How To Meditate

Curious about mindfulness? Wondering how to meditate?


When I wrote my original post on meditation and "me" time, I received a lot of comments (and emails and phone calls and texts!) asking if I had any more information on meditation or specific resources to share.

Apparently, lots of people are looking to relax and de-stress.

My answer was a resounding yes.

I absolutely do.

My first thought was to list a few of them Facebook.

Turns out, it is very difficult to include more than one link in a post there, so I decided to share some insight, here instead.

The most common comment I received, was that while the desire to meditate is present, sometimes the deliberate act of trying to sit still is actually quite anxiety provoking.

And I totally get that.

When I first started, I had a very tough time recreating the calm, quiet experience I had with my teacher.

Our minds are not generally quiet places, the barrage of thoughts - both good and bad- is neverending.

As we move through the busyness of daily life, they are reduced to background whispers, but when you just sit and try to empty your mind, they start to scream.

Suddenly, there is no escape from all the stuff you don't want to think about and that can be unsettling, uncomfortable and certainly not at all conducive to relaxation.

Now keep in mind, the direct goal of meditation is not relaxation.

Relaxation is a byproduct.


The goal of most meditations is to just be and let your body return to its natural, uncomplicated, present state.

This is achieved by sitting (or laying down), focusing on your breath, using it to steady both your mind and your body, by letting your thoughts come in and out of your consciousness without engaging them.

Of course, there are different types of mediation, some with progressive muscle relaxation, guided and unguided, but this is the basic gist.

I usually picture a river, and any thoughts that pop into my head get noticed and released- floating away in the current- I just let them come and go.

The idea is that by noticing the thoughts without focusing on them, you become more comfortable with them and react less emotionally to them.

In return, your body is more fully oxygenated, blood pressure falls, the muscles relax, the mind is quiet and boom...serenity.

If done regularly, you will find that during the day, just by paying attention to your breath, you can recall that state with ease.


So how do you get there when you cannot sit still?

Well, it took me a while, but I finally realized that the teacher's voice was what kept me on track, redirecting me to the desired behavior, reminding me to let go of my thoughts and refocus on my breath.

So I taped her and listened to the guided meditation to get me started at home.

Eventually, I was able to meditate anytime and anywhere without her guidance, but from time to time, I still enjoy following a voice.

There are so many different ones out there, some good, some great and some really, really bad, but the key is to find one that works for you.

The library has wonderful resources, so does YouTube and today there are tons of free apps to check out too.

Keep in mind that meditation is a very personal practice.

It may take some time to find your own groove.

And meditation may not be for everyone, all that sitting and focusing can be intimidating and uncomfortable for many people.

Although in theory, everything can be meditative and there are all types to try, walking meditation for example, or yoga.

For me, I often find DIY and crafts are where I'm more meditative and mindful.

However, if you are truly one of those who do not find it beneficial in any form, then, I highly recommend singing along to very loud music or a good dose of comedy inducing laughter.

Lose yourself in it.

Make your own rules.

And relax.

Meditation Resources I Love To Get You Started

Great Books On Meditation and Mindfulness

Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn is an excellent tutorial on mindful meditation.


It's Easier Than You Think: The Buddhist Way to Happiness by Sylvia Boorstein is lighter, more conversational, Erma Bombeck style.

The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation by Thich Nhat Hanh - he’s a Zen Master, this one is not Erma Bombeck style. 😉

Yoga for Stress Relief with Barbara Benagh is an awesome yoga dvd with restorative poses.

The "deep rest" is an excellent meditation for relaxation...twenty minutes of progressive relaxation by some beach in Fiji.

You do not need to do the yoga to benefit from the deep rest. 

She also has another more comprehensive set now with yoga for seniors and inflexible people.

That would be me...since all my attempts at yoga are comical.

Mindfulness and Meditation Apps