13 tips to learn how to meditate today

Gone are the days when people thought meditation was a “hippie thing”. Today, science proves the benefits of the practice, which is already part of the routine of companies, Medicine, the coach area and people who seek a better quality of life. For Vanessa Kryss, holistic therapist, meditation is “mental cleaning”, elimination of toxins accumulated by the body and mind. “Well, if we don’t eliminate these toxins, they manifest themselves in the form of a disease”, she comments.

For those who are not yet adept at the practice, it may seem impossible to disconnect from the outside world and be able to meditate. Check out below the main tips to help you meditate and surrender to the incredible benefits that the practice offers!

How to meditate? psychologist explains

For psychologist Augusto Jimenez, it is important to emphasize that meditation is not linked to any religion. “Many associate meditation techniques with Eastern religious practices. It is a fact that many Orientals practice meditation, but their techniques are not necessarily linked to any doctrine,” he explains.

Meditation, reinforces Jimenez, uses techniques that can be learned and consists in the human being being able to keep the focus of their thoughts and achieve serenity in their behavior. Before, during and after meditation.

But, how to start meditating, in practice? Check out the guidelines of psychologist Augusto Jimenez:

1. Choose a quiet place: it can be your bedroom or another place in the house. “But having a place to call your own right now is important”, highlights Jimenez.
2. Sit up straight: this will prevent sleep and also make it easier to practice energy.
3. Close your eyes and watch your breathing: it should always be done through your nose. “Inhale and exhale a few times. Every time you think about something, focus on the act of breathing”, guides Jimenez.
4. Open your eyes and focus your attention: it could be focusing your eye on an incense and/or candle flame.

Jimenez highlights that meditation is suitable for all individuals, regardless of age. “Meditation has already been scientifically proven, including through Mindfulness, which is the state of living in the present without the anguish/anxiety of the past and future. There is a lot of discussion about whether or not mindfulness is a type of meditation, but some techniques are the same as meditating,” he comments.

13 tips to help you meditate

Do you want to join meditation and enjoy the many benefits that the practice offers? Check out some important tips:

before meditating

• Ensure privacy: Especially for beginners, ensuring privacy is essential. So, the tip is to try to meditate when you are alone at home. But, if it’s not possible, let the other people in the house know that you shouldn’t be interrupted.
• Plan ahead: Jimenez advises starting with 5 minutes of meditation a day and, after a week, moving up to 10 minutes a day. The most important thing, in addition to complying with this stipulated time, is to establish a fixed time to practice. “Some people ‘work’ better in the morning, that is, they have a freer mind at that time. Other individuals are better at night. And so it goes. So there is no rule of which time of day to practice, but choose the one when you feel best,” he explains.
• Wear comfortable clothes: it sounds like a “silly” tip, but it’s essential for you to feel comfortable and be able to “disconnect” from the outside world. This goes for both when you meditate at home and when you meditate outdoors.

during meditation

• Time it: To time your meditation time, Jimenez even suggests using your cell phone. “But remember to leave the other functions of the device on silent”, he guides. The ideal, in this case, is to set an alarm to wake up when there is time for meditation, this prevents you from having to look at the time on the device.
• Bet on a calm sound: according to Jimenez, it is worth a musical instrument, sounds that imitate the events of nature, etc. “Music is optional! It is important if the individual has great difficulty thinking about anything and/or is in a noisy house/environment. In Minds schools, where many classes are taking place simultaneously, we put on music, for example, for the student to concentrate.
• Focus attention on the breath: the big tip when meditating is to focus on the breath. Vanessa warns that other thoughts will probably come to mind, but then just “let them go”. “Without judging, without clinging, without emphasizing anyone. And anytime come back to the breath,” she comments.
• Focus on what refers to peace: in some moments of the meditation you should open your eyes and focus on some object that refers to peace, such as incense, candle flame, mandala etc.
• Make yourself comfortable: you don’t have to “imitate a position you’ve seen on the internet or television”, such as the lotus position (the most popular when it comes to meditation). Choose a position that you feel comfortable with, it can be, for example, sitting in a chair with your feet flat on the floor, but always with your spine very straight (not resting fully on the back of the chair).
• Make your hands comfortable: Hand position can also vary. Some people place their index finger against their thumb and place their hand on their knee; others place their hands on their stomachs or knees, etc. The trick is to find what works best for you.

Other tips for you to meditate properly

• Don’t get caught up in the details: for beginners, it’s very valid to follow tips to help you meditate, but it’s essential not to get so caught up in the details. Always look for a position that is comfortable for you. There are people who prefer, for example, to meditate lying down.
• Don’t give up on the first try: remember that meditation techniques can be learned and perfected. Maybe the first time you try it, you won’t be able to completely “turn off” from the outside world, but that doesn’t mean by any means that you won’t be more successful the next few times!
• Create the habit: initially, it is very valid for you to program yourself to meditate, defining, for example, time and place where you will do it. But after a while, you will feel more prepared to meditate at other times. “Meditations can be throughout the day, before meetings, deadlines, conversations, in the taxi, at the work table or on a getaway to the bathroom, for example”, comments Vanessa.
• Bring this practice to life: holistic therapist Vanessa reminds you that during meditation, thoughts are likely to come, but then just “let them go”, without emphasizing any of them, and return to the breath. “It’s worth taking this practice into life, choosing your thoughts, leaving out the negatives, replacing them with positive ones,” she says. Of course, all this may seem difficult at first, but have no doubt that you will succeed.

5 videos that teach you to meditate

Get inspired by 5 great step-by-step videos and tips to start meditating today:

1. How to meditate alone, by Juliana Selem

In the video, Juliana tells how she herself meditates, so that people who have never meditated can adhere to the habit. She also talks about the main myths about meditation.

2. Guided Meditation for Beginners, by Amanda Schultz

Amanda shows in the video how to do a very simple meditation to start the practice without difficulties and start reaping the benefits.

3. How to meditate for the first time, by Cadu Cassau

In the video, Cadu reinforces that you don’t need to know postures to meditate, but set aside a time in your day to dedicate yourself to paying attention to yourself and your breathing.

4. Learn to Meditate, by Camila Zen

Here, Camila presents a simple class for those who are new to the practice. In addition to basic tips, the video also features a 15-minute guided meditation.

5. How to Meditate in 1 Minute, by Wayne Valim

Wayne Valim explains how to meditate quickly and practically in everyday life, especially before lectures and stressful moments at work. He also tells how it helps her to regain emotional balance and seek inner peace.

Now you know that meditation is also “for you”, that it has techniques that can and should be learned and that will certainly make all the difference in your daily life. Start with a few minutes a day and then try to increase the time of practice, find a comfortable position and open yourself to the benefits that this practice offers.

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only. They do not replace the advice and follow-up of doctors, nutritionists, psychologists, physical education professionals and other specialists.