How to Learn to Meditate
Of all the conversations I have with people around meditation, it’s often said it is difficult to learn. I used to think exactly the same, Now I think learning to meditate is more like peeling away layers, and so should you!
The deeper into meditation you go, the more you begin to understand yourself and how you run this thing called life. You learn to observe your thoughts and understand how they can try to control your day. There are lots of ways to meditate too, to begin you do not need anything fancy. When you begin to learn how to meditate, you do not even need lots of time.
Like anything, it’s completely your choice how far you decide to delve into meditation. I used to teach a meditation class in Edinburgh that was scheduled for an hour. It was a class I took over from another teacher and I couldn’t believe that it had been scheduled for a whole hour. At first I struggled with what to do with the students to give them my full attention. Eventually I decided to split the class into two segments, and teach a guided meditation, then a Yoga Nidra. Bliss!
I’m happy to admit that meditating for an hour is a learned skill I don’t have. I don’t need an hour. I have made a point of bringing mindfulness into my daily life and have many “stop and breathe” points during my day.
Learning to meditate is about finding what suits you. What helps you turn down the volume on your inner chatter and bring you back into the here and now? Maybe a 5 minute daily practice is enough for you, maybe 10 minutes, maybe 15 minutes. We are all different. We all think differently, we are all unique.
Once you have learned square breathing, you can meditate wherever you like. While waiting for the kettle to boil, while waiting for an appointment, on the tube, the bus, during a zoom meeting, anywhere you don’t need to be fully engaged.
Meditation with square or box breathing
Find a comfortable spot. Don’t over complicate it to begin with. As long as you can sit undisturbed with your eyes closed, you’re doing fine. Set a timer for 10 minutes.
Relax your shoulders.
Make sure your feet are grounded, and they can touch the ground below them. Place your hands on your knees. You can have your palms turned up, or turned down. Roll your shoulders up to your ears, and down towards your back.
Take a good look around. A really good look, look up, look down, to the sides, behind you, look everywhere. Notice the little details of colour, sounds, shapes, and texture. You’re doing great!
Relax your shoulders.
When you’re ready, close your eyes. It’s okay, you’re perfectly safe, and no you don’t look stupid.
Concentrate on noticing the sensations around you. Listen for sounds, near and far, how’s your spacial awareness now? Can you sense the room as the same as when your eyes were open? What do you notice?
Relax your shoulders.
Place a hand on the space below your ribs and just above your belly. Don’t slouch forward, or sit up poker straight.
Begin to exhale as much air as you can. When you’re done, inhale as much air as you can . Repeat this as many times as you like.
Now imagine you are breathing in the shape of a box. begin to inhale for a count of 4 and exhale for a count of 4, inhale for 4 and exhale for 4.
Check on your shoulders, your feet, and continue with this style of breathing.
When your timer goes off, try to not make sudden movement, but move with grace and compassion for yourself.
Well done! You have completed a full meditation. You can use this meditation every day, as much as you wish. You are also in control of that timer! So set it for as long as you have, as long as you feel comfortable, and if you desire, build up your time. If you manage an hour, please reach out to me and tell me your secret!
