Mindfulness and meditation: steps to a guided meditation to clear your mind

Meditation is a way of clearing one’s mind and sharpening focus but meditation can seem impossible for beginners.

There are many types of meditation but the thing they all have in common is that, over time, they can help lower stress levels.

Meditation encourages mindfulness, where you become aware of your thoughts and sensations without getting caught up in them, allowing you to simply observe and release them.

The Institute for Mindfulness South Africa (Imisa) has a library of recorded guided meditations compiled by trained mindfulness facilitators.

The non-profit organisation has various meditations in multiple South African languages on its website.

“These meditations are intended for all, whether you’re an experienced practitioner or new to meditation. We invite you to freely use and share these materials,” the website says.

Below is a seven-step guide by the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), to help beginners in meditation.

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1. Set aside some time

We all know it can be hard to find time, but meditation works best with regular sessions. There’s no rule about how long a meditation session should last, but 20 minutes is a good guide.

If possible, it can be useful to meditate at the start of the day to set you up for what’s ahead and in the evening to help you let go of tension before bed.

Don’t worry if this is not possible – everyone needs to find a routine that works for them.

2. Find a comfortable place

You do not need any specialist equipment, just somewhere to sit that is comfortable and warm.

You might want to sit cross-legged on the floor, in which case a yoga mat can be useful, but a towel or rug also works fine. Some people sit in a chair or on their bed.

Two things are important, that you are comfortable and can be upright. Sitting with good posture is a more positive position for your body than slumping – some people find a meditation cushion can help with this.

If you are on a chair or bed, make sure it provides support so you do not sink into it.

3. Bring mindfulness into meditation

Mindfulness is a way of being that can be cultivated through meditation and other practices.

According to Imisa the more we practice mindfulness, the more aware we are of the distinction between when we are present and mindful, and when we are on “autopilot” and “mindless”.

Notice what the carpet, mat or duvet feels like beneath you. What can you hear? What you can smell? Is there any particular taste in your mouth?

By doing this, you might feel more connected with your body and less concerned about the thoughts whirling in your head.

4. Start your meditation

When you’re comfortable and centred, you can start meditating.

With your eyes closed, simply breathe in while saying “breathe in” in your head as you do. Then breathe out and say “breathe out”.

For the next 20 minutes or so, your aim is to focus on this circular breath and the simple words in your head as much as possible.

5. The challenge of focusing the mind

It’s important to remember that a wandering mind is a natural part of meditation. It’s not a failure, just part of learning – and even people with lots of experience meditating will have wandering minds sometimes.

The challenge is to notice when we get distracted by a thought and consciously bring our minds back to focus on the breathing.

When you first start to meditate and your mind wanders, simply congratulate yourself for noticing.

You then have the opportunity to shift your focus back to breathing.

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