There are so many benefits to starting a meditation practice, and so much information out there about meditation techniques. Even before I became a yoga instructor I feel like I saw so many resources on different mindfulness and meditation exercises. From apps that have free guided meditations to daily self care calendars and books, even just a simple look on social media and you're bound to see something from this category. So why didn't I and so many others give it a try. Well, at least for me, I didn't know how to set the stage for my meditation time.

By this I mean physically setting the stage. Believe it or not, learning to sit properly was the gateway I needed to start a meditation practice and have it grow into an important part of my life. You're probably thinking, everyone knows how to sit. But what if you were to stay in whatever position you sat in for 10, 20, 30 minutes or more. Do you think by the end of that time you would still be able to focus on your meditation? Or maybe you might be focusing on pains from how you've been siting. Now i'm not saying if you started meditation today, adjusting your position during a meditation is not allowed, just that finally learning to sit properly got me into the right mindset to start.

So what is the technique to properly sitting. Honestly there are many ways, but my favorite is using a cushion of some sort to elevate my hips, and then siting on a thick mat of some sort. I really love my new meditation cushion from Hugger Mugger, but I only recently bought it. Before purchasing a mediation cushion I use many different items, the best for me was actually a thick knee pad meant to be used in the gym with a ab wheel. Basically a three inch thick chunk of rubbery foam that I got on amazon. Other thing I used were throw pillows, a foam yoga block, and a rumple blanket in its stuff sack when I was on the road.

If you have any of those items, or something similar go grab it and give this technique a try. Sit cross legged on whatever cushion you grabbed, and roll your hips to the edge of it, so your pelvis tilts forward the any rounding in your lower back goes away. If your hips are tight you might need a taller cousin to sit on, or you can try putting support under your knees like rolled blankets or yoga blocks. If your ankles start to hurt from pressure on the floor, try adding more cushioning under your whole sitting area, like with a folded blanket or a thick mat. My yoga teacher always said, the position you start in does not have to be the position you end in, so if you start to feel uncomfortable adjust your position so you can focus back on your meditative practice. The position adjustment that works best for me is extending one or both legs.

Did you find your comfortable seat? Now give meditation a try! If you're looking for great guided meditations check out the Insight Timer app. Also check out this Siddhasana video tutorial.