5 Meditation Techniques to Get You Started

The benefits extend beyond a calmer state of mind

Man sitting and meditating at the end of his bed

svetikd / Getty Images 

Learning some basic meditation techniques is a great place to start if you've ever wanted to try meditation but weren't sure where to begin. Meditation is widely recommended as a health-boosting practice—and for good reason. It provides many positive benefits, from reducing symptoms of stress to relieving physical complaints like headaches and even enhancing immunity to illness.

Between the health benefits and the fact that it's free and requires as few as five minutes, it's easy to see why meditation has become a popular complement to conventional medicine.

At a Glance

While it might seem a little intimidating if you are a beginner, meditation techniques can be a quick and easy way to incorporate health-promoting practices into your day. Setting aside five to 10 minutes daily is a great place to start. Here are five meditation techniques that are great for beginners (and experienced meditators, too!):

  • Basic meditation
  • Focused meditation
  • Activity-oriented meditation
  • Mindfulness meditation
  • Spiritual meditation

Consider trying a few types of meditation to decide which one is right for you.

Basic Meditation Techniques

Though it can be practiced in different ways, a few common threads run through virtually all meditation techniques:

Focused Mind

It is a common misconception that meditation causes the mind to become 'quiet' or 'clear.' In reality, your mind is always thinking.

Although your thoughts might not be as rapid, it is perfectly normal for your mind to be active when meditating. The key is to acknowledge this compassionately while bringing the focus back to the breath whenever possible.

The goal of meditation is to compassionately acknowledge your thoughts while gently guiding your mind back to your breath.

Being In the Now

Rather than focusing on the past or future, all meditative practices involve focusing on the present. Being in the here and now consists in experiencing each moment, letting it go, and then experiencing the next.

Focusing on the here and now takes practice, as many of us live most of our lives thinking toward the future or ruminating on the past.

Altered State of Consciousness

With time, maintaining a quiet mind and focusing on the present can lead to an altered level of consciousness that isn’t a sleeping state but isn’t quite your average wakeful state either.

Meditation increases brain activity in an area of the brain associated with happiness and positive thoughts and emotions, and some evidence shows that regular practice brings prolonged positive changes in these areas.

2 Main Types of Meditation Techniques

Researchers generally classify meditation techniques into two different categories: concentrative and non-concentrative.

  • Concentrative techniques involve focusing on a particular object that's generally outside of oneself, such as a candle's flame, the sound of an instrument, or a mantra.
  • Non-concentrative meditation, on the other hand, can include a broader focus, such as the sounds in your environment, internal body states, and even your own breathing.

Note that there can be overlap with these techniques—meditation can be both concentrative and non-concentrative.

5 Meditation Techniques You Can Try

There are many different ways to meditate. Think of the following categories of meditation techniques as a jumping-off point to understand the practices and differences among some of the main options rather than an exhaustive list.

Basic Meditation

This involves sitting in a comfortable position and using the breath as a point of focus. If you find yourself distracted by other thoughts or find your mind wandering, gently redirect your focus back toward your breaths.

Focused Meditation

With focused meditation, you focus on something with intention without engaging your thoughts on it. You can zero in on something visual, like a statue; something auditory, like a metronome or recording of ocean waves; something constant, like your own breathing; or a simple concept, like "unconditional compassion."

Some people find it easier to do this than to focus on nothing, but the idea is the same—staying in the present moment, circumventing the constant stream of commentary from your conscious mind, and allowing yourself to slip into an altered state of consciousness.

Activity-Oriented Meditation

Activity-oriented meditation combines meditation with activities you may already enjoy, or with new activities that help you focus on the present. With this type of meditation, you engage in a repetitive activity where you can get "in the zone" and experience "flow." Again, this quiets the mind and allows your brain to shift.

Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness can be a form of meditation that, like activity-oriented meditation, doesn’t really look like meditation. Mindfulness involves staying in the present moment rather than thinking about the future or the past.

