Body & beauty

Meditation for beginners: the benefits and different types

Meditation has proven health benefits, and can improve your relationships with both yourself and others. Here’s how to get started today!

Meditation has come a long way since the days when it was considered a hippy fad, where people simply sat cross-legged and thought deeply. Nowadays, it’s a routine part of keeping feelings of anxiety and stress at bay, with a celebrity following including the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow and Oprah. And, its popularity has only risen. In 2014, the question ‘how to meditate’ was the fourth most-searched term powered by Google. Plus, 72 percent of GPs consider learning mindfulness skills helpful for patients with mental health problems, according to NHS Mersey Care. Read on for everything you need to know to get started, and fall in love with meditation.

What is meditation?

“Meditation is a practice that helps you control your mind and focus on the present moment,” explains David James Lees, taoist monk and meditation teacher. “There are thousands of different forms, and many have their roots in ancient eastern philosophical, religious or healthcare practices. Many techniques are simple to learn and are great for beginners. There are also a large number of non-religious forms of meditation that anyone can practice, regardless of their background, faith or beliefs. Mindfulness is a popular form, which involves intentionally focusing on the ‘here and now’. Other techniques use the breath, visualisations, repetition of affirmations and mantra meditations, and even physical movement.”

What are 5 benefits of meditation?

“A big part of meditation involves training your mind to slow down, so your thoughts get quieter,” says Jody Shield, ambassador for Lululemon and author of Self-Care for the Soul: Power Up Your Brightest, Boldest, Happiest You. “This is achieved by giving your mind something else to focus on, such as your breathing, or a certain point in your body. When your inner world slows down, your outer world does too, and you become more present. One of the benefits is that you become more productive. This might sound counterintuitive, but it means less time wasted, more focus and faster problem-solving.” Plus, Jody points out that there are many scientifically proven benefits of meditation:

1. Studies have found that the practice reduced reactivity of the amygdala – the fight-or-flight response – as meditation calms your brain and reduces the dangerous side effects of chronic stress on the body.

2. Another effect is increased activity in the prefrontal cortex: this helps to regulate your emotions and reduce stress.

3. Increased compassion: meditation alters the parts of the brain responsible for empathy.

4. Increased focus and sharpened concentration.

5. Decreased anxiety: the parts of the brain responsible for regulating thoughts about yourself are altered.

How to meditate

These meditation tips from mind guru Mark Dunn are ideal as a mindfulness meditation for sleep, bedtime meditation, or an easy 10 minute guided meditation.

Focus on your breath

The moment you move your attention from your thoughts to your breath you have started meditating. Begin to feel your breathing by observing the sensations that arise in your respiratory system: the nostrils, chest, diaphragm or abdomen, as air enters and you exhale. Conveniently, your breathing and gas exchange is always available for you to use as a meditation, wherever you are and whatever you’re doing.

Observe sensations

As well as being aware of the feelings you experience as you breathe, begin to notice other sensations that arise. Take a little journey around the body, making sure to cover every part. What can you feel in each area? You may feel hot or cold, tension, aches, tingling, perspiration or heaviness in your physical heart. The list is endless. But try not to label any sensations that you find; simply observing them is good enough.

Don’t expect anything to happen

Meditation is the opposite of excitement. When we are excited we are anticipating something in the future. When we meditate, we are simply being in the present moment, here and now. Do not expect some flash of insight or transcendental moment of enlightenment. Simply be with the sensations that are arising for you now. Stop searching for anything.

Do not judge the sensations

Accept every sensation that arises anywhere in your body with equanimity; no sensation is good or bad. If we judge our sensations, then we will begin to crave those sensations that we label ‘good’ or generate aversion towards ‘bad’ or ‘painful’ sensations.

Do not react

Allow aches and pains to be there and move your attention to observe another part of the body. You may even find that some time later the ‘unbearable’ sensation has completely disappeared.

Stop listening to your thoughts

People say ‘I can’t meditate because I can’t stop thinking’. Want to know a secret? Nobody can. Every time you notice that you have stopped meditating and are thinking again, move your attention away from thought into feeling, breathing sensations in the body. This way, you’ll start meditating again. You’ll probably need to do this many times in just a few minutes.

Start loving yourself

As you spend more and more time observing bodily sensations, you’ll begin to notice which thoughts cause you to feel negative, unpleasant sensations in the body. Start turning angry or hurtful thoughts into loving thoughts and feel the difference these make in your body.

