10 Ways You Can Improve Your meditation Practice

 Do you feel your mind is too overactive to be successful at meditation? Do you think there’s no way you can meditate because it takes too long, is too complicated or difficult? These are common complaints about meditation and reasons many people give up after trying it. 

I’m here to give you the 10 best ways you can get over those hurdles and frustrations so you can achieve a more fulfilling meditation practice. These methods are listed below in order of importance, but all are worthy of your attention. Try them all. I’m sure you’ll be surprised at their effectiveness.

Create a consistent schedule

One of the most important things you can do to improve your meditation practice is sit consistently. The frequency or duration is less important than the consistency of the practice. Whether it’s every other day or every day is not important. Just do it on a regular basis.

You can’t improve anything if you don’t regularly practice it. That’s why it's called a meditation “practice”, right? This is true for exercise, music and learning a new skill, just as it is for meditation. Just make sure you show up. As the Nike ad says, “Just Do It.” Maybe create a schedule to keep you on pace if that helps you.

Start first thing in the morning

Usually the best time of day to meditate is early in the morning, just after you wake up. This is because it gets your day off on the right foot and you’re fully rested from the prior night’s sleep. 

I find it’s better to meditate in the morning because you aren’t yet trying to rush through your list of things to accomplish so you can concentrate better. Furthermore, you’re not exhausted from a long day’s work that makes you more prone to fall asleep.

Create a meditative space where you can be alone

Don’t you feel better when you’re in a clean, organized room? It’s wonderful to be in a space where there’s no clutter and is almost inviting and relaxing-sort of a zen-like space. Ideally, this space allows you to be alone and quiet. 

That’s what you might want to create for your meditation area. You can get creative if you’re unable to be at your regular space, but just keep the same principles in mind as you do. 

Sit in the most comfortable position for you 

Perhaps one of the more discouraging issues for meditation beginners, aside from a wandering mind, is the belief that you need to sit in a traditional cross-legged Lotus Pose. The best seating position for meditation is one that gives you the most comfort and supports you as you sit so that you can more effectively focus on the act of meditating. 

Perhaps the ideal method is to sit in an armchair with a straight back and a cushion. Place your feet flat on the floor, sit back supported by the chair and you’re all set! However, don’t get so comfortable that you fall asleep, as that would defeat the purpose of meditating.

Uncross your legs and arms

Make sure you allow your energy to flow uninterrupted and in straight lines. This means you should uncross your legs and arms. Think of a position that would allow you blood to flow–it’s just the same as your energy flow or your Chi. You don’t need to be in a traditional meditative seating position

Allow your thoughts to appear; don’t worry about mind wandering 

So long as you’re alive and conscious, you’re going to have thoughts pass through your brain. You can’t help it, you’re human. 

Don’t believe that you have to magically make your thoughts disappear, as that won’t happen (unless you’re unconscious). Just allow your thoughts to appear, but let them come and go without engaging them. 

Think of them as passing trains in the night that you don’t get onboard. If you do find your mind wandering, just use your breath as an anchor. Bring your attention back to the breath and pay attention to your lungs rising and falling. Just be an observer. There is a type of meditation especially made to help you focus your mind, called a mindfulness meditation. 

Slowly relax each major muscle group, 

Meditation is supposed to be relaxing, right? What better way to relax than to go through each muscle group and purposefully have them let go, go soft and relax. Start with the top of the head, slowly move down to your eyes, then to your face, then your jaw, then your neck, then your shoulders, then your chest, and so on all the way down to your toes. 

By the time you get down to loosening your toes, you'll be so relaxed, you’ll feel like you’re floating away on a cloud. Try it.

Listen to soft, ambient background music or a guided meditation recording

The mind responds to music in different ways, just as it does to its external environment. When you’re listening to soft, relaxing music you feel relaxed yourself. When you listen to quiet, ambient background music (without words) you tend to go with the sounds or music and feel like you’re kind of floating away as your mind wants to travel to that beautiful, magical place you envision. 

There are so many great pieces of free soft, ambient music available. Search for them on the internet, or podcasts or YouTube, or meditation apps, or music apps–there are many 1,000’s at your disposal. You can also try guided meditation apps that walk you through different types and stages of meditation. Use whatever works for you. If you’re interested in listening to different guided meditations, I have a series you can try here.

Breathe naturally and focus on your breathing 

Sometimes you might get the impression that because the breath is important that you need to concentrate on its regulation. Instead, what you should be doing is just breath naturally and allow the breath to just be. This is how you want to exist as well…just be. 

Softly breath in through your nose and gently exhale through your mouth. Focus on the rise and fall of your chest or the expansion and contraction of your diaphragm. Don’t interfere or try to modulate the pace. Just allow the breath to come and go at its own natural rhythm. 

Bring your awareness to your breath, visualization or mantra

One of the hallmarks of meditation is the breath. Why? The breath is the one thing you can focus on to center you and bring you back to the now. It helps you to focus your concentration and prevents the mind from wandering, as it can only carry one thought at a time. 

After focusing on your breath, try focusing your attention on a visualization. This could be a beautiful garden in which you sit, or a magical forest of tall trees with green leaves. You might visualize a bright white light in your solar plexus expanding to fill all of your body, then your room, then the world and ultimately out into the universe as the light connects with Source. This type of meditation is called a visualization meditation. 

You can also try repeating a mantra either in your mind or out loud. This might be something like “I am love” or “I am light” or “I send love to all people.” Use whatever resonates with you and whatever makes you feel good and filled with positive vibrations. 

Make meditation your own and something you enjoy. If it’s just a few minutes every other day, maybe listening to a nice guided meditation track or piece of music, then that’s great. Some people even find they are meditating when they’re gardening or bathing, or sitting around. Just allow your mind to drift away, let your being get entered and enjoy. That’s what it’s all about. 

I hope this helps.

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Tags: meditation, meditation benefits, mindfulness, mindfulness meditation, guided meditation, benefits of meditation, body mind soul, transcendental meditation, how to meditate, morning meditation, living spiritually, loving kindness meditation, stress reduction, heart health, anxiety meditation.