What I do to meditate is sitting in a very quiet area and clearing my mind, that's where people have trouble with it. Clearing your mind is probably (if not is) one of the hardest sources in meditating. I usually (this is optional) Light a few candles and maybe put a few crystals or gems around them, this way I'll have something to focus on. There are many other ways to meditate, but I only told you how I do it. You probably just have a hard time focusing.
I too have problems with meditation, and a lot of others do too. Lighting candles or incence with scents that you find calming can help as well as music that will help you relax. You could also look up some guided meditations on youtube.
Something I've learned that helps with relaxing the whole body is progressive muscle relaxation. You start by tensing up your muscles, just a few at a time, and then releasing them. You'd typically start at your toes and then move up towards your head and face. Focusing on your muscle groups one at a time can help clear your head as well as loosen the body up. Therapists even recommend it to patients with anxiety and insomnia to help with calming both the body and mind.
theres many methods to mediation, the key is to relax [as everyones said] you might enjoy walking mediation where you go for a walk [no distractions, no music, no phone, no friend to chat with] and just walk and observe the world around you [you might wish to walk to a park, sit and watch for a bit, then walk home]
you could also try deep breathing, focus on your breath, observe how it feels going through your nose, down into your lungs, then out again. could to ten, then repeat if you have time.
i've started getting into guided meditations. you can find some as little at 10 minutes, or you could just get a 8 hours video and listen for a few minutes and turn it off. there's also free apps with short videos/tracks you could listen to.
at the end of the day it comes down to consistency [same time every day is best] and practice. you might wish to mix it up every couple weeks/months to find new methods you enjoy. remember your mind might be more crazy one day over another, so some days you might be able to let thoughts flow, others you might focus on one more often. the key is to catch yourself and go 'count my breathe' so your mind can focus on something and not a thought that might be stressing you.
An another way to look at it.like all the other posts,is that you are using things like insence and music to bring you to the present or into the now.instead of your mind jumping to one thing and then another and so on and so on.you're giving your mind a rest.
And once you are able to focus on one thing....then gradually try to focus on nothing.
And I'm still repeating what has been said...there are many ways to do it.and you might have to use a different technique on any given day depending on how hard it is for you to concentrate.
Meditation is the practice and art of closing the external world about and reveling in your internal world, or your inner self. Meditation is looking into yourself to look at the world rather than just looking at the world. You're able to view things more analytically, precise, and indepth, hence the often herd phrase "I think I'll meditate on that". Meditation is a prime example of what magic can be because you get exactly what you put into meditation. If you try to meditate for ten minutes and you only do this sporadically through the week and you can't really "sink into" your meditation, you will gain nothing from it. If you consciously decide, "no I'm going to meditate right now" and do it, then you've done it. Do it for as long as you can but just do it and try to revel and feel something from it. I like to consider meditation soul and brain food. It feeds us, makes us feel alive, enlightens us, an shows us things we have previously never seen or experienced before.
I'd like to share with you a meditation exercise that I wrote a little ways back. I posted it in the forums, and I've also got it as a ritual in my coven, but here it is reiterated.
There are a variety of enviroments where I tend to meditate, whether it's on my bed or in a place where I feel naturally relaxed such as the woods. Wherever this may be, find your place to meditate where you think you will be able to find the peace and relaxation you are seeking, undisturbed.
Sit cross-legged and get comfortable. Before you close your eyes and as you're getting comfortable, get familiar with how the place feels visually and sensually. Keep your eyes open and slow your breathing, inhaling through your nostrils, and exhaling through your mouth. Accept this place as the place you will find peace while within.
Once your heart rate has slowed, and your breathing is steady, close your eyes. Visualize a golden orb of warm, positive, radiant energy. As you visualize it with greater clarity, let it warm you and feel it's warmth on your skin. Let the warmth work it's way into your brain, your heart, your soul, and your very being. This light and this warmth is pure positivity, and it accepts you with it's warm embrace.
Let this orb of positivity come to represent all that is good. If you desire peace and relaxation, allow the orb to represent these things, and slowly begin to allow it to encompass you. Visualize that you are stepping through into the orb and that the orb is moving over and into you. This golden orb of love, peace, warmth, relaxation, and pure positivity along with you will become one. Release all of your troubles, concerns, and stresses into this golden orb of positive light and as you do so, visualize them being disintegrated into nothing, crushed by the loads of positive energy around you.
Spend as long as you like in this state, in fact, the longer you do so the better I have found. You'll feel relaxed and at peace for a couple of days if you spend a good hour or more doing this. When you do decide to come around, let yourself slowly step out of the golden orb of positive light, and as you do so know that it's remnants surrounds and is in every bit of you. Once you have stepped out, let it slowly disappear until you are in blackness, and then slowly open your eyes, taking steady breaths, inhaling through your nose, and exhaling through your mouth.
Meditation is a reboot for your brain.
it's ok if your thoughts wonder, see if they take you somewhere, and then expand.
Most people focus on their breathing, so if you find yourself wondering off to the grocery list, acknowledge the thought and dismiss it.
Just do short sessions of about 5 minute each time, then move up to ten, then fifteen.
Even if your not reaching the "plane" you want, you're relaxing. Once you get this mastered ask your Spirit Guide's to come to you, once they do they will come for every mediation session and guide you to your answers. It does take time, you just cant give up on yourself.
Hope this helps you
Blessings
Try and focus on one thing like you can focus on anything for instance I focus on a stick. Anything works just put it in any direction and focus on it I personally use a stick and put it in front of me and just focus on it, just focus on one thing it could be special or simple or however you want it.
