Meditation for beginners: courses and videos to start your journey

Meditation is the practice of intentionally spending time with your mind. You take time out of your busy days to sit, breathe, and try to remain focused on your breath. Doing this helps you become more aware of your thoughts, act more compassionately toward yourself and others, and connect with the present moment.

People might associate meditation with sitting in silence and stopping all of their thoughts and feelings to become calm. But that's not really how the mind works, and neither does meditation. Rather than trying to stop your thoughts, you practice letting thoughts come and go.

How do you do this? Let's think of thoughts like traffic in the mind, always zipping by.

Sometimes you see a flashy car and chase after it, kind of like when you get caught up in analyzing or judging a thought, or when you get lost in a daydream. Other times, you see a roadblock ahead and try to resist it, like when you think or feel something uncomfortable. Meditation trains you to notice the traffic without chasing or fighting it - just to let the thought come. Then gently shift your focus away from it and back onto your breath - to let the thought go.

The more you practice, the more you can see thoughts for what they are: just thoughts. It'll get easier to let them go and "get out of your head," to be more engaged in what doing---whether you're spending time with family, making time for self-care, or working against a deadline.

Life is sometimes difficult, stressful, and challenging. You can’t control what happens, but you do have the potential to change the way you relate to those things. You need awareness to understand your own mind (your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors). And you need compassion to connect with yourself and others.

Meditation creates the conditions for you to see things more clearly, feel calmer and content, and be kind to yourself and others, no matter what’s happening in your life. But that doesn’t mean you’ll feel clear, calm, and kind as soon as you start or finish. Since the mind is always changing, your experience might feel different each time you meditate.

You’re teaching yourself to be comfortable with your mind just the way it is. It really is that simple. Meditation isn’t about achieving anything other than doing it: slowing down during your busy day, checking in with yourself, and noticing how the mind is. Because meditation is about being kind to your mind.

Of course, even with all these benefits, starting something new can be challenging. It’s common to run into doubts, distractions, or discomfort at first. Here’s what to expect — and how to move through it, one gentle step at a time.

Starting something new, especially something as personal as meditation, can come with unexpected challenges. If you've ever thought, "I'm not doing this right," or "My mind just won't sit still," you're not alone. These hurdles are a normal part of learning.

Here are a few common obstacles and gentle ways to move through them:

Restlessness or impatience

Sitting still might feel strange at first. If your body feels fidgety or you're counting down the seconds, try shorter sessions. Even 1--2 minutes can be enough to start. You can gradually build up over time.

Mind wandering

It's completely natural for the mind to drift. Instead of getting frustrated, notice when your attention has wandered and gently bring it back---whether to your breath, a sound, or a part of your body. Every time you return your focus, you're strengthening the muscle of mindfulness.

Self-judgment

Meditation isn't about doing it "perfectly". There's no such thing. Be kind to yourself if you miss a day, feel distracted, or can't get into a rhythm. Progress comes from consistency, not perfection.

Doubt or discomfort

Sometimes the quiet can bring up uncomfortable emotions or resistance. If this happens, take it as a sign to be extra gentle. Try a guided meditation that focuses on self-compassion or choose a shorter practice for that day.

Remember: your meditation journey is unique to you. Every session---no matter how it feels---helps build the foundation for greater mental clarity and emotional well-being.

Meditation doesn't require much. But it's easiest to get started knowing these meditation basics:

What matters most is consistency.

Ideally, you should meditate a few times a week or daily. But even completing one meditation can lead to a reduction in mind wandering. You'll feel more and more benefits the more you practice. Research shows that 30 days of Headspace reduces stress by a third and improves satisfaction with life.

It might be helpful to schedule meditation sessions like an exercise class or appointment. Or you could tack it onto an existing routine, like every time you shower or brush your teeth.

If you miss a day or more, it's okay. You can simply pick up where you left off.

The best time to meditate is whenever you can.

It doesn't matter when (or where) you meditate, so choose whatever time works best. Meditation could be nice to do first thing in the morning before your day begins or at night in bed. You could always meditate to reset yourself before your last work meeting, or after you drop the kids off at school. Anytime you feel overwhelmed, you can take a break and meditate instead of pushing through.

You only need a few minutes to meditate.

A short meditation can be five minutes or less. If you feel like that's not enough, a 10-minute meditation is great for beginners. Once you have a consistent practice, you can slowly increase your time.

You don't need perfect quiet to meditate. Total silence might be too overwhelming in meditation for beginners. You become extra sensitive to every little sound when things are completely quiet.

Life is rarely ever quiet anyway. You can go into your meditation practice expecting that noises will happen, whether it's loud music from a neighbor, a dog barking in the street, a truck backing up, or sounds in another room at home. When they do, rather than becoming frustrated and focusing on the noise, "Why is my neighbor having a dance party right now?" or trying to tune it out, "I wish this music would stop," you can notice the thought, let it go, and return to your breath.

You can always try earplugs, noise-canceling headphones, white noise machines, or soothing music --- like the concentrating-boosting Focus music in the Headspace app.

Sit and dress however feels good.

As long as your back is straight, your neck and shoulders are relaxed, and your chin is slightly tucked, you can sit wherever you feel comfortable for the length of the meditation. You can sit on your couch, a dining or office chair, propped up by pillows on the bed, or on a cushion. Cross or uncross the arms and legs, whatever feels natural. Consider loosening any clothing that's too restrictive, taking off your shoes, or removing any accessory you tend to fidget with.

