Establishing a Consistent Meditation Practice: How to Get Started
written by Joanne Delmonico, 2025
In the first article of this three-part series about meditation, I outlined the benefits of having a daily meditation practice. In this second article, I will provide some instructions for meditating and in the third article, I will explain Primordial Sound Meditation and how to obtain your personalized Primordial Sound Mantra. For this article, I will refer to the Primordial Sound Mantra simply as the mantra.
Preparing to Meditate
You only need two things in order to meditate: 1. Sit down, and 2. Close your eyes. You can meditate almost anywhere. You will want to be comfortable, but not so comfortable that you fall asleep. Sitting is definitely recommended over laying down. In my practice, I sit propped on my bed with my back against some pillows and my legs straight out in front of me. The recliner in my living room is also a good spot. Some people sit on a cushion on the floor with their back against a wall and legs crossed in a lotus position. The point is to sit in a position that you will be comfortable in for at least 30 minutes.
Some people create a space in which to meditate. It’s not necessary, but if it helps to put you in the right mood, then do it. A certain smell can also put you in the mood, so burning incense or a candle can help. Just know that it’s not necessary, it’s just your personal preference. It’s not recommended that you meditate with your pet. Pets tend to be attracted to your energy and could drain it or be distracting. Meditation is about self-care and it’s ok to be selfish about taking that time for yourself. Another thing that can drain your energy while meditating is the sun. It is not recommended to meditate in the sun. It’s also not recommended that you listen to music while meditating because music can trigger thoughts and memories.
When to Meditate
There is no set time to meditate… anytime is better than no time. It’s best to meditate at a time when you will not be interrupted. The best time is early in the morning. Wake up, empty your bladder, and meditate. If you live with other people, meditate before everyone is up and the house is quiet. When I was still working, I would set an alarm for 30 minutes before I needed to get ready for work. Now I don’t have to set an alarm, so I meditate when I wake up. Meditating for two shorter periods is actually more beneficial than meditating for one long session. If you cannot meditate for 30 minutes at a time, two 15-minutes sessions is super helpful. And two 30-minutes sessions is even better. The second meditation could be right after work, before dinner. It’s better not to meditate on a full stomach. If you can’t meditate before dinner, allow time to digest your food before meditating. It’s also better to avoid meditating too close to bedtime or after strenuous exercise. You shouldn’t use meditation as a tool to fall asleep. If you do that, you will be training yourself to fall asleep during meditation, and that’s not what restful awareness is meant to be.
How to Meditate
Sit comfortably and close your eyes. It’s best to sit up straight and not slump. Avoid sitting with your legs crossed, but you can cross them at the ankles. Have your hands open on your lap, palms up for energy and palms down if you’re feeling anxious. It’s calming to have your thumb and index finger touching. Repeat your mantra silently, as if you are listening to it, as if it’s a musical note. There is no need to force it or concentrate. If the mantra gets distorted or unrecognizable, simply come back to it. If you begin thinking thoughts, release them and return to the mantra. If you feel any tension in your body or are clenching your teeth, release the tension and return to the mantra. I tend to breathe in rhythm with the mantra, but you can just breathe normally. To avoid having to open my eyes to check the time, I set a 30-minute timer on my phone that rings a soft chime when it ends. At the end of meditation, take 1-2 minutes to sit quietly with your eyes closed to gently come out of meditation. It might feel disconcerting to jump up immediately after meditation.
Experiences During Meditation
During your meditation, you may experience any or all of these things:
Sometimes my meditation is peaceful and other times, it’s crowded with thoughts. There is no such thing as a good or bad meditation. Don’t judge it or worry about it. As long as you are meditating easily and effortlessly, the experiences you have during meditation are the correct ones for you that day. Continue to practice daily and the benefits will come. Happy Meditating!!
My references for this article are:
Chopra M.D., Deepak and Simon M.D., David, Primordial Sound Meditation Guidelines for New Meditators, The Chopra Center, 2012.
Chopra Center University, Primordial Sound Meditation Instructor Certification Program Manual, Chopra Enterprises, LLC, 2012.
In part one, you read about the dangers of chronic stress and the benefits of meditation. In part two, you learned the basics of meditating. In part three of this series, I will tell you about the Primordial Sound Mantra and how to obtain the mantra that is meant for you. Click here to go to Primordial Sound Meditation: Using Your Personal Mantra for Meditation.
If you have any questions about meditation or are struggling and need advice, please use this form to contact me. I will try to get back to you within 24 hours, and hopefully sooner. Or you can use this form to let me know how it’s going. I would love to hear from you!
written by Joanne Delmonico, 2025
In the first article of this three-part series about meditation, I outlined the benefits of having a daily meditation practice. In this second article, I will provide some instructions for meditating and in the third article, I will explain Primordial Sound Meditation and how to obtain your personalized Primordial Sound Mantra. For this article, I will refer to the Primordial Sound Mantra simply as the mantra.
Preparing to Meditate
You only need two things in order to meditate: 1. Sit down, and 2. Close your eyes. You can meditate almost anywhere. You will want to be comfortable, but not so comfortable that you fall asleep. Sitting is definitely recommended over laying down. In my practice, I sit propped on my bed with my back against some pillows and my legs straight out in front of me. The recliner in my living room is also a good spot. Some people sit on a cushion on the floor with their back against a wall and legs crossed in a lotus position. The point is to sit in a position that you will be comfortable in for at least 30 minutes.
