How to Meditate for Beginners: A Simple Guide

The word "meditation" comes fr om the Latin *meditatio*, which translates as 'reflection.' It is commonly believed that the birthplace of internal practices is in the countries of the Ancient East. However, it cannot be said that meditation belongs to any specific culture or group of people.

Internal practices are a natural need for every person, regardless of faith and nationality. Once you figure out how and wh ere to start meditating, and begin your practice, you will soon realize this fr om your own experience.

Learning meditation is a slow and gradual process. And, as in any endeavor, the hardest part is taking the first step. This article compiles all the necessary information to prepare for this step.

To find out how to start practicing meditation regularly, you first need to learn the basic rules of practice. Following these guidelines ensures greater effectiveness in your sessions.

1. Organize a space for practice. This space should be comfortable and inviting enough to return to. The best option is a separate, quiet room or at least a quiet corner. The area should be kept clean and free of insects.

   Place a mat or cushion for meditation there, set up a table or bench for spiritual books. You may create an altar wh ere you can place inspiring images, candles, incense, etc.

   Organizing an appropriate space is one of the main rules that beginners should follow for home meditation. This will make your sessions more stable and regular.

2. Choose a suitable body position. In a meditative pose, your back should remain straight, and your body should be relaxed. The position must be comfortable; otherwise, meditation will turn into a test of patience and endurance. Therefore, to understand how to meditate correctly at home, explore postures.

   The meditative posture that suits you will depend on how relaxed your muscles are. It is recommended to sit on the floor with crossed legs. The best options are the Siddhasana (Siddha Yoga Pose). In these asanas, the descending energy flow "Apana Vayu" unfolds and moves towards the upper mental centers (chakras).

   This helps the mind become more focused and achieve higher stages of meditation.

   However, such poses are often too uncomfortable for beginners. If that is the case, sit in Half Lotus Pose or cross-legged. For home meditation, you can use makeshift items. Place cushions and rolled blankets under your hips and knees. If sitting cross-legged is difficult for you right now, practice in Vajrasana, which means sitting on your heels.

3. An important rule of meditation for beginners is regularity. A student must develop the habit of practicing every day. Initially, meditative sessions can be short, even lasting just a few minutes. It is important not to skip sessions. Gradually, both body and mind will adapt, allowing you to increase session lengths.

   There may be difficulties in practice. On some days the mind is calmer; on others, it is less so. It is essential to continue trying. A firm decision to meditate daily is where one should start their practice. If you allow yourself to "slip" in your practice, your mind will begin to lose its "shape." Regaining lost form is much harder than maintaining it.

4. During meditation, the practitioner should be relaxed yet alert. To understand how to meditate correctly, this aspect of practice must be considered.

   During each session, one should free their mind from worries about the outside world. The student must "turn" their attention inward. However, do not fall asleep or get caught up in thoughts. It is essential to develop alertness and carefully "listen" to your mind. Focus should remain on the object of meditation. In other words, maintain a balance between relaxation and mental activity.

5. Another key point in the beginner's meditation guide: do not fight against thoughts. Forcefully suppressing thoughts will make the mind too tense. When a thought arises, it is necessary to acknowledge its presence.

   At this point, it is crucial not to get involved in a chain of subsequent thoughts. Each time try to return your focus back to the object of meditation.

   The student must steadfastly go through various sensations and emotions: boredom, pain, anxiety, drowsiness, tranquility, etc. Only then can they approach their true "self."

6. You should not expect quick results. In fact, do not expect anything from practice at all. Expectation breeds anxiety and disappointment. Progress in practice stretches over years.

   Advice for beginners: meditate as if it does not matter whether practice brings any results at all.

   A meditative session does not always pass peacefully and joyfully. The mind is a complex and changeable phenomenon. However, it is important to remember that even the most painful experiences can become valuable sources of wisdom.

   Do not lose heart if you cannot quickly achieve good concentration. Even if there are many thoughts swirling around, practicing still moves you forward. Accept your temporary limitations. Keep practicing; results will surely come.

   If you want to learn how to meditate effectively, consider educational courses on meditation. Another effective tool is group retreats.

7. Meditating alone is not enough for achieving results. Many factors play a role here.

   The student's body must be healthy. If someone suffers from an illness, most of their energy concentrates in affected tissues. Focusing the mind on such a state is almost impossible. This is why it is essential to lead a healthy lifestyle. Follow a regime of work, rest, and physical activity. Nutrition should be light and healthy; vegetarianism or veganism is optimal.

