How to Start a Meditation Practice Meditation and its different forms have been around for thousands of years. There is a reason why many ancient cultures used meditation frequently, from preaching to healing and general well-being. Nowadays, researchers have found that people who use meditation may be physiologically younger by 15 years. Meditation purifies the body and the mind. I didn’t believe in the benefits of meditation until I tried practicing it myself. I thought that meditation was overrated and pointless; after all, you sit on the ground with your eyes closed, doing nothing, and suddenly you become this “superhero.” I was wrong; this is not how meditation works. If you are curious about meditating and you want to try it yourself, keep reading! You won’t feel better after the first, second or third practice. You might not feel many benefits after the first month either. You need to be persistent and patient, and I guarantee you that you will see a great difference. How to Begin Your Meditation Practice? 1.Find the appropriate place Firstly, you need to find a good place to meditate. One of the best places to meditate is in nature. Go to the park or the woods and find a spot away from noise and other people. If you are unable to find a spot like this, meditating in your house will work. Just be sure to find somewhere quiet. 2.Sit in a comfortable position. After you have found the best place for your meditation practice, it is time to sit as comfortably as you can. You can sit on a chair or on the cushion on the floor with your back in an upright position. It’s very important to hold your back straight and to feel comfortable and relaxed. It is better to sit on a chair for the first couple of times so that you can get used to the feeling of relaxation. Remember, find a pose that is both comfortable and keeps you upright. 3.Set a timer For beginners, 5 minutes a day is more than enough. It is better to use a timer, so you don’t get distracted thinking about the time that has passed. Set the timer for 5 minutes and forget about it. You can use your phone’s timer, or you can download some meditation apps. Find what suits you the best 4.Close your eyes and relax your hands Firstly, you will need to close your eyes. For some, closing them completely is the only choice for concentrating. Others can focus on their breath with their eyes slightly open. Once you are ready, let your hands settle in a comfortable position. Relax your hands and don’t worry about them. 5.Focus on your breathing Bring your attention to your breath. At first, your mind will start wandering a lot. You will feel helpless to the power of your thoughts; they will come and go rapidly. This shows you how “polluted” your brain is. You are constantly distracting yourself with different thoughts and activities like listening to music, staring at your phone, conversations with others, and thoughts about the past and future. When you are alone, and you try focusing on your breath, you will find it very difficult to concentrate the first couple of times; this is completely normal, don’t worry. However, you must keep focusing on your breathing. Concentrate on the way your breath enters and leaves your nose. Feel how the fresh air enters your body. Imagine that a flow of energy enters through your breathing. 6.Don’t let your mind wander This will be hard in the beginning, but again, it’s completely normal to fail many times with this step. Try your best to control your mind and to focus it on the way you are breathing. Don’t judge yourself if you are unable to do it right. Keep bringing back your mind to your breathing until your alarm sounds. It’s not that complicated, is it? You just need to relax and concentrate on your breathing. You should start meditating for 5 minutes every day. The best time to meditation is during the morning, preparing you for the day ahead. If you can’t do it every morning, you can also do it at night right before going to bed. After a week try increasing the length of time you are meditating for. You can try doing it for 6, 7 or even 10 minutes daily. Find out what suits you the best. If you find it difficult to concentrate on your breath, don’t beat yourself up over it. For some people, focusing on breathing is difficult to master. It takes time. I still struggle with it sometimes, but this won’t discourage me. Keep trying, be patient and don’t take it too seriously. I will be more than happy to answer your questions or read your opinions about mediation. You can also leave me a feedback on my website where you can find interesting methods of dealing with addictions. If you want to check it out, click on the image below!!!