If you want to begin meditating, your home is a great place to start, says Steph Strauss, a certified yoga instructor and meditation teacher. This article explores the types of meditation you can try, the benefits of at-home meditation, and tips on how to begin meditating at home.
How to Meditate at Home
Strauss shares some steps to follow if you want to start meditating at home. They are outlined below.
Find a Cozy Spot
Find a cozy area in your home without a lot of distractions. This could be anywhere—your favorite chair, your couch, a corner in your home, your bedroom, or on your bed. You can lay down, if you prefer; however, staying seated can help prevent you from falling asleep—you should ideally be relaxed but alert. It is helpful to meditate in the same spot every day, if possible. This helps your brain create a new healthy habit.
Set a Daily Reminder
It is helpful to set a reminder to meditate at the same time every day. This can help you build a long-lasting habit.
Take Baby Steps
It takes a lot of practice and patience to focus your attention on one thing at a time. So, taking baby steps when you are just starting is recommended. Try shorter meditations at first and work your way up to longer ones. There is no set time frame after which you should start doing longer meditations; it varies from person to person. So, respect your journey and take as much time as you need.
Try Different Types of Meditation
There are endless types of meditation and what might work best for one person may not work for another at all, and that is just fine. Take some time to explore the different types of meditation and see what is most helpful to you.
Be Kind to Yourself
While the practice of meditation is quite simple, it is not easy, nor does it get any easier with time. There will be days when the mind is calmer, times it won’t stop yacking, or times when it is somewhere in between. This is normal. It’s important to meet yourself where you are in that moment and accept what is present with kindness.
Types of Meditation You Can Try at Home
Strauss suggests a few types of meditation you can try at home to start with. Let’s take a look at them so you can begin your at-home meditation practice.
Loving Kindness
This practice is a great way to cultivate compassion for yourself and others. Loving kindness meditations open your heart and help you see how interconnected we all are. In this form of meditation, you are guided to offer different people in your life—yourself, someone close to you, someone neutral, someone you’re having difficulty with, and all beings everywhere—loving blessings through a series of phrases. You might say something like: “May you be healthy. May you be happy. May you be safe. May you live with ease.”
Body Scan
This practice is a great way to strengthen your mind-body connection. We aren’t taught to notice sensations in the body; however, we can learn a lot when we pay attention to the body. In body scan meditations, you are often guided through a gentle scan of your body from the top of your head to your feet. You will soon notice common areas where you tend to hold tension in the body and will be offered tools to help the body and nervous system relax.
Focused Attention
One of the most common meditation practices is focused attention. This form of meditation involves placing your awareness on one thing, like your breath, sounds in your environment, a phrase, a candle, or your body. When you start to focus your attention on that one thing, you will soon notice how quickly the mind takes over and brings you into thought. This is normal. When this happens, give yourself credit for noticing and return to your anchor of attention. Bring the mind back as many times as it wanders. That right there is the practice of meditation.
Benefits of Meditation
According to Strauss, there are many benefits of meditation, which include:
Reduces stress and anxiety: Meditation teaches you tools that bring your attention to the present moment without judgment, instead of ruminating about something that happened in the past or worrying about something that hasn’t happened yet in the future. Strengthens relationships: Meditation helps you cultivate more compassion and patience toward all beings, not just the closest ones to you. The best part is that you inspire others to do the same. Increases productivity and creativity: Have you ever had a great idea pop into your head while showering or brushing your teeth? The practice of meditation increases your ability to be productive and creative when you give yourself time to pause and breathe. Improves heart health: Meditation can improve heart health by lowering your blood pressure, reducing stress, helping you quit smoking, and helping with other markers of heart disease, such as insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Boosts your immune system: The practice of meditation helps strengthen your mind-body connection. Meditation, in turn, enables you to listen to your body’s feedback and teaches you how to self-regulate. Benefits your brain: The fascinating thing about meditation is its ability to rewire your brain. This concept is called neuroplasticity, where you replace old unhelpful habits with new supportive ones. Meditation has also been shown to improve your ability to process information, stall the effects of aging on your brain, and reduce the sensation of pain.
A Word From Verywell
Meditation is a practice that can lower your stress levels, help you focus, and offer several mental and physical health benefits. “There is no wrong place to meditate, so you most certainly can meditate at home,” says Strauss. Find a quiet spot in your house, pick a type of meditation you enjoy, and you’re all set. Start with a few minutes at a time and then increase from there when you’re ready. Be kind and compassionate to yourself as you develop this practice.
