{"id":39042,"date":"2022-11-14T09:43:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-14T09:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/?p=39042"},"modified":"2026-04-01T03:54:41","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T03:54:41","slug":"how-to-meditate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/how-to-meditate\/","title":"How to Meditate","content":{"rendered":"<body><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\nvar gform;gform||(document.addEventListener(\"gform_main_scripts_loaded\",function(){gform.scriptsLoaded=!0}),document.addEventListener(\"gform\/theme\/scripts_loaded\",function(){gform.themeScriptsLoaded=!0}),window.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){gform.domLoaded=!0}),gform={domLoaded:!1,scriptsLoaded:!1,themeScriptsLoaded:!1,isFormEditor:()=>\"function\"==typeof InitializeEditor,callIfLoaded:function(o){return!(!gform.domLoaded||!gform.scriptsLoaded||!gform.themeScriptsLoaded&&!gform.isFormEditor()||(gform.isFormEditor()&&console.warn(\"The use of 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style=\"flex-basis: 20%;\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a style=\"border-color: ;\" href=\"#how\">How to Meditate<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li style=\"flex-basis: 20%;\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a style=\"border-color: ;\" href=\"#basics\">Basic Meditations<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li style=\"flex-basis: 20%;\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a style=\"border-color: ;\" href=\"#beyond\">Beyond the Beginning<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n \n\n\n\n<p><br>Explore our Mindful Meditation Guide, featuring various styles, benefits, and free audio practices to enrich your daily life through meditation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kickstart your journey with our free 5-day Meditation for Beginners guide, delivering essential insights and guided practices directly to your inbox. Enter your email to get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-summary\">Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>What is Meditation?<br><\/strong>A practice that involves focusing your attention (often via the breath) to cultivate mindfulness, calm, and clarity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Benefits<\/strong> <strong>of Meditation<\/strong>: Reduces stress, improves focus, boosts emotional health, deepens self-awareness, enhances sleep quality, strengthens immunity, and builds mental resilience.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>New to meditation? Start with a free guided practice in the Mindful app.<\/strong> Short sessions, beginner-friendly, no experience needed.<strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/shop.mindful.org\/products\/annual-subscription?abtr=true&amp;view=subscribe\">Download the free app<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>How to Meditate for Beginners:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sit in a quiet, comfortable place.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Set a short time limit if you\u2019re a beginner (e.g., 5\u201310 minutes).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Focus on your breath and notice bodily sensations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gently return your focus to your breath when distractions occur.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>End with a moment of kindness and self-reflection.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Building a Habit:<\/strong> Use reminders and intentional cues to shift from automatic routines to mindful, deliberate actions.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Try it now:<\/strong> Follow a 5-minute guided version of this practice in the free Mindful app.<br>Press play and meditate along. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.mindful.org\/products\/annual-subscription?abtr=true&amp;view=subscribe\">Start your free session<\/a><\/strong><br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"what\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"td-align-container\"><div class=\"container\"><div class=\"mindful-block-tenxhr alignfull\"><div class=\"tenxhr-wrapper has-mindful-blue-background\">\n  <div class=\"tenx-page-divider\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"663\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/what-is-meditation-e1619731871568-1024x663.png\" alt=\"What is mindfulness meditation?\" class=\"wp-image-41243\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/what-is-meditation-e1619731871568-1024x663.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/what-is-meditation-e1619731871568-300x194.png 300w, https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/what-is-meditation-e1619731871568-768x497.png 768w, https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/what-is-meditation-e1619731871568-1536x994.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/what-is-meditation-e1619731871568-2048x1325.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-meditation\">What is Meditation?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-brief-explanation-of-meditation-practice\">A brief explanation of meditation practice.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Meditation is a practice that involves focusing the mind to achieve a state of calm and clarity. When we explore the <strong>meaning of meditation<\/strong>, we understand it as a method to cultivate mindfulness and awareness. To <strong>define meditation<\/strong> more precisely, it is a technique that trains the mind to concentrate and redirect thoughts, often towards the breath, which serves as an anchor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How do you learn to meditate? In mindfulness meditation, we&#8217;re learning how to pay attention to the breath as it goes in and out, and notice when the mind wanders from this task. This practice of returning to the breath builds the muscles of attention and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/what-is-mindfulness\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mindfulness<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When we pay attention to our breath, we are learning how to return to, and remain in, the present moment\u2014to anchor ourselves in the here and now on purpose, without judgement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The idea behind mindfulness seems simple\u2014the practice<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/the-benefits-of-being-a-patient-person\/\"> takes patience<\/a>. Indeed, renowned meditation teacher <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/author\/sharon-salzberg\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sharon Salzberg<\/a> recounts that her first experience with meditation showed her how quickly the mind gets caught up in other tasks. &#8220;I thought, okay, what will it be, like, 800 breaths before my mind starts to wander? And to my absolute amazement, it was one breath, and I&#8217;d be gone,&#8221; says Salzberg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-stackable-image stk-block-image stk-block stk-eaa5566 internal_ad_1\" data-block-id=\"eaa5566\" style=\"display:none\"><figure><a class=\"stk-link\" href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/mailchimp-series\" title=\"Be the first to know\"><span class=\"stk-img-wrapper stk-image--shape-stretch\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"stk-img wp-image-634959\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/HowtoMeditate-EmailSeries-5-1024x512.png\" width=\"100%\" height=\"auto\" alt=\"Meditation for beginners free email series\"><\/span><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"display:none\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/mindful\/sfbcf98skw?