How to Meditate

Meditation is a practice that teaches us to observe our thoughts and separate from them, which brings as a consequence greater well-being, a better connection to oneself, and both mental and physical relief. This technique improves with practice and is also easy to learn with proper guidance. All you need to do is decide to start, and with this purpose in mind, Hakuna offers you the tools to naturally incorporate the habit. Perseverance and consistency are good allies when it comes to setting off on this path, and Hakuna helps you through the process by rewarding your practice with good deeds!

If you're ready to begin practicing, we suggest that you make some space in your agenda and take between 5 and 10 minutes. It doesn't need to be a specific amount of time, although we suggest that you meditate at the same time each day to make building the habit more simple. You will see that it becomes easier and easier to liberate your stress and focus your attention.

Before you begin, there are a series of things that you should know about this method, since it's a progressive exercise with a variety of techniques. If you're a beginner and would like to learn how to meditate, keep in mind these recommendations and everything will be smoother.

Don't Pressure Yourself

Keep in mind that this is a practice that will teach you to shift perspectives. Don't set deadlines or force yourself to feel things that you don't feel. The meditation will guide you and help you experience new sensations. If you avoid generating expectations about the results of meditation, you will also lighten your mental load.

Set a Time to Meditate

If you are just starting to meditate, we recommend that you don't push yourself too much too fast. Start with a few minutes per day: it can be 3, 5, or 10 minutes. Whatever time you have is fine to learn how to connect little by little with your practice. This way, you can establish progressive goals and gently increase the time you spend on your meditation sessions as you see fit.

📌 Find a quiet spot: this will be your space of connection. It can be a room in your house, the garden, the terrace, or the balcony. What matters is that you don't have any interruptions and that you can relax.

📌 Wear comfortable clothes: it's easier to meditate if you feel comfortable in your whole body. If necessary, take off your watch, your shoes, or any other jewelry or accessory that may bother you.

Choose a Posture that you Like where your Back is Straight

When you meditate, posture is important. You can choose to lie down or sit, as long as you feel comfortable, with your back straight and in a state of relaxation. You must be in a comfortable position as you will hold it for the rest of the session.

Techniques for Beginners

As we know, meditating is easier if we are correctly guided. That's why these techniques will help you take the first step.

Be Aware of your Breathing

Meditation is mostly based on how we breathe and connect with our bodies and minds. If you don't know how to do it, follow these tips:

📌 You can begin by placing your hands on your chest and feeling your heartbeat. This way you can become familiar with the way your inner body works.

📌Close your eyes to better connect with your surroundings. Our senses are heightened when we close our eyes.

📌 Inhale and exhale consciously during the time that you consider necessary. This will help you to notice how the air circulates in your body.

These simple suggestions are important to become aware of your breathing and allow you to connect mind and body while staying in the present. Outside of meditation, this can help you observe your emotions or moments of anxiety, excitement, or stress. Additionally, you can carry this out at home, at work, or out on the street. This practice in everyday life is called “mindfulness”.

Try Conscious Walking

This is an excellent exercise to observe what happens when we place our full awareness on an activity that we normally don't observe so closely. It's one of the most common everyday activities we do and many times we do it automatically. We move forward, but we don't pay attention to the activity and our mind is somewhere else. By taking conscious walks, you stimulate concentration by focusing on your steps and coordinating your breath.

You can walk anywhere you want, although a greater sense of relaxation is achieved if you do this in a quiet place or surrounded by nature, such as in a forest, or a park. You will see how connecting with your environment and paying attention to your sensations, you can observe many more things that might have initially been apparent such as sounds and aromas: flowers, leaves, the wind, birds, and the sounds of your footsteps, etc.

This will help you to center your attention on your body from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. This way, you will become aware of the different sensations you can feel and how they constantly change.

Turn it into a Routine

It's easier to turn meditation into a routine if you decide to include it in your daily schedule. This way it will already have a place in your life and you will be able to include it as a habit.

Where to begin? With Hakuna, you can evolve each session and discover the benefits of this discipline. Besides, just with your practice, you will be helping different charitable causes such as feeding children, planting trees, offering education to those who need it, and feeding rescue animals. Download the app and begin your journey!