Jason Brien.
1. Choose either a guided meditation or some calming music of your choice. YouTube is a great source for both options. The key to using guided meditation is listening. Really listening. Listening, trusting and following the instructions of your chosen guided meditation will help you to attain a meditative state faster. Once you practice meditation for a while, any kind of your favorite music can be used. Just keep the key ideas about meditating in mind and you will relax in no time.
2. If you want to use incense sticks or fragrant oils, choose very subtle fragrances. The weaker your fragrance the more you will have to focus on the smell. This will help you to concentrate and help you to achieve your meditative state faster. If you are in a small room for example, only burn an incense stick for 20-30 seconds or burn only a couple of drops of fragrance oil.
3. Sit in a position which is comfortable for you. You don’t need to sit in the advertised cross legs yoga pose to achieve a meditative state. One of the best ways is to sit with your back against a wall and your arms and legs wherever they feel most comfortable. A pillow can be used behind your back and under you buttocks for extra comfort. Avoid laying down though as this can trick your mind into going into ‘sleep’ mode rather than ‘meditate’ mode.
4. Avoid stimulants. Avoiding stimulants such as coffee, sugary drinks, energy drinks, alcohol, tobacco and children (hahaha) for several hours prior to meditating will help you to relax more.
5. Meditate at the right time. Most people think that meditating before or while in bed is the best time. This is false as the mind will be too tired at the end of a long day to reach the desired meditative state. Listening to relaxing music before sleep is different to meditating to relaxing music before sleep. Reaching a meditative state can leave you feeling rather fresh and alert afterwards so you may find it difficult to sleep if done too close to your bedtime. The best time to meditate is after you wake up. This way your mind is fresh and you will be less likely to feel the desire to go to sleep. You will also be starting your day on a positive note and with a natural high. Otherwise, wait at least a few hours after work or other sustained activity before meditating. This will give your body and mind a chance to naturally relax a bit first.