Meditation for Beginners

When sitting on a chair to meditate, it is okay to lean against the backrest in the beginning. Make sure that your buttock is all the way back in the chair, or else you may slump in your lower spine, causing discomfort and sleepiness.

Once seated, you can un-round your shoulders by bringing them forward, raising them up, bringing them back, and then dropping them down. Also, tuck your chin under slightly, extending the crown of your head towards the ceiling to balance your head on your neck. 

Once your meditation practice develops it is helpful to start introducing more discipline within your meditation posture. This can be done by sitting towards the front of the chair and slightly rotating the top of your hips forward. Your forearms and hands can then sit gently on your legs, creating a triangle-shaped balance point. 

This makes a very stable meditation posture that will keep you alert and balanced as you develop relaxation during your meditation session.

When sitting on the floor, it is important to keep your back straight and sit in a way you can maintain for some time without moving. Sitting flat on the floor requires a lot of hip flexibility. You can test this now by sitting flat on the floor. 

If your knees have trouble touching the ground while your back is straight, you can use different props to help with your posture. Props such as a firm cushion under your buttocks help to raise your hips off the ground, changing the angle of your legs. This lowers the amount of flexibility needed in your hips for the posture.

When sitting on the floor, I recommend trying the Burmese meditation posture. Explanation:

Sit down on a cushion, and fold one leg into your body so that the sole of your foot faces the inside thigh of the other leg. Next, fold the other leg in front of it. This will prevent the pain and numbness that result from one limb pressing against the other. 

If this is still difficult, you can kneel on the floor with a rolled blanket or cushion between your legs and legs tucked under you. If this still isn't comfortable, then go easy on yourself. Get to know your body and what it can and can't do. Accept it, and then work with what you have. 

Other postures are just as good. You can meditate on a chair or lay on a mat on the floor.

When lying down on the floor for meditation, use a yoga mat or blanket to support your body. Bend your knees and place a bolster or rolled blanket under them to protect your lower back. 

An advantage of your whole body supported by this hard surface is that you can fully allow your muscles to relax.

Slightly bend your knees and place a bolster or rolled blanket under them to protect your back. 

To keep alert (so you don't fall asleep), place your arms by your sides with palms facing upwards. If you have back or neck issues, try laying on your side in the CPR recovery position for meditation. If there is no other option, you can lie on a bed for meditation, but there is a higher risk of falling asleep. 

To prevent this, prop your body upright by placing pillows behind your back and head. A rolled blanket under your knees will protect your lower back.

Stress, calm & how you breathe.

Have you noticed that how you breathe changes when you feel stressed or anxious?

Over the next seven days, we will use slow, relaxing breaths to develop a feeling of relaxation and calm. Taking slow, relaxing breaths in the belly changes stress breathing patterns and triggers a relaxation response within our body and mind. As you continue this meditation course and spend more time resting in this relaxed/calm state, it will become your natural way of being throughout the day.

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Commit to change.

The first step to making meditation part of your life is to take some time out from your routine to develop skills in letting go. At first, change will take some determination, but with practice, you will see the benefits and look forward to your daily meditation.

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Find enjoyment in your meditation.

For meditation to become regular, focus on two things:

1. Making it as enjoyable as possible.
2. Set a time for meditation that you can commit to so that you can say at the end: "I kept this commitment to myself." 

In this way, you will develop a feeling of success and trust in yourself that will gain momentum. This momentum leads to significant changes in your mind's relationship to things in your life.

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Structure your meditation.

Guarantee success by committing yourself to meditation for 5 minutes each day. Gradually increase your time by 5 minutes each day. Feel free to adjust how long you spend on each step to your own needs. You could spend 1 week on each step if you like. In this way, you will look forward to your daily meditation and experience the benefits in your life.

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Benefits of This Course.

In this insight meditation program, you will learn three things:

1. Mindfulness: How to develop mindfulness so that you are present with your family, friends, work, or school.
2. Less Stress: How to use gentle belly breathing to desensitise your stress response.
3. Relaxation & Calm: How to develop relaxation & calm during meditation so that you experience it in your daily life.

All this begins by committing to 5 minutes of meditation each day for 1-week to train your mind and body in a new behaviour of relaxation and calm rather than stress. After finishing this seven-day course, you can continue to deepen your meditation by following the Introductory Course to MIDL Insight Meditation on this website.

You will also have the opportunity to become part of the world-wide MIDL Meditation Community by joining weekly online classes. In this way, you will completely change the way that your mind reacts to stresses in your daily life.

Enjoy your meditation,

Stephen Procter.

Find a place for meditation where you can be with yourself for a short period of time without any distractions. This may be a corner of your room, outside in the sunshine, or even in the front seat of your car.

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Guided Meditation:

• SoundCloud: MIDL Calming Meditation: Day 1.

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Commit to spending this time each day to improve peace of mind.

Set a countdown timer on your phone (set to DND), committing to meditating for 5 min.

