In this article, we enlist 5 easy meditation techniques for beginners which can be conveniently practiced on a daily basis without having to put in much time and effort. Each of the mentioned techniques has its own advantages and can be strategically used for fulfilling different goals and purposes.

However, before we dive into the actual techniques, let us first discuss some important facts about meditation which will help you to effectively choose which meditation technique you should follow based on what you wish to achieve.

First and foremost, meditation is no metaphysical woo-woo and has numerous verified tangible and reproducible scientific studies supporting its wide range of physical, mental and emotional benefits.

Second, each meditation technique requires a certain mindset and level of cognitive development. You need to be true to yourself before you start with your practice and determine which technique is best suited for you to begin with. For ex. some advanced meditation techniques require you to devote hours of application time along with a long list of dos and don’ts. These techniques aren’t appropriate for beginners and those who tend to jump to the latter are bound to lose motivation sooner than later. That being said, the meditation techniques enlisted in this article can be used by literally anyone. However, we strongly suggest adhering to the enclosed guidelines for best results.

Third, you don’t need to put in hours and hours of your precious time in order to enjoy the benefits provided by the below mentioned meditation techniques for beginners. A bare minimum of 10-15 minutes every day should do the trick.

Last but not the least, meditation is to your mind what physical exercise is to your body. We are all aware of the fact that your body requires time to cope with the exertion and the wear-and-tear of your muscles caused by rigorous physical workouts, even more so when you’re at an early stage of your routine. The same is true for your meditation practices as well. A good amount of rest and healthy diet is highly recommended if you wish to see long-term results in either case.

Classic Meditation – Basic Level

The Classic Meditation (Basic Level) is the first meditation technique for beginners that we’ll be talking about.

Introduction

This is probably the easiest meditation technique out there and requires no prior experience or practice per se. Exercising this technique for as little as 10 minutes on a daily basis can significantly improve your focus and concentration.

Procedure

For this, simply sit in a cross-legged position with your back straightened out as if you were trying to touch the roof of your room with the top of your head. You can sit on a chair as well if you aren’t used to sitting in a crossed-legged position. Next, place your hands on your thighs and let them rest with your palms facing upwards. Now, gently close your eyes while looking at 45° from the horizontal and bring your attention to the flow of your breath. Focus on how your breath flows in through your nostrils, feel your lungs expand slightly. Then focus on how your breath flows out through your nostrils, feel your lungs contract back to their original shape. Also, pay attention to the movement of your abdomen. Observe how it inflates and deflates with each breath. Do this every day for 10-15 minutes.

Benefits

This classic meditation technique is best suited either for those who are just starting with their spiritual journey or for those who are looking for an easy remedy to decrease their stress and anxiety. This classic meditation tends to have a calming and soothing effect on the body, and can be used in any given situation.

If you have a big presentation coming up, and you find yourself to be panicking, getting restless or stressed-out, find a quiet corner for yourself and indulge in just 3-4 minutes of this exercise. You will see a remarkable positive change in your physiology almost immediately. This is unquestionably the best suited meditation technique for beginners of all ages, genders, and experience.

Purpose & Application

The best application of this meditation technique for beginners is to utilize it for gaining control of your senses and reigning in your stress and anxiety during challenging situations. As mentioned before, simply find a quiet corner for yourself and start practising!

You may also use it for channelling your anger and developing patience in the longer run.

Classic Meditation – Intermediate Level

The Classic Meditation (Intermediate Level) is the second meditation technique for beginners that we’ll be talking about.

Introduction

The Classic Meditation (Intermediate Level) has exactly the same attributes as the basic level along with one additional tweak in the aforementioned procedure.

Procedure

After taking the position described in the procedure for the basic level of classic meditation, touch the roof of your mouth with your tongue and gently curl it backwards up to a comfortable degree. Don’t force yourself into overdoing it. Next, similar to the basic level, bring your attention to the flow of your breath. Focus on how your breath flows in and out through your nostrils. Feel your lungs expand and subsequently contract. Pay attention to the inflating and deflating movements of your abdomen. Do this every day for 10-15 minutes. You may gradually increase your practice time as per your convenience.

Note: Initially, you may find it awkward and a bit difficult to keep the tongue arrayed in the described place and it may uncurl itself back to its original position after some time. Have no worries, and place it against the roof of your mouth once again. If it becomes tiresome, let your tongue settle down at the bottom of your mouth and continue with the procedure for the basic level of classic meditation. Try again with this technique when you think you’re ready. With practice, you will inevitably become good at it.