Try guided meditation to learn from experts.

Guided meditation is a type of meditation led by a teacher who explains what to do. They cue when to open and close your eyes, how to breathe, and break down other meditation techniques. Because they're experts on how the mind works, they offer friendly motivation and practical advice beginners typically need, like tips for using what you learn during meditation in real life.

Once you're familiar with the practice, you can try unguided meditation, which you do on your own.

There's no right or wrong way to meditate.

If you have trouble meditating at first, that's okay. It happens to everyone. Even if you find yourself wondering if you're meditating correctly, don't forget: they're just thoughts.

If you "do nothing" during meditation, then what happens? Here's what to expect:

Your mind will wander. Even the pros get distracted by thoughts during meditation and forget to follow their breath, because no matter how practiced you are, the mind is always going to think.

So what do you do? Keep returning from your distracted thoughts to your breath. This trains the mind to let go of distractions more easily. Eventually, you'll notice that you can meditate longer without getting distracted.

You might feel nothing. This doesn't mean you're doing it wrong or that you should give up.

So what do you do? Instead of letting doubt talk you out of it, take it day by day and keep checking in. You can also remind yourself that you're not wasting time when you meditate. You're taking care of your mind.

You might feel emotional. Maybe during one practice, you're impatient, irritable, bored, or angry, then worried, anxious, or sad the next. The mind is so used to being busy that it's normal for all of your emotions and stress to pop up once we finally slow down.

So what do you do? Don't try to push emotions away --- they'll only spring back more intensely. Give them the space they need, then let them go. It can also be helpful to notice how emotions feel in the body. Is anxiety making you clench your fists? Is worry making you sweat? Is boredom causing you to zone out? Then you can use the breath to try and ease some of that tension.

You'll be fidgety. As soon as you attempt to sit still, during meditation or any other time, it's almost as if you can't help but scratch an itch, stretch your neck, or cross and uncross your legs.

So what do you do? You can approach this common experience exactly like you approach distracting thoughts: the moment you realize you're fidgeting, notice it, let it go, and return your focus to your breath.

You'll probably try too hard. Meditating is different from learning other skills. For most things, the more effort you put in, the more you get out of it. But meditation is more like sleep. The harder you try to sleep, sometimes the harder it is to drift off. When you sit to meditate, if you try hard to empty the mind, it tends to feel full.

Remember: there's no such thing as the perfect meditation. If you notice yourself getting frustrated that the traffic in your mind is moving too fast or you're wondering, "Why is this so hard?" you can give yourself some compassion. Let out a big sigh to draw your focus back to the breath.

You might feel sleepy. If you doze off, don't worry. The mind's getting used to figuring out the difference between slowing down and shutting off.

So what do you do? To help keep the mind alert, try meditating upright over lying down.

One kind of meditation technique that's good for beginners is a body scan meditation, which helps you check in with your body by mentally scanning each part.

Imagine a photocopier slowly moving over you, from your head to your toes, detecting any sensations in the body. As you scan down, you notice which parts feel relaxed or tense, comfortable or uncomfortable, light or heavy. And you do your best to recognize how you're feeling without judging yourself or trying to change what you feel. Research shows that practicing regular body scans can help reduce stress-induced hormones.

Want to give it a try? With your eyes closed, bring your focus to the top of your head. Slowly, begin to scan down. Spend about 20 seconds noticing how each body part feels, then move on to the next. Move from the head to the eyebrows, eyes and ears, your nose, mouth, and throat. Keep scanning down the neck and shoulders, the chest and arms, down to the toes.

When you get distracted by a thought, notice it, let it go, and return your focus to the area of the body you we last left off. When you finish the body scan, open your eyes.

The key to making meditation part of your life isn't willpower---it's consistency, flexibility, and compassion. Here are a few simple strategies to help your practice stick:

Pair meditation with something you already do daily---like brushing your teeth, walking the dog, or turning off your alarm. The stronger the anchor, the easier it is to show up consistently.

Start with a reminder

Set a gentle notification on your phone or place a sticky note where you'll see it each morning. Small cues can make a big difference when you're building new habits.

Use guided support

Apps like Headspace can help you stay consistent with meditations tailored to your goals, mood, or time of day. Guided sessions remove the pressure of knowing what to do---just press play and follow along.

Track your progress

Seeing your streak or session count grow can be motivating. But if you miss a day, don't worry---progress isn't lost. Simply return to your practice when you're ready.

Be flexible, not rigid

Meditation doesn't need to happen at the same time or place every day. If your schedule shifts, find a few minutes during a lunch break, before bed, or while commuting (as long as you're not driving, of course). What matters most is showing up for yourself, again and again.

Support your practice with therapy, if you need it

Meditation can support your mental well-being in powerful ways, but it's just one part of a broader care toolkit. If you're navigating stress, anxiety, or life transitions, pairing meditation with professional support can make a real difference. Online therapy through Headspace connects you with licensed clinicians who can help you work through challenges and build emotional resilience---all from the comfort of your own space.

Most of all, be patient. Like any habit, meditation grows with time, repetition, and kindness toward yourself. You're not trying to be perfect---you're learning to be present.

_{Sources:
Khoury, B., Sharma, M., Rush, S. E., & Fournier, C. (2015). Mindfulness-based stress reduction for healthy individuals: A meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 78(6), 519–528. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2015.03.009
Tang, Y. Y., Hölzel, B. K., & Posner, M. I. (2015). The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 16(4), 213–225. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3916}