I always talk about the importance of managing stress and tension daily. Meditation is one of the best ways to unplug and distance yourself from triggering thoughts for a while. At first, it may sound intimidating, but once you get into the rhythm, meditation becomes a natural state of being.

If you are just entering the world of meditation, this article is designed to give you options to find the most suitable meditation technique for you. There are many other meditation techniques in addition to these, but as a beginner, hopefully, these will be inspirational and helpful for you to just start!

Once you get the hang of it, you can play around and adjust your routine based on your preferences. You can increase your meditation time or change your meditation technique. Don’t stress about not having enough time in the day to do meditation. You create your own timing in your practice. Start with 10 minutes and increase from there!

Also, don’t worry about “when is the best time to do meditation” because there is no best time. Some people will prefer mornings while others may benefit from evening wind-down meditation. It’s all up to you!

Remember, the first step is always starting.

 

 

1-    Breathing meditation 

Breathing meditation is one of my favorite meditations because most of us, during the day, hold our breath, breathe irregularly, or practice chest breathing unconsciously. All of these unhelpful breathing styles trigger anxiety in our physiology. Breathing meditation helps with regulating the nervous system as well as the physiology.

 

Here is how you can practice breathing meditation:

-       Take a comfortable sitting position or lay down flat. Make sure that your neck is not tilted as this will block the natural flow of air

-       Close your eyes

-       Become aware of your environment. Notice the temperature, sounds, the ground underneath you, etc.

-       Place one hand on your belly and one hand on your chest.

-       Notice where your breath is coming from. Are you breathing from your chest or belly?

-       Focus on your breath, paying attention to inhale and exhale patterns from the belly. Do not adjust your breathing, just become aware to begin.

-       Later, you can do the 4-7-8 breathing which is inhale to 4, hold to 7, and exhale to 8. You can also do 4-8 breathing which is inhale to 4 and exhale to 8.

-       Practice this for about 5 to 15 minutes

 

 

2-    Mindfulness meditation

Mindfulness is a very powerful technique that can be used in day-to-day life as well. It is found that with mindfulness, it’s easier to allow emotions to pass by rather than holding on to them. Mindfulness meditation uses mindfulness techniques in a deeply relaxed state. It is simple, easy, and a great start to your meditation practice.

Here is how mindfulness meditation works:

-       Pick an object to focus on. My favorite one is a candle but you can essentially pick anything that has positive associations with you

-       Take a comfortable sitting position

-       Place that item in front of you

-       Take a few deep breaths and become aware of your surroundings. Notice any sounds, textures, or temperature

-       Start paying attention to the object and experience it with 5 senses. Smell, touch, hear, feel the textures, etc. Take your time doing this. Experience the object inside out.

-       In the meantime, if any other thoughts and emotions come to your attention, gently become aware and let them go

-       Next, think about the journey of this object from general to specific. For example, how did this object find its way here, right in front of you? Where was it before you took it with you? And how was its journey before that? Go backward until you reach the initial compilation of this object

-       When you are done, notice any changes in your body or breathing

 

 

3-    Guided meditation

Guided meditations are one of the most beginner-friendly meditation options out there. If you are really unsure of what to do, listen to a guided meditation to help you navigate into your mind. There are plenty of guided meditations that can be found online on YouTube, Podcasts, or by known professionals such as Dr. Joe Dispenza’s meditations. You can also find guided meditations on various topics.

I recommend listening to the guided meditations with headphones, in a quiet place where you can relax and be comfortable. Here is how it goes:

 

-       Find a guided meditation that suits your needs

-       Take a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down

-       Put on your headphones and start listening!

-       The whole recording will guide you in and out of the process

-       You can listen to the same recording as many times as you wish

 

 

Bonus: Self-hypnosis

I cannot end this article without talking about my favorite subconscious stress relief tool: self-hypnosis. Self-hypnosis is a mental guidance tool that is very similar to meditation but it involves organizing your own mind. With self-hypnosis, you induce a light state of trance in yourself, and later give yourself “suggestions”.

Self-hypnosis is different than meditation because not only it is a relaxed and calm state but also it involves hypnosis, which is a learning state. Self-hypnosis enables you to recondition your mind and improve your habits. You can read more about how self-hypnosis can help in my previous article here.

There are a few different ways of practicing self-hypnosis. All of which involve breathing, body scan, and positive suggestions. You can learn more about the steps through some online sources or self-hypnosis classes, like the one I offer.

 

 

Final words 

Just like how we take shower, brush our teeth, or comb our hair, our mind needs daily maintenance as well. Meditation allows us to disconnect from daily stimulation and tune into ourselves for a while. Not only you will get to become more aware of yourself but also, you will release tensions. Don’t forget to check out subconscious conditioning tools like self-hypnosis as well!