How to meditate: 8 easy tips for beginners

Supported by research, the benefits of meditation are widely known. From boosting creativity, to balancing mood, and cultivating patience - there are a number of ways in which this ancient practice aids our physical and emotional wellbeing. "Our mind is like an elusive animal to tame, having countless thoughts with each passing minute sometimes. Meditation is a technique to still the mind. Meditation does not aim to clear all our thoughts, but to teach us how to observe our thoughts as a spectator, without engaging or judging. With time and consistent practice, we will notice the thoughts reduce and more stillness prevail," shares Pooja Nidadavolu, yoga expert.

If you are someone who might have tried looking up techniques, or tips on the internet, you know how overwhelming it can be. Yoga expert Nishtha Bijlani emphasises, "We have all heard about the great benefits of meditation but yet we may find this a challenging practice. Most often we shy away from even attempting it because of the lack of correct guidance." She further adds, "It is important to remember that meditation cannot be taught. It is a state one taps into with consistent practice. So do not stress about having an empty mind or no thoughts. Chances are that you will only end up with more thoughts. Instead, learn to be a watcher of your thoughts. Watching the thoughts pass by like clouds. It is okay to have thoughts (lots of them), but don't forget that you are not your thoughts."

To aid your journey, we asked these two wellness experts from JetSynthesys' ThinkRight.me to share tips for beginners that can be adapted to build a meditation practice in our everyday lives.

Time
Meditation is suggested at dawn and dusk when the atmosphere is charged with higher vibrations. The most effective time is the Brahma Muhurta, the hours between 4 am to 6 am. If this is not possible, simply choose a time when you are not involved with a lot of activities and the mind is relatively quieter.

Place
Try to fix a place where you meditate every day. Ideally keep this spot for the purpose of meditating only. Over time the vibrations of this area and room will rise and in times of stress you might find meditating in this spot gives you peace and calm.

Sit in any comfortable seated posture that your body allows. A crossed-legged posture is advised as it makes a triangular path for the flow of energy, which must be contained rather than dispersed in all directions. Sit upright, keeping the head and neck in line with your spine and eyes closed.

Regulate the breath
Start by taking a few deep abdominal breaths to bring in more oxygen to the brain and then come back to your natural way of breathing. Keep the breath rhythmic and steady and regulating the breath will regulate the flow of prana, the vital energy.

Observe do not force
If you notice your mind is wandering, don't force it to stop. Instead try to disassociate from the thoughts and observe them as an outsider, perhaps thinking of them as a passing train. Allow the thoughts to pass without engaging in them. It is advised to stay connected with your breath, and keep it rhythmic throughout the meditation. Start the practice with five to ten minutes and gradually increase the duration.

Work with the body
Practicing yoga asanas are a great way to get the body and mind ready for meditation. Once we learn to connect with the physical body and establish the body-mind sync, then working on the mind comes naturally. Besides, the asanas also make you comfortable in your skin which helps with sitting still for a longer period of time. Asanas help to train the spine which makes sitting upright more comfortable.

One-pointed focus
Cultivating a sense of focus and concentration helps to set the foundation for meditation. One such practice that can be applied is trataka done with a candle. Candle gazing is a very helpful tool in building that mental focus and relaxing the eyes. Regular practice of this will help to sharpen the memory, improve will power and enhance stillness in mind and body.

Start with guided meditation
Using the help of recorded audio guided meditation is a very helpful way to get started. By following the voice and instructions in the audio, one slowly learns to surrender to the process. The objective is to learn to get comfortable with stillness.

Keep it short
Fuelled by motivation, we tend to start out with lofty goals when pursuing a new task, and often get disappointed when results don't match our expectations. Initially, keep the practice short - to start with just 3 to 5 minutes. Then gradually add 2 minutes with every practice. Until you reach a point of steady practice for a longer duration. No two experiences will ever be the same and that is okay. Take it slow and stay patient.

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