5 Helpful Tips for Beginning a Meditation Practice

Create a practice that is comforting and fun. Incorporate rituals and items that help you feel like yourself.

10 Helpful Meditation Supports

• Wrap yourself in a cozy blanket, sweater or shawl.
• Pour a steaming hot cup of tea or coffee. Sip mindfully.
• Listen to music, guided meditations, singing bowls, bird song, wind chimes, ocean sounds or the rain.
• Meditate in the same place. This can create a strong positive energy field and help you receive intuitive messages and healing.
• Practice outdoors and allow the sights, sounds and scents of nature to focus and calm you.
• Bring the support of nature inside with house plants, pets, crystals, candles or water.
• Chant, say, read, write or sing mantras, affirmations, poems or prayers.
• Stretch or practice yoga before or after meditating.
• Enjoy a walking meditation, indoors or outside. Step slowly, peacefully and with intention. Feel each footstep connect with the ground. Try it barefoot in the grass or at the beach!
• Smudge with incense, sage, cedar or palo santo. Light a candle. Open a window. Clear the air.
• BONUS: Tap into your intuition by using tarot cards, journals, crystal grids or message charms.

Find your why. Why do you want to meditate? Is it to relieve stress, improve your health or find greater meaning in life? Knowing your "Why" makes your practice more and meaningful for you. Here are a few ideas to get your thinking.

Why do you want to begin a meditation practice?

• I want to feel more peaceful and happy.
• I want to feel less busy and stressed-out.
• I want to relieve worry and anxiety.
• I want to be a better leader, parent, friend, person, (fill-in the blank).
• I want to improve/maintain my mental health.
• I'm overwhelmed and I want to take better care of myself.
• I want to connect with my intuition and inner wisdom.
• I want to be myself, be more confident, love myself.
• I want to overcome an addiction.
• I have a stressful job/ life situation and I need a safe place to process my emotions.
• I want to strengthen my immune system, lower my blood pressure and improve my sleep.
• I want to improve my self-image, make healthy choices and feel good in my own skin.
• I want to improve my relationships with others.
• I want to be more creative.
• I want to be better in touch with my senses and the world around me.
• I want to find meaning and purpose in my life.
• I want to be less judgmental and easily-triggered.
• I want to develop compassion, understanding and/or forgiveness.
• I want to live more in the moment and less in my mind.
• I want to be more fun and less stressed-out.
• I want to enjoy life!

Active meditations are past-times, hobbies, activities that create a meditative state of mind. They include a relaxed focus, sensory input and repetitive motions. Active meditations are great for when you are feeling too restless, stressed or anxious for a sitting meditation practice. They are easy to incorporate into daily life. During your active meditation, breathe deeply, allow your thoughts to unwind and enjoy what you are doing. It’s as easy as that.

Ideas for Active Meditations:

• Reading
• Washing dishes
• Woodworking
• Walking to Work
• Gardening
• Sewing
• Knitting
• Cooking
• Yoga
• Swimming
• Fishing
• Cards
• Puzzles
• Board Games
• Playing an Instrument
• Listening to Music
• Singing
• Dancing
• Writing
• Painting
• Bird Watching
• Astronomy
• Cleaning
• Exercising
• Sports
• Electronics
• Mechanics
• Crafting
• Biking
• Hiking
• Flower Arranging
• Photography

 
• Anything that makes you feel happy and calm!

Meditation is about coming home to yourself. Your breath, your thoughts, your emotions, your vibe. You can’t meditate “better” or “worse” then anyone else. You can only be yourself. Find supports and practices that make you smile. The more you meditate, the more you will get in touch with your own unique light, and the less you will feel pressured to imitate others. Just breathe and be yourself. That’s all there is to it!