Meditation Guide For Beginners Step 1: Counting Breaths
Start Practicing Meditation And Transform Your Life With This Simple Technique.
Hello :)
Welcome to the first step in the meditation guide!
The steps I share in the “Beginner Meditation Guide” are my recommendations for starting meditation successfully. My points are based on 5+ years of experience meditating and knowledge from a variety of sources including science, Buddhism, Hindu philosophy, new-age gurus, and yoga.
I tried different approaches to meditation (practice and philosophy). It was hard for me to stick with one. I didn’t know which was best. I’ve had that problem for the first 3 years of practicing.
Only when I came to certain conclusions (read here) meditation became a fulfilling and daily practice. For the past 2,5 years, I’ve experienced true, long-lasting benefits which you can read about here.
If you would like to learn how to meditate, this is the right place. Read this article for valuable tips on meditation practice.
That’s all for the introduction. Let’s talk about the first step in your meditative journey.
Step#1 Start Small
Choose a simple technique that you can begin practicing right away. Avoid becoming overwhelmed by too many theories at the start. A breath-count meditation method is a great place to begin.
How to Do It: Find a comfortable place to sit where you will not be disturbed. Keeping your back straight during practice helps with stability and concentration. You can sit in a chair, on a pillow, or even lie down. The important thing is that your back is straight and you feel comfortable.
Example of a Good Pose:
You can also do it in a chair or on a pillow. What’s important is that your back is straight and you feel comfortable. No need for a lotus position, put one foot onto another foot or cross your legs like this (image below). If you do it in a chair, just place your feet on the floor, parallel to each other.
Looks simple right?
If you’ve established a proper position I can explain how to do the breath-count meditation technique.
The breath-count meditation technique:
Place your hands on each other with palms facing up, or put them on your knees (also palms up). Take a moment to notice your surroundings: any sounds, temperature, smells, or sensations. Ask yourself how you’re feeling at this moment. Is there any tension in your body? Simply notice it.
Focus your awareness on your breath. Is it deep or shallow? Fast or slow? Begin counting your breaths. Inhale 1, exhale, inhale 2, exhale, etc. Go up to 10, then back down to 0. Repeat. If you lose focus and forget the number, start again.
Practice for at least 5 minutes per session, and gradually increase the time as you become more comfortable. Don’t hesitate to be creative with your meditation practice, but having a go-to technique will help you develop a daily habit.
Don’t worry if you get distracted during meditation, it’s totally normal. Practicing this technique daily will gradually improve your concentration and minimize your mind’s tendency to drift. If you experience any problems that prevent you from enjoying meditation, you can read step 2 of this meditation guide.
To get the most out of it remember to meditate daily and gradually increase the time of your sessions.
After a couple of weeks add other techniques to your practice. If you want to learn about the next steps to mastering meditation, stay tuned by following my profile. I dedicate my blog to meditation, psychology, philosophy, and science.
Thank you for reading :)
A path of awareness leads to nirvana (a non-suffering state), and unawareness leads to death. Aware people do not die, unaware people are somewhat dead. — Siddhartha Gautama (The Buddha)