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How to Relax with Breathing

During this meditation, we are using gentle diaphragmatic breaths to develop calm. 

To learn to breathe with your diaphragm, it is helpful to think of the movement of your lower belly as being like a pump for breathing. 

As you move the lower part of your belly outwards away from your body, air will naturally come in through your nose. 

As you slowly lower your belly back again, air will naturally go back out through your nose.

Using your belly as a pump in this way will allow you to gradually lower your breathing rate and develop an experience of calm.

• Step 1: Sit down for meditation, placing your palms below your belly button.
• Step 2:  Take gentle breaths in your belly by slowly extending your belly out to breathe in and slowly lowering your belly back to breathe out. Do this for 5 breath cycles, counting to 3 in line with each in-breath and another 3, in line with each out-breath. *
• Step 3: Once you have taken 5 slow belly breaths, allow your breathing to happen by itself and enjoy the feeling of relaxation for the rest of your meditation.

*Note: If counting to 3 is strained, count to 2 with each in and out-breath to create a more relaxed experience, this is most important. If you are experiencing anxiety and it is affecting your ability to relax, I recommend my meditation for Retraining Stress Breathing Patterns.

During Day 2, your meditation remains the same, except you commit to 10 minutes and have a longer time to enjoy the relaxation that comes from this gentle breathing.

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Guided Meditation:

• SoundCloud: MIDL Calming Meditation: Day 2.

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Set a timer on your phone and start by committing to meditating for 10 min.

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• Enjoy the pleasure of this relaxation.

During Day 3, your meditation remains the same, except you now lengthen your out-breath to increase the calm that comes from this gentle breathing.

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Guided Meditation:

• SoundCloud: MIDL Calming Meditation: Day 3.

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Set a timer on your phone and start by committing to meditating for 10 min.

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These steps remain the same:

• Step 1: Sit down for meditation, placing your palms below your belly button.
• Step 2: Breathe for 5 in-and-out breath cycles, breathing with your belly. Count to 3 on each in-breath and on each out-breath, as in Weeks 1-2.

Insert this extra step:

• Step 3:  Taking 5 more in & out breath cycles, slightly slow down each out-breath by counting to 3 in line with each in-breath and to 5 in line with each out-breath until you feel the calming effect**. 
• Step 4: Allow your breathing to happen by itself now, simply enjoying the pleasure of the increased feeling of calm.

**Note: As in week 1, if slowing down your breathing to 5 seconds on each out-breath causes strain, lower this to a count of 4 or 3. There is no magic number here. The important part is that it feels comfortable and has a calming effect.

During Day 4, your meditation remains the same, except this time, you commit to 15 minutes, giving you time to experience the mental calm that comes from this gentle breathing.

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Guided Meditation:

• SoundCloud: MIDL Calming Meditation: Day 4.

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Set a timer on your phone, committing to meditating for 15 min.

• Enjoy the relaxation of your body & calm of your mind.

During Day 5, your meditation remains the same, except this time, you commit to 20 minutes, and when you notice that your mind has wandered, you come back with some gentle breaths.

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Guided Meditation:

• SoundCloud: MIDL Calming Meditation: Day 5.

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Set a timer on your phone, committing to meditating for 20 min.

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After calming with your gentle breathing:

Whenever you notice your mind has wandered:

1. Towards a sound.
2. Towards thinking.
3. or that you are restless.

Take three slow breaths in your belly, just as you did in your previous meditations, to help you relax and become more present in your body. 

Just here, now. Making you feel more present, calming your mind wandering, and strengthening your mindfulness.

Enjoy the relaxation & calm. 

During Day 6, your meditation remains the same, except this time, you commit to 25 minutes and enjoy the mental relaxation that comes from this gentle breathing and periods of calm that last longer.

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Guided Meditation:

• SoundCloud: MIDL Calming Meditation: Day 6.

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Set a timer on your phone, committing to meditating for 25 min.

Enjoy the mindfulness, relaxation & calm.

During Day 7, your meditation remains the same. You now have a daily meditation practice that will make you feel calmer and increase your mindfulness in your daily life.

Well done.

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Guided Meditation:

• SoundCloud: MIDL Calming Meditation: Day 7.

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Set a timer on your phone, committing to meditating for 30 min.

You have now learnt many skills; your next step is to apply them to your daily life. Daily meditation prepares you for the day or can be used to settle your mind and body in the evening before bed.

The important part is to learn to trust your skill and ability. Trust is the greatest and most precious currency on this earth. Trust in yourself, in your ability to relax and calm, and these meditation skills will transform your life.

I encourage you to continue your daily meditation beyond these introductory meditations.

If you miss a day of meditation, it does not matter. Simply brush the dust off your meditation mat and start again.

And experience the benefits. 

After practicing this simple but effective meditation, you may like to explore meditation further by following the complete insight meditation course on this website. You are now a more experienced meditator. 

After finishing this seven-day course, you can continue to deepen your meditation by following the Introduction Course to MIDL Insight Meditation on this website.