How to Start Meditating: A Beginner's Guide

Until 2019, I truly sucked at meditating. I had only tried it sporadically, and without any real commitment or structure. I'm a lifelong athlete who has trained for loads of events, so I’m not sure why I thought I'd be good at meditation with exactly zero training or effort. When I tried to meditate, I had a lot of trouble getting my mind and body to settle down, which made me (many times) abandon the process and decide that meditation wasn’t for me. I wasn't achieving a zen state, or getting to a point where my mind was perfectly blank, or seeing some universal truth bathed in a beam of soft, white light. Perhaps because I’d practiced yoga for so long and knew so many people who meditated, I thought meditation would come naturally? It didn’t. So I decided moving meditation would be good enough for me, and I used my hikes and runs and bike rides to clear my head and cultivate a sense of inner peace.

Why I Finally Started Meditating

In May of 2019, I had a very stressful period during which I found myself craving a less active form of meditation. As I sat with my dad in the hospital after some surgical complications, I used my yoga breathing often, but wished I had more experience and structure with creating space in myself for all the complicated emotions I was navigating. As usual, I relied mainly on exercise to keep myself centered and calibrated, but some other form of meditation would have been a great tool had I known more about how to use it.

What I finally realized was that meditation, like any other worthwhile discipline, would take practice and training. So, I decided that, for the month of June in 2019, I would commit to a progressive practice, starting with just five minutes a day. I tried not to have specific expectations of myself. Instead, I hoped simply to DO IT, and see what evolved with 30 days of consistent effort.

A surprising number of Osmia fans came on that initial meditation journey with me in 2019, committing to 30 consecutive days of practice—I think we started with over 400 people, and finished with just over 250. It was so nice to have companions, and we all encouraged each other when we weren't sure if we were "doing it right." (Hot tip: there is no doing it right. You either do it, which makes it right, or you don't.)

Since then, meditation has become a regular part of my life, and I hope it has for many others in that group. Meditation is now one of the main tools I use to manage stress, in addition to exercise, nutrition, and time outdoors. It was profoundly helpful to me during the pandemic, and continues to anchor me during times of turbulence, and during times of relative peace. 

Why You Should Consider Meditation

People are always saying that we need meditation “in today’s busy world,” and while I agree, we should also realize that we are the ones making ourselves so busy! It’s not as if we are ACTUALLY any busier now than we were when we had to grow, hunt, and harvest our own food for mere survival. Back then, we lived by the sun; when it went down, we would slide naturally into meditative activities, like reading or talking or going to sleep. It’s only because of the technological connectedness of our lives, the ever-present umbilical cord of information traveling between us and the rest of the world, that we’ve gotten so “busy.” There simply isn’t enough quiet space anymore, which is why we must create it.

Research consistently shows that anyone who has stress in his or her life (that means about 8.3 billion of us) can benefit from meditation. It has been proven useful in managing anxiety and depression. It may prevent grey matter atrophy (fancy speech for shrinking of the brain tissue), which accompanies many neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s dementia. Meditation can be used to improve sleep quality in older adults—far preferable to the sedating medications that are overprescribed. More research needs to be performed, but even the American Heart Association acknowledges that meditation may be a valuable tool for patients in managing cardiovascular risk. In my own life, wearing a Whoop has shown me that my meditation session is, without fail, the lowest stress level of my day. 

How To Start Meditating in Five Minutes A Day

You don't need special equipment, a meditation cushion, or an elaborate morning routine to start meditating. You just need five minutes and a willingness to be a beginner.

Here's how I recommend getting started:

1. Find a comfortable position. Sit in a chair with your feet on the floor, kneel on a cushion, or sit cross-legged if that's comfortable for you. There's no need to twist yourself into a pretzel.

2. Set a timer for five minutes. You can use your phone, a watch, or an old-fashioned kitchen timer. Just choose something with a gentle sound so you don't end your meditation by jumping out of your skin.

3. Close your eyes or soften your gaze. Take a few natural breaths, allowing your shoulders and jaw to relax.

4. Bring your attention to your breathing. Notice the sensation of air moving through your nostrils, or the gentle expansion of your abdomen as you inhale. You don't need to breathe in any particular way.

5. Expect your mind to wander. You'll remember an email you need to send, wonder what's for dinner, or suddenly notice an itch on your nose. This is NORMAL. When you realize your attention has wandered, gently bring it back to your breath.

6. Keep showing up. Try five minutes a day for a week. If that starts to feel comfortable, add a few minutes the following week. There's no magic number you need to reach.

That fifth step is where much of the practice happens. Meditation isn't about eliminating thoughts—it's about noticing when your attention has wandered and learning to bring it back, without getting frustrated with yourself.

And if you spend the entire five minutes thinking you've done it wrong? Congratulations. You've just experienced a very normal first meditation session.

What Meditation Has Done for Me

The best way I can think of to describe what meditation has done for me is that it has created a soft cushion between me and the events of my life. When something upsetting happens, my first instinct is now to breathe, rather than react. I'm able to respond to life in a more measured way, and can more often find a sense of wellbeing in a given moment, even when the world overall feels out of control or upside down. 

If you're considering starting to meditate, I vote YES! Below you'll find some information and tools you might find helpful, as I did when I was starting my practice. See what resonates with you, and take it one step and one breath at a time.

Different Types of Meditation You Can Explore

There are SO many types of meditation, and you don’t have to conform or subscribe to any one of them! Trying different kinds can help you figure out what feels most natural to you, and what feels forced or weird. I’ll list a few of the most common types of meditation, ending with the type I chose for my first month, and have continued to practice more than any other.

