be different. Better yet, don't expect anything at all.
Just sit for your meditation and learn to cultivate an attitude of just being.
Observe your mental processes, but don’t get involved in them.
If your mind strays to having thoughts, just gently bring it back to whatever it is you are focussing on; your meditation, or your breath, without judging yourself for having them. Meditation is a bit like training a puppy. You just need to be patient with your puppy, training your mind and being patient, but willing to persevere.
Last updated: 19/06/2022
“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it”
