Hello, my zenful lovelies!

Meditation is having a moment right now, but most people still don’t know where or how to do it. You know it’s good for you and you think you should join in, but you’re not sure quite how to begin. Plus, doesn’t it take a lot of time?

Well, good news! The wonderful thing about meditation is that you don’t need to be a Buddhist monk living in silence on the side of a mountain for eons to experience the benefits of a little brain silence. You can meditate anywhere, anytime, and with zero tools required.

I try to carve out at least 5 minutes a day to calm my mind, even if it’s just sitting in my parked car and breathing deeply into my gut.

And regardless of the style you prefer – transcendental, guided visualization, breath-focused, affirmations, chanting, yoga nidra, etc. – meditation has been shown to help everything from lowering stress levels to improving your sex drive. It helps you stay focused at work and get better rest at night.

So if you’re ready to jump on the meditation train to Bliss Land, I’ve got just the ticket – my favorite tips to find time to meditate in this busy world.

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Sunrise, Sunset

Begin and end each day with meditation. The simplest times are right when you first wake up, and right before you close your eyes to sleep, but figure out what best fits your schedule. The length doesn’t matter as much as consistently practicing.

Set your alarm for 15 minutes earlier than normal and head over to that awesome meditation corner you created earlier this month (hint, hint) as part of your morning ritual. Or if the weather is nice, sit outside. Having a designated space to meditate will help you actually sit on your booty and do it. But you can really go wherever you feel inspired, calm and relaxed.

Posture Pointers

While a meditation practice can be very flexible, there is one important element – posture. If you’ve ever seen those spiffy meditation ‘chairs‘, you’ll notice they provide good alignment support. You’ll possibly be in this position for a little while, so sitting up straight helps you reduce pressure on your back muscles and spine without a lot of effort on your part.

Now, you can sit on a yoga mat, a comfy pillow or even your bed, but if you choose to use a backrest, make sure it falls short of your head. You want to keep yourself aligned but also not accidentally fall asleep. 😉 So if you’re sitting on your bed, just prop a pillow or two between you and the headboard.  

Seek Professional Help

Carve out some time in your week to visit a meditation studio. I really like Unplug Meditation in Los Angeles, and also The DEN Meditation. In NYC, there is MDFL and Inscape. Here are studios in other major cities around the U.S. And if you don’t live in a big city, check out your local yoga studio. Many offer special workshops and classes, including group meditation.

I also recommend Rebekah Borucki, a Meditation Guide and Life Coach whose blog, Bex Life, offers tons of great video meditations, especially for people who suffer from anxiety or are highly empathetic. She’s also the author of You Have 4 Minutes to Change Your Life – Meditation For Beginners.

Take It Outside

Commune with nature while you’re meditating. Check out your local parks, yoga studios and community centers for group meditation events. Places like the beautiful Peace Awareness Labyrinth and Gardens in Los Angeles, which is FREE to visit. You can tour the villa, walk the unique labyrinth and then relax in their gardens by the koi pond.

Walking meditations are a great alternative to traditional meditation. Just throw on some sweats and head out into your neighborhood or a great local park before you start turning on your digital devices and let work seep in. And another go-to form of meditation is journaling.

The goal is to drain your mind of all the craziness of the world and be more present. You can get grounded and calm just by putting pen to paper; it’s cathartic.  

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I hope these tips helped you understand a little more about meditation and how to get started. But at the end of the day, it really comes down to making a choice to just DO IT.

All the people I know who meditate regularly are super busy, but they make meditation a priority. Understanding how to quiet your mind and strengthen that skill will have a profound effect on your daily life. And not just in the 5 – 20 minutes you spend doing it each day 🙂

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LOVE + a calm mind!