“I just can’t stop thinking!”
“Am I suppose to FEEL something?”
“My back hurts and who can sit in this position for longer than 2 minutes?!”
You are not alone in your curiosity or frustration with the concept and practice of meditation. I’ve been practicing meditation in my own various ways since I was a teenager, and in the process I’ve come to learn some important things that help me sit down and shut up and actually feel joyous and rewarded with the time spent. Allow me to share these 23 valuable and fun tips and shed some light on the practice and help you start meditating with joy and ease.
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#1. You don’t have to sit in the lotus position, or even stay upright
That’s right. Your practice is about what works best for you, and sitting in the lotus position resembling a buddha statue isn’t the way for everyone. You may have physical challenges that doesn’t allow you to sit upright comfortably. Personally, I’ve found the best way is to lay down in Savasana (corpse pose). I can actually breath more fully and better when my entire body is extended on the ground with my arms and legs spread out to the sides.
#2. Find the best time for you to meditate
I am a morning person but I know that’s rare to find. There’s a kind of clarity for me when I first wake up in the morning. I like to start my day off with a short meditation when I can. If you’re more of a night owl, that’s an okay time to practice too! Don’t be bound by the idea that there’s a “right” time to meditate.
#3. Set a timer if you’re busy
It’s not only for keeping track of time or your schedule. I know when you first begin, sitting or laying down can feel like an eternity with no end. Setting a timer for let’s say 5-15 minutes gives you a peace of mind, and also holds you accountable to stay in that space for the duration. Some days I end up wanting to continue and I’ll only get up when I feel ready to.
#4. Start with smaller increments when you first begin meditating
It’s absolutely not necessary to meditate for 30 minutes to an hour or more when you first begin. Start with smaller increments of 5 or 10 minutes and ease yourself into the practice. It’s just like starting anything new, the beginning will be a bit rocky and shifty, smaller increments can help you get adjusted to the action without causing too much frustration or impatience to discourage your practice.
#5. Wear comfortable clothes
This one may seem obvious, but it can get cold or hot during meditation and this can really become a distraction in midst of your attempt at relaxing your body and mind. Keep a sweater or blanket close by to cover yourself when necessary.
#6. Listen to guided meditation
When I got so busy traveling around and stopped finding time to meditate for YEARS, I got back into it first with guided meditation. Those are so great for beginners because it helps ease you into relaxation and a voice + soothing music guides you deeper into the meditation experience. If you find it hard to imagine or visualize, using guided meditation can help achieve specific intentions. There’s literally a guided meditation for everything. – releasing pain and negativity, manifesting abundance, chakra healing, meeting a spirit guide, you name it you can find it on YouTube.
#7. Set the mood
Surrounding yourself with good energy is always a plus. You can use sage to move the energy in your meditation space, burn incense, candles. Grab a nice sip of herbal tea before getting into it. Anything that helps set the mood for you.
#8. Your thoughts are not the enemy
There’s a misconception that during meditation, you must repress lingering thoughts or quickly push them away. The idea is to actually acknowledge any thought that comes up, give them space, and then allow them to dissipate. If you simply push them down, you’re actually giving it more energy to continue manifesting and popping up later. Become aware of any thought that comes up, sit with it for a moment, and then return to your breathing or to the voice in the guided meditation. Simply do not attach yourself to them, just observe and release.
#9. Use crystals
This may not be for everyone as not everyone feels a connection to gems and crystals. However, each crystal has their own energetic frequency and vibration. There are a variety of crystals for different healing purposes. Just to list a couple, rose quartz is great for easing anger and bringing overall peaceful and loving energy. Black obsidian is great for protection against negativity and grounding your energy.
#10. Use prayer beads
I learned this method and practiced it for a while. It’s great if you’re setting an intention for your practice. There are usually a certain number of beads (commonly 18, 27, 54 or 108) on a prayer/mala necklace, and an extra part that dangles down from it. You can set the intention for allowing more positivity into your life. Touch and feel each bead in your hand while speaking or thinking of your mantra/intention, and keep rotating, moving onto the next beads until you reach the very end.
#11. Useful apps to help ease you with meditating
Some people find this method really helpful at the beginning, there are apps that even remind you daily to sit down and meditate. I personally haven’t dug too deep into them because a lot of them cost money to access the more in depth guided meditations and I find that there are enough resources that I can access for free. If you’d like, check out these two apps: HeadSpace and Calm
#12. Set an intention for your meditation session
Again I must emphasize here, meditation isn’t JUST about sitting in silence with a completely open and empty mind. It’s about being aware and mindful. I enjoy putting a purpose into my practice. You can set intention for the day “I intend to be kind and patient to each person I encounter today” or long term goals you want to attract and manifest. Because as you meditate you allow your subconscious to open up to your intended thoughts. It’s a great time to manifest as you’re vibrating on a higher and more clear frequency, not cluttered with your normal stressful or fearful thoughts.
