Meditation Tricks For Beginners
Have you ever considered starting your meditation journey but found it overwhelming? Do you struggle to close your eyes, relax, and focus on your breath? Is it frustrating, and does it seem like you’re getting nothing out of it? — I’ve got you covered.
Western society constantly bombards our minds with information. We are surrounded by ads, constantly listening to the TV and radio. The constant input we receive from our surroundings can make it challenging to find peace.
When you sit down to meditate for the first time, you might need some tricks to calm your mind down.
The foundation of a trained mind is focus and concentration.
Preparation
Make sure you have a comfortable seat, preferably a meditation seat with crossed legs. It is important that there is not much pressure on your knees and your spine should be straight.
Sit on a block or cushion to elevate your buttocks slightly. Ideally, your knees should be under your hips. If sitting on the floor is too painful for you at the moment, you can also use a standard chair or a meditation chair.
Your hands should be in a mudra. For example your thumb and your index finger together, the rest of the hand relaxed. Every mudra has a different impact on you, but in the beginning, you won’t feel this as much as after years of meditation practice.
Do these two exercises before you start with your actual meditation time.
Exercise 1: Count down from 100 to 1
When you feel ready and comfortable, close your eyes and start counting down from 100 to 1. This might sound easy, but it is not. You need to stay focused and avoid getting too distracted.
If you lose count, you need to start from the beginning.
One round will be enough in the beginning, but ideally, you want to be able to manage three rounds without getting distracted.
Beginners might need 10 minutes to finish one round, while advanced individuals may need about 2 minutes or less. No judgment — just put in the regular work and keep doing this every day.
Even if you only do this exercise in bed before falling asleep, it will help train your mind significantly. This is one of the easiest and, at the same time, most effective ways to train an untrained mind.
Exercise 2: Alternate Nostril Breathing
Anuloma Viloma is a breathing exercise that helps calm your entire system. It’s known as alternate nostril breathing, a simple yoga practice. If you’re pregnant, skip the breath-holding part. You’ll need your right hand; use the thumb and other fingers like tongs to close and open nostrils.
For beginners, a 4–4–4 count works well, but you can try different intervals like 4–6–4, 4–8–4.
Start on the left side, inhale through the left nostril for a count of 4, hold for 4, close left nostril, open right, and exhale for 4.
Repeat on the other side.
End on the left side, and complete at least 4 rounds.
This pranayama helps improve sleep, balance energy, calm the mind, and enhance focus.
Both of these exercises have in common that you give your mind something to do. It has to focus. Your monkey mind has to have a break to complete these tasks.
When you make your monkey mind shut up, it will be such a different meditation experience.
Now you are ready to only focus on your breath. If thoughts come up, acknowledge them but let them go again. This is it! You are meditating.
Keep doing this every day. You are worth it! You deserve to get what you want, but only if you have a trained mind will you become so powerful that you can create your own reality.
Every human being has this power. It lies in all of us.
Take back control.
I’m with you, guiding your way.
Feel loved and hugged.
Namasté
Alina
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