How To: Simple Meditation for Beginners

This meditation exercise is an excellent introduction to meditation techniques.

1. Sit or lie comfortably.

2. Close your eyes.

3. Make no effort to control the breath; simply breathe naturally.

4. Focus your attention on the breath and on how the body moves with each inhalation and exhalation. Notice the movement of your body as you breathe. Observe your chest, shoulders, rib cage and belly. Make no effort to control your breath; simply focus your attention. If your mind wanders, simply return your focus back to your breath. Maintain this meditation practice for 2–3 minutes to start, and then try it for longer periods.

This post is an excerpt from Meditation 101: Techniques, Benefits & Beginner’s How-to taken from blog.gaiam.com.