Complete beginner
Body Scan Meditation
Move your attention slowly through the body from feet to head, noticing sensation without trying to change it.
10–30 minutes
Meditation
Meditation for real life.
Short, practical meditations from the yoga tradition — breath awareness, body scan, mantra, loving-kindness and Yoga Nidra.
Open the meditation timer11 entries
Complete beginner
Breath Awareness Meditation
The simplest meditation: rest your attention on the breath and gently return each time the mind wanders.
5–20 minutes
Complete beginner
Evening Meditation for Sleep
Unwind before bed with a slow exhale, a short body scan and a moment of gratitude.
10–15 minutes
मैत्री Beginner
Loving-Kindness Meditation (Metta)
Send simple wishes of kindness to yourself and others — a warm-hearted practice for compassion and connection.
10–20 minutes
Beginner
Mindfulness Meditation
Open, non-judging awareness of breath, body, sounds and thoughts — what mindfulness is and how to practise it.
10–20 minutes
Beginner
Morning Meditation
A short morning practice combining breath, body awareness and a simple intention (sankalpa) for the day.
10 minutes
सोऽहम् Beginner
So Hum Mantra Meditation
Silently link 'So' with the inhale and 'Hum' with the exhale — a natural, breath-based mantra meditation.
10–20 minutes
Complete beginner
Three-Minute Breathing Space
A short three-step pause — notice, gather, expand — for stressful moments in the middle of the day.
3 minutes
त्राटक Beginner
Trataka (Candle Gazing Meditation)
Gaze steadily at a candle flame, then at its afterimage — a classic yogic concentration practice.
5–10 minutes
Complete beginner
Walking Meditation
Bring full attention to each step — a moving meditation for restless days and people who find sitting hard.
10–20 minutes
योग निद्रा Complete beginner
Yoga Nidra
'Yogic sleep' — a guided, lying-down practice that leads you into deep relaxation while staying aware.
20–45 minutes
Guide
How to begin meditating
Meditation is practice in paying attention on purpose: to the breath, the body, a phrase or the present moment. The guides here are short and practical. Each explains the posture, gives the steps in order and says what to do when the mind wanders, which it will.
Step by step
- Choose one technique and stay with it for a week before trying another.
- Sit on a chair, a cushion or the floor with your back upright and supported if you like. Lying down is fine for a body scan or yoga nidra.
- Set a timer for three to five minutes so you are not watching the clock.
- When you notice you have drifted into thought, come back to the breath or the phrase. That return is the practice, not a failure of it.
- Add a minute or two each week if you want to. Regular short sits matter more than long ones.
Which one to try first
- Breath awareness
- Rest attention on the feeling of breathing. The simplest place to start.
- Body scan
- Move attention slowly through the body. Good lying down, and before sleep.
- Three-minute breathing space
- A very short check-in for the middle of a busy day.
- Loving-kindness (metta)
- Silently repeat kind wishes for yourself and others.
- So Hum mantra
- A traditional mantra repeated in time with the breath.
- Yoga nidra
- A guided, lying-down relaxation practised in stages.
Practise safely
- Meditation is usually calming, but it can sometimes bring up difficult thoughts or feelings. If a practice feels overwhelming, open your eyes, move, and stop for the day.
- If you have a history of trauma or a mental-health condition, consider learning with a qualified teacher or speaking to your clinician first.
- Meditation supports general wellbeing. It does not replace professional care.