You may have heard about the benefits of meditation for your body, mind, and spirit, but never tried it out yourself.

If you’re wondering how to begin practicing, here are some helpful tips from Miraval’s yoga and meditation specialist MaryGrace Naughton:

Frequency over Duration

In meditation, longer isn’t necessarily better. It’s more about how often you do it.  It’s more beneficial to practice for 10 minutes each day than 30 minutes twice a week. While consistency is important, it is also valuable to occasionally practice a meditation that is longer than your usual practice.  Sprinkling in longer sessions helps you observe the fluctuations of your mind and cultivate equanimity and compassion.

Sounds & Silence

Some forms of meditation require complete silence, but not all. While we recommend quiet, still areas, some people respond well to places that feature soft music in the background or white noise. Whatever environment helps you relax and detach from everyday thoughts and stressors is the perfect meditation environment for you.

Take a Seat

Find a position that you can sit in comfortably without needing to move or adjust yourself every few minutes. Try to find a seat that lets you keep a relatively straight spine and relaxed body. You can focus your attention by noticing your breath. Thoughts, body sensations, and emotions will arise; attend to the breath and let the rest be there—nothing to push away, nothing to grasp. Meditation is about being present with ‘what is’ while doing your best to let go of judgment.

Take it Easy

Don’t take yourself, or meditation, too seriously. Look at this as something that will provide value in your life and a few moments of uninterrupted quiet. In addition to the spiritual elements of meditation, every person benefits from going within to observe the body and mind with compassion and kindness.

At Miraval, our guests can begin or enhance a meditation practice by attending any of our meditation classes or scheduling a private session with one of our specialists.