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How to Learn How to Meditate:
8 Stunning Meditation Tips for Beginners

Starting meditation practice has never been easier!
Follow the Habio tips and learn how to meditate with pleasure.

Learning how to meditate successfully is a lot like learning how to ride a bike. Though meditation is one of the best ways to reduce stress and anxiety in our lives, starting a consistent meditation practice can feel like a big challenge. In this article, we'll review the fundamental ideas, tips, and tricks you should keep in mind as you begin your meditation practice. Over time, consistently implementing these tips and committing to meditation will change your overall outlook on meditation and, hopefully, on life. Let's get started!

A man showing a woman how to learn how to meditate right

Benefits of meditation

How meditation influences physical health

By learning how to meditate properly, you can improve your physical health in several ways. Meditation benefits include improved breathing quality, an increased function of the nervous system, and better sleep. Even meditation techniques for beginners can provide these benefits when practiced regularly.

How meditation influences mental health

Meditation is known as a natural mood booster and stress reducer. Those who incorporate a daily meditation practice into their life often report higher levels of happiness and lower levels of stress, depression, and anger. Another commonly cited benefit of guided meditation is increased self-esteem and confidence.

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Types of meditation

Mindfulness meditation

This type of meditation focuses on slowing down and letting go of racing thoughts. Mindfulness meditation is practiced by noticing your body, your emotions, and your thoughts without judging them. Guided mindful meditation supports mind and body awareness that can bring powerful feelings of peace.

Body scan meditation

A body scan meditation is designed to help you release tension and anxiety from your body. It involves paying attention to individual parts of your body, from your scalp all the way down to your toes, or vice versa. By paying attention to each small area of your body with gradual and deliberate intention, you can relax muscles that are otherwise tight from stress, poor posture, and the wear and tear of everyday life.

Spiritual meditation

When people ask how to learn how to meditate, spiritual meditation is often not on their mind. However, this type of meditation can provide profound self-realization and growth. Spiritual meditation is all about opening up to a connection to something greater than yourself and isn't limited to any specific religion – or any religion at all, for that matter. This practice often requires that you start with an open mind and a willingness to gain a deeper understanding of yourself as well as your spiritual connection.

Focused meditation

Focused meditation, in contrast with many other types of meditation, allows you to fix your mind on a specific focal point. It can be an object, sound, or sensation that keeps you grounded. A guided focused mediation practice may be recommended as a grounding technique by health care professionals for those who suffer from anxiety, panic attacks, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Movement meditation

Another lesser-known but still powerful meditation technique is movement meditation. This type of meditation focuses on the movement of your body in a slow, deliberate fashion. In this meditation technique, you'll naturally find yourself relaxing and your thoughts slowing as you notice muscles, joints, and reflexes that you normally take for granted.

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Mantra meditation

Mantra meditation is one of the first that many try when they want to learn how to meditate. A mantra is a phrase, word, or syllable repeated throughout your meditation. It can be spoken, murmured, or a silent thought that you use to guide your intention and clear your mind of thoughts.

8 Tips to Learn How to Meditate Right

1. Find your meditation mentor

A meditation mentor is someone who can help guide you on your path, providing knowledge, resources, and support as you begin your meditation practice. Whether this is someone in your intimate life or a world-famous mentor who has built a platform to teach meditation worldwide, a mentor can help you when the frustration of starting a meditation practice begins to wear on you.

2. Listen to meditation podcasts

There are a variety of meditation podcasts that you can try to give you a taste of guided meditation. At the beginning of your practice, it may be useful to try a new podcast for each meditation session until you find one that's right for you. Don't be afraid to experiment with different types of meditations or different lengths of podcasts.

3. Enhance your place for meditation

The ideal place to meditate is private and quiet. It's a place where you feel comfortable letting go of your worries and focusing on your inner mind and body. You can sit in a chair or on the floor, but make sure your immediate area is free from distractions. Unless you're using it for a guided meditation, leave your phone in another room!

A woman watching video on her laptop on how to learn how to meditate right

4. Choose a time for meditation

Whether you choose to begin your meditation practice in the morning or at night, make an unbreakable appointment with yourself. While even one meditation session can provide benefits, one of the hardest parts of figuring out how to learn how to meditate is building a consistent practice. As you begin to meditate daily, you will find yourself growing more comfortable and being able to sit through longer meditations than before.

5. Dress comfortably

It's difficult to focus on learning how to meditate properly when your clothing is uncomfortable. Loose-fitting clothing works best for meditating. You'll want to wear clothing that you're comfortable in and that won't distract you, like workout clothes or even your pajamas.

6. Start with five minutes of meditation

Even five minutes of guided meditation can provide you with a clear head and some of the anxiety-reducing meditation benefits. Often, you'll find that you want to keep meditating even after your five-minute period ends.

Even if you don't want to continue after five minutes, starting a daily practice is the most important part of how we learn how to meditate. Consistency is key in order to see all the benefits of meditation!

7. Breathe deeply

When you want to learn how to meditate, one of the most important things to practice is deliberate and deep breathing. Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth is a common tactic used in guided meditations to help you focus more on your breath and less on the thoughts in your head.

8. Choose your favorite mantra

If you are practicing mantra meditation or simply find yourself struggling with wandering thoughts during your meditation, a mantra can help you find focus. Having a favorite mantra that you can easily remember and use to set your intention if meditating becomes difficult can be the difference between keeping your daily practice and getting frustrated and abandoning it.

9. Let your mind wander

Nearly everyone's mind will wander during meditation, even if they've been practicing for years. When you notice your thoughts beginning to drift, gently acknowledge this and bring your focus back to your meditation. How you do this will vary depending on what type of meditation you're learning, but refocusing on your breath, mantra, or movement is the most common way.

Summary

There is no right way or wrong way to meditate. Every person will have their own personal meditation practice with their own goals. One of the most important things to remember when learning how to meditate is that it isn't a competition; meditation is a journey.

The longer you continue to practice meditation, the more comfortable you'll become spending time with yourself. With time, meditation will begin to take a central role in your day, helping you motivate, unwind, and find peace within yourself.