Set a timer

Once you start to see the benefits that meditating brings to your life, start making more time to do it. Set a timer, for 10 minutes initially, and do not stop your meditation until the buzzer rings. Of course there will be times during the 10 minutes when you will go off into the world of thought, but that’s okay. Every time you notice you are thinking, immediately move your awareness away from thought and back into the body. The more you practise meditating, the more able you will be to resist the temptation to listen to your own mind’s endless thinking and chattering.

7 Basic meditations for every day of the week

Breath meditation from Justine Curlis, mindfulness coach

1. This is a perfect guided morning meditation. Sit somewhere comfortable with your feet flat on the floor, your back straight and your hands resting on your lap.

2. With your eyes closed, notice where you can feel the sensations of your breath most vividly (usually your abdomen, chest or nostrils) and rest your attention on feeling the sensation of each breath, in and out.

3. When your attention wanders from your breath to a thought, notice the thought’s content, and without judging this, bring your awareness back to your breath. Do this for a few minutes a day, and gradually increase the duration until you can sit for 10 minutes or more.

Walking meditation from Justine

1. Choose a suitable location, such as your hallway or garden, where you can walk several steps in a straight line.

2. Before you start walking, take a moment to breathe in and out and feel the sensations of your feet making contact with the ground. Breathing in, take a slow step forward and feel how the sensations change in your feet and legs as your heel lifts off the ground.

3. Do the same with your next foot, feeling into the sensations of both feet and legs. After taking several steps, pause, breathe in and out, turn around and repeat these steps as you walk back to your starting point.

4. When you get used to this, you can bring the same awareness to walking at a regular pace when out and about.

Ch’an meditation from Shaolin Buddhist master Shifu Shi Heng Dao

1. Start with a breathing meditation and mentally count your breaths in rounds of 10.

2. Focusing on counting gives your rational, analytical mind a task so that your thoughts don’t wander. In time, move on to following the breath into your body.

3. Practitioners gain calmness and good focus on their quest for enlightenment.

Try a guided gratitude meditation from Dr Audrey Tang, chartered psychologist and author of The Leader’s Guide to Mindfulness

This easy guided meditation also makes an ideal morning meditation to get you ready for the day ahead.

1. When you wake, stretch your arms and think of one thing you are grateful to have.

2. Stretch your legs and think of one person you are grateful to know.

3. Finally, stretch your whole body and think of one thing you are looking forward to today. This keeps you focused in the here and now.

Language-focused meditation

While sitting quietly with your eyes closed, try this twist on gratitude meditation. “Instead of seeing things as good and bad, right or wrong, tell yourself this can all be dependent on context,” says Dr Audrey. “Rather, by looking at an action as effective or ineffective in the pursuit of your desired outcome, you’ll become focused on what you want to achieve, as well as removing unnecessary, emotional weight from your behaviours.”

Inner-smile meditation

“Smile to yourself and then imagine extending this warm smile to every organ and muscle of your body,” says David James Lees. “Hold your attention on each part of your body until it begins to relax and soften.”

Loving-kindness meditation

“Imagine sending love and kindness to yourself,” says David. “Then extend this feeling of compassion out to a good friend, a neutral person, and someone you are having difficulty with, and then finally send it out to the entire universe.” This is a lovely way to end your day as a relaxing night meditation. To concentrate on your heart, why not also try heartfulness meditation?

Which type of meditation is right for me?

If you think different types of meditation could work for you but aren’t sure where to start, Lucy Edge, author and founder of Yogaclicks, and yoga and meditation teacher Anna Ashby share some interesting approaches.

Mindfulness meditation for practical people who like a scientific approach

Mindfulness originates in Buddhist teachings and is the most popular meditation technique in the west. Now on the NHS in some areas, it’s proven to decrease stress, improve sleep, help manage chronic pain, and boost wellbeing. It’s one of the most ideal meditation techniques for beginners. The idea is to observe your thoughts, sensations and feelings from a distance, watching them as if they were falling leaves or passing clouds. You don’t judge them or become involved with them. You simply note any patterns and move on, eventually learning that you have a choice in how you respond to your thoughts. Try this as a meditation before sleep, or as a 10 minute morning meditation.

