Yely Rivas

Right off the bat, I'll just say that meditation is not for everybody in the beginning. The person has to be willing and open to try something completely different, especially if they are not used to sitting with their thoughts in that way. The stillness and silence can be very awkward, frustrating, or even uncomfortable at first.

It takes a lot of self-awareness, which can be a funny cycle, because meditation is what can make you more self-aware, but you need the self-awareness to know that you should start meditating! You need to feel the need to change something, to try something to help you feel better. For anyone trying meditation, I would suggest trying different styles. If one style doesn't resonate with you, don't give up on the whole concept. Continue trying different styles, different teachers, different schools of thought.

Finally, I'd suggest starting with very short sessions. I always say, even if it is one minute that you are able to sit in silence and just be, that's a good way to start training that muscle of stillness. I don't focus so much on the formalities of where to do it, how often to do it, or how to sit. As long as you have the intention to create some time in your day, that's a good way to start.

That's a good question. I'd start by saying that meditation is much simpler than we think. We can be so structured that when we try to do something simple, we complicate it. There is no perfect length of meditation. I would not ever say you have to meditate 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, or any specific amount of time to have a "good" meditation experience.

If somebody's starting to meditate, this is a practice for you to explore. This is a practice where there is no blueprint or one size fits all system. You can customize the practice for what you need on a daily basis. One practice that you were doing yesterday or last week might not work for what you need today. So, that's the beauty of this. It's so adaptable.

Ultimately, you are your own boss when it comes to how you want to meditate, whether it's when, where, or how often. Some people say meditating every day is ideal. I believe that is true. But when you are in the beginning of setting up the habit, maybe you meditate twice a week first if that works for you? You can start with short goals, and then grow from there. So, again, choose what works for you, explore, and always adapt.

You are incredibly smart for asking that. By asking that, I can tell that you are trying to do your best, and I'm guessing that you also like to plan and organize? However, being in a state of meditation is actually about simply noticing what's happening. So, if anything, I will say instead of what you should "think about", just notice, observe, and be a witness to the experience itself. There's not going to be a wrong or right way to meditate, ever. It's just being in the experience. A good way to know if you're having a good meditation is by observing how much you can observe or notice things, whether you're distracted, whether you're thinking, whether you're noticing your breath, whether your body's tired. It's just noticing. That's the whole point of the meditation. And then go back to your home base, whether it's your breath, a mantra, or an affirmation.