How to Meditate (Part 1), a How-to Guide (for Beginners)

When we look at meditation, it's important to consider why someone would want to meditate for reasons not just connected with stress reduction, the most obvious benefit of meditation. 

According to the Buddha, even when practiced by non-Buddhists and those ignorant of Eastern wisdom, meditation leads to enlightenment. When done consistently and fervently, it will stop right in their tracks defilements of all kinds. It uncovers wisdom and brings about mastery of the emotions, and indeed, all factors of life. It breeds wisdom, compassion, and awareness. It makes you a better human being. 

This guide covers a simple form of Vipassana (insight) meditation called Anapanasati, or breath awareness. It is a foundational practice that helps you build concentration before moving on to deeper techniques.

Getting started:

1. Find a quiet spot:

Choose a place where you won't be interrupted. It could be a corner of a room, a chair, or a quiet spot outside. It should be comfortable, but not so comfortable that you drift off to sleep. If you can't find a quiet place, play some ambient "white noise" to drown out any residual distractions. We are not looking for perfection here, just remote freedom from bothersome noises. 

2. Sit in a relaxed, alert posture:

Sit in a comfortable position, either on a cushion on the floor with your legs crossed or in a chair with your feet flat. Keep your back straight but not stiff. Recline if you must, and stretch out if your legs aren't flexible enough to be crossed. There is no magic position here. Look for pressure points and don't sit in such a way as to aggravate them. You don't want to be so relaxed that you fall asleep, but you don't want to be so tense that you're uncomfortable and have to keep readjusting. That said, if you do have to readjust, don't worry about it. 

3. Close your eyes and breathe naturally:

Close your eyes gently and take a few breaths to settle your body and mind. Then, let your breathing become natural. Do not try to control it by making it deep or shallow or fast or slow—simply let it be. It's worth stating that you should not force your eyes closed or open. Don't let the muscles in your brow or face tighten up--a classic amateur meditator mistake. Having eyes downcast during meditation is also a great option. 

Let me stop here and emphasize that you should have a good awareness of your posture as you enter meditation. Be comfortable and begin to look for any stress-points that still remain, which you may have overlooked in the body. 

4. Focus on the sensation of your breath:

Now that you are ready to begin, bring your attention to the feeling of the breath as it enters and leaves your body, particularly your nostrils and abdomen. For beginners, it can be easiest to focus on the area around your nostrils or the rising and falling of your abdomen. Notice the sensation of air touching the skin just below your nostrils. Feel the air as it enters, the space between breaths, and the air as it exits.
Consider placing one or both hands on your belly. Feel it rise with each inhalation and fall with each exhalation.

It is especially important now that you do not try to control the breath or do anything except monitor it. Watch as the breath becomes comfortable. Find its rhythm and allow it to take on a life of its own. You become an observer of what is beyond you, of what rises and falls, of what is temporary, unsatisfying, and not self (all three of what Buddha called the characteristics of existence). Repeatedly, bring your attention back to the breath as it tries to wander away (see next point). 

5. Notice when your mind wanders:

It is completely normal for your mind to wander—this isn't a failure at all. A stray thought, a random memory, an assignment at work, a health concern, lyrics of a new song or sound will inevitably pull your attention away from the breath. Pretend you are watching a large fish tank as schools of fish of different colors swim by. This fish is yellow, this fish is light blue; others are red and silver and gold, and on and on it goes. You will soon begin to see all of your thoughts in the wandering mind as passing schools of fish as described. Some thoughts are of anger, unpleasant past memories, regrets, wonders of what would have happened had you done x instead of y. 

The untrained mind is like a feisty golden retriever, jumping up on guests as they come inside a house. It will dart off quickly to this and to that. Just watch. Do not judge and do not suppress. You will begin to see that you are not your thoughts. These prickly little invaders of the mind are not you. They are the manifestations of the karma you have generated up to now. This is how meditation conveys insight and wisdom--you learn - and then reinforce - that you are where you are because of the actions (karma) you've taken, and that by seeing them as not you now, you can take your life in a whole different direction. 

If you run into errors of the past, deep and painful regrets that bring tears or sadness, keep going. Do not judge yourself. And do not follow the thoughts. Your looking past the thoughts is what will grant you the wisdom to surpass any turmoil of the mind. 

6. Gently return to your breath...again and again:

The key is to gently and calmly bring your attention back to your breath without any judgment. Notice that your mind wandered, and then refocus on the physical sensation of breathing. Your mind is like a wayward special needs child, watched over by an enduringly patient caregiver that brings the child back to the play area again and again and spoons the food to their mouth again and again. 

Noting: A thought about your plans for the day pops up or what you want to eat later. Simply say to yourself, "thinking," or "hungering," or "craving" and calmly bring your attention back to your breath. You don't have to say these words when noting, just recognize that you acknowledge the point. Some people have a monologue internally where they "talk" as they speak in their heads. Some people do not. Note and move on. Nothing to see here. 

7. End your session mindfully: 

When you are ready to stop, slowly open your eyes and take a moment to notice how you feel. Acknowledge your practice, even if it was challenging, and appreciate the effort you put in. The time you spent in meditation (however short) is time that you learned to willingly occupy yourself in something outside of the five senses. Instead of seeking out food or sex or alcohol, you chose something that is above the lowly six sense bases. You have taken your first toward spirituality, toward awakening!

Additional Tips: Start small: Begin with short sessions, such as 5 to 10 minutes, and gradually increase the duration as you get more comfortable. Aim for one hour per day as you become more advanced. 

Be patient: Learning to focus your mind takes time. Some days will be easy, and others will feel like a struggle. That is normal, so be kind and patient with yourself.
Consistency is key: Aim to practice at a similar time each day to build a habit. Even a few minutes of practice is valuable. A serious meditator will make meditation a major activity in their life. Things will get much better and easier (and even euphoric) as time goes on. 

In part two, we will talk about what will happen as you advance in your practice. This is where the real pleasure begins!