WHERE

Choose a quiet place where you will not be disturbed: ensure that nobody interrupts you and that you have put your mobile phone on silent.

It is good to meditate in the same spot as it helps to establish your meditation practice as one of your regular lifestyle habits: something that you do as part of your daily routine just as you would brush your teeth, etc. Meditating regularly in the same place also helps to build up the right energy around that place over time.

When you become more established in your meditation practice, it will become easier to meditate in other environments, such as when travelling on the tube or sitting in the park. You can then use these opportunities to meditate more often, as these would be in addition to your regular practice.

WHEN, HOW OFTEN AND HOW LONG

One of the best times to practice meditation is early in the morning, straight after a shower. Doing meditation at this time will help to get you into the right frame of mind for the day.

Another good time is in the evening, before going to bed. You have an opportunity to review how the day went and apply wisdom to learn from any mistakes that were made. It also helps to calm you down and aids the process of going to sleep.

If these times are not available, then find some other suitable period in the day when you can meditate without being disturbed.

Ideally meditate at least once every day. To give yourself the best chance of ensuring that this happens, start small and gradually increase your commitment. For example, start by meditating for 5 minutes every day. It is easy to put aside just 5 minutes and meditation soon becomes a part of your daily routine.

Spending 5 minutes in meditation every day is better than doing nothing for a few days and then sitting down for 30 minutes. Think of it like watering a plant: a little bit of water every day is better than starving the plant, followed by drowning it in water!

Gradually build up the time and/or frequency. There are no hard and fast rules for how long you should spend every day in meditation. Once you have established a regular practice, then it is perfectly fine to have some meditation sessions that are longer than others. However, note that quality of practice is more important than time: 10 minutes of a good, focused session is more valuable than 30 minutes during which you constantly lost focus (and perhaps even drifted off to sleep)! Therefore, be patient and gradually build up your practice.

POSTURE

Sit in a posture that allows you to be you relaxed and alert. Ensure that your spine is long and erect, chest and abdomen are not restricted in any way, chin is parallel to the ground, eyes are steady underneath closed eyelids, your weight is evenly balanced and the arms are relaxed with the palms turns upwards.

Using a cushion or some other suitable support if you are sitting in one of the cross-legged positions on the floor usually helps to relax the knees.

If you are sitting on a chair, make sure that your feet are comfortably flat on the floor and your thighs are parallel to the ground. Try to move away from the back of the chair to minimize any sensations coming from contact your back has with the chair behind you.

NOTES ON TECHNIQUES

Try out the various techniques offered here, as well as others that you may come across. You will find that some techniques resonate with you more than others, and that which one appeals to you could also depend on your particular circumstances. For example, you may wish to use affirmations to overcome a specific challenge or hurdle that is holding you back; at other times you may be happy to simply observe your mind and allow the thoughts to settle.

When you come out of meditation, ensure that you allow enough time to ground yourself before becoming active again. You may wish to write down and capture any insights that came up during your meditation session.

If you find that there is a technique that particularly appeals to you then let that become your default method of meditation. It is better to master one technique than to keep changing all the time. If you wish, you can think of it like digging wells when looking for water: it is better to dig deeper into one well than to keep digging in different wells.

Remember that the technique is only a means to an end, so don’t get too caught up in the technique itself. And attitude is very important. Do not look for results, instead focus on your process and be patient and compassionate with yourself.