How To Meditate As A Beginner

We have greatly surpassed decades of considering meditation as taboo (thankfully!) and I see more and more new-age people inclining towards the practice. The motivation could be either to connect deeply to the source (your own higher self) or perhaps simply to relax. It doesn’t matter where you are coming from, all it matters is that you are here answering the call – how to meditate?

As a beginner, meditation can seem a bit more complicated and intimidating than it really is. However, just like any other practice, meditation just requires two things – patience and willingness.

Most often, we wait for the right circumstances (the right time, the right teacher, the right course etc.) before we embark on a new journey. I won’t blame you for thinking so. Your mind understands that this can prove to be a pivotal shift in your journey and hence wants it to be perfect. But what it doesn’t understand is that this journey doesn’t ask you to be perfect – it only asks you to be present. NOW.

Here are five simple ways by which you can start your meditation practice right now without waiting for anything in your external to shift.

You are being called, you have answered, and here’s your key to kickstart now.

Before you start with any of the following methods, make sure you are seated in a comfortable, peaceful environment. This is your sacred time with yourself so make sure your notifications are off and you wouldn’t be disturbed for the next 15-20 minutes or so. The time is no bar. You can begin with 5 minutes and move on to 15, 20, 30 minutes and so on as you strengthen your practice every day. Although sitting in a lotus position on a mat is the most ideal since you would be in direct contact with the earth, it’s okay if you prefer a chair too. It’s all about your comfort! Also, make sure you have a glass of water around – just in case.

Let’s begin!

Breathing Meditation

This is the most basic and powerful form of meditation. Meditating on something means focussing on something. In breathing meditation, you focus on your breath. Our breath is the most vital force of energy. Breath signifies life. Focussing on the breath will lead you to honour the present moment. Your breath is what IS. Here’s how you can do it:

a. Inhale for 0.5 seconds
b. Hold your breath for next 0.5 seconds
c. Exhale your breath for 0.5 seconds
d. Hold for next 0.5 sec

Continue this cycle of breath for five minutes if this your first time. You can make it longer after some days of practice. A timer is ideal to keep a tab. It’s normal to have shallow breaths in the beginning but as you move from one cycle to another you will notice your breaths getting deeper and deeper.

Guided Meditation

Guided meditation requires you to follow a guide throughout your meditation. All you need to do is to sit on your mat (or lie down if it’s a sleeping meditation), plug in your earphones and follow the voice trusting that you will be led. There are tons of free guided meditation videos and audios available online these days. You can check out Spotify, Soundcloud and Youtube before you sit down for your meditation. Few channels that I can recommend are Hay House Meditation, Jason Stephenson – Sleep Meditation Music, Meditations by Rasa, Madeline Rinehart, and Michael Sealey. 

Alternatively, you can look up for spiritual teachers who have their guided meditations uploaded online like Louise Hay,  Alan Watts, Deepak Chopra, Gabrielle Bernstein, Sadhguru and Ravi Shankar.

If you are an app junkie and prefers it this way, you can download apps like Headspace, Ananda, Calm and the Mindfulness App.

It doesn’t matter which medium or which teacher you choose as long as it feels aligned to you. Keep the intention of your guided meditation to uplift you and empower you. If it feels right, go for it. If it doesn’t, know that you are protected and you can choose something else.

Visualization Meditation

A visualization meditation can be guided or be done by your own self. Before you sit down for meditation, keep an intention to be led to whatever it is that you need to know. A visualization meditation requires you to surrender completely to your subconscious mind and allow visuals and images to take you somewhere. Due to a story building up, this meditation requires you to have some time on the side so that you can allow your subconscious mind and inner guide to lead you towards answers which perhaps you are seeking. This is a lot like dreaming but only that you are consciously aware while you do it. Make sure when you end the meditation, you have a journal on your side and write down in details what all did you see.

Here is a healing meditation I curated a while back to help you heal yourself + this planet. Listen here. 

Music Meditation

Just the way you focus on your breath in your breathing meditation, in music meditation, you are focussing on the music you are listening to. These are specifically tuned to different frequencies and vibrations so that as you hear them, your vibration rises to match these frequencies. Most of these are longer than 30 minutes, so try using these when going to sleep. Some of the channels I can recommend are: Lovemotives Meditation Music, Taos Winds Spirit Music and Meditative Mind. 

Here’s a playlist with binaural beats and healing frequency music. 

Chanting Meditation

In this meditation, you are focussing on your words. These words are made up of a combination of high vibration frequency because of which chanting to them elevates you and takes you on a deep meditative state. You can chant to Om, So Hum, Hare Krishna Hare Rama, Om Namah Shivay, Satnam, Aad Gure Namah or even some positive affirmations by focussing on the words and synchronising the same with your breath. Again, if you are trying to do this without external audio, prefer to put a timer of 15 minutes so that you don’t lose track. If you prefer to chant with chanting music, I highly recommend Krishna Das Music channel and Meditative Mind on Youtube or Spotify.

So this is all I have for you. Bookmark it, save it, screenshot it! This is your complete guide to starting meditation- right now. I cannot urge you more to listen to this calling as meditation will not just heal you but will awaken you. And in the new Aquarius age, we indeed need more and more souls who are awakened and connected to their higher selves and purpose.

Let me know in the comments below if this helped you in knowing “how to meditate”. If you are motivated and inspired today, share this blog post with your friends and tag me!

Further, I invite you to take this conversation forward by posting on my group on Facebook Group The Barrfi SoulFam,  wherein you can share more about your meditation journey with fellow beautiful souls.