_ga=2.161084286.211542385.1610370681-31860911.1604412855&amp;_gac=1.254905978.1610383648.CjwKCAiAi_D_BRApEiwASslbJydqr_NF81vXrcOQDPQDQEfAg51PaM4Zwe-7afejM97fjeIsTR98URoCoEUQAvD_BwE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/HowtoMeditate-EmailSeries-5-1024x512.png\" alt=\"Meditation for beginners free email series\" class=\"wp-image-45774\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/HowtoMeditate-EmailSeries-5-1024x512.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/HowtoMeditate-EmailSeries-5-300x150.png 300w, https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/HowtoMeditate-EmailSeries-5-768x384.png 768w, https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/HowtoMeditate-EmailSeries-5.png 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div data-getsitecontrol-inline=\"410478\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"why\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"td-align-container\"><div class=\"container\"><div class=\"mindful-block-tenxhr alignfull\"><div class=\"tenxhr-wrapper has-mindful-pink-background\">\n  <div class=\"tenx-page-divider\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/why-learn-to-meditate-e1619731924318-1024x799.png\" alt=\"Why learn how to meditate?\" class=\"wp-image-41246\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-learn-how-to-meditate\">Why Learn How to Meditate?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-selection-of-benefits-that-are-associated-with-learning-how-to-meditate\">A selection of benefits that are associated with learning how to meditate.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>While meditation isn\u2019t a cure-all, it can certainly provide some much-needed space in your life. Sometimes, that\u2019s all we need to make better choices for ourselves, our families, and our communities. And the most important tools you can bring with you to your meditation practice are a little patience, some kindness for yourself, and a comfortable place to sit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When we meditate, we inject far-reaching and long-lasting benefits into our lives. And bonus: you don&#8217;t need any extra gear or an expensive membership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-here-are-10-reasons-to-meditate\">Here are 10 reasons to meditate:<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Understanding Your Pain<\/strong> : Meditation helps you become more aware of your physical and emotional pain, allowing you to address it with greater clarity and compassion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lower Your Stress<\/strong> : Regular meditation practice can significantly reduce stress levels, helping you feel calmer and more relaxed in daily life.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Connect Better<\/strong> : By enhancing mindfulness and empathy, meditation improves your relationships and communication with others, fostering deeper connections.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Improve Focus<\/strong> : Meditation trains your mind to concentrate better, enhancing your ability to stay focused and productive.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reduce Brain Chatter<\/strong> : Quiet the constant noise and mental clutter with meditation, leading to a clearer, more peaceful mind.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Enhance Emotional Health<\/strong>: Meditation can help improve your mood and outlook on life by fostering a more positive and balanced mindset.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Increase Self-Awareness<\/strong>: Through meditation, you gain deeper insight into your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, which can lead to greater self-understanding and personal growth.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Promote Better Sleep<\/strong>: Meditation can relax the mind and body, making it easier to fall asleep and improve the quality of your sleep.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Boost Immunity<\/strong>: Regular meditation practice can strengthen your immune system, helping your body resist illness and recover more quickly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Support Mental Resilience<\/strong>: Meditation helps build mental resilience, allowing you to better cope with challenges and setbacks in life.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Build a daily meditation habit with reminders, guided sessions, and beginner pathways. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.mindful.org\/products\/annual-subscription?abtr=true&amp;view=subscribe\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/shop.mindful.org\/products\/annual-subscription?abtr=true&amp;view=subscribe\">Get the free Mindful app<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"how\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"td-align-container\"><div class=\"container\"><div class=\"mindful-block-tenxhr alignfull\"><div class=\"tenxhr-wrapper has-kelly-green-background\">\n  <div class=\"tenx-page-divider\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/how-to-meditate-1024x730.png\" alt=\"How to meditate\" class=\"wp-image-41245\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-meditate\">How to Meditate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-meditation-is-something-everyone-can-do-here-s-how\">Meditation is something everyone can do, here&#8217;s how.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Meditation is simpler (and harder) than most people think. Read these steps, make sure you\u2019re somewhere where you can relax into this process, set a timer, and give it a shot:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-take-a-seat\"><strong>1) Take a seat<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Find place to sit that feels calm and quiet to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-set-a-time-limit\"><strong>2) Set a time limit<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re just beginning, it can help to choose a short time, such as five or 10 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-notice-your-body\"><strong>3) Notice your body<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You can sit in a chair with your feet on the floor, you can sit loosely cross-legged, you can kneel\u2014all are fine. Just make sure you are stable and in a position you can stay in for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-feel-your-breath\"><strong>4) Feel your breath<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Follow the sensation of your breath as it goes in and as it goes out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-notice-when-your-mind-has-wandered\"><strong>5) Notice when your mind has wandered<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Inevitably, your attention will leave the breath and wander to other places. When you get around to noticing that your mind has wandered\u2014in a few seconds, a minute, five minutes\u2014simply return your attention to the breath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-6-be-kind-to-your-wandering-mind\"><strong>6) Be kind to your wandering mind<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t judge yourself or obsess over the thoughts&#8217; content you find yourself lost in. Just come back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-7-close-with-kindness\"><strong>7) Close with kindness<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you\u2019re ready, gently lift your gaze&nbsp;(if your eyes are closed, open them). Take a moment and notice any sounds in the environment. Notice how your body feels right now. Notice your thoughts and emotions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>That\u2019s it! That\u2019s the practice<\/strong>. You focus your attention, your mind wanders, you bring it back, and you try to do it as kindly as possible (as many times as you need to).