How to Meditate for Beginners
A Simple Step by Step Guide
Many people want to learn meditation but are unsure where to begin. Some assume meditation means stopping thoughts completely or sitting cross legged for long periods in silence. Others worry they are “bad at meditation” because their mind feels busy.
In reality, meditation is much simpler and more natural than many people expect.
According to the teachings of Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche and the global Tergar Meditation Community community, meditation begins with becoming familiar with awareness itself. Rather than trying to force the mind to become blank or perfectly calm, meditation helps us gently recognise what is already present in our experience.
For beginners, this can make meditation feel much more approachable.
What Is Meditation?
Meditation is often described as training attention or awareness. Within the Tergar approach, meditation is viewed as a practical way to explore the mind and develop greater awareness, compassion, and wisdom in everyday life.
Importantly, meditation is not about becoming a different person or getting rid of thoughts and emotions. Tergar teachings emphasise that awareness already exists within every person and meditation helps us become more familiar with it.
This means meditation does not require:
having a perfectly calm mind
following a religion
sitting in difficult postures
escaping everyday life
suppressing emotions
Instead, meditation can become part of ordinary daily experience.
How Do Beginners Meditate?
Beginners can start meditation by sitting comfortably, gently placing attention on the breath, sounds, or body sensations, and noticing whenever the mind wanders. When distraction happens, the practice is to notice it and gently bring attention back again without judgement. Even short daily sessions can help build familiarity with meditation over time.
What If You Cannot Stop Thinking?
This is probably the most common beginner concern.
Many people believe meditation means having no thoughts. However, thoughts continue to arise for almost everyone, including experienced meditators. The practice is not to eliminate thinking but to notice thoughts without becoming completely carried away by them.
You might notice:
planning
worrying
remembering
imagining
analysing
Then gently return attention again. That return itself is meditation practice.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Meditation?
Meditation is less about mastering a technique and more about gradually becoming familiar with awareness over time. Some people notice benefits quickly, while for others it develops more gradually. Consistency is usually more important than intensity.
Through the Tergar teachings, you will learn that meditation develops through repeated direct experience rather than trying to force a particular state.
Can You Learn Meditation Online?
Yes. Many people now learn meditation online through structured courses, guided practices, and supportive communities.
Tergar offers both self paced online learning and international meditation communities that support beginners through step by step training. This approach can make meditation more accessible for people throughout New Zealand, including those who may not live near an in-person meditation centre.
Online learning can also allow people to:
learn at their own pace
revisit teachings
practice from home
connect with community support throughout New Zealand
integrate meditation into busy schedules
Is Meditation Religious?
This is another common question.
The meditation practices taught within Tergar are drawn from the ancient Buddhist tradition of Tibet, however the introductory Joy of Living and Anytime Anywhere Meditation programmes are taught in a practical, non religious way that is accessible to people of any background, belief system, or level of meditation experience.
Many people practice meditation simply as a way to:
cultivate awareness
work with stress
develop compassion
become more present in daily life
Step 1: Find a Comfortable Position
For beginners, comfort matters more than posture perfection. You can meditate:
sitting in a chair
sitting on a cushion
standing
lying down if needed
The key is to remain reasonably relaxed while also alert.
Tergar teachings emphasise a practical and accessible approach to meditation that can fit into modern life.
Step 2: Use the Breath as an Anchor
One of the simplest ways to begin meditation is to rest attention lightly on the natural movement of breathing. You do not need to control the breath. Simply notice:
the feeling of breathing in and out
movement in the chest or abdomen
air moving through the nose
The breath acts as an “anchor” for awareness.
When the mind wanders, the practice is gently returning attention to the breath again.
Step 3: Expect Thoughts to Arise
This is one of the most important things for beginners to understand.
Having thoughts during meditation does not mean you are failing. The mind naturally thinks. Meditation is not about forcing thoughts to stop. Instead, it is about recognising when attention has drifted and becoming aware again.
In Tergar teachings, even noticing distraction is considered part of meditation because awareness has already returned. Often it is a relief to discover this!
Step 4: Start with Short Sessions
Many people try to meditate for too long at the beginning and become discouraged.
Tergar recommends short, regular sessions for beginners:
5 minutes
10 minutes
or a few brief sessions throughout the day can help establish consistency.
Over time, meditation often becomes more natural and sustainable.
Step 5: Bring Meditation into Everyday Life
One of the unique aspects of the Tergar approach is the emphasis on integrating meditation into ordinary daily experience.
Meditation does not only happen while sitting quietly. Awareness can also be practiced:
while walking
drinking tea
listening
working
washing dishes
speaking with others
This practical approach can help meditation feel more accessible for modern life.
A Gentle Approach to Beginning
One reason many people struggle with meditation is that they approach it with pressure or unrealistic expectations.
Meditation does not need to be perfect.
You do not need to “clear your mind”.
You do not need special abilities.
The most important step is simply beginning.
According to Tergar teachings, awareness is already present within every person.
Meditation is gradually learning to recognise and become familiar with that awareness in everyday life.
Final Thoughts
Learning meditation is less about achieving a special state and more about developing a different relationship with experience.
For beginners, the most helpful approach is usually:
keep it simple
practice regularly
start small
be patient with yourself
allow meditation to become part of ordinary life
Over time, even short moments of awareness can begin to influence how we relate to stress, emotions, thoughts, and daily experience.
For many people, meditation becomes not just a technique, but an ongoing exploration of awareness, compassion, and inner wellbeing.
Email: christchurch@community.tergar.org
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