I decided to take up meditation as a New Year's resolution, for a variety of reasons. I recognized some qualities in myself that I wanted to confront, and it seemed that meditation was just the next natural step in my journey of self-actualization. Deciding I wanted to learn how to meditate was the easy part. Figuring out how to learn it was the hard part. There are SO MANY different types of meditation, and even more meditation philosophies to sort through. I read what I could online, but meditation is not necessarily easy to understand... that is, until you've done it. After some trial and error, I came across the "Simple Meditation for Beginners" course. I was a beginner, and I preferred simplicity, so it sounded perfect. Here are the details of my experience with this program:

Things I wanted to accomplish. Meditation was important to me because I didn't know how to relax. Also, I was having some issues with self-acceptance, and also encountering road blocks when it came to achieving some personal goals. (These were the things that I needed to work on. Your list may be different. Whatever the case may be, you need to take the time to create a list of your meditation goals. That way, you will be able to focus your meditations on your own circumstances.)

What is Your Goal with Meditation? Think about what you want to achieve from your meditation practice. Do your want to improve your health, or do you want to connect with your spirituality. Maybe you want to learn to focus or maybe you want to become more positive. No matter what your goal is, there are different meditations that can help you achieve it. But the first type of meditation you should learn is the basic breathing exercise. This is an easy but important type of meditation that you will use in any type of meditation but can also be practiced alone.

Meditation is an easy technique. You do not have to worry about whether you are doing it right or wrong. That's a wrong way to start your meditation. Avoid getting angry or frustrated with yourself and in your mind. If you need to stop your meditation, gently do it slowly. Do it smooth and not harsh. Enjoy first the state you built and do not forego of it as soon as possible. Repeat your meditation as needed. It will be very effective if done regularly. Do it always for a long period. It does not need to take many hours or every day. A 20-minute meditation is effective if done always.

When you start to meditate, it is important to remember to stay relaxed through the whole meditation. You also have to meditate on a regular basis to really be able to feel the many benefits there is with meditation. So try to make it a habit and part of your daily routine. A good way to do that is to practice your meditation the same time ever day such as in the morning before you start your day or evening before going to sleep. So choose a time for your meditation where you are able to get 15 minutes undisturbed practice.

For beginners, and trained as well, it can be very helpful to listen to meditation audio recordings that can guide you through the practice. Listening to music and nature sounds can also help you relax and find peace.So start your meditation practice and see how your life and health improves.