I’ve had many people tell me that they find meditation to be quite frustrating and that they can’t seem to grasp it.  I can totally relate to this.

When I first started meditating, it would drive me nuts!  I would get so frustrated and give up after a couple of minutes.  I would sit there and wonder how is it that I am supposed to turn my mind off when as soon as I sit down, I get 8 million different things going around and around in my head?!  I think that many people struggle with this, just as I did starting out.  I have a few tips that will help you on your way to a more enjoyable meditation session.

The first thing you can think about doing is releasing ALL expectations and rules that you have around meditating.  There really isn’t a perfect way to meditate or a certain set of steps that you need to follow in order to meditate successfully.  There isn’t a certain amount of time that makes one session better than another or any special accessories that you need to have before you start. Create your own perfect session that is unique to you and works for you.  Find things that resonate with you to help you get what you want out of your session.

I started out with listening to music that I found to be relaxing.  I would pick a spot in my home where I could sit quietly and listen to music and just practice being in that space with the music.  Fully enjoying all aspects of what that music had to offer me.  Listening to the different instruments, who was singing, different tones and words used.  What I practiced was concentrating on the music rather than on the many different lists I had going or people I was thinking about.  When the thoughts of those lists or people or whatever I had to do came into my mind I would visualize putting them into an envelope and then bring my attention directly back to the music.  What I was doing was practicing being in the moment of the music.  I would practice this over time, allowing myself to get better and better at being in the moment of the music.  This worked really well for me and I was able to move on from there.

You could pick gardening or walking or sitting by the river as your escape from reality.  It could be anything.  Just pick something that you enjoy doing that allows you space to just “be”.  Be in the moment, which means, from my perspective, to have a moment in time (however long you want it to be) where you are present fully in that time and space.  Where nothing, but what you are doing, matters.

I found that by practicing this stepping stone first, it allowed me to really relax and free my mind from things that really didn’t matter.  It was a great way to open myself up to meditating in silence, which was important for me to learn.

Something else you could think about trying is a guided meditation, in a group or on a CD at home.  Whichever resonates more for you.  It’s a great way to practice visualizing in your mind and allowing you to be in the moment.

If you want to just skip ahead to meditating in silence, I would recommend visualizing putting your thoughts into envelopes and allowing them to float away.  It can take practice, patience, and not getting frustrated with yourself.  Allow yourself to concentrate on your deep breathing and when your thoughts come in, put them into the envelopes.  Even if you start with only a few minutes a day at first and then increase your increments as time goes on you will feel less frustrated and more positive with your accomplishment.

I hear people tell me that they have busy lives and just can’t find time to fit in meditation, but they realize the importance of it and seem to have it on their list of things to do.  If you are one of these people, I have the perfect solution for you!  Meditate while you are in the shower, or bath.  Most people do this on a daily basis…so take that opportunity to practice your meditating!  Bring your attention to the water and what it feels like on your body and just be in the moment of how that feels.  Visualize the water washing away your lists and obligations as they pop into your head.  Nice and relaxing!

These are just a few ways you can try to incorporate meditation or being in the moment into your lives with more ease.  I would love to hear any tips or trick you have found to be successful on your meditation journey!  Feel free to comment below!

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