Beginner’s Guide to Meditation

A couple of months ago, I began feeling very overwhelmed by stress from school as well as anxious in general. After having a conversation about it with a friend, he told me I should try meditating. I had heard about meditation before but always thought it required a patience that I did not have. However, I was desperate to find a healthy way to cope with my stress, so I decided to give it a try. That night while laying in bed, I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing. After only a couple of minutes, I felt more relaxed and at ease, and then fell soundly asleep. 

Since then, I have further explored meditation. I try to do it every day and it helps me a lot with keeping my stress at bay.

Meditation is an ancient tradition practiced by many cultures around the world. There are many different kinds of meditation, however the main focus of the practice as a whole is to reach a more emotionally stable and calmed state by focusing on the mind and body. 

Anyone can benefit from meditation. As college students specifically, we deal with a lot of stress from balancing school, work, extracurriculars, our social lives, etc.. COVID-19 has been a stress point for most of us as well. The pandemic has led to spending a lot more time by ourselves, so meditation is the perfect solo activity to learn during these times of isolation. Practicing meditation is a great way to combat stress, ease anxious thoughts, and overall just relax.

There are tons of amazing apps out there that can take you through incredible guided meditations (I recommend Insight Timer or Breethe), but here are the basic steps that most meditation practices entail.

First, you’ll want to create a comfortable environment for yourself. This can be anywhere. Your bedroom, living room, even outside. You’ll want a relatively quiet environment, so try to omit any loud noises or distractions. Feel free to dim any harsh lighting, light some candles, or put a relaxing essential oil into a diffuser. Whatever helps you to create an environment where you can relax and focus.

Once you are in a comfortable environment, you’ll want to sit or lay still, keeping your back straight. Then, you’ll simply want to close your eyes and breathe. Allow your breaths to fully fill your lungs as you inhale, hold in the air for a moment, and then fully leave your lungs as you exhale. Follow your breaths as you breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth. And that’s it! You’re meditating! Try to do this for at least 3 minutes if it’s your first time.

The biggest challenge that I find while meditating is staying focused when my thoughts begin to wander. This is completely natural – we are always thinking and it’s impossible to just shut off your mind. What is important is to only allow them to be exactly what they are: thoughts. Do not label them as good as bad, simply acknowledge that they are there and guide your focus back to your breathing.

Overall, meditation is a simple yet effective way to relax and I highly recommend trying it because it has truly changed my life. Happy meditating!

 

• meditation
• relax
• Stress-relief
• wellness