I want to start meditating what are some tips to get started?
Mindfulness meditation is just allowing your thoughts to flow and be acknowledged. When you are busy and distract yourself all day with TV, Internet, games and phone, then your thoughts become backed up, your mind gets cloudy or overwhelmed.
Meditation is taking quiet time to yourself, you put yourself in the observation state. You become the observer of your thoughts. Like logs flowing down a river, or a message on a marquee, just watch them go by without judgement, try not to follow the thought off the deep end, but stay in the present.
If you feel your mind wandering, focus on your breath, feel the flow of air on your nostrils or your lip, feel your lungs expand. Try not to control it, just observe.
It's all about releasing and relaxing. Literally going with the flow of life. Staying in the present moment.
When you focus on the past, your regrets, you become depressed. When you focus on the future, you become anxious. Don't worry about what's supposed to happen, focus on what is.
You can eventually practice meditation throughout your day, feeling how your body adjusts, how yor weight shifts from one leg to the other as you are walking. Feeling your heart beat.
Get out of your mind and into your senses. That's why yoga is a great companion activity to meditation. Yoga is about knowing your body, creating space in your body and maintaining an even breath.