how to meditate properly
Illustration by Oana Cazan

The Absolute Easiest Ways to Meditate

Think you’re not cut out for meditation? Think again

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The experts

Carolyn Plater and Stephanie Kersta, mental health clinicians and founders of Toronto’s Hoame meditation studio.

The skill

Unlocking the many wonders of meditation. “Steph and I always joke that the top of your head to the tips of your toes and everything in between can benefit from meditation,” says Plater. “There’s a vast range of mental benefits, everything from mood regulation to stress management, lowering anxiety, improving focus. From a physical health perspective, medical professionals are now using meditation and mindfulness to help improve immune functioning, decrease pain response and improve sleep.” Some studies have found it can also help treat inflammatory disorders and even increase longevity.

The supplies

“You just need yourself,” says Kersta. “That’s the beauty of meditation, all you need is yourself and your love.” Many people, especially those are new to meditation, find guided versions to be helpful. “There are cues and there are prompts, there’s normalization of what you might be feeling or thinking, so you don’t feel like you’re on your own,” says Kersta. 

The how-to

Start small

If a 20-minute meditation seems daunting, try doing three minutes every day and slowly building your practice. “It’s about the quality rather than the length,” says Kersta, who adds that she’d rather see people do short meditations regularly than one long one once a week. “From a literature perspective, we know that many of the effects of meditation can be seen in as little as 10 minutes per day. So you don’t need to do a lot of it to reap the benefits.” If you’re short on time, especially these days, try working meditation into daily activities. “Any time you can stack self-care onto what you’re already doing, that’s amazing,” says Plater. Try meditating in your bathtub or shower or making your daily walk a bit more mindful. 

Experiment

“A lot of people have this notion that meditating is sitting in lotus position and staying there for a long time,” says Kersta. Not so, says the expert. While some might feel sitting cross-legged is most conducive to a meditative state, others might prefer to lie down or move around. “There’s no right or wrong way to do it,” says Kersta. “Play around with the time of day, the different styles and themes and find what works for you rather than trying to fit yourself into this stereotypical box of what it’s supposed to look like.” That goes for sound, too. Maybe you need silence to quiet your thoughts or an app to keep you on track. Or maybe music is more your jam. “Certain music can slow down your heart rate,” says Kersta. “Sound baths are also phenomenal; I call them the gateway to meditation because oftentimes people who have struggled with meditation find they can get into that relaxed state when listening to a sound bath.” You can find meditation playlists and sound bath recordings online. Just make sure to listen to them with earphones for a more immersive experience.

Go easy on yourself

People often tell Kersta and Plater that they can’t meditate or that they’re worried they’re doing it wrong. “We always say just be gentle with yourself,” says Plater.  “Any time you’re spending with yourself is a win. Truly, it’s impossible to fail at meditation.” Another big blocker for people is the inability to clear their minds. “It really isn’t about that,” says Kersta. “It’s more about creating this awareness of what’s in your mind, but not letting it stick. I always use that image of having your thoughts be clouds and seeing them pass by but not ruminating on them.” Some people find guided visualizations or breathwork, where you control your inhalations and exhalations, helpful in shifting their focus. For others, the hardest part isn’t the mental chatter but the actual staying still. That’s where things like moving or walking or even chanting can come into play. 

how to meditate properly
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Make it a ritual

While you truly don’t need anything to meditate, bringing in some oils or lighting a candle can help set the tone. “It tells you it’s time to get ready for meditation and helps get you into that headspace,” says Plater. “If you have the room and the means, you can invest in props like cushions and crystals and all of that, but really it’s anywhere you can get comfortable,” says Kersta. Unable to find a moment to yourself? Make it a group thing. “There’s definitely something about the collective energy of meditating together that’s really special,” says Kersta. “If you have people in your home to meditate with, that’s awesome. I’m also all for including children and getting them started early.” Look online for guided children’s meditations your little ones might enjoy. If you’re on your own and looking to foster a sense of community, check out Hoame’s Instagram for live classes you can join.

Take care of yourself

With everything going on, many of us are dealing with more stress than usual. It’s important to look after ourselves and do our best to alleviate those feelings. “We know breathwork works faster to calm us down and reduce anxiety than the fastest-acting anti-anxiety medication on the market,” says Kersta. So if you find yourself experiencing panic or anxiety, try doing something called “box breathing,” where you inhale for four seconds, hold for four seconds, and then exhale fully through your mouth for four to six seconds. Grounding activities, such as identifying five things you see, five things you hear and maybe five things you smell, can also help bring you back to the current moment. Take a deep breath then identify four things, three things, all the way down to one. Need to get out? Go for a walk and try to incorporate your senses in a similar way along with some deep breathing. “All of this can really help, especially right now, with the stress and anxiety that a lot of us are feeling.”

 

 

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