Have you ever noticed how you wake up? Do you press the snooze over and over? Do you immediately jump out of bed, ready for your next task? Our cortisol (the stress hormone) levels are highest in the morning, so it’s really important to counter that stress with some peace. In yesterday’s post, we learned why morning meditation is so beneficial. Take note of your morning routine, and if your routine looks like any of the above scenarios, just know, there is a better way to start your day. Today, I’m going to teach you how to start meditating with ease.
Just like breakfast is the most important meal of the day, the first actions of your day are also the most important. Your body will love it if you give it a stress relieving, energizing routine. Starting a meditation routine seems intimidating and a daunting or boring task, but if you want to set yourself up for success the rest of the day, give yourself the gift of a morning reset through meditation.
How to Start Meditating with Ease
What you need to get started:
- a quiet place
- a comfy seat
- a guided meditation app, soothing background music such as a singing bowl, or just silence
- a non-judgmental mindset (I’ll explain that below)
Belly Breathing
To start meditating, all you need to do is get yourself in a quiet space with something comfy to sit on (the floor works as well). Focus on your breathing, taking full belly breaths. It might help you when you are first learning to breathe with your belly, to place one hand on your belly and feel it fill up with air. To help quiet the mind by giving it a task, you can count. Breathe in, count 1, breathe out, count 2. Keep counting in and out breaths until you reach 10 and then start over. Your mind will like the repetition of both counting and breathing, and pretty soon, you will be in a more zen state.
Apps
Personally, I really enjoy using the Headspace app for meditation. I find it to be a brilliant and non-intimidating way to begin, and the animations showing you how to do it and explaining various aspects of the mind really help. So for me, using my Headspace app in the morning helps my mind stay on task because it is a guided meditation. Throughout the rest of my day, though, I try to insert little bursts of mindfulness on my own. So you don’t need to purchase anything to begin. In fact, I used the Insight Timer free app for over a year before purchasing the Headspace app. The point is to find what works for you; you can start with silence or a free or purchased guided meditation.
Start Small
You can do this for as little as 5 minutes a day. I do a 10-15 minute morning meditation, then I try to pepper in 1-3 minutes during my day where I focus on my breathing. At night, after a partically grueling day, I will do another 10 minute “sleep themed” meditation on an app. The important thing is to gently guide your mind and creating a pattern of mindfulness and slow breathing.
And that’s it; that’s all you need to physically do. Literally, your only job is to sit there and mindfully take breaths. Sounds easy, right? Well, there are some mental hurdles. The most important way to approach meditation is with a good mindset. Don’t judge yourself, don’t set expectations, don’t claim your thoughts. Your only goal is to sit there and gradually teach the mind that it’s okay to claim quiet moments for yourself.
Your Mindset
It is perfectly normal to have (many) thoughts come into your consciousness. That’s your monkey mind and we just need to train her, like a real monkey! The most important thing I’ve learned from Headspace is the visualization that my mind is ALWAYS a clear blue sky, while the thoughts are just clouds passing through.
If you’ve ever been in a plane during a storm, you will know the clouds can produce a very uneasy and scary environment, but as soon as the plane reaches an altitude above the clouds, all is beautiful, blue, and calm. This endless blue sky is your mind all the time. So we just need to relearn how to get to that place with the clear blue sky instead of only focusing on the storm clouds.
Just be aware of these passing cloud thoughts, don’t try to engage with them or claim them as truth, just note them and let them pass on through. This is awareness; you’re not ignoring your mind, you’re noting what’s happening without engaging with unproductive thoughts (and most of our thoughts are unproductive and fear-based, FYI). Do not judge these thoughts. Do not condemn yourself for not being better at quieting your mind. Just let it be and focus on your breath. With practice, this will become easier and your mind will automatically know what to do, enabling you to bring this centering to the rest of your day.
There is no success or failure during meditation. There is no grading scale. Even if you have a really busy mind, it won’t always be like this. Keep at it; you’re learning a new skill that will transform your life. And that is how to start meditating with ease! It’s mostly about having an open mindset and being persistent.
Good luck!
-Kristen
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