Meditation

Meditation is a simple practice that helps you train your mind to be more focused, calm, and present. You can think of it like exercise for your brain: just as lifting weights strengthens your body muscles, meditation strengthens your “attention muscle” by helping you notice when your mind wanders and gently bringing it back to where you want it.

Meditation has been around for thousands of years and is found in many cultures and religions. But you don’t have to be religious to meditate. Today, many people use it in a completely secular way to reduce stress, improve focus, sleep better, or just feel a little calmer in daily life.

One of the best things about meditation is how flexible and personal it can be. Some people sit quietly and notice their breath, others repeat a calming word or phrase, and some simply pay attention to the sensations in their body or the sounds around them. The beauty of meditation is that it’s flexible and can be done almost anywhere, whether you’re sitting in a chair, lying down, or even walking. You also don’t need any special equipment or a lot of time - even a few minutes can make a difference.

At its core, meditation is about practicing awareness and learning to be a little kinder to yourself when your mind inevitably wanders. It’s a skill anyone can develop, and the more you practice, the more natural it can feel.

The biggest misconception about meditation is that you have to “clear your mind” or “stop your thoughts.” This is impossible - the mind’s job is to think! Instead, meditation teaches you to change your relationship with your thoughts. You learn to notice them without judgment, letting them come and go without getting swept away. You shouldn’t force your mind to go blank or achieve some mystical state. Just learn to observe your thoughts without getting tangled up in them, and gently return to the present moment when your mind drifts.

Mind wandering is not only normal during meditation - it’s actually essential to the practice itself. Our mind’s tendency to wander is universal and even seasoned meditators experience frequent mind wandering that decreases linearly throughout meditation sessions. What distinguishes effective meditation isn’t the absence of wandering thoughts, but rather developing the capacity to notice when wandering occurs and compassionately redirecting attention.

This myth probably stems from images of monks meditating for hours or popular culture’s portrayal of meditation as an all-day retreat activity. The reality is far more accessible and encouraging. Even brief meditation periods can yield significant benefits. A landmark study found that just 13 minutes of daily meditation for eight weeks enhanced attention, working memory, and recognition memory while decreasing negative mood states and anxiety¹.

For beginners it’s recommended to start with 5-15 minutes daily. This duration is long enough to experience benefits while being manageable enough to maintain consistency. As practitioners develop their skills, they can gradually extend sessions, with experienced meditators typically practicing for 20-45 minutes.

Meditation is not always a relaxing experience, and expecting it to be can lead to frustration and premature abandonment of practice. Certain types of meditation (e.g. loving-kindness, open awareness) may actually increase heart rate and physiological arousal rather than inducing relaxation.

The misconception that meditation should always feel peaceful can be particularly problematic for beginners. In the short-run, meditation is often anything but relaxing, as practitioners confront the restless, uncontrolled nature of their minds for the first time. This initial difficulty is not a sign of failure but an inevitable part of the process. When starting in just 5 minutes of silence may learn how crazy, restless, and negative your mind is, and how little control you have over it.

Meditation can also trigger uncomfortable experiences including anxiety, fear, hypersensitivity to stimuli, and emotional distress. These difficult experiences aren’t aberrations but can be intrinsic parts of the contemplative path that lead to deeper self-understanding.

While meditation can be misused as a form of spiritual bypassing or avoidance, genuine meditation is actually the opposite of escapism - it’s a direct encounter with reality. Rather than providing escape, meditation cultivates the capacity to be present with whatever arises, including difficult emotions and challenging circumstances.

The distinction lies in intention and application. True meditation fosters engagement with reality instead of withdrawal from it. It develops tolerance for stress and difficult emotions rather than eliminating them. Research shows that mindfulness training significantly reduces avoidant coping strategies while increasing approach motivation and emotional resilience^{2 3}.

There’s no single “perfect” way to meditate. There are many different styles to choose from and we describe them in the next section. Here we provide you with a step-by-step guide for a basic breath-focused meditation as it’s a great starting point.

1. Find a comfortable spot: Choose a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Sit in a posture that feels relaxed yet alert. You can sit cross-legged on a cushion or upright in a chair with your feet on the floor. Any position is fine as long as you can stay in it comfortably and won’t fall asleep. Keep your back straight but not rigid, allowing you to breathe easily. Rest your hands on your knees or in your lap.

2. Set a short time limit: Especially for beginners, it helps to start with a small, manageable session. Try 5-10 minutes to begin with. You can use a timer so you’re not constantly wondering how much time has passed. Knowing a timer will gently signal the end can help you focus on the practice.

3. Focus on your breath: Close your eyes if it’s comfortable or lower your gaze. Bring your attention to your natural breathing. Notice each inhale and exhale, the feeling of air entering your nose and lungs and leaving again. You don’t need to change how you breathe - just observe it. Your breath will serve as an anchor to return to whenever you get distracted.

4. Expect your mind to wander and gently bring it back: Sooner or later (maybe in seconds!), your mind will start to drift off into thoughts - that’s normal. You might suddenly find yourself thinking about your to-do list, a conversation from earlier, or what’s for dinner. The moment you notice your mind has wandered, simply bring your attention back to your breath. Do this without judging yourself. Don’t worry that you’re “doing it wrong” - this cycle of wandering and returning is the very core of meditation. Each time you return your focus, you are training your mind. Try to treat your wandering thoughts lightly, as if they’re passing clouds, and your job is just to notice them and gently refocus.

5. Close your session with kindness: After your allotted time is up, gently shift your attention back to your surroundings. If your eyes were closed, slowly open them. Take a moment to notice how you feel - the sounds in the room, how your body feels, and maybe the quality of your mind or mood. Stand up slowly. It can be helpful to end by appreciating yourself for taking a few minutes to care for your mind. Remember that meditation is a skill developed over time, and you just took the first step.

That’s really all there is to it. You focus, your mind wanders, you bring it back - repeat. Over time, and with regular practice, you’ll likely find it easier to stay with your focus for longer. Some days will feel easier, some harder; some days you might feel very calm, other days your mind might seem like a jumpy monkey. This is all part of the process. The benefits of meditation come with consistency, not “doing it perfectly.” Even 5-10 minutes a day can make a difference if you stick with it.

One great thing about meditation is that there are many styles and techniques, so you can explore and find what works best for you. Below are a few common meditation methods. While they all share the goal of mindful awareness, they each approach it a bit differently. Feel free to try different styles and see which ones resonate with you:

The classic form described above. You focus on the natural rhythm of your breathing as an anchor to the present moment. Each time your mind wanders, you gently return your focus to the breath. Breath-centered meditation is simple and a good starting point for beginners because the breath is always with you as a handy focus.

In this style, instead of focusing on breath alone, you systematically focus your attention on different parts of your body, from head to toe. Typically, you might start at the top of your head and gradually move your attention down through your face, neck, shoulders, arms, torso, legs, and to your feet, observing any sensations in each area. Imagine slowly moving a spotlight or scanner over your body, checking in with each region. Body scans are often done lying down, but you can do them seated too. This practice can help you develop a better mind-body connection and is very relaxing - it’s even commonly used to help unwind before sleep.

This method uses a repetitive word or phrase (a mantra) as the object of focus. You might silently (or softly) repeat a word like “peace,” “om,” or any phrase that feels calming or meaningful to you. The gentle repetition gives your mind something to return to whenever it wanders. Many people enjoy mantra meditation because they find it easier to focus on a word/sound than on the breath. You can coordinate the mantra with your breathing or simply repeat it at a comfortable pace. Over time, the sound or phrase can help quiet your mental chatter.

This is a heart-centered practice focused on cultivating compassion, empathy, and goodwill. In loving-kindness meditation, you silently send kind intentions or well-wishes to yourself and to others. For example, you might repeat phrases like “May I be happy, may I be healthy, may I be peaceful.” Then you extend these wishes outward: to someone you love (“May you be happy, may you be healthy, may you be peaceful.”), to a friend, to an acquaintance, to someone you’re having difficulty with, and eventually to all beings. The goal is to nurture feelings of warmth, kindness, and forgiveness. It’s normal if it feels awkward at first, but many people find this practice very positive and emotionally healing. Metta meditation can help increase your capacity for compassion - both toward others and yourself.

Not all meditation is done sitting still - walking meditation is a more active form. In a walking meditation, you slow down and pay close attention to the experience of walking. You might do this in a quiet area, like your backyard, a park, or even a hallway, walking back and forth slowly. Feel the sensation of your feet touching the ground with each step, the movement of your legs, and the rhythm of your breath as you walk. You can synchronize your steps with your breathing or simply observe how your body moves. The idea is to fully immerse in the present moment of movement. If your mind wanders, gently bring your focus back to the act of walking. Walking meditation is a great option if sitting still is hard for you - it helps ground you in your body and the here-and-now. Other forms of movement meditation include yoga, tai chi, or qigong - any gentle activity done with mindful awareness.

In this style, instead of focusing on one particular object, you allow your attention to be open and observe whatever arises in your experience. You sit quietly and notice any thoughts, feelings, or sensations that come up, without clinging to any of them or judging them. Think of your mind like a vast sky, and your thoughts/emotions as clouds or weather passing through. In open awareness meditation, you practice noticing experiences and letting them drift away without getting caught up. For example, you might notice sounds in the environment, then a thought about dinner pops up, then a feeling of tension in your shoulder - you simply witness each and let it go, returning to a state of open presence. This technique can be more challenging for beginners, so it’s often learned after some experience with a focused practice. However, it can be very profound, giving a sense of spaciousness and acceptance of whatever the moment brings.

When beginning a meditation practice, it’s essential to start with just a few minutes each day - think 5-15 minutes rather than aiming for long sessions. This approach makes the habit easy to maintain and helps you avoid feeling overwhelmed or discouraged. Short sessions allow you to focus on quality rather than quantity, making each moment more meaningful. As you grow more comfortable, you can gradually increase your meditation time. Remember, consistency is more important than duration.

Finding the right time to meditate is key to making it a regular part of your life. Many people prefer meditating first thing in the morning to set a calm tone for the day, while others find that lunchtime or evening sessions fit better with their schedules. The best time is the one that you can stick to consistently, so experiment to see what feels most natural. You can also link meditation to your existing habits (e.g. after brushing teeth, before bed, etc.). The goal is to make meditation a non-negotiable part of your daily routine.

Guided meditations are especially helpful for beginners, offering structure and support as you learn the basics. Apps and online videos can walk you through different techniques, helping you stay focused and making the process less intimidating. Listening to a teacher’s voice can also keep your mind from wandering and introduce you to new practices, like body scans or loving-kindness meditation. Over time, you may choose to meditate on your own, but guidance can be invaluable in the early stages.

Why do people take up meditation? There’s no single answer - meditation is a flexible tool that can serve many purposes. Here are some common reasons and benefits that motivate people to meditate:

Life can be stressful, and many people start meditating to cope with anxiety, stress, or pressure. Meditation activates the body’s relaxation response - helping to lower stress hormones, calm the nervous system, and give your mind a break from worry. Over time, regular meditation can significantly reduce stress and anxiety levels, helping you feel more at ease. Even a short session can leave you feeling refreshed, like a mini mental vacation.

In our multitasking world, a lot of us struggle with scattered attention or constant distraction. Meditation is often likened to weight-lifting for your attention span - by training yourself to return to a single point of focus, you gradually build the ability to concentrate better on tasks in daily life. Research has found that even brief meditation training can improve attention and cognitive performance. If you feel mentally “foggy” or find it hard to focus, meditation might help sharpen your concentration. Many people also find that this carries over into increased productivity and presence in whatever they’re doing.

Meditation can help you become less reactive and more emotionally balanced. By sitting with your thoughts and feelings each day, you get to know them better and create a bit of space before you react. This can translate into improved patience and calmer responses in everyday situations. Studies suggest meditation may help decrease symptoms of depression and improve overall emotional health. It encourages a mindset of non-judgment and self-compassion - instead of instantly criticizing yourself or getting swept up in anger, you learn to observe emotions and let them pass. Over time, this can foster a more positive outlook and greater resilience in the face of challenges.

Meditation is a journey of coming to understand your own mind. By sitting quietly and observing your inner world, you often gain insights into your thought patterns, habits, and what makes you tick. This increased self-awareness can be a powerful tool for personal development. You might notice, for example, that you have a lot of self-critical thoughts, or that certain worries frequently recur. With that awareness, you can begin to change how you relate to them. Some people use meditation as a time for introspection and to foster qualities like gratitude, forgiveness, or empathy. In short, meditation can be a path of growth that helps you become the best version of yourself, with greater understanding and compassion toward your own mind and others.

For some, meditation has a spiritual or philosophical appeal. Practices originating in Buddhism, Hinduism, and other traditions were often aimed at spiritual insight or enlightenment. You do not have to be spiritual to meditate, but if you are spiritually inclined, meditation can deepen your sense of connection and purpose. It provides a chance to tap into a quieter, deeper state of consciousness that many describe as feeling connected to something greater, whether that’s God, universal energy, or simply a profound sense of peace. Even outside of organized religion, meditation can fulfill a yearning for meaning, inner peace, or understanding of one’s place in the world. Essentially, it can be a tool for inner exploration. As a bonus, meditation practiced in a group or community can also create a sense of fellowship and shared positive intention.

People also report other benefits - better sleep, help with chronic pain, lower blood pressure, improved creativity, etc. Everyone’s experience is a bit different. You might come to meditation for one reason and end up discovering other positive effects.

Remember, meditation is a personal journey. Start simple, be kind to yourself, and don’t worry about doing it “right.” Some days will be easier than others, but every time you practice, you’re training your mind bit by bit. With patience and consistency, meditation can become a rewarding habit that supports your well-being. There’s no finish line or grade. Just meet yourself where you are and enjoy the small changes as they come. Happy meditating!