5 Meditation Techniques to Get You Started

Learning some basic meditation techniques is a great place to start if you've ever wanted to try meditation but weren't sure where to begin. Meditation is widely recommended as a health-boosting practice—and for good reason. It provides many positive benefits, from reducing symptoms of stress to relieving physical complaints like headaches and even enhancing immunity to illness.

Between the health benefits and the fact that it's free and requires as few as five minutes, it's easy to see why meditation has become a popular complement to conventional medicine.

Basic Meditation Techniques

Though it can be practiced in different ways, a few common threads run through virtually all meditation techniques:

Focused Mind

It is a common misconception that meditation causes the mind to become 'quiet' or 'clear.' In reality, your mind is always thinking.

Although your thoughts might not be as rapid, it is perfectly normal for your mind to be active when meditating. The key is to acknowledge this compassionately while bringing the focus back to the breath whenever possible.

Being In the Now

Rather than focusing on the past or future, all meditative practices involve focusing on the present. Being in the here and now consists in experiencing each moment, letting it go, and then experiencing the next.

Focusing on the here and now takes practice, as many of us live most of our lives thinking toward the future or ruminating on the past.

Altered State of Consciousness

With time, maintaining a quiet mind and focusing on the present can lead to an altered level of consciousness that isn’t a sleeping state but isn’t quite your average wakeful state either.

2 Main Types of Meditation Techniques

Researchers generally classify meditation techniques into two different categories: concentrative and non-concentrative.

• Concentrative techniques involve focusing on a particular object that's generally outside of oneself, such as a candle's flame, the sound of an instrument, or a mantra.
• Non-concentrative meditation, on the other hand, can include a broader focus, such as the sounds in your environment, internal body states, and even your own breathing.

Note that there can be overlap with these techniques—meditation can be both concentrative and non-concentrative.

5 Meditation Techniques You Can Try

There are many different ways to meditate. Think of the following categories of meditation techniques as a jumping-off point to understand the practices and differences among some of the main options rather than an exhaustive list.

Basic Meditation

This involves sitting in a comfortable position and using the breath as a point of focus. If you find yourself distracted by other thoughts or find your mind wandering, gently redirect your focus back toward your breaths.

Focused Meditation

With focused meditation, you focus on something with intention without engaging your thoughts on it. You can zero in on something visual, like a statue; something auditory, like a metronome or recording of ocean waves; something constant, like your own breathing; or a simple concept, like "unconditional compassion."

Activity-Oriented Meditation

Activity-oriented meditation combines meditation with activities you may already enjoy, or with new activities that help you focus on the present. With this type of meditation, you engage in a repetitive activity where you can get "in the zone" and experience "flow." Again, this quiets the mind and allows your brain to shift.

Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness can be a form of meditation that, like activity-oriented meditation, doesn’t really look like meditation. Mindfulness involves staying in the present moment rather than thinking about the future or the past.

While the concept is simple, it can be more difficult than it sounds. Focusing on sensations you feel in your body is one way to stay "in the now." Focusing on emotions and where you feel them in your body—not examining why you feel them, but just experiencing them as sensations—is another.

Spiritual Meditation

Though meditation isn't specific to any one religion, it can be a spiritual practice. You can meditate on a singular question until an answer comes, or meditate to clear your mind and accept whatever comes that day. Many people also practice kundalini meditation for mind and body connection.

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Benefits of Using Meditation Techniques

Meditation has been shown to have a wide variety of mental and physical health benefits. Using meditation techniques regularly may help:

• Boost mood
• Improve sleep
• Lower stress
• Decrease blood pressure
• Improve empathy
• Reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression

The most effective meditation technique is the one that you can stick with for the long term, but researchers have found a few specific types of meditation may be particularly helpful. For example, mindfulness meditation has been shown to be useful for anxiety disorders and depression.

How to Get Started

If you are ready to begin trying out some meditation techniques, here are some helpful tips to get started. 

Set Aside a Time

Choose when you want to meditate each day. You might set aside a little time first thing in the morning, but lunchtime, after work, or in the evening also works.

Find a Space

Choose a relaxing space where you're free of distractions. Your bedroom is a great option, but you can truly meditate anywhere. That includes in your living room or office. (If you need to tune out distractions, a pair of headphones and some soothing meditation music can help).

Get Comfortable

You can sit cross-legged on the floor if want, but the key is to find a position that's comfortable for you. If sitting on the floor isn't comfortable or possible, sit in a chair where you can sit up straight with both feet resting on the floor. Place your hands where they feel confortable, such as on your lap, on your knees, or at your sides.

Focus on Your Breath

Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Breathe comfortably, and notice how you feel as you inhale and exhale. If your mind wanders, gently guide it back to focus on your breathing.

Takeaway

Whichever method you choose, keep in mind that consistent practice—even just quieting the mind for five minutes a day—is more valuable than sessions that are longer but infrequent. In the end, the best meditation technique and the one that will help you gain the most positive benefits is one you can stick to.