Meditation is a great way to reduce the stress involved in daily life – especially given all the changes and disruptions in our routines over the past two years. A regular meditation practice does this by helping us reduce negative emotions, focus on the present, and increase our patience and tolerance for stressful situations. But how do you build the meditation skills needed to do these things?
You can learn to meditate at home by taking advantage of a number of online resources geared to helping beginners get started in building their meditation skills and practice.
Getting started in meditating at home can be simple and easy given the right online resources and teachers. There are many online meditation classes and videos to choose from so how do you know which ones are best for a beginner? (There are also over 1,000 smartphone meditation apps as well.) That’s where this article can help! Read on for some great suggestions for online classes and videos to help you get started.
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How Do You Start Meditating at Home for Beginners?
One of the best ways to begin meditating at home is to combine online meditation classes with YouTube videos. You’ll get instruction in meditation types and techniques in the online classes. Most of which offer a mix of video examples, online instruction, and instructor-based support. YouTube supplements classes by providing a wealth of meditation videos.
Let’s get started by sharing just a bit about starting a meditation practice, then we’ll list some great YouTube meditation videos followed by two of the best examples of online meditation classes.
One of the many amazing things about meditation is that it is integrated into many world religions. Buddhist meditation techniques have been around for decades, and integrated into their services as well as people’s home lives.
How Long Should Beginners Meditate?
It’s easy to worry that you’ll need to spend an hour in silence, not moving, and in serious contemplation. Guess what – you can begin by meditating for just 3 to 5 minutes in order to start feeling the benefits of meditation.
Here are a few thoughts as you begin your meditation journey:
- Start simply, for example, follow your breath for three inhales and exhales.
- Meditation helps you focus on calming and centering, rather than the stress of overthinking and evaluating what you’re doing.
- Rather than worrying about clearing your mind, start to become aware of what you’re thinking and gently come back to the meditation focus.
- You can move while meditating, 10 minutes of focusing on what you see, hear and feel while walking is a great beginning practice.
- Regular meditation practice is a goal, but when you’re just beginning, you can also work meditation into your day in informal ways. (Try these short mindfulness exercises for less than a minute each.)
Three Meditation Concepts for Beginners
The next sections cover ways you can learn about meditation principles and practice.
Here are three important concepts to keep in mind as you’ll see them throughout the learning options that follow:
- Breath: Controlled breathing – slowing breathing in, pausing, and then exhaling, calms your nervous system and forms the basis of relaxing into meditation. Many of today’s health issues, especially anxiety and depression, benefit from controlled breathing and meditation. (For more on this topic see “The Healing Power of Breath” – a book by physicians Richard Brown and Patricia L. Gerbarg.)
- Awareness: Meditation helps focus your mind, bringing an increased awareness of the present moment. Becoming more aware of your feelings can bring benefits throughout the day as you encounter stressful situations.
- Relaxation: Through meditation, you can achieve a deep state of relaxation and calmness which has tangible health benefits (reducing stress hormones, lowering fatigue, improving sleep and concentration, for example.)
Now that you have a better understanding of the basics and benefits of meditation, the next two sections provide more details on how to begin learning how to meditate.
5 Great Beginner Meditation Videos on YouTube
The following are five excellent beginning meditation videos available on YouTube. They’re all short and between them, you’ll be introduced to basic meditation techniques. In addition, these are both soothing and energizing – a great way to start your day!
5 Minutes of Mindfulness
This video is 10 minutes long – the first half of the video leads you through a 5-minute exercise designed to help settle into awareness of the present moment. Of interest to a beginner though is the second half of the video explains what’s happening as you do this and the resulting benefits.
The Blessing Ball of Light
This video leads you through a powerful meditation called “The Blessing Ball of Light.” With guidance from the video, you’re taken through a visualization that helps you connect to the abundance in your life. The video is 13 minutes long, but once you begin, that time passes quickly.
A Guided Meditation for Beginners
This is a wonderful 10-minute video with an instructor providing background information on meditation and then helping you understand what to expect as you begin going through a guided meditation.
A Beginner’s Guide to Meditation
This guided meditation gently helps move you from your mind to awareness of your body by focusing on awareness of your breathing. Learning to be aware of your breath is the basic foundation for every meditation practice. The meditation in this video is guided in a way that’s easy for beginners and yet also useful for anyone wanting to revisit meditation basics.
10 Minute Guided Imagery Meditation
This 10-minute guided imagery meditation is the perfect way to experience how meditation can help you learn to relax and let go of whatever stresses you. This video guides you to a deep level of relaxation and helps you begin to understand what to expect as you ease into a state of deep relaxation.