   Additionally, one needs to prepare their ethical-moral foundation. A person must become a "righteous" individual. To reach such a state of consciousness, it is recommended to adhere to yogic principles —Yama and Niyama.

   To advance in practice requires an energy of gratitude; this is "capital" from good karma earned through virtuous deeds performed in this life or past lives. To earn new merits in this life requires eradicating selfishness and committing oneself to the path of service. Meditation should become part of this journey; it is essential to clearly define your purpose for practicing.

Before starting meditation practice, it is necessary to clearly define its goals. The outcome of sessions directly depends on motivating factors.

Why do people meditate?

• Secular non-religious people meditate for relaxation, stress relief, improved memory, and health. There is nothing wrong with this approach; however, if one focuses solely on achieving simple goals, they may not extract all possible benefits from their practice.
• The other category meditates for attracting material wealth: money, status, partners, etc. Such meditations are very popular and indeed yield some effect but there’s one problem: everything material inevitably decays; sooner or later there will come situations when there won’t be time for meditations at all. Selfish desires lead to losses and disappointments — this mechanism is described in Pushkin's tale “The Fisherman and His Wife.”
• The next category practices meditation seeking blissful nirvana (also known as samadhi), i.e., personal awakening. In Buddhist terms this motivation belongs more so with followers of Theravada Buddhism (the lesser vehicle). However, nirvana itself is only an intermediate phenomenon; as stated in one of the most authoritative Buddhist sutras — “Saddharma Pundarika Sutra.” After experiencing nirvana while depleting merit energy one's soul must reincarnate into the world again starting anew from “the bottom.” Is there any sense in striving for temporary bliss? That is up for you to decide.

• The highest goal of meditation isn’t simply about getting comfortable or feeling good all the time. The motivation of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhists differs: The practice aims at leading individuals towards enlightenment so that they can subsequently help liberate all living beings.This is the most expansive goal with far-reaching implications; other goals manifest along the way.

Meditation with such motivating factors opens one’s mind up to life’s complexities and joys allowing one to see them as they truly are; its fruits are boundless.

Moreover, from a karmic accumulation perspective, altruistic motivation proves safest.

You should start daily meditation with clear goal definitions; think carefully about your objectives before beginning practice.

A few simple tips for overcoming drowsiness:

• Ensure that you keep your back straight; do not tilt your head too far forward.
• Partially open your eyes while meditating, keeping your gaze directed at the floor.
• Another method: without lifting your head, direct your gaze upwards — this provides a toning effect.
• Turn on the lights in the room.
• Acknowledge drowsiness, using that feeling as an object of meditation.
• If you are still falling asleep, take a break, then return later for practice.

You can better understand how to learn meditation at home by exploring descriptions of meditative techniques.

Anapanasati (Breath Awareness) Hīnayāna

This practice involves observing the breath while managing states of mind; slow, conscious breathing calms the mind, facilitating deeper insight into its nature — Buddha taught that this practice leads towards enlightenment.

Trataka (Candle Gazing)

This method focuses on concentrating one’s gaze upon a candle flame while minimizing blinking; when eyes tire, they close while continuing visualization of the flame internally — once rested, open eyes again — this technique clears the mind, helping develop concentration skills.

Analytical Meditation

This type differs from concentration techniques; analytical meditation involves reflecting upon various phenomena & ideas such as impermanence, bodily sensations, the present moment, negative feelings, etc.; this practice aids understanding how the mind operates while tuning it towards favorable thought patterns.

Metta Meditation (Loving-kindness)

Meditation of loving-kindness. It is a technique for developing benevolence and friendliness towards all living beings, including enemies. Metta transforms the mind, making it more suitable for essence practices.

Japa meditation

This is the repetition of mantras. It is performed with or without a rosary, aloud, in a whisper, or mentally. Japa turns the mind away from the objects of the outer world and creates a benign mood. By repeating the mantras, the practitioner gradually takes on the qualities of the highly evolved entity to whom they are addressed.

Reference list:

1. Santhier Khadro. “How to Meditate.”
2. Khenchen Trangu Rinpoche. “Instructions on Meditation of the Middle Way”.
3. Yonge Mingyur Rinpoche. “The Buddha, the Brain, and the Neurophysiology of Happiness.”
4. Pema Chodron. “How to Meditate."
5. Video lecture “How to accumulate tapas” by Andrey Verba.