Learning how to meditate: meditating is a great way to find inner peace.

Meditation for beginners

Meditating has been around for a very long time and it has been known as a spiritual practice in various cultures. The key to meditation is being able to switch off from your surroundings. The focus is usually on the correct breathing technique and posture. In this article we will show you how to meditate and we will also give you some helpful beginner tips on meditating.

The advantages of meditating
Meditation and breathing techniques
Meditation tips for beginners

The advantages of meditating

There is a good reason why meditation is so popular. It is easy to learn and it has a lot of positive effects on your body and mind.

Reduces stress

Meditation is the perfect thing when you are feeling stressed. Practicing meditation will help you to feel calm on the inside and switch off from your hectic lifestyle. How does it work exactly? Meditating activates the parasympathetic nervous system in our autonomic nervous system, which slows down our breathing and helps to relax our muscles.

Meditation techniques can be used in everyday situations such as when working from home. A couple of breathing exercises can help you to feel immediately relaxed, which in turn will help you to deal with certain challenges.

Helpful tip: try taking a deep breath in and then breathe out and repeat this exercise three times. Afterwards you should feel more relaxed.

Improves your concentration

Another advantage of meditating is that it will improve your concentration. The different meditation exercises will help you to concentrate only on yourself and your body, which will help you to switch off from your surroundings. Regular meditation will improve your concentration.

Strengthens your immune system

Prolonged stress has a negative impact on your body. Stress weakens the immune system's ability to fight off bacteria and infections. Meditating will help your body to relax and feel less stressed, which as a result will help to strengthen your immune system.

Finding out more about yourself

Meditating is a good way to take time out for your body and mind. It will also help you to get to know yourself a bit better, which will help you to deal with stressful situations in everyday life.

Meditation and breathing techniques

There are a lot of meditation techniques that can vary depending on the culture, doctrine and tradition. The best-known techniques include mindfulness meditation, loving kindness or different breathing techniques. There is a wide range of techniques to choose from, which means you can choose one that suits you and your needs.

A couple of examples of meditation techniques:

Mindfulness meditation: will make you more consciously aware of your behaviour.
Loving kindness meditation: helps you to adopt a more positive attitude towards yourself and a more positive outlook on the world.
Breathing techniques: this will help you to focus more on your breathing, which as a result will harmonise your body and mind.

At the beginning or at the end of a yoga session you can do some meditation exercises. You can find out more information on yoga in the following article: Yoga for beginners.

How to meditate: meditation lessons will help you to learn how to meditate and switch off from your surroundings.

Meditation tips for beginners

The good news is that anyone can learn to meditate. You don't need any previous experience and it is quite easy to get started. Below we have put together some helpful tips for beginners on how to meditate:

Choosing the right mat

Let's start with finding something comfortable to sit on. A lot of people who meditate tend to use a sports or yoga mat. If you would like a little more comfort, then we would recommend getting a meditation cushion. This type of cushion has a high level of comfort and it will help you to sit up straight.

How to sit when meditating

Make sure that you are sitting correctly whilst meditating. You should always sit up straight and maintain a good posture for about 15 minutes. There are various ways to sit when meditating, but it is important to sit correctly and be comfortable so that you can concentrate on meditating. Below we have listed the different ways to sit when meditating:

Cross-legged: most people are probably familiar with sitting down and crossing their legs. Just cross your legs and try to relax and switch off.
Lotus pose: this position is similar to sitting down with your legs crossed, but this time you put your feet on your thighs.
Sitting on your heels: for this position all you need to do is kneel down and sit on your heels.

Just choose a position that is most comfortable for you and relaxes your posture.

You can also use a chair or stool as an alternative to sitting on the floor. Make sure that your thighs are horizontal and that you sit upright.

The perfect meditation outfit

It’s a good idea to wear clothes that are comfortable and made out of soft materials when meditating. Casual sportswear is a good choice. A loose shirt and joggers will make you feel more relaxed. You can also wear yoga clothes for meditating. Stretchy materials give you maximum freedom of movement and allow you to completely immerse yourself in tranquillity.

If you are going to be attending meditation classes you could get a stylish yoga set. You'll be stylish and comfortable at the same time. When meditating you don’t need shoes, you can choose either to wear socks or to go barefoot.

Comfortable yet stylish outfits for meditating:

Women’s yoga clothes

Men’s sportswear

Men’s and women’s T-Shirts

Men’s and women’s sport tights

Finding somewhere to meditate

The goal of meditation is to help you relax and switch off. It is therefore advisable to find a quiet place in your home wherever you feel comfortable. This could be in your bedroom or living room. You can also meditate outside or in the park. Make sure wherever you choose to meditate that you aren’t disturbed by loud noises.

You can use headphones if you can't find a quiet place to meditate. Ideally, they should have a setting that drowns out ambient noise.

Meditation for beginners: a young woman sitting at home on a yoga mat and taking part in an online meditation class.

A step-by-step guide to meditating at home

If you would like to learn to meditate it is important to follow the tips for beginners. To learn more about meditating you can attend a meditation course for beginners. There are various options available such as attending individual or group classes, book an online course or trying a meditation app. Choose a course that is best suited to your lifestyle as this will help you to stay motivated.

Follow the steps below if you would like to start mediating at home:

Meditating at home:

Find a quiet place to meditate.
Get comfortable, find a position and sit up straight.
Set an alarm for about 10minutes.
Relax and place your hands on your knees or on your lap.
You can fully or half close your eyes.
Now breathe in and out consciously and concentrate fully on your breathing rhythm.
Once you have a breathing rhythm and you feel calm and not distracted by your thoughts you are meditating.
Now remain in this position for about 10 minutes. Then slowly come back and open your eyes.

When meditating for the first time don’t worry, if you can’t quite switch off or meditate properly. The important thing is to stay on the ball and repeat the exercises regularly. By doing so, you will get used to the exercises and become more experienced.

Try the following exercise if your mind keeps wandering: place an object on the floor about one metre in front of you and focus on it whilst breathing in and out. Now count how many times you can breathe in and out before your mind starts to wander. Over time your concentration skills will improve and you will be able to concentrate on the object for longer periods of time.

If your legs fall asleep whilst meditating then try sitting in a different position. Alternatively, you can also sit on a chair and meditate.

Conclusion: learning to meditate

Meditation is an excellent exercise for your mind and a great way to find inner peace. It has a lot of positive effects and it is a great way to look after your well-being. You become more relaxed, develop a stronger self-awareness and even strengthen your immune system. All you will need to meditate is a quiet place, comfortable clothes and a suitable surface to sit on. A course or a meditation teacher will show you different meditation exercises, which you can then gradually integrate into your everyday life.

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