Learn to relax your body and quieten your mind with meditation

Social media might have us believe that to meditate you must be sitting on a beach with the sunsetting on the horizon to create the perfect conditions, but the truth is much simpler. As a beginner, find a quiet place with few or no distractions including switching off your mobile phone, laptop, tv, or radio. Let other people in the house know you are meditating, so they can avoid the vacuuming or using the blender while you are meditating. If your pet is a distraction, put them in another room, otherwise they can sit quietly with you.

Create a comfortable base to sit on. Whether you are sitting in a chair, or a cushion on the floor, find from your hips to your shoulders and your ears, so the spine lengthens and the head lifts away from the hips but the shoulders relax down towards them.  If you are lying down, feel the support of the bed or floor aligning head, shoulders and hips. Find a balance between lengthening your spine so the front of your upper body is open and your shoulders, neck & back are relaxed.  This may feel unnatural to start, but it will get easier.

We have all heard the phrase “just take a deep breath” when we feel stressed, however this tends to over-emphasise the inhale and taking a breath into the chest.  Instead, exhale, lingering for just a second longer after your exhale is finished.  Observe the  inhale as you direct it to the bottom of the ribs and allow the abdomen to expand as the breath comes into the body.  As you empty the lungs of the breath, connect with the feeling of releasing, emptying and letting go. This can be extended to letting go of tensions as well as distracting thoughts.  Continue this process, allowing the breath to be relaxed, not forced or strain

Whilst meditation isn’t focus or concentration, we need to focus to recondition the mind.  The focus of your attention will vary depending on which technique you choose, but the process is the same. Return to that point of focus, be it your breath; the mantra; the place in your body; or the teacher’s voice and where they are drawing your attention to. Repeat.  Each time the mind gets distracted, simply come back, again and again. This is meditation.

As you sit and meditate, notice thoughts that arise in response to the process.  Some people find themselves feeling bored or restless, whilst others critique their process with thoughts like “am I doing this right?”, “This is hard!”,  "I’m not good at this”, or “I’ve got better things to do”.  This is all very natural and part of the meditation learning process.  Notice those thoughts, but let them fall into the background by not giving them your full attention. Keep coming back to the point of focus. Let go judgement, criticism and expectations, this just adds to your stress.  Allow your meditation to be what it is.