Some people create a space in which to meditate. It’s not necessary, but if it helps to put you in the right mood, then do it. A certain smell can also put you in the mood, so burning incense or a candle can help. Just know that it’s not necessary, it’s just your personal preference. It’s not recommended that you meditate with your pet. Pets tend to be attracted to your energy and could drain it or be distracting. Meditation is about self-care and it’s ok to be selfish about taking that time for yourself. Another thing that can drain your energy while meditating is the sun. It is not recommended to meditate in the sun. It’s also not recommended that you listen to music while meditating because music can trigger thoughts and memories.
When to Meditate
There is no set time to meditate… anytime is better than no time. It’s best to meditate at a time when you will not be interrupted. The best time is early in the morning. Wake up, empty your bladder, and meditate. If you live with other people, meditate before everyone is up and the house is quiet. When I was still working, I would set an alarm for 30 minutes before I needed to get ready for work. Now I don’t have to set an alarm, so I meditate when I wake up. Meditating for two shorter periods is actually more beneficial than meditating for one long session. If you cannot meditate for 30 minutes at a time, two 15-minutes sessions is super helpful. And two 30-minutes sessions is even better. The second meditation could be right after work, before dinner. It’s better not to meditate on a full stomach. If you can’t meditate before dinner, allow time to digest your food before meditating. It’s also better to avoid meditating too close to bedtime or after strenuous exercise. You shouldn’t use meditation as a tool to fall asleep. If you do that, you will be training yourself to fall asleep during meditation, and that’s not what restful awareness is meant to be.
How to Meditate
Sit comfortably and close your eyes. It’s best to sit up straight and not slump. Avoid sitting with your legs crossed, but you can cross them at the ankles. Have your hands open on your lap, palms up for energy and palms down if you’re feeling anxious. It’s calming to have your thumb and index finger touching. Repeat your mantra silently, as if you are listening to it, as if it’s a musical note. There is no need to force it or concentrate. If the mantra gets distorted or unrecognizable, simply come back to it. If you begin thinking thoughts, release them and return to the mantra. If you feel any tension in your body or are clenching your teeth, release the tension and return to the mantra. I tend to breathe in rhythm with the mantra, but you can just breathe normally. To avoid having to open my eyes to check the time, I set a 30-minute timer on my phone that rings a soft chime when it ends. At the end of meditation, take 1-2 minutes to sit quietly with your eyes closed to gently come out of meditation. It might feel disconcerting to jump up immediately after meditation.
Experiences During Meditation
During your meditation, you may experience any or all of these things:
- Repeating the mantra: The mantra is really just a vibration, not a thought and it has no meaning. It may become faster or slower, louder or fainter, jumbled or distorted. Continue to repeat it without resisting the changes. If you have thoughts simultaneously with the mantra, release the thoughts and go back to repeating the mantra.
- Turbulent thoughts and restlessness: A turbulent mind can create a restless body. Continue to meditate and your mind will settle down and your body will relax. I’ve had meditation sessions with thoughts continually coming in. Don’t beat yourself up or get frustrated. Be kind to yourself and continue to gently release the thoughts, relax your body, and repeat the mantra. Sometimes, during a meditation session, you may experience a release of stress that causes physical sensations like tingling, twitching, or warmth, or emotions like happiness or sadness. Remain in the sensation until is dissipates, then return to your mantra.
- Slipping into the “gap”: The experience of having no thoughts and no mantra is called the gap. You’re not asleep, not thinking thoughts, not repeating the mantra. The gap is called the space between your thoughts, which is considered pure awareness. You will not be aware of being in the gap until you come out of it and realize you weren’t thinking or repeating the mantra. Spending time in the gap helps you to develop present moment awareness, which can lead to inner wisdom, peace, and joy. Now that I told you about the gap, let it go… it’s not something to be conscious about during meditation. Even if you don’t realize you are slipping into the gap, you will still have the benefits of it.
- Sleep: If you fall asleep during meditation, it’s ok and means you were tired and needed rest. Continue to meditate for 10 minutes after you wake up. If you find that you are falling asleep often during meditation, try meditating in a different spot or position and try getting more sleep.
Sometimes my meditation is peaceful and other times, it’s crowded with thoughts. There is no such thing as a good or bad meditation. Don’t judge it or worry about it. As long as you are meditating easily and effortlessly, the experiences you have during meditation are the correct ones for you that day. Continue to practice daily and the benefits will come. Happy Meditating!!
My references for this article are:
Chopra M.D., Deepak and Simon M.D., David, Primordial Sound Meditation Guidelines for New Meditators, The Chopra Center, 2012.
Chopra Center University, Primordial Sound Meditation Instructor Certification Program Manual, Chopra Enterprises, LLC, 2012.
In part one, you read about the dangers of chronic stress and the benefits of meditation. In part two, you learned the basics of meditating. In part three of this series, I will tell you about the Primordial Sound Mantra and how to obtain the mantra that is meant for you. Click here to go to Primordial Sound Meditation: Using Your Personal Mantra for Meditation.
If you have any questions about meditation or are struggling and need advice, please use this form to contact me. I will try to get back to you within 24 hours, and hopefully sooner. Or you can use this form to let me know how it’s going. I would love to hear from you!