5 Quick Tips for a Daily Meditation Practice • Nicole Doherty Ananda

I love meditating and have incredible insights in them, yet I find there are a million excuses not to meditate. I know it’s because the mind is restless. For me, meditation sometimes feels like I’m not doing anything. And yes, Nicole, that is the point!!! It’s to let the mind relax, or as they say at the Den Meditation studio where I work, #ctfo (chill the F out!). I ironically teach this class. LOL.

Here are 5 quick ways to create a meditation practice:

Put meditation in your calendar just like any outside appointment that you have. Make it at a consistent time so it becomes a ritual. Either early AM before your day or late PM before sleep are great times.
Do not move your appointment or cancel it.
Create a beautiful inspiring space for it. Make it comfortable, quiet and peaceful and not in an area where you can be distracted.
Start easy – 1 minute the first day, 2 minutes the 2nd until you reach 7 minutes at the end of the week and start to climb from there. It’s still meditaiton if you have allowed yourself peace and quiet. Ideally work to a 30 min practice.
Try using quiet music to set an inspiring backdrop. Pandora has some great stations like “Samyaya” that are meditation channels. Music may help dissolve the thoughts for some of us that have trouble getting into the practice.

If none of these work for you, then get your butt over to the Den Meditation Studio on LaBrea and start meditating with other people to get inspired in the group collective consciousness!

There are so many amazing benefits to meditation such as improved sleep, memory and clarity. It helps to connect you within, dissolve obstacles that hinder and bind us and gives you the ability to understand your soul’s deepest desires, passions and purpose in life!

While you are at it. Start a journaling practice which will help you integrate the wisdom teachings you receive. Check out this ultimate guide to meditation journals as well!