Whenever anyone asks what I do, & I tell them that I am a meditation teacher, I immediately hear “Oh, I always wanted to look into it but thought it would be too difficult?”
When I reply, “meditation is actually very simple – it’s our minds that are not“, I usually end up getting asked the same questions about beginning a practice.
Therefore, I thought I would talk about some of the more common questions I get asked from someone who is curious about meditation.
1. How do I get started in meditation?
The answer is simple — JUST START!
There is no preparation needed – no equipment or special clothes to buy – and no vast amount of knowledge you have to learn. After a quick lesson about the practice you can begin immediately. The only thing you need to do is choose a time & place in which to practice your meditation technique; and then just stay dedicated. In Zen there’s a saying “The biggest obstacle to the path is the path.” All this means is that the biggest obstacle is just committing to a daily practice. The hardest part is just staying committed to meditating everyday!
2. Where should I meditate?
Anywhere you can & wherever feels comfortable to you! Ideally, a comfortable, quiet place, where you won’t be disturbed should be desired. But, if I can give you any advice it would be that you should meditate in the same place & at the same time everyday. Having a set time & place will help to nurture a long-term practice. The key is to just think of this time as an appointment that can not be missed.
If you can devote a room to meditation – great! If you don’t have much space and can only devote a certain chair or small cushion to meditation that is great too! The point is that as your brain associates a certain place or a particular chair/cushion with your meditation practice then every time you pass that chair or room you will be reminded to meditate. Also, it is believed that the more you meditate in a particular spot, the more energy you build up there. As, this meditative energy builds you will eventually begin to relax, calm down, and focus more quickly & easily when you do come to this place to sit for your practice.
However, don’t think that your meditations must ONLY be limited to this one place. It’s definitely wonderful to every once and a while to refresh your meditations by practicing outside in nature.
Another great idea is to take short mini meditation sessions whenever you find a moment. Perhaps you commute to work by bus or train; or maybe you have a few minutes while you are waiting in the dr’s office, etc… The more you can meditate the better.
3. What’s the best time to meditate?
This answer truly depends on the person & their schedule. In my own personal practice I meditate both in the early morning & just before bed; with some extra sessions throughout the day. But, when I first began I found it easier to meditate in the morning, since by the end of the day I was tired from work, etc… Therefore, experiment with different times and see what works best for you.
But, with all things being equal, THE MORNING is often suggested as the best time because:
- You are rested & refreshed
- Early morning is often very quiet
- It gets your day off to a great start
4. How long should I practice?
Ideally it is said that one should meditate 20-30 minutes twice a day. And if you have good discipline & will-power 20 minutes is definitely good for a beginner.
However, you can really start with anything – even 5 minutes. We don’t have to struggle trying to sit for 20 minutes from the first day we begin our practice. In fact, meditation shouldn’t be a marathon in which we fight to sit for as long as possible.
In truth, consistency is more important than the length of time. What I mean is – it is better to get in 5-10 minutes daily, than it is to get in 30 minutes today & then 30 minutes 3-4 days later. If starting with shorter sessions is very helpful in creating a long-term practice, then by all means start of small & work your way up. Baby-steps will still get you to your goal.
Again, the most important things is that your practice be DAILY. It’s the daily practice which begins to retrain the mind; and build up mental concentration & focus. So if you start with 3-5 minutes after a week increase it to 6-10; then 10-15, etc… You will probably notice that you don’t have to increase the time, as you will naturally just do it on your own because you are enjoying the time spent with yourself.
And I just want to say that there really is no “maximum time” for a meditation session. So, if you eventually work your way up & want to sit for 45-1hr, then by all means please do. Just enjoy your meditation session & be thankful for having the opportunity to meditate.
5. What should I expect from my meditation session?
The truth is – YOU SHOULD HAVE NO EXPECTATIONS! Having expectations actually interferes with the practice of meditation. You see, if we have expectations, then we think that there is a goal we must achieve. And the way we achieve our goals is with the minds help. For example: We have a problem we want to solve. The mind thinks “ok, you got to do this.” ; “You got to try that.”; “Do it this way.” And what happens is we create a busier mind. And we don’t want a busy mind in meditation. So, having expectations is only going to frustrate us. It doesn’t allow whatever might happen – to arise.
So just remember:
The rule of meditation is the less you expect the more you will receive!
Also, the experiences in meditation are, & will be, different for everyone.
Therefore, just learn meditation for the sake of meditation; and eventually, with time, the great benefits with begin to show. Good luck with your practice.
May your days always be filled with lover, happiness, & peace,
~ Anthony Profeta
