Do you have to join a Zumba class or a yoga class to be great at meditation? How about going to the ancient mountains and spending the rest of your days living with monks? Is there a degree in meditation that you can get from a university? No, despite what you may see in movies or in television shows, meditation is not as complex or complicated as that. Maybe you are practicing it right now by reading this article and getting yourself immersed in it.

However, it is alright if you do not know how to meditate. Did you know that only 14% of Americans have ever tried meditation once in their life? That means over 75% of Americans are stressed-out and are likely not attempting to relieve stress in any fashion. If you are looking for answers and do not know how to get started with meditation, you are not alone. 33% of individuals claim that the top reason they do not meditate is that they do not know how to. So, if you have no idea how to start meditating, relax. You have come to the right place.

Dedicate Yourself to a Schedule

Like most activities in life, if you want to be good at it, you have to dedicate yourself to it. Meditation is not just a one-time thing. You cannot expect to get results on your first try. It takes time to actually mature into it, so understand that meditation is going to take some getting used to.

Your First Time

When you decide to start meditating, it may feel awkward. You plop down onto the ground, breathe in and sit still for a long period of time. You may fidget or you may begin questioning yourself. “What is the point of all this? Am I even doing this right?” You have thousands of thoughts running through your mind and you do not know what to do. That is to be expected. You are not doing anything wrong! It is impossible to magically start feeling calm because you decide to meditate on this particular day. It doesn’t work like that. In your first experience, you will experience a lot of bumps and bruises. However, you must understand that it is part of the journey in order to achieve serenity.

Meditation Is Not a Gateway Solution

Meditation is not going to be the answer to all of your problems. Heck, it may not even be an answer to any of your questions or issues that you may have. So, why is it worth meditating, you would ask? Well, meditation is all about reframing your mind and thoughts and changing how you see things and react to the things around you. Meditation gives you a center of gravity amidst all of the drama and events that are happening in your life. Meditation is not meant to be the answer to life, but it will definitely help you achieve awareness about yourself. This awareness effect can gift you understanding and empathy toward others, unlike any other activity.

Conclusion

Whether you are looking to meditate because of stress, looking to meditate as part of your regular routine, or because you hear all of the restorative mental benefits that meditation has to offer, understand that meditation is a practice. It is a skill that is going to take a lot of adjustments and acclimation to get used to. Not fully convinced the benefits of mediation are with it? We recommend you watch this video.