Meditation is a movement that has proved popular within tight-knit communities until recently, where it has seemed to cross into the mainstream. Every bubblegum pop beauty blogger seems to be doing how to’s on meditation and yoga, and with celebrities like Harry Styles and Oprah Winfrey speaking openly about their support of the practice, it’s no surprise that many more young people are taking up interest in it.

However, with its progression into mainstream consciousness, I feel it has lost a lot of its authenticity. Meditation is more than going to sit outside with bright pink yoga pants like some of these bloggers and bloggers would have you believe, rather it is a tool you can use to truly see deep within your soul and better yourself.

But because of all the hype around the practice, and also all the confusion about what it actually is, it can be intimidating to start. Meditation is a skill just like any other, something you have to build and improve upon. You’re not going to be meditating for 30 mins right from the beginning, but here are some tips to help you begin, and create a genuine practice that you will stick to:

• Centre yourself on your breath - Breathing is one of the most important and integral tools you will ever come across throughout your meditation practice. Try to focus on your breath itself, and every time your mind strays away and starts to think of other thoughts, come back to your breath as your centre. Everything you do EVER on this journey will come back to your breath and centring yourself on it.

• Find a position that you feel comfortable in - Most people assume that to meditate, you have to be sitting cross-legged on the floor, but this is in no way true. When I was starting out on my practice, I began lying down, which is still a position I revert to if I am having a particularly difficult day. You could even lie with a blanket over you, as keeping yourself cosy and warm will avoid too many distracting thoughts. You could also sit up straight with your legs stretched out in front of you, or sit in a chair with your hands resting on your lap.

• Find a method that works for you - Something that not many people know is how many variations of meditation there actually are. Some prefer to sit in silence, and if this works for you then an app like Zen friend is great, where you set the amount of time you want to meditate for and it simply chimes at the beginning and at the end of your practice. Others prefer to have some meditation music on in the background, which is what I started off with. I would put on a five minute meditation music track on YouTube, and as I breathed in I would imagine the tide of the sea pulling out, with something that was troubling me or on my mind in front of it, and as I breathed out, the tide would sweep over the objects and pull it out to sea. I feel that this imagery, paired with the music really helped to cement my practice. Headspace is also a great app for beginners, with its ‘Take 10′ programme building upon your meditation skills with just 10 minutes each day. This is a guided meditation with a skilled leader to help you through it, something that may be helpful if you really don’t know where to start.

• Observe your thoughts - I know I said earlier to use your breath to deter you from distracting thoughts, but your thoughts can actually be a good thing in meditation. You are not supposed to sit in complete silence with your mind completely blank, as what would the point of that be? Instead, watch your thoughts pass like passing cars, but don’t chase after them in the pursuit of getting distracted. Instead, let it pass, acknowledge it, and return to your breathing.

• Use mantras - I began using mantras about a month or two into my meditation journey, and they can make all the difference into really focussing your practice into something that has been worrying you! It can be something as simple as “I am strong” or “I am important”, or something more specific like one of my favourites, “opportunity dances with those already on the dance floor”. I find that mantras are a good way of really rooting yourself into the focus that you want your practice to have, and can really make the difference between a good session and a great session. 

Overall, the most important thing to remember when starting your meditation practice is to be grateful to yourself for having the initiative to start. Although it will be difficult at the start, over time your mind and mental health will thank you so, so much for it. Don’t be angry at yourself for any difficult sessions, as some days will be better than others, but remember to love yourself for every moment of it.