The Beginners Guide to Meditation

It’s Time To Get Zen People.

When I talk to my clients about meditation, many times I might get an eyeroll and a “I’ve already tried that and I can’t do it.” Which I totally get, because it can seem boring and useless. Most people assume meditation is just sitting in silence for long periods of time, crossing your legs and closing your eyes. I mean…yes but it’s more than that!

The purpose of meditation is to learn how to catch your thoughts, and bring yourself back to a focus point like your chest rising and falling or the air coming in and out of your nose. The reason this is an important skill to learn, is that it can be very helpful for anxiety. Many people let their thoughts run wild, which leads to increased anxiety and catastrophizing the future. Although, if you were able to catch those thoughts before they took over, you might be able to manage that anxiety a little better.

If you are new to meditation, start with sitting for 5 minutes. I suggest finding a guided meditation to help you stay focused during the meditation and a voice guiding you through what to do. Some free options would be going on youtube to find short meditation or using the app insight timer. You can even choose a topic that fits what you are feeling like anxiety, fear or shame. Do this every day for a few weeks. Once you feel you are able to do that pretty well, then increase by a few minutes.

So get those candles, find a quiet space, and turn on that guided meditation. And if you want to learn about other ways Anxiety Therapy can help you, contact me today!