SIMPLE MEDITATION FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO MEDITATE.

Hi Guys!!

OMG…so excited for this post. Simple meditation is totallllyy not my realm of expertise but I’ve always heard good things about it and want to try it out for myself. Like, people who meditate just have their shit together, you know? I feel like they are calm MFers who can navigate the stresses of the world with a breeze.

If you’ve always wanted to get into meditation, but have no idea how to navigate this, this post is for you!

SO, on that note, I want to introduce meditation expert (and one of my longest and best friends) Ravelle Arianne of Inherent Peace Blog.

Guys, Ravelle and I have known each other for 14 years. We met while working at a retail shop when we were in high school and have stayed best friends ever since. We’ve been through it all together – the ups, the down, and the in betweens.

She is AMAZING at meditation, mindfulness, reliving stress, and keeping your mental health in check. She finally launched her blog a little over a year ago, and it’s been amazing to read posts on relationships, mindfulness, anger, and anxiety. She really gets into the details of these topics, which is such a good thing, because we need to keep talking about stuff like this!

All throughout my friendship with Ravelle, she was sort of known as the ‘advice giver.’ Like, whenever I had issues with my boyfriends or got into fights with them, I would run and tell Ravelle everything. LOL. Then she would decipher the shit out of the problem, get to the root of it, and then basically tell me how to fix it.

Back when we were 19, we really didn’t pay attention to just how good she was at giving advice and being able to pick apart life problems. Now, that we’re in our 30s, we realize that she had a gift. I will let her tell you more about her own experiences and how she got to this point, but I just wanted to give you a little back story of our friendship.

With that said, let me introduce you to Ravelle Arianne, blogger and founder of Inherent Peace.

{  introduce yourself  } 

Hi everyone, it’s Ravelle 😊Over the years, Kim and I have connected on so many levels and she has become one of my best friends. Recently, she said she wanted to know more about meditation, and I couldn’t be happier! In fact, Kim encouraged me to start my blog and has given me so much advice along the way. So naturally, we decided to do a post for everyone who is new to meditation and has no idea where to start.

A Little About me and my Meditation Journey

I am a writer, meditation teacher, reiki master, and mental health advocate. I started meditating when I was 14 and could sit in meditation for hours without noticing the time. When I was 21, however, I started experiencing intense states of depression and anxiety. Additionally, I was having panic attacks at work, I couldn’t sleep, and I started to self-harm. As a result, I stopped meditating because I did not have the wisdom needed to face the emotional turmoil I felt inside.

Eventually, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and a rare sleep disorder. I tried over 25 meds, but nothing seemed to work. For years I struggled, until one day, a friend introduced me to a Buddhist Monk, Bhante Saranapala. Bhante encouraged me to start meditating again and assured me that I would be okay, so, I trusted him and took his advice. I began going to his meditation classes and within months, life became bearable again.

It wasn’t that anything had changed on the outside, but something had shifted on the inside. By facing the pain I felt within through meditation, I realized I was not my emotional and mental states. Furthermore, this inward journey of self-awareness and self-acceptance is the only way to real peace and happiness.

You can read my full bio here.

Now, I have been practicing meditation and mindfulness every day, and I would like to share a simple meditation for beginners.

An Ancient and Simple Meditation for Beginners: Breath Meditation

One of the most common meditations for beginners is breath meditation. Interestingly, meditation originated in India thousands of years ago and has spread all over the world. In fact, it is now used in modern psychology in methods such as Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, which has transformative results for those suffering from mental illness.

Consequently, whether you undergo a meditation practice for spiritual enlightenment, or to manage depression and stress, there are innumerable benefits.

Benefits of Meditation:

Meditation can help you:

• Reduce stress
• Manage anxiety and depression
• Boost creativity
• Improve focus and concentration
• Increase feelings of empathy, compassion, and kindness
• Improve self-awareness
• Develop wisdom
• Feel peaceful and happy

Important Teachings for Beginners Starting a Simple Meditation Practice

Anyone can close their eyes and breathe slowly to achieve a momentary state of relaxation. This relaxed state, however, is transient and will not last. Therefore, the essence of meditation relies on its teachings and the understanding of one’s innate peace.

For this reason, even a simple meditation for beginners must include some fundamental principles to be of any real value.

6 fundamental teachings for beginners:

1.          Drop any expectations

Don’t aim to achieve a certain state. Too often, people sit down to meditate for the first time and think “I’m doing it wrong” because they are expecting something. Instead, they inadvertently create a sense of agitation for themselves. Consequently, anytime you feel dissatisfied when you meditate it is because you are expecting something.

So, take the pressure off yourself and don’t worry about whether you are going to be “good” at meditating. In fact, there is no such thing as a successful or unsuccessful meditation.