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Watch This Video to Learn How to Meditate<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Prefer audio? Explore hundreds of guided meditations in the free Mindful app. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.mindful.org\/products\/annual-subscription?abtr=true&amp;view=subscribe\">Listen in the app<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;aspect-ratio:16\/9\" src=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1Z-Q01QEpJ_otmD2AHQ5nSuvTbndKle2Z\/preview\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" allow=\"autoplay\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-much-should-i-meditate\">How Much Should I Meditate?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Meditation is no more complicated than what we&#8217;ve described above. It is that simple &#8230; and that challenging. It&#8217;s also powerful and worth it. The key is to commit to sit every day, even if it&#8217;s for five minutes. Meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg says: &#8220;One of my meditation teachers said that the most important moment in your meditation practice is the moment you sit down to do it. Because right then you&#8217;re saying to yourself that you believe in change, you believe in caring for yourself, and you&#8217;re making it real. You&#8217;re not just holding some value like mindfulness or compassion in the abstract, but really making it real.&#8221;<br><br>Recent research from neuroscientist Amishi Jha discovered that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/find-your-focus-own-your-attention-in-12-minutes-a-day\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">12 minutes of meditation, 5 days a week <\/a>can protect and strengthen your ability to pay attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-meditation-tips-and-techniques\">Meditation Tips and Techniques<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;ve gone over the basic breath meditation so far, but there are other mindfulness techniques that use different focal points than the breath to anchor our attention\u2014external objects like a sound in the room, or something broader, such as noticing spontaneous things that come into your awareness during an <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"aimless wandering practice (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/aimless-wandering-mindfulness-practice-video\/\" target=\"_blank\">aimless wandering practice<\/a>. But all of these practices have one thing in common: We notice that our minds ARE running the show a lot of the time. It\u2019s true. We think thoughts, typically, and then we act. But here are some helpful strategies to change that up:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-make-mindfulness-a-habit\">How to Make Mindfulness a Habit<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s estimated that 95% of our behavior runs on autopilot. That\u2019s because neural networks underlie all of our habits, reducing our millions of sensory inputs per second into manageable shortcuts so we can function in this crazy world. These default brain signals are so efficient that they often cause us to relapse into old behaviors before we remember what we meant to do instead.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mindfulness is the exact opposite of these default processes. It\u2019s executive control rather than autopilot, and enables intentional actions, willpower, and decisions. But that takes&nbsp;<em>practice<\/em>. The more we activate the intentional brain, the stronger it gets. Every time we do something deliberate and new, we stimulate neuroplasticity, activating our grey matter, which is full of newly sprouted neurons that have not yet been groomed for \u201cautopilot\u201d brain.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But here\u2019s the problem. While our intentional brain knows what is best for us, our autopilot brain causes us to shortcut our way through life. So how can we trigger ourselves to be mindful when we need it most? This is where the notion of \u201cbehavior design\u201d comes in. It\u2019s a way to put your intentional brain in the driver\u2019s seat. There are two ways to do that\u2014first, slowing down the autopilot brain by putting obstacles in its way, and second, removing obstacles in the path of the intentional brain, so it can gain control.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Shifting the balance to give your intentional brain more power takes some work, though. Here are some ways to get started.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Put meditation reminders around you.<\/strong>&nbsp;If you intend to do some yoga or to meditate, put your yoga mat or your meditation cushion in the middle of your floor so you can\u2019t miss it as you walk by.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Refresh your reminders regularly.<\/strong>&nbsp;Say you decide to use sticky notes to remind yourself of a new intention. That might work for about a week, but then your autopilot brain and old habits take over again. Try writing new notes to yourself; add variety or make them funny. That way they\u2019ll stick with you longer.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Create new patterns.<\/strong> You could try a series of \u201cIf this, then that\u201d messages to create easy reminders to shift into the intentional brain. For instance, you might come up with, \u201cIf office door, then deep breath,\u201d as a way to shift into mindfulness as you are about to start your workday. Or, \u201cIf phone rings, take a breath before answering.\u201d Each intentional action to shift into mindfulness will strengthen your intentional brain.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"basics\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"td-align-container\"><div class=\"container\"><div class=\"mindful-block-tenxhr alignfull\"><div class=\"tenxhr-wrapper has-ultramarine-blue-background\">\n  <div class=\"tenx-page-divider\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/some-basic-meditations-1024x692.png\" alt=\"How to meditate\u2014some basic meditations\" class=\"wp-image-37591\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-some-basic-meditations\">Some Basic Meditations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-these-are-some-meditation-practices-to-get-you-going\">These are some meditation practices to get you going.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-basic-meditation-for-beginners\">A Basic Meditation for Beginners<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The first thing to clarify: What we\u2019re doing here is aiming for mindfulness, not some process that magically wipes your mind clear from the countless and endless thoughts that erupt and ping constantly in our brains. We&#8217;re just practicing bringing our attention to our breath, and then back to the breath when we notice our attention has wandered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Get comfortable<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>and prepare to sit still for a few minutes.&nbsp;<\/strong>After you stop reading this, you\u2019re going to simply focus on your own natural inhaling and exhaling of breath.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Focus on your breath.&nbsp;<\/strong>Where do you feel your breath most? In your belly? In your nose? Try to keep your attention on your inhale and exhale. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Follow your breath for two minutes<\/strong>. Take a deep inhale, expanding your belly, and then exhale slowly, elongating the out-breath as your belly contracts. