In the mood for meditation? Get started with these easy tips

Meditation can be a great way to beat stress and add some discipline into your life. There is never a better day than today, to start meditation. Here are a few tips that can help you get started: Set aside 10 minutes a day When getting started, it’s important to set aside a small amount of time to meditate every day. Creating a 10-minute daily routine, at the office or at home, is a good start, advises Benjamin Blasco, founder of a French meditation app. “It’s like signing a little contract with yourself.” One major advantage of meditation is that it can be practiced anywhere. Don’t bother trying to create a formal structure to your new activity with special clothes and gear. Ask yourself why you want to meditate Before taking the plunge, you should ask yourself why you’ve decided to take up meditation. If it’s because all your friends are doing it or because it’s a trendy topic in magazines, then don’t bother. “Finding the real reason requires you to connect with yourself,” adds Blasco. “You may feel that you want to start meditating because you are stressed at work, then, after digging deeper, you might realise that the real need is to be more in tune with yourself.” Don’t get disheartened Like any learning process, meditation isn’t always easy to get to grips with. Try not to feel guilty or disheartened when faced with difficulties. Try instead to view the whole process with a kind of ‘pleasant curiosity.’ Focus attention on breathing and the body During your 10-minute sessions, focus your attention on your breathing. Follow the flow of air by taking a deep breath in, then letting the air out slowly, and be sure to mark a short pause before the next breath.