33 Top Tips for Starting a Meditation Practice
I feel fortunate to have discovered the beauty and power of a regular meditation practice from which I have reaped countless benefits over the years.
I recall that I was first introduced to a meditation practice in high school by one of our teachers. At that time I did not feel comfortable meditating during the brief sessions that we had during that particular class, and after that set of meditation experiences I did not pursue a meditation practice further for a very long time.
Fast forward to adulthood and it was around 2011 that I started to crave a meditation practice in an effort to find a refuge amidst the busyness of life.
However, I did not find meditation classes where I was living at the time, so I decided to join yoga classes as a way to somehow get closer to a meditation practice as far as I understood at the time.
During the physical yoga classes featuring mainly the asanas (poses/postures), there were also some classes that involved breathing exercises, chanting, sound, and mindful meditation to some extent.
During those early years of my yoga practice I started to understand the power of the breath, in particular the ujayii breathing method, and how this breath with sound and intention, as well as holding a visual focal point, or drishti, during the postures, was actually helping to calm my mind and bring me more into a meditative state. It was through my physical yoga practice on the mat that I discovered what it meant to practice a moving meditation through the postures and breath.
Over the years I have deepened my meditation practice through various classes, workshops, and yoga teacher training, all of which have added powerful benefits from practicing meditation regularly.
In this blog I am thrilled to share with you my top tips for starting a meditation practice.
The intention of this blog is not for you to choose to implement all of these tips. Rather, you may choose to implement a few to start your meditation practice, and perhaps you may choose to incorporate a few more of these tips later in your practice, as well as you may find your own top tips along your personal meditation journey.
So, whether you have never meditated, or you have been meditating for a while, let’s get started…
Let go of all expectations of what a meditation practice should or should not be.
Take these meditation tips, and all meditation tips and information that you encounter, as simple suggestions, invitations, options and possibilities (not as requirements or mandatory parts of your meditation practice).
Read articles about meditation, and the various types of meditation to educate yourself on what meditation is and is not.
Tune into various teachers on YouTube and other social media platforms to learn different meditation styles and practices, to see which ones resonate with you and which ones you would like to incorporate into your personal meditation practice.
Join a meditation group through online groups such as Banyan to learn from multiple meditation teachers and to connect and practice with meditation practitioners from around the world.
Choose a special time of day or night, and a special place, to dedicate to your meditation practice so that you carve out time and space to meditate.
Be flexible with yourself regarding how much time you dedicate to your meditation practice depending on your life schedule on a given day (for example, some days you may meditate longer than other days, depending on your situation).
Allow that even practicing meditation for one minute, or for a few seconds, can be very beneficial.
Give yourself the gift of the present moment by turning off your electronics, or putting your phone and electronics on do not disturb, or on silent mode.
Hydrate before meditation so that you are comfortable during your practice.
Have enough to eat (although not too much to eat that will make you feel heavy) so that you don’t feel hungry during your practice.
Choose one of the four meditation positions (sitting, lying down, standing, or walking).
Choose a hand position (such as hands cradled one inside the other in your lap; or palms facing up on your knees; or palms facing down on your knees; or hands at your heart center; or hands on your abdomen; or some other hand positions that you feel comfortable with).
Choose a leg position (such as crossed legged; or feet flat on the floor; or legs stretched out in front of you).
Use resources to make yourself comfortable (such as warm clothing; a blanket; a shawl, a scarf, etc.).
Soften and lower your gaze, or close your eyes.
You might choose to cover your eyes with a meditation eye mask; a blanket; or a cloth, for example, to block light and enhance relaxation.
Choose an anchor (focus area) for your practice (such as your feet, your seat, your hands, your breath, sounds around you, etc.) to which you can return when your mind starts to wander.
Light incense that you might use as an anchor (focus area) as an accompaniment to your meditation practice if that appeals to you.
Light a candle that you might use as an anchor (focus area) as an accompaniment to your meditation practice if that appeals to you.
Apply an essential oil to your wrists, or some other body part, as a natural fragrance element that you might use as an anchor (focus area) as an accompaniment to your meditation practice if that appeals to you.
Play meditation music during your practice if that appeals to you (you can find playlists on YouTube, Spotify and other streaming services).
Relax, release, soften, widen, and open to what unfolds during your meditation practice.
Allow your body to feel whatever your body is feeling.
Allow your emotions and feelings to experience whatever arises.
When your mind drifts away from your body sensations and instead goes into thoughts, gently, patiently and simply bring your awareness back to your body, your sensations, your chosen anchor.
Offer yourself and all beings loving kindness, compassion and the aspiration to cultivate wisdom that serves all beings.
After your meditation practice you might choose to make notes in your journal about what is revealed to you during your meditation practice, and explore your feelings, sensations, emotions and your overall experience.
Take your meditation practice with you wherever you are (at home, at work, running errands, exercising, while traveling, etc.).
Regard your meditation practice as a personal practice (not a competition with others).
Perhaps you might regard meditation as a practice (not a project).
Perhaps you might regard meditation as a journey (not a destination).
Enjoy and injoy yourself (your true, inner self) along your meditation practice.
Again, the intention of this blog is not for you to choose to implement all 33 of these tips. As you journey along your meditation practice, you may choose to implement a few of these tips to start, and then perhaps you may choose to incorporate a few more of these tips later in your practice, as well as find your own top tips that suit you best along your meditation journey.
I hope that this list of 33 Top Tips for Starting a Meditation Practice will help you along your meditation journey.
If you want to expand your meditation practice further, then you might consider joining a retreat to reap the many benefits of a retreat. I would be super happy to lead you on a retreat, so join my community mailing list and stay in the loop for how retreats can nurture you on your happy energy journey, also known as life.
Let me know where you want to go on a retreat in the comments.
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Best wishes,
Angel
Certified Raw Vegan Chef & Yoga Teacher
Well-being Lifestyle Coach & Author
Meditation & Retreat Leader
Travel Chaperone (Personal & Groups)