See Live a Blissful Life and Happiness.com for more details on top beginner meditation videos.
Great Beginner Meditation Classes Online
This section covers two great online opportunities for learning how to meditate. The first is by taking mindfulness teacher training offered by the School of Positive Transformation. This will give you an in-depth approach to learning about meditation. The second option is a meditation for relaxation course offered through the Suraflow organization.
Meditation and Mindfulness Teacher Training
This in-depth training is a great way to achieve a solid foundation for daily meditation practice. And if you are in a profession where you can incorporate the training – such as a life coach or health professional then it’s definitely worth the time involved. (If you’re a Pilates or T’ai Chi or yoga instructor you’ll benefit as well.)
This course of study is offered by the School of Positive Transformation. The goal of this organization is to apply scientific tools and knowledge in order to “enable increased resilience, happiness, meaning, and mindfulness.” Their training provides you with “the skills, knowledge, and experience … to live and practice the best within you.”
The School of Positive Transformation was founded by Dr. Itai Ivtzan, a positive psychologist and honorary senior researcher at University College London, his interests focus on the meeting of psychology and spirituality.
One important note – the Meditation and Mindfulness Teacher Training is accredited internationally. First by IMMA (International Mindfulness and Meditation Alliance) and by CPD (Continuing Professional Development.) These accreditations mean the certificate you receive at the end of your training will be recognized and internationally respected. (Holding this certificate also means you can be insured for the meditation sessions you hold with clients.)
Here’s what’s involved in this training and why it’s a great way to dive into developing your meditation practice. There are 33 sessions involving 100 hours of study. Each session uses videos, exercises, readings, and meditation practice.
Training is divided into three modules:
– Theoretical Knowledge
– Personal Experience and Practice
– Teach Others the Theory and Practice of Meditation.
Overall, this means you can take advantage of (at your own pace) a comprehensive set of materials. Per the course description, this means “40+ videos, 30+ evidence-based guided meditation scripts, 30+ exercises and activities, extensive reading materials, downloadable audio meditations, handouts, and worksheets.” Over 250 meditation scripts are also offered as part of the training.
You’re completely supported during and after your training. This course of study has its own Facebook group. This group is monitored by a course mindfulness teacher who provides support for questions and discussion.
Meditation for Relaxation
This online meditation class focuses on stress relief and relaxation which are some of the many reasons people meditate. The 21-day course offers instructions, journal prompts, and 21 guided video meditations in order to provide a complete foundation for those new to meditation. (More on the topic areas shortly.)
Your instructor for this course is Sura Kim, founder of the Sura Flow Meditation Coaching Method. She has successfully shared her teaching with thousands of students, basing her instruction on three basic steps: relax, listen, and intend.
In order to give you a better idea of the areas covered as you begin learning how to meditate, here’s the list of Sura Flow Meditation for Relaxation topics covered three weeks (see the Sura Flow class website for more details):
- Engaging Your Breath
- Relaxing Your Body
- Focusing Your Mind
- Calming Your Emotions
- Visualizing Your Relaxation
- Breathing with Awareness
- Observing Your Mind
- Releasing Stress by Grounding
- Relaxing Your Muscles Progressively
- Returning to Nature’s Way
- Affirming Your Inherent Wholeness
- Finding Peace Through Acceptance
- Breathing With Your Whole Body
- Cultivating Higher States of Being
- Presence Through Awareness
- Relaxation Through Yogic Sleep
- Deep Peace Through Compassion
- Body Relaxation Through Visualization
- Inner Balance Through Body Awareness
- Resilience Through Inner Security
- Self-Regulation Through Breath Awareness
Sura Flow meditation classes are also available to help you continue to grow in your meditation practice. For example, Meditation for Families, meditation teacher training, and the opportunity to participate in a larger meditation coaching community.
Concluding Thoughts on How to Start Meditation Training at Home
This article has introduced you to ways that you can begin to learn how to meditate at home. Meditating in a familiar setting – a special place that you’ve set aside in your home can help you develop and continue a regular meditation practice. As we’ve shared, meditation provides many important health benefits – particularly around reducing the stress and anxiety you may take on from today’s world.
We’ve noted two great ways to begin your meditation training at home: YouTube videos and two excellent online meditation classes. Taking advantage of these resources will also help guide you in selecting the types of meditation you find most beneficial and enjoyable. All geared towards helping meditation become a regular and important part of your daily life.