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Welcome back. What happened? How long was it before your mind wandered away from your breath? Did notice how busy your mind was even without your consciously directing it to think about anything in particular? Did you notice yourself getting caught up in thoughts before you came back to reading this? We often have little narratives running in our minds that we didn&#8217;t choose to put there, like: \u201cWhy DOES my boss want to meet with me tomorrow?\u201d \u201cI should have gone to the gym yesterday.\u201d \u201cI\u2019ve got to pay some bills\u201d or (the classic) \u201cI don\u2019t have time to sit still, I\u2019ve got stuff to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you experienced these sorts of distractions (and we all do), you\u2019ve made an important discovery: simply put, that\u2019s the opposite of mindfulness. It\u2019s when we live in our heads, on automatic pilot, letting our thoughts go here and there, exploring, say, the future or the past, and essentially, not being present in the moment. But that\u2019s where most of us live most of the time\u2014and pretty uncomfortably, if we\u2019re being honest, right? But it doesn\u2019t have to be that way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We \u201cpractice\u201d mindfulness so we can learn how to recognize when our minds are doing their normal everyday acrobatics, and maybe take a pause from that for just a little while so we can choose what we&#8217;d like to focus on. In a nutshell, meditation helps us have a much healthier relationship with ourselves (and, by extension, with others).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-guided-meditations-for-beginners\">3 Guided Meditations for Beginners<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Guided meditations are an excellent tool for beginners, as they provide a focal point and gentle instruction to help you connect and let go of self-judgment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Try this 3-part guided audio series from Mindful Editor-in-Chief Barry Boyce:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How long would you like to meditate? Sometimes we only have time for a quick check-in, sometimes we can dip in a little longer. Meditating every day helps build awareness, fosters resilience, and lower stress. Try to make meditation a habit by practicing with these short meditations from our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/author\/barry-boyce\/\">founding editor Barry Boyce<\/a>. Find time to site once a day for one month and see what you notice.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"layout- align\"><article class=\"podcast js-podcast-player podcast--wrap\">\n\t<button class=\"podcast__playpause js-podcast-playpause\">&nbsp;<\/button>\n\n\t<div class=\"podcast__content\">\n\t\t<h3 class=\"podcast__heading\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t1-Minute Meditation\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"podcast__seekwrap\">\n\t\t\t<input type=\"range\" class=\"podcast__seek js-podcast-seek\" value=\"0\" max=\"156\">\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<ul class=\"podcast__meta\">\n\t\t\t<li class=\"podcast__duration js-podcast-duration\">2:36<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"podcast__excerpt\">\n\t\t\t<p>A short practice for settling the mind, intended for doing in the middle of the day, wherever you are out in the world. <\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<audio preload=\"none\" class=\"js-podcast-audio\">\n\t\t\t<source src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/mindfulorg\/boyce-two-mins.mp3\">\n\t\t<\/audio>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"layout- align\"><article class=\"podcast js-podcast-player podcast--wrap\">\n\t<button class=\"podcast__playpause js-podcast-playpause\">&nbsp;<\/button>\n\n\t<div class=\"podcast__content\">\n\t\t<h3 class=\"podcast__heading\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t10-Minute Meditation\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"podcast__seekwrap\">\n\t\t\t<input type=\"range\" class=\"podcast__seek js-podcast-seek\" value=\"0\" max=\"628\">\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<ul class=\"podcast__meta\">\n\t\t\t<li class=\"podcast__duration js-podcast-duration\">10:28<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"podcast__excerpt\">\n\t\t\t<p>A longer practice that explores meditation posture, breathing techniques, and working with thoughts and emotions as they surface during mindfulness practice. <\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<audio preload=\"none\" class=\"js-podcast-audio\">\n\t\t\t<source src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/mindfulorg\/boyce-ten-mins.mp3\">\n\t\t<\/audio>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"layout- align\"><article class=\"podcast js-podcast-player podcast--wrap\">\n\t<button class=\"podcast__playpause js-podcast-playpause\">&nbsp;<\/button>\n\n\t<div class=\"podcast__content\">\n\t\t<h3 class=\"podcast__heading\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t15-Minute Meditation\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"podcast__seekwrap\">\n\t\t\t<input type=\"range\" class=\"podcast__seek js-podcast-seek\" value=\"0\" max=\"954\">\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<ul class=\"podcast__meta\">\n\t\t\t<li class=\"podcast__duration js-podcast-duration\">15:54<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"podcast__excerpt\">\n\t\t\t<p>A practice that explores sitting in formal meditation for longer periods of time. <\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<audio preload=\"none\" class=\"js-podcast-audio\">\n\t\t\t<source src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/mindfulorg\/boyce-15-meditation.mp3\">\n\t\t<\/audio>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-more-styles-of-mindfulness-meditation\">More Styles of Mindfulness Meditation <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you have explored a basic seated meditation practice, you might want to consider other forms of meditation including walking and lying down. Whereas the previous meditations used the breath as a focal point for practice, these meditations below focus on different body parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-introduction-to-the-body-scan-meditation\">Introduction to the Body Scan Meditation<\/h4>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"249\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/Green-circle.jpg\" alt=\"Body scan meditation\" class=\"wp-image-39072\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/Green-circle.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/Green-circle-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/Green-circle-24x24.jpg 24w, https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/Green-circle-48x48.jpg 48w, https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/Green-circle-96x96.jpg 96w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Try this: feel your feet on the ground right now. In your shoes or without, it doesn\u2019t matter. Then track or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/beginners-body-scan-meditation\/\">scan over your whole body<\/a>, bit by bit\u2014slowly\u2014all the way up to the crown of your head. The point of this practice is to check in with your whole body: Fingertips to shoulders, butt to big toe. Only rules are: No judging, no wondering, no worrying (all activities your mind may want to do); just check in with the physical feeling of being in your body. Aches and pains are fine. You don\u2019t have to do anything about anything here. You\u2019re just noticing.