Do you want to learn to meditate? Have you heard good things about meditation, yet you do not know anyone who actually meditates? If you want to learn how to meditate you have found a good starting point. There are classes, books, and videos out there you can read, rent, or buy, but reading this article and some practice on your own, and you will know almost everything you need to know to meditate.

1. You have to be in the right mindset to meditate and get anything out of it. This means, don’t be anxious, concerned, nervous, or distracted, or meditation will not be as fruitful as it could be.
2. You should be fairly rested. If you are overly tired meditation is hard to accomplish.
3. Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed by people, pets, or outside noises. You generally need fifteen to twenty minutes, though perhaps a longer period is better at first because it will take you longer to learn to become comfortable and relax.
4. Sit down or lay down in a comfortable position. You want to learn what meditation feels like, not struggle with your body’s comfort. Light or darkness does not really matter all that much as you will have your eyes closed. The exception is you do not want light so bright it is distracting even with your eyes closed, or darkness if you find it distracting.
5. Get comfortable and relax. Check all your body parts, asking each body if it is comfortable and relaxed. This sounds silly, but it is very important because you need to be aware of your body. You body has a voices or voices, and meditation will help you to hear them.
6. Have patience. It takes time to learn how to meditate because you are not used to doing nothing. Be still, stop thinking, and let your mind be still.
7. Pretend your mind is a blackboard in a school room. All thoughts you have will be written on the blackboard, or expressed in simple pictures anyone could draw. When a thought or picture is being written on the blackboard, erase it with your mind.

Do not set your expectations very high for the first month or so. You may only manage a few seconds of having your mind quiet. This is the norm, so do not expect more at first. Each time you practice, it will become a little easier to relax and let your mind relax too. Sometimes you may fall asleep, that is okay, it is all part of the learning process. For some it is also a balancing act.

Some people also become frustrated because they feel they are almost there, and then they are startled awake. This happens sometimes, but with more practice, most people can move past this roadblock.

As you become better at relaxing your body and your mind, you will start to enjoy the fun. Your mind will start to take you places, sometimes physical, sometimes not. Relax and enjoy the wandering. Your mind is working on solutions for things you may not even be aware of in your life.

As time goes and you get better at meditating, you may start to hear voices. Pay attention to them. If there are multiple voices, try to separate the different voices. If you hear a single voice, try to understand the words. Sometimes the words are nonsense. Sometimes careful listening will have its rewards. Different people have different ideas about who and what the voices are. For me they are external, and belong to separate complete beings. For others they are parts of themselves.

In a very, very few people, suddenly, and without warning you may find yourself somewhere you have never been before, with someone or something standing in front of you whom you have never seen before. Try not to be startled, and don’t get scared, it is perfectly natural. Remember to breath in and out and do not be afraid to speak to them.

They will understand you when you speak, and they will talk to you. Treat them like you would a stranger, be polite, but not too casual. They usually want to be your friend, and most of them want to help you, but a very few do not. Do not judge them by their looks, as they can look like anything they choose to.

Almost always they wish to help you. Listen to what they have to say. They are usually a literal book of knowledge, and know things you do not know that will help you. You may, if you are lucky, find you have been interacting with them for some time and were not aware of it until now.

For others you find you do not approve of, or you do not like what they have to say about you, or suggest to you, be aggressive. If you do not like what they say, or it sounds harmful to you, tell them to go away and mean it. They will leave.

The younger you are the more difficult this is in the beginning. I think this is because young people have so much uncontrolled energy, they spew it all over the universe without even realizing what they are doing. As you are serious, and if you continue to practice, you will be there before you know it. Good luck!