2.          Be patient

When you work out your body, it takes time to see results. In the same way, when you train your mind with meditation it takes time for your practice to bear fruit. In other words, don’t give up if you don’t feel peaceful right away, and remember the first point, let go of any expectations.

Stick with the practice and be consistent even if that means starting a 5-minute daily meditation and working your way up to 10 minutes and then 15 minutes. Eventually, it will be a delight to sit in meditation for 30 minutes or more.

3.         Cultivate self-compassion and self-love

One of the first things my teacher told me was that I needed to be strong before I could help and support others. Additionally, he said I needed to love myself and show myself compassion.

For some, this is easier said than done, especially when you have held onto harsh words from the past. As a result, you may judge and criticize yourself and seek validation from other people. This leads to depression and anxiety. Instead, show yourself kindness, love, acceptance, and compassion, then you will have the strength to give to others.

4.          Face your pain

In the beginning, you may notice that your mind is racing or that you feel sad. Likewise, you may even notice tension or pain in your body. Note, this isn’t because meditation is creating these thoughts and sensations, rather, it has made the space for you to be aware of what is really going on inside.

The more you can face what you’re feeling, the easier it will be to let go. So, notice any resistance you have toward what you experience because you cannot move past something that you do not acknowledge. In fact, this awareness alone is profoundly healing and can release decades of psychological pain.

5.          Become aware and observe yourself and your experience without judgment

Be open to whatever you experience regardless of if it is considered pleasant or unpleasant. In the beginning, your mind may race but remember not to judge yourself as being “successful” or “unsuccessful” at meditation. Likewise, don’t judge anything you experience.

Instead, just observe whatever unfolds in each moment, and let things be without resisting or expecting anything. With practice, the habit to follow your thoughts with interest will subside and the mind will become calmer and quieter.

6.          Whatever arises is not you

Notice that you are the one who witnesses your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. In other words, the voice of the mind is not you because you are the one who hears the mind’s thoughts and opinions.

For example, your mind may say “meditation is boring, why am I doing this?”. You do not need to listen to this thought or believe it. Instead, recognize that you are aware of this thought and let it go. Furthermore, recognize that your emotional and mental states are transient, they do not last whereas your awareness is ever-present.

As a result, your inner strength and light will grow and when difficult situations arise, your inherent peace will be undisturbed.

These 6 principles along with your practice, will help you overcome obstacles in meditation so you can develop mindfulness in everyday life.

Neither the practice nor the teachings are enough on their own. For instance, if you only have knowledge of the teachings then you will not have developed the mindfulness from meditation to apply them. Likewise, without the teachings one may not have the wisdom to transcend suffering.

For this reason, insight and practice are intertwined and both are needed. In time, your practice will take a natural progression and you will come to know the joy and the bliss of moksha (liberation).

An Introduction to Breath Meditation

Breath meditation is the most popular and simple meditation for beginners. Every moment, our breath is moving in and out and this is a commonality we all share. With this form of meditation, we slow down and make the breath the focus of our attention.

To begin, find a quiet place to sit where you will not be disturbed. Aim to sit in a posture that is relaxed but alert, not too forced or tight, but still not too loose. You’ll want to be comfortable and focused, so you don’t fall asleep. If you need to lie down and you experience any drowsiness, open your eyes for a few moments during the meditation.

I have included a 7-minute guided meditation below to make it easy to get started. It is recommended, however, that you extend your practice for a minimum of 15 minutes daily whenever possible. For now, let go of the teachings in this article. There isn’t anything to memorize or know at this time. When you’re ready, listen to the recording and feel free to return to it any time you want to start your practice.

SIMPLE BREATH MEDITATION FOR BEGINNERS

Maintaining Your Practice

Perhaps the earliest obstacle to meditation is feeling like you don’t have enough time to meditate. Have the willingness to set aside the time you need to maintain your practice because it is the best investment you can make for your happiness.

Note, pausing throughout the day to become aware of your breathing, even for a few moments is better than not meditating at all. Anytime your mental health takes a toll, know this meditation is available to you. In fact, by practicing regularly, you can heal and be at peace even when life becomes stressful and difficult.

If you have found value in this post and want to learn more about meditation, mindfulness, and mental health, join my email list.

With endless love,

Ravelle

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Thank you Ravelle! That was super helpful.

One of my goals for 2020 is to meditate more often. Who else is with me?

If you enjoyed this post, and want more, make sure you follow Inherent Peace Blog as well as her Instagram account.

Happy meditating!

Xx, kim

+ if you enjoyed this post, make sure to check out 3 Ways Fatih Has Guided Me Through Life. 

++ Oh and this one’s a goodie – 4 Ways I Handle Stress.