While the concept is simple, it can be more difficult than it sounds. Focusing on sensations you feel in your body is one way to stay "in the now." Focusing on emotions and where you feel them in your body—not examining why you feel them, but just experiencing them as sensations—is another.

Spiritual Meditation

Though meditation isn't specific to any one religion, it can be a spiritual practice. You can meditate on a singular question until an answer comes, or meditate to clear your mind and accept whatever comes that day. Many people also practice kundalini meditation for mind and body connection.

Press Play for Advice On Clearing Your Mind

Hosted by therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares how to clear your mind when your thoughts keep racing. Click below to listen now.

Follow Now : Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts

Benefits of Using Meditation Techniques

Meditation has been shown to have a wide variety of mental and physical health benefits. Using meditation techniques regularly may help:

  • Boost mood
  • Improve sleep
  • Lower stress
  • Decrease blood pressure
  • Improve empathy
  • Reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression

The most effective meditation technique is the one that you can stick with for the long term, but researchers have found a few specific types of meditation may be particularly helpful. For example, mindfulness meditation has been shown to be useful for anxiety disorders and depression.

How to Get Started

If you are ready to begin trying out some meditation techniques, here are some helpful tips to get started. 

Set Aside a Time

Choose when you want to meditate each day. You might set aside a little time first thing in the morning, but lunchtime, after work, or in the evening also works.

Find a Space

Choose a relaxing space where you're free of distractions. Your bedroom is a great option, but you can truly meditate anywhere. That includes in your living room or office. (If you need to tune out distractions, a pair of headphones and some soothing meditation music can help).

Get Comfortable

You can sit cross-legged on the floor if want, but the key is to find a position that's comfortable for you. If sitting on the floor isn't comfortable or possible, sit in a chair where you can sit up straight with both feet resting on the floor. Place your hands where they feel confortable, such as on your lap, on your knees, or at your sides.

Focus on Your Breath

Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Breathe comfortably, and notice how you feel as you inhale and exhale. If your mind wanders, gently guide it back to focus on your breathing.

Takeaway

Whichever method you choose, keep in mind that consistent practice—even just quieting the mind for five minutes a day—is more valuable than sessions that are longer but infrequent. In the end, the best meditation technique and the one that will help you gain the most positive benefits is one you can stick to.

6 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Boccia M, Piccardi L, Guariglia P. The meditative mind: A comprehensive meta-analysis of MRI studiesBiomed Res Int. 2015;2015:1-11. doi:10.1155/2015/419808

  2. Yoshida K, Takeda K, Kasai T, et al. Focused attention meditation training modifies neural activity and attention: longitudinal EEG data in non-meditatorsSoc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2020;15(2):215-224. doi:10.1093/scan/nsaa020

  3. Parmentier FBR, García-Toro M, García-Campayo J, Yañez AM, Andrés P, Gili M. Mindfulness and symptoms of depression and anxiety in the general population: The mediating roles of worry, rumination, reappraisal and suppressionFront Psychol. 2019;10:506. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00506

  4. Linares Gutiérrez D, Schmidt S, Meissner K, Wittmann M. Changes in subjective time and self during meditationBiology (Basel). 2022;11(8):1116. doi:10.3390/biology11081116

  5. Sharma H. Meditation: Process and effectsAyu. 2015;36(3):233–237. doi:10.4103/0974-8520.182756

  6. Reangsing C, Lauderman C, Schneider JK. Effects of mindfulness meditation intervention on depressive symptoms in emerging adults: A systematic review and meta-analysisJ Integr Complement Med. 2022;28(1):6-24. doi:10.1089/jicm.2021.0036

Additional Reading

By Elizabeth Scott, PhD
Elizabeth Scott, PhD is an author, workshop leader, educator, and award-winning blogger on stress management, positive psychology, relationships, and emotional wellbeing.