Meditation for Beginners: Simple Practices to Start

Stress management

🧠 What It Is

Unless you’ve been completely off the grid for the past decade, you’ve heard about meditation. What was once considered quirky or reserved for mystics has gone mainstream—and for good reason. Meditation isn’t about emptying your mind or sitting cross-legged on a mountaintop. It’s about training your brain to observe your thoughts without judgment, creating a sense of calm, clarity, and focus.

Think of it as a workout for your mind, strengthening your ability to respond to life’s curveballs with intention rather than reaction. Rooted in ancient traditions, meditation has skyrocketed in popularity thanks to its proven benefits for reducing stress, boosting focus, and enhancing overall well-being. Best of all? You don’t need hours of free time or prior experience—just a few minutes a day can make a noticeable difference.

🔬 What the Science Says

• Structural Brain Changes: MRI studies show that consistent meditation increases gray matter in regions responsible for learning, memory, and emotional regulation.¹

• Reduced Stress Response: Meditation decreases activity in the amygdala—the brain’s stress center—helping to lower emotional reactivity and improve resilience.²

• Lower Cortisol Levels: Regular practice has been shown to reduce cortisol, the hormone associated with stress, promoting a calmer and healthier state of mind.³

• Enhanced Focus: Meditation strengthens attention span and improves the ability to stay present, even in high-stress situations.⁴

🎯 How to Get Started

1. Pick a Time:Choose a consistent time each day—morning, lunch break, or before bed—to make it a habit. Set a daily reminder on your phone.

2. Start meditating:Simply find a quiet spot, close your eyes, and focus on your breath. Let your thoughts come and go without judgment, returning your attention to each inhale and exhale.

3. Start Small:Begin with 3-5 minutes and gradually increase the duration as you become more comfortable.

4. Use a Guide:Try meditation apps like Headspace (my favorite), Calm, or Insight Timer.

✅ Simple Meditation Practices

There are many different flavors of meditation. Here are some to consider:

• Body Scan (my favorite):Mentally scan your body from head to toe, noticing any tension and consciously relaxing each area.

• Mantra Meditation:Repeat a word or phrase silently (like “peace” or “om”) to anchor your focus.

• Mindful Breathing:Focus entirely on your breath, counting each inhale and exhale to maintain attention.

• Gratitude Practice:Reflect on three things you’re grateful for as a way to shift into a positive mindset.

• Loving-Kindness Meditation:Visualize sending love and goodwill to yourself and others, promoting compassion.

🌀 What I Do

Meditation does not come easily but I was able to meditate every day for 3 years and through that time I learned a lot. It "softened the edges" of day-to-day stressors, it helped me feel more at peace, and it gave me much more insight into my emotions and regulation thereof. I also incorporated a few different strategies I learned over the years into one I use regularly with each meditation: S.E.I.

• S.E.I. stands for Senses, Emotion, and Intention. Starting with Senses, I mentally run through each one—what am I hearing, feeling, smelling, tasting, and seeing right now? Then, I check in on Emotion—taking a moment to acknowledge whatever I’m feeling at that moment. Finally, I set a small intention for this moment of mindfulness—whether it’s to relax, maintain or change this state, or simply wind down.

Live well,

Brian

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Reference

1. Hölzel, B. K., et al. (2011). Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 191(1), 36-43.

2. Taren, A. A., et al. (2013). Mindfulness meditation training alters stress-related amygdala resting state functional connectivity: A randomized controlled trial. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 8(1), 34-41.

3. Pascoe, M. C., et al. (2017). Mindfulness meditation and cortisol: A meta-analysis. Health Psychology Review, 11(3), 264-284.

4. Lutz, A., et al. (2008). Attention regulation and monitoring in meditation. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 12(4), 163-169.