How to start meditating (when you're worried it's all a bit woo-woo)

Fluffy grey cat sitting in a forest, meditating

 

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” 

–  Arthur Ashe


Sometimes people get pretty excited about the benefits of something they've recently tried and get quite evangelical about it. I've definitely been guilty of this over the years, even though I find it annoying when people do it to me. It can have the opposite effect and put me off trying new things just because someone tells me I "should" try it! 

Another barrier to trying something like meditation is wanting to have all the conditions right to begin - that's basically impossible, so it's best to just start as soon as you can, even if things won't be perfect. You don't need any special clothes or particular types of cushions - you can meditate in a chair, sitting on a train, or even walking! 

There are many, many different types of meditation, and most groups want you to meditate in a particular way as their experience tells them that's the "best" way to do it. But it's not really that complicated, especially not when you're a beginner, meditation can be as simple as sitting quietly and counting your breaths for a minute or two. 

The fancier techniques can come later, once you've built up a habit and there's a wealth of different "flavours" of meditation you can try. Some of them will have a spiritual or a "woo-woo" aspect, and some of them won't. It's not necessary to have that spiritual element to gain the benefits of meditation, so don't let that put you off. 

Here's a video guide for absolute beginners:

And here's a link to my YouTube playlist for beginners - I'll keep adding to this in the coming months, so you can bookmark it and check back later. 

Same goes for my guided meditations on Insight Timer, I'll be creating more beginner-friendly content here too. 

But you don't need any of those things to start - you can just set a time for 1-2 minutes, close your eyes, and count your breaths in groups of five. That's literally all you need to do to get started!

 


Location: Wellington, New Zealand

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