Try a listening and feeling 10 minute meditation

1. Take a comfortable position for this. Close your eyes.

2. Start by becoming aware of your physical body – your feet on the floor, your back against the chair, your hands in your lap, the temperature on your skin, your breath and the rise and fall of your chest. Check in with every part of your body in turn.

3. Then turn your attention to any sounds in the room, or outside. Don’t judge them or get involved with them, just observe them as they are.

4. Treat any thoughts as clouds passing across the sky. Become aware of any space between the thoughts and drop into that feeling of deep calm. Enjoy the feeling of freedom that accompanies the sense of peace. This is ideal as a relaxing sleep meditation.

Movement meditation for people who find it hard to sit still

Though yoga is the obvious choice, any kind of repetitive action can be a meditation. Try mindfully walking, gardening, t’ai chi or even running. The aim is to calm the mind by becoming the movement, absorbing all the physical sensations – sights, sounds, smell, and touch – as they occur.

Try a half sun salutation

1. Start with your hands in prayer. Take a breath – experience your centre settling as you connect to the beat of your heart and the rise and fall of your breath.

2. Inhaling, reach your hands above your head, observing the expansion of your chest and the rise of your diaphragm. Exhaling, return your hands to prayer position, feeling the contraction of your chest and the settling of your diaphragm. Imagine your blood vessels relaxing during these breathing exercises.

3. If you don’t have any back issues and would like to take it further, repeat the above but instead of returning your hands to prayer position, bend at the waist and knees, and swan dive your hands towards the floor. Stay here a moment, taking another breath, releasing your head, shoulders and back. When you are ready, keeping your knees bent, sweep your hands up, returning to prayer position.

4. Remember to merge your breath with the movement as you flow through the form. Immerse yourself in every sensation, absorbing every sight, sound and feeling in the moment.

Focus: learn how to concentrate

This meditation focuses your attention on an object, sound or your own breath, rather than on attempting to clear your mind. Methods of paying attention include watching a sunset or observing a candle flame. Whatever the focus, try simply to experience it using your five senses, to be fully present in the moment.

Try a moon zen meditation

1. Stand or sit in a quiet spot outside at night, making sure you’re wrapped up warm.

2. Notice the smell of the night air, any cool breeze against your skin and any sounds near or far. Take a deep breath and exhale slowly, raising your eyes slowly to the sky as if you’re seeing it for the first time. Allow your eyes to adjust to the blackness and start to distinguish the colours of the night – the many hues of silver, blue and grey, the contours of the moon, any passing clouds, the stars and their myriad constellations.

3. Now reverse your position so that you are observing your place beneath this canopy. See how small you are, and yet how big – expand your sense of place in this beautiful world, and see yourself sitting at its heart.

4 meditations that could change your life

Grounding meditation for success

This is designed to bring you back to your body and root your energy back into that of the earth. “Try this if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed,” says Tania Ahsan, author of Everyday Calming Rituals. “It’s particularly good in times of uncertainty and stress, and is really useful when going through big life changes, such as a house move or divorce.” For best results, try Tania’s meditation in the morning before you start your day.

1. Sit upright on a straight-backed chair and start with your palms on your lap facing upwards.

2. Close your eyes. Take three deep breaths in and out through your nose.

3. Visualise a golden energy coming from the sky down into the top of your head and passing through every pore in your body and then out through your feet.

4. Imagine that this energy then creates roots that come out of your feet and anchor you into the earth. Because it is energy, you aren’t forced to stay in one place; those roots dynamically move with you wherever you go in the world. You are now grounded into a positive, helpful energy system.

5. Turn your palms downwards on your lap and, as soon as you do, the energy stays in your body but is no longer flowing into your crown. You can rub your hands a bit on your lap and wiggle your fingers. Then open your eyes and go into your day protected and well.

6. You may feel a bit tingly, but you should feel emotionally stronger and a bit more present in your body.

Heart rhythm meditation

“This is great for reducing stress and restoring inner calmness,” says healer Kasia Mikolajczyk. It makes a wonderful 10 minute sleep meditation.

1. Find a comfortable place where you will be able to relax and will not be disturbed.

2. Sit on a chair with your feet on the ground, spine straight, hands resting on your upper legs, palms facing up, or sitting crossed legged on a mat is also fine.

3. Make yourself comfortable and allow your body to fully relax. Start observing your breath as it flows in and out. Allow yourself to connect to your breath.