Benefits

The intermediate level of classic meditation is laced with all the benefits provided by the basic level but with an amplified effect. The curling of the tongue essentially makes it easier for you to breath by opening up your sinuses. Numerous studies have been done depicting the physiological benefits of placing the tongue against the roof of your mouth. Some of them include prevention of snoring and sleep apnea, improvement in oral development and dental structure/alignment, improvement in jaw support which further enhances the look and feel of your overall face, prevention of mouth breathing and teeth grinding, etc.

Purpose & Application

This technique can be used for all the purposes highlighted in the basic level. One other advantage would be that you don’t always need to find a secluded space for yourself in order to avail the benefits of this meditation. You need not sit down in a cross-legged position or in a proper chair. In fact, you can easily practice this technique on the go while performing your daily chores. All you have to do is curl back your tongue and deepen your breathing cycle. While you consciously change the position of your tongue, you mind will automatically begin focusing on the flow of your breath, thereby producing a calming and soothing effect. At the same time, we do recommend spending a minimum of 10 minutes every day on practising the complete procedure of this technique in a silent place while sitting in the suggested posture with your eyes closed.

Classic Meditation – Advanced Level

The Classic Meditation (Advanced Level) is the third meditation technique for beginners that we’ll be talking about.

Introduction

The Classic Meditation (Advanced Level) consists of everything covered in the intermediate level in conjunction with a lot more! For starters, it incorporates the use of simple yet powerful chants and mantras that produce unique vibrations with unprecedented positive effects on the mind as well as the body. It also incorporates the use of certain visualization techniques that help increase focus and concentration. Let’s take a look at the procedure for this wonderful meditation technique for beginners.

Procedure

For convenience, we’ll reiterate the basic as well as the intermediate level steps once again. To begin with, simply sit in a cross-legged position with your back straightened out as if you were trying to touch the roof of your room with the top of your head. You can sit on a chair as well if you aren’t used to sitting in a crossed-legged position. Next, place your hands on your thighs and let them rest with your palms facing upwards.

Touch the roof of your mouth with your tongue and gently curl it backwards up to a comfortable degree. Now, gently close your eyes while looking at 45° from the horizontal and bring your attention to the flow of your breath. Focus on how your breath flows in and out through your nostrils. Feel your lungs expand and subsequently contract. Pay attention to the inflating and deflating movements of your abdomen.

Now the interesting bit. Before you settle down for meditation, create a playlist of chants and mantras that you would like to listen to and focus on during your practice. We will provide the links to some of the most potent chants that you can add to your collection in the Resources section at the end of this post. Of all the options available, our suggestion would be to go for the all time favorite “Om” chant.

Once you have your chants, and you’ve assumed the required position, start focusing on your breath first. Poise yourself. Let your breathing become deeper and deeper. Time your breathing cycle in a manner such that you breath in during the break that follows each chant-phrase. Then, breath out with the onset of the next chant-phrase, but in a controlled fashion so that you finish exactly with the same chant-phrase itself. Do this on repeat for a few times until you get in sync with the latter.

After taking 5-10 deep breaths, visualize a small flame of light approximately a feet above the scalp of your head. With each breath, imagine that the flame is getting stronger and brighter. Imagine that the flame represents absolute purity and hope that surrounds our world. Every time you breathe in, visualize yourself absorbing each and every ounce of positivity that the flame has to offer. Every time you breathe out, consciously expel all the negative energy that has been stored in the deepest and almost inaccessible parts of your body. Allow that negative energy to leave your body without any resistance. Realize that there is no point in holding on to pent up emotions and frustrations. Do this every day for 10-15 minutes. You may gradually increase your practice time as per your convenience.

Benefits

This meditation technique for beginners is an excellent tool for those who have an inclination towards exploring the spiritual aspect of their lives. It can also help regulate negative emotions like anger, stress, frustrations, grief, sorrow, pain, etc. that almost all of us struggle with on a day-to-day basis.

Purpose & Application

If you think you have a lot of pent up emotions and frustrations inside, practising this meditation technique can actually work wonders for you. Apart from offering all the benefits of basic and intermediate levels of classic meditation, this advanced level technique can prove to be a great tool for starting with your spiritual journey. It’s easy to practice, and does not require much time and effort. All you need is a little consistency, and the results that you’ll achieve will be truly noteworthy.

Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness Meditation is the fourth meditation technique for beginners that we’ll be discussing about.

