STARTING YOUR JOURNEY
What to expect
In this chapter, you’ll dive straight into some short meditations to give you a feel for different styles and bring some immediate calm to your life. But before you do, it can help to know what to expect.
First, dip your toe in the waters of meditation with a short, simple technique, then try each of the five mini-meditations at your own pace. Each mini-meditation has a different focus—the body, sight, breath, thought, and sound—which will give you a taste of the different techniques that are explored more fully in chapter 4. You may want to try the mini-meditations one after the other, but it is best to take your time so that you can really get a sense of how each one affects your body and mind, perhaps by spending 5 minutes a day trying one of them. You can also come back to and use these techniques anytime you want to take a quick pause.
Finally, you’ll be prompted to reflect on how you felt before and after each meditation so that you can get a sense of which style works best for you, and to troubleshoot any immediate issues before you start setting up your daily practice.
REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
With all that you have read about meditation in chapter 1, you might think that you’ll become superhuman after your first 10-minute session, but that’s a trap. The benefits of meditation can take a while to show up—some may happen after a couple of weeks, while others may take months or even years. So if you go into your practice calculating the benefits and expecting immediate results, you are likely to feel disappointed and unmotivated.
Having said that, depending on your sensitivity and level of self-awareness, there are some benefits that you may feel even after a single practice, such as:
Physical and mental calmness and relaxation
Greater mental clarity
A sense of freshness and restfulness
Feeling grounded and centered
As long as you follow the instructions as closely as you can with the right mindset (see below), the benefits will come.
MEDITATOR’S MINDSET
The best attitudes to have regarding your practice are:
CURIOSITY. Develop a sense of openness and interest toward your practice so it doesn’t become mechanical or boring.
PERSEVERANCE. Commit to meditating every day no matter what. This is the foundation of all the benefits and transformations that meditation can bring (see here).
NO JUDGMENT. Don’t criticize or blame yourself for getting distracted during the practice or for not doing it “right.” Refrain from overevaluating your sessions.
PATIENCE. Don’t hurry, and don’t expect too much too soon. Self-transformation takes time.
“One day you will look back and realize how much you have changed.”