4. For the next few breaths inhale through the nose, bringing in positivity and relaxation, and exhale through the mouth, releasing all stress and tension. Continue breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth, but this time extend your exhales for an extra two to three seconds. Feel your belly muscles engaging on the exhale, supporting you to extend the out-breath and let go of any stagnant air. Exhale all the air and at the end of the out-breath allow yourself to reach the space of nothingness, here with practice you will begin to sense your heartbeat. Allow the in-breath to arise naturally.

5. Now, start breathing more fully, allowing your belly to expand with each inhalation. Notice that as you take full inhalations, your chest rises and falls. For the next few moments place your focus on your chest, and notice its movement. On the next inhalation, hold your breath at the top for three to four seconds (or as long as comfortable). In the space of stillness, I invite you to connect to the heartbeat, and feel your pulse. Connect to your heart, to its rhythm, and feel its strength.

6. Now start breathing just through the nose and begin balancing your breath. Start to count in time with your heart or find a count that feels good for you. To help you connect to your heart rhythm, place your palm on your heart.

7. Start with even inhalations and exhalations, and count to your heart rhythm – 1,2,3,4,5,6 when inhaling and 1,2,3,4,5,6 when exhaling. Notice the sensation of calmness and harmony arising in your being. Continue breathing to the same count for a few moments, after which you can increase the count if you wish to.

Crystal meditation

“Chances are, if you have a crystal in your possession or have been drawn to a particular crystal, then that is the one you need right now,” says crystal healer, Gena Abbott. “Crystal meditation can be very relaxing, which can help with de-stressing, but on a deeper level, meditating with crystals can invoke certain energies and attributes within us. These include grounding, manifesting, feelings of love, or protective energy.” Try this at any time of day or night. We love choosing a crystal like rose quartz for this.

1. Find a comfortable sitting position. Place your hands in front of you with your palms facing up (this symbolises that you are ready to receive), and hold your crystal in your dominant hand.

2. Close your eyes and take a deep breath through your nose, breathing in life and consciousness into your body, letting any tension fall away.

3. Exhale through your mouth, breathing and feeling its shape and texture. Acknowledge its presence and give it permission to work its energy on you while you take a mental note of any thoughts and feelings that show up.

4. While you continue to breathe in, let your quartz crystal or other stone guide you, let the visions come, let thoughts and feelings arise, and breathe out anything negative.

5. In this space you are safe, in this space you are present, in this space you are healing.

6. Continue as long as you need and revisit as often as you like.

Qi Gong meditation

Qi Gong or Qigong is practised predominantly in China, but is popular around the world. Qi Gong (often spelt Chi Kung) is a system of movement and breath based on Chinese medicine, martial arts and philosophy which has been used for thousands of years in various forms. “The aim of Qigong exercise is to promote the movement of Qi (energy) in the body,” says Dr Kate Bartram Brown, head of The Modern Mystery School. “The breath and movements of Qi Gong stimulate the life force energy to flow into areas of the mind and body that have stagnant energy.”

Some have reported that The Tree Pose gives the practitioner clarity and increased Chi; helps calm the energy of the liver; lowers blood pressure; and promotes restful sleep whilst giving an overall boost of vital energies. Practise Kate’s suggested pose regularly and consistently for best results.

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Bend your knees just slightly, allowing your weight to sink fully into your feet, so your legs and pelvis are relaxed. It’s like you are sitting on a high stool: do not tuck your tailbone under.

3. Gently roll the knees out a bit without moving your feet. Don’t allow your big toes to lose contact with the floor.

4. Move your hands and elbows up to the level of your heart – elbows lower than wrists, palms facing your torso, creating a circle with your arms, with four or five inches between the gently extended fingers of your right and left hands – just as though you were hugging a tree.

5. Sink your shoulders down.

6. Bring your attention to your breath. Breathe deeply and slowly. Feel relaxed, peaceful, and flexible like a powerful tree. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth.

7. As you hug the tree, imagine you’re also becoming a tree: feel your roots descending.

8. Use inhalation to expand the body and exhalation to release unnecessary tension.

9. Hold for as long as you can: a few minutes to start with, then extend the length. Once you get past 20 minutes, your whole system will feel much more refreshed.

10. Slowly, with practice, the body will relax into the pose, your mind will become more still, and your body will become more flexible and supple.