The practice of meditation: tips for getting started

The mind thinks. That's what it does. Asking it to stop is like asking the heart to stop beating. Meditation is learning to observe thoughts without following them. To see one arise, to notice it's there, and to gently return to the present moment. Each time you realize you've wandered off with a thought and then return, that's the practice of meditation.

Before we begin

You don't need a special cushion. You don't need a perfectly quiet room. You don't need comfortable clothes, candles, or incense. You need a place where you can sit or lie down undisturbed for a few minutes. You can add everything else if you like.

Where to begin meditating:

1. Choose a real-time setting

Don't start with 20 minutes. Start with 5. The goal isn't to meditate a lot, it's to meditate regularly. Five minutes each day is more transformative than an hour a week.
2. Find your posture

Sit in a chair, on the floor with your legs crossed or extended, or try lying down. The important thing is that your spine is relatively straight if you're sitting, not rigid, just awake. If you lie down, that's fine too, although it's easier to fall asleep.

3. Close your eyes and focus your attention on your breathing

Don't change how you breathe. Just observe it. Feel the air coming in, the pause, the air going out. The texture, the temperature, the rhythm.

4. When the mind wanders (and it will wander), it returns

At some point you'll realize you've been thinking about work, what you're going to eat, or that conversation from yesterday. That's normal. Completely normal.

Without judging yourself, without getting frustrated, return to your breathing. Again and again.

Every return is a moment of awareness. Every return is meditation.

5. Open your eyes slowly

When the time is up, don't jump right away. Take a few seconds before resuming movement. Notice how your body feels. Notice the difference.

Simple techniques for the first few days

There are many ways to anchor attention. Here are three that work especially well for beginners:

Count your breaths

Inhale, count one. Exhale, count two. Up to ten, and start again. If you lose count, just start over from one, no problem. Counting gives the mind something concrete to focus on.

Body scan

Slowly bring your attention from your feet to your head. Without trying to change anything, just notice. Is there tension in your shoulders? How does your jaw feel? And your hands? This technique is especially powerful before going to sleep.

Guided meditation

If starting out alone seems difficult, having a voice to guide you makes all the difference. You don't have to know what to do, just keep going. It's the kindest way to begin.

Here's our playlist of guided meditations on Spotify, short, in Spanish or English, designed to accompany you in your daily life:

[Listen here →](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1R3WwO7r8eMTZm1hssh1y1)

The most common questions:

How long do I need to meditate to feel something?

Some people feel something right away. Others take a few weeks. What is consistent, though, is that regular practice changes something—in sleep, in reactivity, in the ability to pause before responding. It's not always dramatic. Sometimes it's just that the day flows differently.

Do I have to sit in total silence?

No. Silence helps, but it's not a requirement. You can meditate with the sound of rain, instrumental music, or city noises in the background. What matters is the direction of your attention, not the external volume.

What do I do if I fall asleep?

It means your body needed rest. It's not a failure, it's information. Over time, your body learns to enter a state of deep relaxation without falling asleep. If you always fall asleep, try meditating sitting up instead of lying down.

Is it normal to feel discomfort, excitement, or even cry?

Absolutely. When we quiet the external noise, sometimes what was waiting to be seen emerges. That's not a bad thing; it's part of the process. Be kind to yourself.

A reminder: There is no perfect meditation. There's only the one you did and the one you didn't do.

The exercise you did, even if you were thinking about everything but your breathing, left something behind. A small pause in the automatic rhythm of the day. A moment when you chose to be present.

That matters more than you think.

Start today. With five minutes. With your eyes closed. With your breath.

The rest will come on its own.

We invite you to meditate and breathe together in our nature retreats and online sessions.

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