Many of us, at some point in our life, have tried to meditate.

Meditation means to sit down, close your eyes, and think of nothing. Easy, right?

So you sit down, close your eyes… oh you have to do laundry later. And you have to book that appointment. And what did your colleague say a few days ago at work?

As soon as you realize what is happening, you may think you have failed and meditation is not for you.
Your mind just cannot stay still. But meditation is a great tool!

So, how do we use it?

Firstly we have to keep in mind that our brains work a lot.
We unconsciously elaborate about 60k thoughts and images every day, and we are attracted to thoughts that have an emotional charge.
Thinking is in our nature.
..

So, how do you think of nothing?
You don’t!
Unless you are very advanced in your practice, this is nearly impossible.
You need to practice focus.
You should focus your mind on an object (a mental or a physical one, like the flame of a candle), or a single thought, or the voice of your teacher if you’re having guided meditation.
Your mind will want to wander, that is normal.
What you need to do is acknowledge this, and return your mind to the object of your focus.

Being able to focus and redirect your mind will be a great tool in your journey through mindfulness.

Om Shanti