You learn to meditate by meditating. The silence and stillness you experience in meditation and the increased happiness and diminished stress you experience outside meditation are so attractive and welcomed that you naturally teach yourself how to go deeper into that silence and stillness each time you meditate.
Your First Meditation
To begin meditating, find a place where you can sit comfortably and quietly. Then close your eyes and do nothing for a minute or so. Thoughts may come during that time, and that is okay. Then start the audio below and play your mantra** at a whisper. Each time you hear your mantra, say it quietly inside without moving your tongue or lips. After one minute the audio will fade to silence. Then continue saying your mantra quietly inside for four more minutes. If thoughts come during that time, gently return to saying your mantra quietly inside. The audio will tell you when four minutes is over.
Daily Practice of Meditation
Meditate every morning and every evening for 15-30 minutes. It is best to meditate before you eat. Try to meditate in a quiet place but if you do not have a quiet place to meditate that is okay. Noise is not a barrier to meditating.
Sit quietly, close your eyes, and do nothing for a minute or so. Thoughts will come and that is okay. It is natural to have thoughts during meditation. After a minute or so, in the same natural way that thoughts come, and without moving your tongue or lips, quietly inside start saying your mantra. Slowly repeat your mantra until you are done meditating. When thoughts come, gently return to saying your mantra. When you finish meditating, lay down and rest for 4-5 minutes.
At times you may be saying your mantra unclearly, and that is okay. At times you may not be saying your mantra at all, and instead your mantra may be a sense or a feeling of your mantra, and that is okay. At times all thoughts and your mantra may disappear and you may simply be aware, and that is okay.
You may go to sleep during meditation, and that is okay. When you wake up after being asleep, meditate for a few more minutes and then lay down and rest for 4-5 minutes.
