Developing a Daily Meditation Practice
We don't meditate to get better at meditating, we meditate to get better at life.
"what exactly is meditation, and how do I begin?"
When people learn that I teach guided meditation, these are the two questions that I get the most often.
Meditation is whatever happens when you take the time to sit, to be, when you set the intention to meditate, that’s it! So it doesn’t matter if you feel anxious, or bored, or restless, or even if you’re having a really good or “easy” time with your sitting on a particular day – none of that matters, there’s no right or wrong way to do this practice or to feel during this practice, other than just to do it, to set the intention to sit.
Do, however, pay attention to how you feel after you practice because that is a far better indicator than how you felt during. I often have days where I’m anxious or having a hard time sitting, but after, despite the turbulence during, I feel calm, patient, clear. That’s the practice.
3 Tips to Developing a Daily Meditation Practice:
1. Start Small
I began my daily practice with one minute a day. That's it. Slowly, I added time, and eventually, I built a consistent daily practice of 15-30 minutes. On particularly busy mornings my practice may only be 5 minutes, but what matters most is the intention to sit, not keeping score of how long you did it for.
2. Have a Designated Time and Space
I meditate every morning, the first thing I do when I get out of bed. I like the morning because I find it grounds me to take on the day (and because I am a morning person) however many people prefer at night, before bed, as a way to quiet the mind before sleep. Either way, find a time that works for you a stick to it.
Along with your designated time, its helpful to designate a space in your home where you always go to meditate. It may be a small corner of your apartment where you keep a chair or cushion, or it could be an entire room dedicated to your practice. No matter how big or small, its helpful to have a go-to spot.
3. Seek Company
Especially in the beginning, it can be helpful to listen to a guided meditation and/or to enlist the guidance of a meditation app. I use the timer feature on the Insight Timer App for my own daily practice. Simple Habit and Headspace are two other effective apps that offer guided meditations.
Try my own five minute guided meditation:
Meditation Space Inspiration:
