The Beginner’s Guide to Meditation: Everything you need to know

Finding good resources that are centered around meditation for beginners is important if you’re hoping to use these techniques in your life. There are certain things that beginners may need to be aware of and take into consideration when it comes to meditation. But finding different meditation guides for beginners can be a hassle, so here’s what you need to think about as you begin your meditation journey:

What isn’t meditation?
Many people assume that mediation means sitting by yourself, alone with your thoughts and processing your own internal struggles. But that’s not entirely true. Mediation is the process of centering and helping to clear your mind, with a focus on becoming more aware of your senses and your body's functioning. Meditation is the perfect tool to master if you’re looking for productive ways to help clear your mind of anxiety and stress, helping to carve out a few minutes in your busy day where your mind can regain focus. Meditation for beginners is a process of learning how to best utilise the echniques that you learn and practice meditation in a constructive way!

Is mindfulness different from meditation?
The differences between mindfulness and meditation are important to understand, particularly if you’re new to the world of meditation and breathwork. Quite simply: mindfulness is a state of being whereas mediation helps you to improve your mental state and allow you to think more clearly. Being mindful is incredibly important as it can ensure you’re present in every moment you experience rather than thinking about the next step you’re going to need to take. When it comes to meditation for beginners, it’s important that you understand this difference and focus on bringing mindfulness forward when practicing different meditation techniques.

How do you know what type of meditation is right for you?
When looking at which meditation practice would best suit you and your needs, it’s important to think about what you want to get out of meditating. Meditation has quite a broad scope and there are many different styles and techniques that can help you in different areas of your life.

When it comes to meditation for beginners, it can often be hard to understand which style and technique would best work for you, which is why having a person, or an app, to guide and support you, can ensure you’re receiving reliable and insightful advice.

Breath Hub has hundreds of meditation resources, and is an excellent place to start.

What are the benefits of meditation in daily life?
When it comes to learning about meditation for beginners, understanding how these techniques can have a positive impact on your life is vital.

Benefits include:
• Managing stress and anxiety
• Improving self-awareness
• Increasing creativity
• Feeling more balanced
• Being more ‘present’ in the moment

Setting up a schedule around when you’re going to meditate can ensure that you practice every day, and soon, meditating will be a normal part of your daily routine.

Is it possible to meditate every day?
Yes, it’s possible to meditate every day, which makes it such a useful tool to know how to use! You might have times in your life when you feel stressed, anxious and even a bit sad. Letting these sorts of emotions rule your mind can be detrimental to the quality of the life you live. Instead of getting lost in the darkness of these emotions, you can use meditation to help center and clear your mind, pulling into focus what’s most important to you.

Do you need to have a mantra?
When it comes to learning about meditation for beginners, you may come across techniques that use mantras. Mantras are repeated statements that you make throughout a mediation session. These sayings help bring clarity into certain areas of your life and can stimulate and energize the body towards making these matters a reality. If there’s something you’re struggling with, having a mantra can be incredibly beneficial!

Do you have to sit in a certain way while meditating?
A large part of learning about meditation for beginners is understanding the best positions to be in to get the most out of your session. Finding a sitting position that’s comfortable is extremely important. Some people may be more flexible than others and get more from sitting in a different way than those who have less flexibility. Find a set up that works for you. As you continue on your journey and learn more about different practices, you’ll find better and more comfortable positions to use, it just takes time!