The Beginners Guide to Meditation
Breath in. Breath Out.
You might start meditating daily and practicing mindfulness. There was a recent study of 287 participants who were suffering from depression and anxiety. Half were given 20-30 mg Lexapro and the other half were taught mindfulness and meditation - the results, both very good, were the same.
So, for meditation, you can pick a two syllable word. Turn off your phone and computer and close your eyes. On the inhale, say the first syllable and on the exhale say the second syllable. You're goal isn't a silent mind - the mind is going to do what the mind does - but the goal is not to engage with it. So if the thought that comes in is "What should I cook for dinner", you don't join thinking well what do I have in the fridge, etc. When thoughts arise you can just note "thinking" and return to your word. You may sit in a chair, you don't need to sit on the floor but your feet should comfortably be on the floor. You want to be breathing slowly and deeply, all the way down into your belly. Releasing any tension you feel in your body - just let it melt down and out the bottom of your feet. 5-10 minutes a day, best in the morning and at night.
The goal of this style of meditation is twofold:
To experience connecting with that peaceful stillness in your heart center.
To create space, opening. You might notice some other meditations follow a visualization script. This keeps the mind busy. This meditation opens the mind and creates space which you will later come to realize is filled: with greater awareness, clarity and discernment.
For Mindfulness, you begin to pay close attention to all you can see with your senses, taking everything in you can see wherever you are, then notice all you can hear, the all you can smell, any taste in your mouth and the texture of things. This will help bring you to present time.
Those are two of the most significant life skills you can develop, that are simply two of the best tools you can have in your tool belt. Your mind will tell you you don't have time, and all kinds of arguments against doing it, or you're too tired, whatever - I recommend telling it you're in charge now and it needs to take a back seat