#13. Journal your meditation
Keeping a meditation journal can be quite useful. After each session, write down any thoughts, feelings, or ideas that came up. Sometimes we really forget our progress and how far we’ve come. Writing down things that come up can help you find clarity, answers, and continue to motivate you to keep practicing. I’ve read old entries and realize I’ve successfully manifested so many things that I actually had forgotten!
#14. Try a local meditation or yoga class
Of course this may not be the ideal method for everyone. Hello fellow introverts! However, if you’re just starting I encourage you to try out a meditation class. The instructor helps guide everyone into a deeper meditative space, and everyone’s generating their own energy in the room and it could be quite an emotional or powerful experience.
Yoga class is another alternative. If you find it really difficult to quiet your mind, a little exercise before hand can really help. Yoga classes generally end with everybody in the savasana pose. This meditative pose is often practiced at the end because you are physically spent and it becomes easier to relax both your body and mind.
#15. Change your perception
Sitting or laying down to meditate may not be a cure-all for your worries, stress or anxiety, but it’s a giant step towards self-care and taking the time to really honor and respect yourself. It’s a way for you to seek out possibilities that resides in you, and see how in turn it may positively affect you and all those around you.
#16. Read books and watch videos to inspire your practice
We all need a little nudge here and there. It’s always helpful to understand more about the benefits of practicing meditation and how that can effect and benefit your life. It’s also great to seek out how others have transformed small or large parts of their experiences to motivate you to begin.
#17. Leave expectations out the door
Some days you may struggle with quieting your mind, and other days you may receive important messages or just clarity on a topic. You may fall asleep sometime, and other times you may have visions or feel an overwhelming sense of peace and knowing. The point is, all of that is okay. Not one session will be the same, so just keep an open mind and heart to whatever shows up.
#18. Begin tapping into what you seek
In relation to tip #17, some days you might want to just sit and be open to listen and receive or get connected with yourself. Other days, you might want to set an intention to help you get through a project, or ask for inspiration from the universe or your own subconscious. Begin to grow awareness and understand what it is you need in that day and in that moment.
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#19. Create your own playlist
Whether that’s guided meditation videos on YouTube, or songs that get you in a good space. There are also songs and sounds that emit different frequencies. Certain frequencies are said to bring relaxation to aid sleep while others may be good for manifesting or positivity.
#20. Just because you meditate doesn’t mean you are perfect
Sitting down and shutting up is just a part of the big picture. It’s a great first step to slowing down and becoming aware. However, don’t feel frustrated that you still have anger bursts or get the blues for no damn reason. You’re not expected to be a saint just because you are seeking a spiritual path. Always have compassion for your own imperfections, and be gentle with yourself.
#21. Try meditation in nature
One of the fastest ways to increase your joy is simply to step outside into nature. I really like laying down under a tree so that my face is in shade. I keep my eyes closed or sometimes open, and listen to soothing music and just breath. It’s really a lot easier than sitting or laying down at home sometimes. Take off your shoes and socks and feel the earth beneath you. Imagine that mother earth is soaking up all your worries and doubts. Just watch the sunlight peak through the leaves, the birds passing by, be one with your environment and open yourself up and just breath.
#22. Activate your imagination
Visualization can lead to powerful meditations. Some days I may feel especially erratic in my energy and mood, and I know that I need to be grounded. I would imagine that there are roots growing out from underneath my body, and they’re growing deeper and deeper until they reach the earth. I allow any negativity to flow out of me through these roots and let them sink away and all the way down into the deep core of earth. If you’re having a tough day, you can imagine yourself being surrounded and blessed with a pure white light. Allow the light to protect you and raise your vibrations higher.
If you’re feeling all good and peachy, try sending out some love and positive vibes to those you love or just our to anyone in need.
#23. Play! and have fun with meditating!
There are so many different methods, some known, some others have created along the way. There is absolutely no right or wrong in finding what works for you. It doesn’t have to feel serious or like homework. You can create and shape your experience into anything you want. It could bring you relaxation or clarity. It could inspire new ideas, and help you understand where you are and where you might need to go. It could also just be an experience of openness, acceptance, and joy.
Want to start manifesting what you want? READ: 5 Essential Steps to Successfully Attract What You Want
I hope you found these tips helpful and that they encourage you to just sit down, shut up, and allow the practice to unfold for you. Meditation is a huge commitment to self love and self care, and I bet you’ll be surprised at what might show you for you if you stick to it.
➠ If you’re interested in more topics on self realization and inner evolution, do check out my YouTube Series “Chat with Dia”
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