If you want to learn how to meditate, congratulations. You have recognized that there is something greater inside yourself that you’d like to connect with. Maybe you need to reduce your stress levels or do something good for your heart. Maybe you are seeking a creative breakthrough to one of life’s problems. Beginning a meditation practice will empower you and set you on a path to greater freedom, better health and a sense of connection to all life.

Here are my basic recommendations for getting started. Find a place in your home where you can meditate. It might be in a room or a part of a room. Put a chair in that place that you will be your meditation chair. Leave it there. Over time it will call to you to sit and meditate.

Create a sacred space as you can. Place a small table in front of your chair and put objects on it that are important to you. You might put a candle, incense, gemstones, flowers, pictures, etc. Anything that has a personal value to you. It’s your personal altar.

A rug is a nice addition to put under your chair if you can. Get a meditation chimer or bell that you can ring to begin and end your meditations with. Or, use your watch or alarm clock to time your meditations. I recommend 20 minutes of meditation at a time. In the beginning you may start with 5 or 10 minutes and that is fine. You can work up to 20 minutes over time.

Recommended times to meditate are in the morning and evening. I like the mornings because I get to feel the benefits of meditation throughout my day afterwards. But evenings are a good time as well. Meditating before bed can help you sleep well.

Just sit! Sit in your chair with your spine erect but relaxed. Gently close your eyes and enjoy turning your attention within.

Take a deep breath, inhaling fully and slowly, then exhale completely. Use your abdomen to squeeze out a full exhale. Then relax your belly and feel a rush of air and energy come into you on the inhale. Hold the breath after a full inhale for a moment before exhaling slowly and completely. One inhale, holding, and exhaling is considered a breath cycle.

Feel the energy your breath brings to your body. You are exchanging energy with the world and with others. You are bringing in fresh, new life-giving energy on the inhale and letting go of the old on the exhale. Receiving and giving.

Your breath carries the life force. You are revitalizing yourself with each breath. Continue with these breath cycles for the allotted time.

After your timer goes off then return to normal breathing. Notice the space around you and beneath you. Notice how you feel or what you are thinking. Feel gratitude for your body for allowing you to do this practice. Stretch in your chair and gently open your eyes.

Peace!