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"layout- align\"><article class=\"podcast js-podcast-player podcast--wrap\">\n\t<button class=\"podcast__playpause js-podcast-playpause\">&nbsp;<\/button>\n\n\t<div class=\"podcast__content\">\n\t\t<h3 class=\"podcast__heading\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tBody Scan Meditation\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"podcast__seekwrap\">\n\t\t\t<input type=\"range\" class=\"podcast__seek js-podcast-seek\" value=\"0\" max=\"1541\">\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<ul class=\"podcast__meta\">\n\t\t\t<li class=\"podcast__duration js-podcast-duration\">25:41<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"podcast__excerpt\">\n\t\t\t<p>A brief body awareness practice for tuning in to sensations, head-to-toe. <\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<audio preload=\"none\" class=\"js-podcast-audio\">\n\t\t\t<source src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/mindfulorg\/Body_Scan_25_Min.mp3\">\n\t\t<\/audio>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Begin to focus your attention on different parts of your body. You can spotlight one particular area or go through a sequence like this: toes, feet (sole, heel, top of foot), through the legs, pelvis, abdomen, lower back, upper back, chest shoulders, arms down to the fingers, shoulders, neck, different parts in the face, and head. For each part in the body, linger for a few moments and notice the different sensations as you focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The moment you notice that your mind has wandered, return your attention to the body part you last remember.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you fall asleep during this body-scan practice, that\u2019s okay. When you realize you\u2019ve been nodding off, take a deep breath to help you reawaken and perhaps reposition your body (which will also help wake it up). When you\u2019re ready, return your attention to the body part you last remember focusing on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-introduction-to-the-walking-meditation\">Introduction to the Walking Meditation<\/h4>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"249\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/Blue-circle.png\" alt=\"Walking meditation\" class=\"wp-image-39071\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/Blue-circle.png 250w, https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/Blue-circle-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/Blue-circle-24x24.png 24w, https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/Blue-circle-48x48.png 48w, https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/Blue-circle-96x96.png 96w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Fact: Most of us live pretty sedentary lives, leaving us to build extra-curricular physical activity into our days to counteract all that. Point is: Mindfulness doesn\u2019t have to feel like another thing on your to-do list. It can be injected into some of the activities you\u2019re already doing. Here\u2019s how to integrate a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/daily-mindful-walking-practice\/\">mindful walking practice<\/a> into your day.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"layout- align\"><article class=\"podcast js-podcast-player podcast--wrap\">\n\t<button class=\"podcast__playpause js-podcast-playpause\">&nbsp;<\/button>\n\n\t<div class=\"podcast__content\">\n\t\t<h3 class=\"podcast__heading\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWalking Meditation\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"podcast__seekwrap\">\n\t\t\t<input type=\"range\" class=\"podcast__seek js-podcast-seek\" value=\"0\" max=\"538\">\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<ul class=\"podcast__meta\">\n\t\t\t<li class=\"podcast__duration js-podcast-duration\">8:58<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"podcast__excerpt\">\n\t\t\t<p>A mindful movement practice for bringing awareness to what we feel with each step. <\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<audio preload=\"none\" class=\"js-podcast-audio\">\n\t\t\t<source src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/mindfulorg\/10-Minute_Walking_Meditation.mp3\">\n\t\t<\/audio>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>As you begin, walk at a natural pace. Place your hands wherever comfortable: on your belly, behind your back, or at your sides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If you find it useful, <strong>you can count steps up to 10<\/strong>, and then start back at one again. If you\u2019re in a small space, as you reach ten, pause, and with intention, choose a moment to turn around.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>With each step, <strong>pay attention to the lifting and falling of your foot<\/strong>. Notice movement in your legs and the rest of your body. Notice any shifting of your body from side to side.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Whatever else captures your attention, <strong>come back to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/a-guided-walking-meditation-to-connect-with-your-senses\/\">sensation of walking<\/a><\/strong>. Your mind will wander, so without frustration, guide it back again as many times as you need.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Particularly outdoors, <strong>maintain a larger sense of the environment around you<\/strong>, taking it all in, staying safe and aware.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-introduction-to-loving-kindness-meditation\">Introduction to Loving-Kindness Meditation<\/h4>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/Pink-circle.jpg\" alt=\"How to meditate with loving-kindness\" class=\"wp-image-39073\" style=\"width:250px;height:250px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/Pink-circle.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/Pink-circle-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/Pink-circle-24x24.jpg 24w, https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/Pink-circle-48x48.jpg 48w, https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/Pink-circle-96x96.jpg 96w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>You cannot will yourself into particular feelings toward yourself or anyone else. Rather, you can practice reminding yourself that you deserve happiness and ease and that the same goes for your child, your family, your friends, your neighbors, and everyone else in the world. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"layout- align\"><article class=\"podcast js-podcast-player podcast--wrap\">\n\t<button class=\"podcast__playpause js-podcast-playpause\">&nbsp;<\/button>\n\n\t<div class=\"podcast__content\">\n\t\t<h3 class=\"podcast__heading\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tA Loving-Kindness Meditation\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"podcast__seekwrap\">\n\t\t\t<input type=\"range\" class=\"podcast__seek js-podcast-seek\" value=\"0\" max=\"1069\">\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<ul class=\"podcast__meta\">\n\t\t\t<li class=\"podcast__duration js-podcast-duration\">17:49<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"podcast__excerpt\">\n\t\t\t<p>Explore this practice to extend compassion to yourself, those around you, and the larger world.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<audio preload=\"none\" class=\"js-podcast-audio\">\n\t\t\t<source src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/mindfulorg\/Loving-kindness_meditation.mp3\">\n\t\t<\/audio>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>This <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/this-loving-kindness-meditation-is-a-radical-act-of-love\/\">loving-kindness practice<\/a> involves silently repeating phrases that offer good qualities to oneself and to others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>You can start by taking delight in your own goodness<\/strong>\u2014calling to mind things you have done out of good-heartedness, and rejoicing in those memories to celebrate the potential for goodness we all share.