Loving Kindness (Metta) Meditation 

This practice can be very helpful for those struggling with anger, frustration, negativity, or difficult relationships. It begins with saying loving things to yourself, like “May I be happy, may I be strong, may I be healthy and calm.” Eventually, the “I” is replaced with “you” as you think of people you love. Then you move to people in your outer circle, and finally on to those who challenge you the most. The meditation ends with the thought “May all beings everywhere be happy,” which often leaves people feeling empowered and positive.

Tonglen

Originating in Tibetan Buddhism, Tonglen is a practice of compassion that acknowledges the universal nature of suffering. A therapist once explained it to me as breathing in the suffering of others, either specifically or generally, and breathing out peace and relief from suffering. Of course, you're not actually taking on another person's pain—you're using visualization to cultivate compassion and a greater willingness to sit with difficult emotions. It's a beautiful practice, but requires you to be able to access that kind of energy and focus.

Vipassana Meditation

Vipassana, meaning “insight” or “clear seeing,” is a traditional Buddhist meditation practice focused on observing the present moment without judgment or attachment. Practitioners often begin by paying attention to the natural breath, then gradually expand their awareness to include physical sensations, thoughts, and emotions as they arise and pass away. The goal is to develop a clearer understanding of the constantly changing nature of our experiences, rather than reacting automatically to them. Because it often begins with something as simple as observing your breath, it can be an approachable practice for beginners.

Zazen Meditation

Zazen, which translates to “seated meditation,” is a traditional practice in Zen Buddhism. Practitioners sit upright, usually on a cushion, with their eyes partially open and their breathing relaxed and natural. Depending on the Zen tradition, the practice may involve focusing on the breath, working with a koan (a question or paradox used for contemplation), or simply sitting in open awareness without focusing on anything in particular. Rather than trying to eliminate thoughts, practitioners learn to observe them without becoming attached to them.

Transcendental Meditation

TM is a trademarked form of meditation in which you repeat a mantra assigned to you by a certified TM teacher. Many people swear by TM, but you should know that it’s a paid program, and requires 20 minutes twice a day, so it’s a bigger investment of time and money than some other options.

Guided Meditation

This is a great option if you’ve tried self-guided meditation and found it fruitless. It does require you to listen to someone else’s voice, so there’s always the chance that you won’t vibe with the style or voice of your guide.

Body Scan

This is a delicious way to wind down at night. Lying down, you start by bringing your awareness to your toes, then your feet, then your ankles…all the way up to the crown of your head and down to your fingertips. Rather than deliberately relaxing each muscle, you simply notice sensations in each area, allowing tension to soften naturally. It's a wonderful way to reconnect with your body and can be particularly useful for falling asleep. Good luck staying awake till the end.

Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra, sometimes called “yogic sleep,” is a guided meditation and deep relaxation practice traditionally performed while lying down. The goal is to bring the body into a deeply relaxed state while maintaining a gentle awareness, rather than actually falling asleep. A guide typically leads you through a series of exercises involving body awareness, breathing, and sometimes visualization. It's a wonderful option for people who have trouble sitting still, and can be especially helpful for winding down before bed. You can find loads of guided Yoga Nidra sessions on meditation apps or Spotify, and keeping one handy for those 3am encounters with monkey brain isn't a bad idea.

Mindfulness Meditation

This is the broadest, most beginner-friendly form of meditation, which is why I chose it to help me get over my meditation hurdle! Mindfulness meditation is practiced by sitting in a quiet, comfortable position and bringing awareness to the breath. It sounds absurdly simple, and one day it will feel pretty simple, too. 

Do You Need A Meditation App?

Need? Definitely not. Some people love apps like Headspace or Calm to help get them into the practice; they’re great tools for beginners and regular practitioners alike. I chose not to use an app for my first month for my daily practice, because I wanted to cultivate the ability to meditate anywhere, with or without a device or wifi. After that initial month, I tried a few apps, and the two I have used most often are Insight Timer and Waking Up, though I usually meditate in silence. 

Can Essential Oils Help With Meditation?

Again, these are not necessary by any means, but can help set a meditative mood pretty quickly, as your sense of smell has such a direct path to your brain. My favorite essential oils for meditation are these: frankincense, vetiver, sandalwood, atlas cedar, palo santo, clary sage, and lavender. Use a single oil or a blend of 2-3 oils in a diffuser, or inhale a few drops on a tissue with your first few breaths. You can also use an aromatherapy blend on your hands, over your sternum, or above your collarbones.

Osmia Products We Recommend for Meditation

If you don’t have essential oils at home, but you are an Osmia lover, you can use a bit of Lavender Body Mousse on your hands and chest to facilitate meditation, or do the same with Night Body Oil. A few deep breaths from cupped hands is a beautiful way to begin your session.

Meditation Tips For Beginners

A few pieces of wisdom came up repeatedly in my research, and I took them to heart before I set sail on that first month of meditation. As you learn to sit, you will hear sounds, have thoughts, experience physical sensations like a nose itch or a need to cough. None of those things need to ruin your meditation—just keep coming back to your breathing, and scratch your nose if you need to! Feel your abdomen expand gently as you inhale, and enjoy the sensation of letting your exhale linger on the way out of your chest. If you have monkey mind, or a surge of emotion, notice it as an observer and come back to your breath. It will not feel easy or totally natural at first. You’ll feel like you’re faking it. But there’s no faking— only practice. And practice makes progress.

A Few Final Thoughts

Meditation doesn’t have to be a big, scary monster lurking in the corner. It doesn’t have to take an hour or transport you to a blissed out state that you need to tell everyone about at the coffee shop later that day. It doesn’t have to involve full lotus and a revelation. All you need is a place to sit, a few precious minutes of your time, and a commitment to explore whether meditation, in one form or another, should be part of your life.

With love and a half-lotus,

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