Starting a meditation practice is like exploring uncharted territory. We try to prepare for the adventure, but we never really know exactly where we are heading or how best to proceed. Thankfully, there is no right or wrong way to begin a meditation practice. As long as your intention is to learn, you are on the right track.
Here are seven tips that might help you psychologically prepare for meditation practice.
Be Patient with Yourself
Meditation is a process not unlike learning to play piano, to dance, or to speak a foreign language. You will not master it in one session, one weekend, or maybe even a lifetime. Even choosing a meditation cushion is a process — you need to understand what will work best to help you maintain physical comfort during meditation, and then you and your cushions need to get acquainted with each other. Be patient with the process and be especially forgiving of yourself. You may not feel as though you are making progress, but over time you will realize the benefits of a regular practice.
Have a Routine
Any piano teacher will tell you: practice, practice, practice. Meditation is no different. You need to set a routine schedule and treat it like an appointment. Write out your daily schedule and carve out a time for meditation. Soon it will become as natural a habit as any other part of your day.
Let Go and Relax
There is a lot of advice about meditation that can be more rigid than helpful. You may be told you have to breathe in a certain way or sit perfectly still for hours. These practices have their merit, but more often they create anxiety rather than calm. Let go of rigid methodology. Any process that leads to thoughts of “Am I doing it right?” will lead to anxiety about meditation. You are always doing it right if you feel clearer and more relaxed after a session.
Be Flexible and Flow
One of the supreme goals of meditation is to integrate your calm demeanor with the rest of your life. In time, you will find that you can maintain calm in more situations — this is flow. If your routine is interrupted and you have to meditate at a different time, or you simply can’t get a session in on a given day, be flexible. As soon as you can, get your session in and reestablish your flow.
Be Thankful
Whatever the outcome of a meditation session, always be grateful to yourself for your effort. Even if a session doesn’t go well — your legs go numb, your mind wanders, something interrupts you — be grateful for what you learned and for the time you were able to sit. You are always making progress.
Join a Meditation Group
Meditation groups can be found in nearly any major city. Being part of a group will help you stay motivated and focused. Before joining, find out what their style is — Buddhist, Vipassana, Siddha Yoga, Christian, or non-denominational — and make sure it aligns with your own beliefs and comfort level. Typically, being with like-minded people who share your intention is a positive and encouraging experience.
Seek Out More Information
Meditation has become quite mainstream. Christianity is even embracing it through Centering Prayer. There is a wealth of information available in books and online. Make it a regular practice to read about meditation — you will gain insights along the way that will help you grow your practice.
I hope these tips have been helpful and that you will have a lot of fun starting and growing your meditation practice.
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