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Silently recite phrases<\/strong> that reflect what we wish most deeply for ourselves in an enduring way. Traditional phrases are:<br>\u2022 May I live in safety.<br>\u2022 May I have mental happiness (peace, joy).<br>\u2022 May I have physical happiness (health, freedom from pain).<br>\u2022 May I live with ease.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Repeat the phrases<\/strong> with enough space and silence between so they fall into a rhythm that is pleasing to you. Direct your attention to one phrase at a time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Each time you notice your attention has wandered, be kind to yourself<\/strong> and let go of the distraction. Come back to repeating the phrases without judging or disparaging yourself.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>After some time, visualize yourself in the center of a circle<\/strong> composed of those who have been kind to you, or have inspired you because of their love. Perhaps you\u2019ve met them, or read about them; perhaps they live now, or have existed historically or even mythically. That is the circle. As you visualize yourself in the center of it, experience yourself as the recipient of their love and attention. Keep gently repeating the phrases of loving-kindness for yourself.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>To close the session, let go of the visualization<\/strong>, and simply keep repeating the phrases for a few more minutes. Each time you do so, you are transforming your old, hurtful relationship to yourself, and are moving forward, sustained by the force of kindness.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"beyond\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"td-align-container\"><div class=\"container\"><div class=\"mindful-block-tenxhr alignfull\"><div class=\"tenxhr-wrapper has-golden-yellow-background\">\n  <div class=\"tenx-page-divider\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/beyond-the-beginning-1024x839.png\" alt=\"Learn how to meditate beyond the beginning of your practice.\" class=\"wp-image-37594\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-beyond-the-beginning\">Beyond the Beginning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-to-know-and-where-to-go-when-you-ve-started\">What to know and where to go when you&#8217;ve started.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-frequently-asked-questions-about-mindfulness-meditation-answered\">Frequently Asked Questions About Mindfulness Meditation, Answered<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you\u2019re learning how to meditate, it\u2019s natural for questions to pop up often. These answers may ease your mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1744100485995\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>1) If I have an itch, can I scratch it?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes\u2014however, first try scratching it with your mind before using your fingers.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1744100495413\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>2) Should I breathe fast or slow or in between? <\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Only worry if you\u2019ve stopped breathing. Otherwise, you\u2019re doing fine. Breath in whatever way feels comfortable to you.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1744100530157\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">3) <strong>Should my eyes be open or closed?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">No hard-and-fast rules. Try both. If open, not too wide, and with a soft, slightly downward gaze, not focusing on anything in particular. If closed, not too hard, and not imagining anything in particular in your mind\u2019s eye.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1744100539938\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>4) Is it possible I\u2019m someone who just CANNOT meditate? <\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">When you find yourself asking that question, your meditation has officially begun. Everyone wonders that. Notice it. Escort your attention back to your object of focus (the breath). When you\u2019re lost and questioning again, come back to the breathe again. That\u2019s the practice. There\u2019s no limit to the number of times you can be distracted and come back to the breath. Meditating is not a race to perfection\u2014It\u2019s returning again and again to the breath.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1744100545554\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>5) Is it better to practice in a group or by myself? <\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Both are great! It\u2019s enormously supportive to meditate with others. And, practicing on your own builds discipline.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1744100552906\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>6) What\u2019s the best time of day to meditate? <\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Whatever works. Consider your circumstances: children, pets, work. Experiment. But watch out. If you always choose the most convenient time, it will usually be tomorrow.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1744100564097\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>7) What if I get sexually (and physically) aroused by thoughts in my head? <\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">No big deal. Meditation stokes the imagination. In time, every thought and sensation will pop up (so to speak). And come back. Same old story. Release the thought, bring awareness and receptivity to body sensations, bring attention back to your chosen object (the breath, in this case). Repeat.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1744100575924\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>8) Do you have any tips on integrating pets into meditation practice? <\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">While meditating, we don\u2019t have to fight off distractions like a knight slaying dragons. If your dog or cat comes into the room and barks and meows and brushes up against you or settles down on a part of your cushion, no big deal. Let it be. What works less well is to interrupt your session to relate to them. If that\u2019s what\u2019s going to happen, try to find a way to avoid their interrupting your practice.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1744100584887\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>9) What do I think when meditating?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">When meditating, it&#8217;s common to wonder what you&#8217;re supposed to think about. The goal of meditation is not to control your thoughts but to notice them without getting caught up in them or judging what you are thinking. During meditation, you may notice that your mind wanders to various thoughts, emotions, or physical sensations. This is entirely normal and a part of the process.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1744100593142\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>10) How long should I meditate?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">If you are brand-new to mindfulness, it\u2019s best to start with a short meditation period of 5 to 10 minutes. If this feels very difficult, know that even 1 minute is a great place to start! Follow along with the short audio meditations above and see what length works for you. After you have developed the habit of meditating for a few minutes each day, you might want to experiment with meditating for 15 or 20 minutes, or even longer. Let your curiosity be your guide.