How to Start and Keep a Meditation Practice, resetbrainandbody.com

Here are a few ways to start meditating without letting obstacles get in the way.

https://www.resetbrainandbody.com/blog/how-to-start-and-keep-a-meditation-practice

1. Accept that meditation is just focused breathing. Meditation does not have to be 20 minutes of you entering into the next level of consciousness and realizing divine enlightenment. Meditation is very simply focused breathing. By tuning your present attention to just the simple in and out of your breath, you’re meditating. You can do it in the middle of a meeting, while driving, during dinner or even while working out. Breathe in, hold, breathe out. Do that at least 5 times. Look, you’re meditating!
2. Stop searching for something. Yes, sometimes meditation can bring about greater creativity and new ideas. Sometimes meditating can help you understand that trauma of your past or even forgiveness for someone who hurt you. Maybe you feel something so blissful that you feel you’ve connected to something bigger than yourself. Awesome. All cool outcomes. But the problem with these experiences is that we have a natural inclination to want them again. So now meditation has turned into outcome chasing. We’re searching for that bliss, that surge of passion or swell of compassion. Yet entering into a meditation practice with an expectation totally negates the purpose of the practice. Try and surrender any expectations or outcomes. Try and just be and let what comes, comes…or be okay with what never comes.
3. Let go of perfect. Seriously. Let go of having a “good” meditation practice. So you lose your focus 20 seconds in and start thinking of what you’re having for dinner. Or you get so fidgety you have to get up and walk around after 3 minutes. It’s okay. Meditation is a practice. You’re not expected to “get there” every time. Even the most practiced meditators can get distracted. You’re training the most complex organ in your body and you’re up against a lot. Give yourself some grace and try and omit the words “good” and “bad” from your practice.
4. Pull in reinforcements. Attempting to start or keep a meditation practice in your messy living room, comfy bed or dark basement may not work for you. So, have you considered practicing meditation in a group? There is power in numbers and a group setting can keep you accountable to your developing practice.