Prepare
Now coming to main task itself, here are some broad steps that you can personalize as desired.
Steps to meditate:
Environment: Fix a quiet corner and time to meditate, where you can be alone without distractions. If not possible, try noise-canceling headphones
Anchor: Close your eyes and follow your breath, as it enters and leaves your body. This breath will be your anchor. This anchor will hold you from drowning in the ocean of thoughts
Swim: Once focused on breathing, try to let go of this anchor. Expand your awareness to whatever enters your mind. It could be a dog’s bark, thoughts of a loved one, worries of work, etc. Just be an observer, seeing things come and go, like clouds. Do not resist or stick to thoughts
Repeat: If everything goes fine, you would have successfully spent time simply being, not thinking, or doing anything. But in case you find yourself drowning in a particular thought, rush back to the anchor, your breath. Just focus on the deep inhale and exhale. The ocean of thoughts will calm down soon, and then you can practice swimming again, leaving the anchor behind
P.S.: Meditation does not have to be a punishment. Feel free to sit on a chair, or a bed, with legs crossed or not, listen to music, put up dim lights, use incense sticks. Just be comfortable, but not so much that you fall asleep 😉
P.P.S: If you hear a baby’s cry and hate it, you are thinking about it. Get back to your anchor. If you are feeling gratitude about your loved ones, even then you are holding on to a thought. Get back to your anchor, the breath. Be patient. It can be annoying, but even the best swimmers need to start with support.