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1744100604009\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>11)Should I listen to music while meditating?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Many people like to listen to calming music while meditating. They may find that having music playing in the background when they meditate gives their busy mind something to focus on, or helps to improve their mood. On the other hand, when you bring in an outside distraction like music, you are missing out on your own natural experience of mindful awareness and all the ways it changes from moment to moment. Meditating without music allows you to truly immerse yourself in your moment-to-moment experience: your physical sensations, random noises from outside, and your passing emotions and thoughts, all like clouds drifting in the sky.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-more-guided-meditation-practices\">More Guided Meditation Practices<\/h4>\n\n\n<div class=\"layout- align\"><article class=\"podcast js-podcast-player podcast--wrap\">\n\t<button class=\"podcast__playpause js-podcast-playpause\">&nbsp;<\/button>\n\n\t<div class=\"podcast__content\">\n\t\t<h3 class=\"podcast__heading\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThe RAIN Meditation with Tara Brach \n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"podcast__seekwrap\">\n\t\t\t<input type=\"range\" class=\"podcast__seek js-podcast-seek\" value=\"0\" max=\"702\">\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<ul class=\"podcast__meta\">\n\t\t\t<li class=\"podcast__duration js-podcast-duration\">11:42<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"podcast__excerpt\">\n\t\t\t<p>A practice for difficult emotions, RAIN is an acronym for Recognition of what is going on; Acceptance of the experience, just as it is; Interest in what is happening; and Nurture with loving presence. <\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<audio preload=\"none\" class=\"js-podcast-audio\">\n\t\t\t<source src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/mindfulorg\/2017-01-11-Meditating-with-RAIN-TaraBrach.mp3\">\n\t\t<\/audio>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"layout- align\"><article class=\"podcast js-podcast-player podcast--wrap\">\n\t<button class=\"podcast__playpause js-podcast-playpause\">&nbsp;<\/button>\n\n\t<div class=\"podcast__content\">\n\t\t<h3 class=\"podcast__heading\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tA Mindfulness Practice to Foster Forgiveness\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"podcast__seekwrap\">\n\t\t\t<input type=\"range\" class=\"podcast__seek js-podcast-seek\" value=\"0\" max=\"673\">\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<ul class=\"podcast__meta\">\n\t\t\t<li class=\"podcast__duration js-podcast-duration\">11:13<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"podcast__excerpt\">\n\t\t\t<p>Explore this practice to let go of the tendency to add to our suffering during challenging situations.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<audio preload=\"none\" class=\"js-podcast-audio\">\n\t\t\t<source src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/mindfulorg\/Bertin_10_Mindfulness_Forgiveness_Final.mp3\">\n\t\t<\/audio>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-additional-resources-amp-articles\">Additional Resources &amp; Articles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Mindful has many resources to help you live a more mindful life and tap into the best of who you are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/meditation\/mindfulness-getting-started\/\">Getting Started<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/category\/mindful-skills\/meditation\/guided-meditation\/\">Guided Meditation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/mindfulness-meditation-anxiety\/\">Meditation for Anxiety<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/newsletters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sign up for Mindful Newsletters<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.mindful.org\/products\/mindful-subscription\">Mindful Subscription<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mindful-magazine.myshopify.com\/collections\/special-editions\">Special Edition Guides<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/learning.mindful.org\/\">Mindful Online Learning<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns featured-products-heading is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-featured-mindful-products\">Featured Mindful Products<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.mindful.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Visit our Store<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-stackable-carousel stk-block-carousel stk--is-slide stk--infinite-scroll stk--arrows-justify-space-between stk--arrows-align-center stk-block stk-0a6f805\" data-slides-to-show=\"3\" data-block-id=\"0a6f805\"><style>.stk-0a6f805 {--slides-to-show:3 !important;}<\/style><div class=\"stk-block-carousel__content-wrapper\"><div class=\"stk-row stk-inner-blocks stk-block-content stk-block-carousel__slider-wrapper stk-content-align stk-0a6f805-column\"><div class=\"stk-block-carousel__slider\" role=\"list\" data-autoplay=\"4000\" data-label-slide-of=\"Slide 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Let us walk you through the basics in our new mindful guide on how to meditate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":31255,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-single-wide-10x.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17613,17605,13484,17598,17599,17608,17606,17604],"tags":[560],"departments":[],"issues":[],"coauthors":[723],"class_list":["post-39042","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-focus-attention","category-getting-started","category-compassion","category-meditation-practices","category-mindfulness-for","category-sleep","category-stress-anxiety","category-walking-movement","tag-mindful-movement"],"acf":[],"site_id":1,"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.5 (Yoast SEO v27.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Learn How to Meditate: A Mindful Guide to Transform Your Life<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We&#039;ll show you how to meditate properly, the benefits of regular meditation practice, and the styles of meditation. Free resources available.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/how-to-meditate\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Meditate\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"We will walk you through how to meditate properly, the benefits of regular meditation practice, and the various styles of meditation. Free guided audio meditations and resources.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/how-to-meditate\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Mindful\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/mindfulorg\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-11-14T09:43:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-01T03:54:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/content\/uploads\/how-to-meditate-1024x640-1.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"640\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mindful Staff\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"How to Meditate\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"We will walk you through how to meditate properly, the benefits of regular meditation practice, and the various styles of meditation. 