Introduction

Mindfulness refers to the practice of consciously being aware of your surroundings, your thoughts, feelings, emotions as well as your body. In simpler terms, mindfulness is the art of being mindful about everything we see, taste, smell, hear, touch, think and feel at any given moment in time.

For getting acquainted with mindfulness as a skill, the next time you indulge in any activity, even if it’s something as trivial as reading a book, pay attention to how the pages of that book feel, notice the colors that have been used for designing the cover, the font that has been used to narrate the story, etc. Give your brain the time to process things at its own pace. Practice! Practice! Practice!

Procedure

In this meditation technique for beginners, start by sitting in a comfortable position. Similar to the intermediate level of classic meditation, straighten out your back, rest your hands on your thighs with your palms facing upwards. Next, close your eyes, curl back your tongue and pay attention to the flow of your breath. Allow your body to relax.

After taking 5-10 deep breaths, bring your focus to the many thoughts that you witness on the screen of your imagination. You don’t have to restrict and discard any idea. Instead, be welcoming of it. If you experience thoughts related to any of the negative emotions like anger, insecurity, jealousy, greed, etc., do not chastise yourself for feeling or thinking this way. The more you’ll suppress such thoughts, the more they’ll push back against your efforts, and the more difficult it will become for you to control them. Instead, make peace with them. Understand them. And then try to reason with them. The sooner you’ll realize that these so-called negative emotions play an extremely crucial role in ensuring our wellbeing, the easier it will become for you to channel them.

Apart from regulating your emotions, you may also choose to utilize the mindfulness meditation for deducing answers to a lingering problem, or for generating ideas for an upcoming creation. Sit quietly in the meditative pose as described above, and let your thoughts fly to wherever they wish to go in relation to your problem or creation. As you’ll learn to reach deeper states of consciousness with time and regular practice, you’ll be able to find a much better outlook towards anything and everything that may hold your attention.

Benefits

Regulation of pent up emotions and frustrations, gaining control over stress and anxiety, deducing answers to persistent problems and challenges, etc.

Purpose & Application

As described before, the best suited application of this meditation technique for beginners is finding solutions to the problems or challenges that you might be facing with respect to any and every aspect of your life. It can also be used for coming up with creative ideas, artistic inspirations, genius innovations, etc.

Guided Meditation

Guided Meditation is the fifth meditation technique for beginners that we’ll be discussing about.

Introduction

Guided Meditation is simple, effective, and probably the best form of meditation out there for people who have a hard time concentrating on the task at hand or controlling their chain of thoughts around a single point of focus. These are simple narratives presented by trained practitioners and teachers designed to achieve a specific purpose through use of sounds and visualizations. In this, you don’t exactly need to focus hard on your breath or on a flame over your head. Instead, you just need to allow your chain of thoughts to be guided by the voice of the narrator.

Procedure

Every guided meditation will have a different set of guidelines and steps to be followed. At times, you may need to spend 2-3 sessions to get accustomed to the tone, pace and accent of the person narrating the meditation. Don’t let that demotivate or frustrate you. Just go with the flow, and do what feels natural to you. You’ll get there eventually.

Benefits

Guided Meditation does not require high levels of focus and attention as compared to Classic Meditation. The best part about this form of meditation is that we can have tailor-made goal specific techniques which we can practice as per our requirement.

Purpose & Application

From developing love and kindness to improving focus and attention to gaining clarity of thought and action, Guided Meditations can serve a plethora of purposes. You just need to find the right fit for your goal. Check out the Resources section at the end of this post for some really innovative sources of Guided Meditations which can potentially fit well with the nature of your cause.

Conclusion

To sum it up, we’ve talked about 5 easy meditation techniques for beginners, each with its own unique problem to solve and purpose to fulfill. The 3 levels of Classic Meditation – Basic, Intermediate and Advanced – can help practitioners reduce stress and anxiety, at the same time improving focus and concentration, and acting as a catalyst in their spiritual journeys. The Mindfulness Meditation can aid in the creation of innovative ideas and inspirations, and provide its users with an effective tool for regulating negative emotions. Guided Meditations, on the other hand, can have infinite number of applications which makes them extremely strategic yet convenient and straightforward to use.

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Resources

We have added links for purchasing books that we believe you may find useful while applying the above mentioned meditation techniques for beginners. If you’ll use the provided links for your purchases, we’ll receive a small commission which will help us to continue publishing free quality content for you.

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