Breath and Meditation ·
Meditation for Beginners: What Does the First Week Look Like?
To start meditating you need a few minutes a day, a quiet corner and one point to bring your attention back to, such as your breath. The first week is made of short sittings: you sit at the same time each day, follow the breath and return to it whenever your attention drifts. Meditation is not a treatment.
This article is for personal awareness and coaching purposes; it does not replace medical diagnosis or treatment. Please see a doctor for any health concerns.
To start meditating you need a few minutes a day, a quiet corner where you can sit, and one point to bring your attention back to; this point can be your breath. The first week is made of short sittings: you sit at the same time each day, follow the breath, and return to it whenever your attention drifts. There is no single right way. The way you can keep up is the one that suits you.
How many minutes should a beginner meditate?
A beginner can keep it short and start with five minutes in the first days. Sitting for a long time is not a measure of success. A short sitting repeated every day is easy to fit into the calendar.
You can set a timer with a soft sound on your phone so that you do not need to look at the clock. As the week goes on you may add a minute or two, or stay with the same length.
What time of day is right for meditation?
No single hour suits everyone. Some people like to sit in the morning as the day begins, others in the evening as it closes. The measure is simple: a moment when you will not be interrupted and are not in a hurry.
The one suggestion for the first week is to keep the hour you chose for all seven days. Tying the sitting to something you already do every day (morning tea, coming home from work) makes it easier to remember.
How do you sit for meditation?
Sitting cross-legged on the floor is not required. You can sit on a chair, on a cushion, or with your back against a wall.
- Keep your back upright but not stiff, and let your shoulders drop.
- On a chair, place the soles of your feet on the floor.
- Rest your hands on your knees or in your lap.
- Close your eyes, or lower your gaze to a point in front of you.
- Do not try to change your breath. Only follow it as it comes and goes.
If something aches, change your position. Staying perfectly still is not the aim.
What do you do when your attention wanders?
Attention wanders, and that does not mean you are doing it wrong. The moment you notice that you have drifted to a thought, a sound or your to-do list is the practice itself. You notice, and without criticising yourself you bring your attention back to the breath. This can happen many times in a single sitting.
To make it easier you can count breaths from one to ten and start again from one when you lose count. What you experience differs from person to person, and even from day to day, so there is no need to compare one day with another.
A seven-day starting plan
The plan below is an example. Adjust the days and the minutes to your own routine.
- Day 1: Choose your place and your hour. Sit for five minutes and simply follow the breath in and out.
- Day 2: Same place, same hour, five minutes. Count your breaths from one to ten.
- Day 3: Five minutes. Without keeping track of how often you drift, return to the breath each time.
- Day 4: Seven minutes. At the start, scan your body once from head to toe, then move to the breath.
- Day 5: Seven minutes. Hear the sounds around you without pushing them away, then return to the breath.
- Day 6: Ten minutes, or seven again. Sit without counting.
- Day 7: Ten minutes. Afterwards write two or three lines about the week: which hour and which sitting suited you.
If you miss a day you do not need to restart the plan. Pick it up the next day where you left off.
Should you start alone or with a guide?
Either works. Sitting alone at home is a plain way to begin. In a guided session you follow the steps through someone else’s voice.
Merve Tüfekçi’s Meditation and Emotrance workshop is open to people who have never meditated before, and no prior knowledge is needed. The workshop takes place in nature, with breath work, meditation and Emotrance exercises. The workshop is held at Şifa Köyü in Şile, online participation is possible, and it can be run in Turkish or in English. For dates you can write to us and our team will get back to you.
Meditation is not a treatment and does not replace a doctor or a psychologist.
In short: a short sitting, a fixed hour, a comfortable seat, and bringing a wandering attention back to the breath each time. That is the whole work of the first week.
This post is for general information only; it is not medical or legal advice.
Meditation and Emotrance Workshop →
Before a Breathwork Session: What to Expect and How to Prepare →
Frequently asked questions
How do you meditate, and where do you start?
Sit somewhere quiet, keep your back upright and follow your breath as it comes and goes. When your attention drifts, notice it and return to the breath. Five minutes a day is enough for a beginner to start with.
Do your eyes have to be closed during meditation?
No. You can close your eyes or lower your gaze to a point in front of you. Choose whichever lets you sit more comfortably.
Is it better to meditate in the morning or in the evening?
No single hour suits everyone. Choose a moment when you will not be interrupted and sit at that same hour throughout the first week.
If I miss a day, do I have to start over?
No. You can continue the next day from where you left off. The seven-day plan is an example, and you can adjust the days to your own routine.
I have never meditated. Can I join the workshop?
Yes. The Meditation and Emotrance workshop is open to people who have never meditated before, and you do not need to know anything in advance. For dates and details you can write to us.