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Otherwise, you\u2019re doing fine. Breath in whatever way feels comfortable to you.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.mindful.org\\\/how-to-meditate\\\/#faq-question-1744100530157\",\"position\":3,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.mindful.org\\\/how-to-meditate\\\/#faq-question-1744100530157\",\"name\":\"3) Should my eyes be open or closed?\u00a0\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No hard-and-fast rules. Try both. If open, not too wide, and with a soft, slightly downward gaze, not focusing on anything in particular. If closed, not too hard, and not imagining anything in particular in your mind\u2019s eye.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.mindful.org\\\/how-to-meditate\\\/#faq-question-1744100539938\",\"position\":4,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.mindful.org\\\/how-to-meditate\\\/#faq-question-1744100539938\",\"name\":\"4) Is it possible I\u2019m someone who just CANNOT meditate?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"When you find yourself asking that question, your meditation has officially begun. Everyone wonders that. Notice it. Escort your attention back to your object of focus (the breath). When you\u2019re lost and questioning again, come back to the breathe again. That\u2019s the practice. There\u2019s no limit to the number of times you can be distracted and come back to the breath. Meditating is not a race to perfection\u2014It\u2019s returning again and again to the breath.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.mindful.org\\\/how-to-meditate\\\/#faq-question-1744100545554\",\"position\":5,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.mindful.org\\\/how-to-meditate\\\/#faq-question-1744100545554\",\"name\":\"5) Is it better to practice in a group or by myself?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Both are great! It\u2019s enormously supportive to meditate with others. And, practicing on your own builds discipline.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.mindful.org\\\/how-to-meditate\\\/#faq-question-1744100552906\",\"position\":6,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.mindful.org\\\/how-to-meditate\\\/#faq-question-1744100552906\",\"name\":\"6) What\u2019s the best time of day to meditate?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Whatever works. Consider your circumstances: children, pets, work. Experiment. But watch out. 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Repeat.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.mindful.org\\\/how-to-meditate\\\/#faq-question-1744100575924\",\"position\":8,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.mindful.org\\\/how-to-meditate\\\/#faq-question-1744100575924\",\"name\":\"8) Do you have any tips on integrating pets into meditation practice?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"While meditating, we don\u2019t have to fight off distractions like a knight slaying dragons. If your dog or cat comes into the room and barks and meows and brushes up against you or settles down on a part of your cushion, no big deal. Let it be. What works less well is to interrupt your session to relate to them. 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Otherwise, you\u2019re doing fine. Breath in whatever way feels comfortable to you.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/how-to-meditate\/#faq-question-1744100530157","position":3,"url":"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/how-to-meditate\/#faq-question-1744100530157","name":"3) Should my eyes be open or closed?\u00a0","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No hard-and-fast rules. Try both. If open, not too wide, and with a soft, slightly downward gaze, not focusing on anything in particular. 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Meditating is not a race to perfection\u2014It\u2019s returning again and again to the breath.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/how-to-meditate\/#faq-question-1744100545554","position":5,"url":"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/how-to-meditate\/#faq-question-1744100545554","name":"5) Is it better to practice in a group or by myself?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Both are great! It\u2019s enormously supportive to meditate with others. And, practicing on your own builds discipline.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/how-to-meditate\/#faq-question-1744100552906","position":6,"url":"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/how-to-meditate\/#faq-question-1744100552906","name":"6) What\u2019s the best time of day to meditate?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Whatever works. Consider your circumstances: children, pets, work. Experiment. But watch out. If you always choose the most convenient time, it will usually be tomorrow.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/how-to-meditate\/#faq-question-1744100564097","position":7,"url":"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/how-to-meditate\/#faq-question-1744100564097","name":"7) What if I get sexually (and physically) aroused by thoughts in my head?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No big deal. Meditation stokes the imagination. In time, every thought and sensation will pop up (so to speak). And come back. Same old story. Release the thought, bring awareness and receptivity to body sensations, bring attention back to your chosen object (the breath, in this case). Repeat.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/how-to-meditate\/#faq-question-1744100575924","position":8,"url":"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/how-to-meditate\/#faq-question-1744100575924","name":"8) Do you have any tips on integrating pets into meditation practice?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"While meditating, we don\u2019t have to fight off distractions like a knight slaying dragons. If your dog or cat comes into the room and barks and meows and brushes up against you or settles down on a part of your cushion, no big deal. Let it be. What works less well is to interrupt your session to relate to them. 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This is entirely normal and a part of the process.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/how-to-meditate\/#faq-question-1744100593142","position":10,"url":"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/how-to-meditate\/#faq-question-1744100593142","name":"10) How long should I meditate?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"If you are brand-new to mindfulness, it\u2019s best to start with a short meditation period of 5 to 10 minutes. If this feels very difficult, know that even 1 minute is a great place to start! Follow along with the short audio meditations above and see what length works for you. After you have developed the habit of meditating for a few minutes each day, you might want to experiment with meditating for 15 or 20 minutes, or even longer. Let your curiosity be your guide.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/how-to-meditate\/#faq-question-1744100604009","position":11,"url":"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/how-to-meditate\/#faq-question-1744100604009","name":"11)Should I listen to music while meditating?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Many people like to listen to calming music while meditating. They may find that having music playing in the background when they meditate gives their busy mind something to focus on, or helps to improve their mood. On the other hand, when you bring in an outside distraction like music, you are missing out on your own natural experience of mindful awareness and all the ways it changes from moment to moment. 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