As a beginner, it’s quite likely, that you’ll wonder if the time you’re putting into practice, is even worth it.
“I don’t seem to be making any progress. How do I get better at meditation”
This article will try to allay your fears and help you to keep making progress and get better at meditation.
Remember that resistance in the beginning is normal. You’ve spent many years, with your thoughts, planning the future, or contemplating the past.
It’s going to be tough initially, to ask your mind to concentrate only on what’s happening right now. I get it.
You might even be wondering if you’re ‘doing it right’? You might find yourself at the end of your meditation, feeling less relaxed than you did at the start!
The fact that you’re human, means that your mind is going to wander off on its own as well. You might be 10 minutes into your meditation, when you realize you’ve been thinking about that meeting you’ve got in the morning, for the last 8 minutes.
Well, all these thoughts feelings and distractions are natural in the beginning. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at leading your thoughts to where you want them, so don’t worry.
Here’s some tips to remember
Here’s 7 tips to help you along in the first couple weeks.
- When you realize your mind has wandered, don’t judge yourself, or spend any time wondering why it happened. Just bring your focus back to the breath again.
- Keep your expectations in check. Even Buddhist monks lose focus, or have ‘bad days’ sometimes. Its not a reflection on you personally.
- Don’t put too much energy into whether you’re sitting properly. Being comfortable is more important in the beginning. Just try to make sure your back follows the natural curve and don’t slouch. You can perfect your posture later.
- If you start to become uncomfortable, there’s nothing stopping you moving and repositioning how you sit. Just do it mindfully. ie: feel each sensation as you move. Be mindful of things like, the pressure relief on your knee as you move your leg, etc.
- Start off small. Meditate for only five minutes if that’s what’s comfortable for you. Trying to meditate for too long only builds up more resistance.
- There’s no wrong, or right way to meditate. Mindful meditation is about getting used to being in the moment. Whether its for 2 minutes before bed, or for 2 hours first thing in the morning. Every meditation is beneficial.
- And lastly, You might feel some weird sensations while you’re meditating, but that’s also natural and okay.
So, there you have it. 7 simple tips to help you beat your resistance and get better at meditation.
If you have any tips, or advice that’s helped you along the way, why not drop them in the comments below?
Until next time, keep practicing 🙂
