Using John Yates’ “The Mind Illuminated,” I’ve produced detailed, actionable meditation steps for a brand new practitioner. Here is some clear, step-by-step guidance that a beginner can easily follow.

Format

Here is a general, step-by-step format you can use to meditate. After this, I’ll provide a specific visualization technique—one I personally use—to help you focus on your breath and connect with your body:

Preparation (2 minutes)

1. Find a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed for 10 minutes.
2. Sit comfortably on a chair or cushion with your back straight but not tense.
3. Place your hands on your lap or knees, palms facing up or down.
4. Close your eyes gently or maintain a soft gaze about 3 feet in front of you.
5. Take three deep breaths, inhaling through your nose for a count of 4, and exhaling through your mouth for a count of 6.

Focusing on the Breath (3 minutes)

1. Bring your attention to the sensation of breathing at the tip of your nose.
2. Notice the feeling of coolness as you inhale and warmth as you exhale.
3. Try to identify the precise moment when the in-breath becomes the out-breath, and vice versa.
4. If your mind wanders, which is normal, simply notice it and gently guide your attention back to your breath.
5. Each time you notice your mind has wandered, silently say to yourself, “thinking,” and return to focusing on your breath.

Expanding Awareness (3 minutes)

1. While maintaining focus on your breath, start to notice sounds in your environment.
2. Don’t try to identify or analyze the sounds, just acknowledge their presence.
3. Next, become aware of any physical sensations in your body, such as the feeling of your clothes on your skin or the pressure of your body against the chair or cushion.
4. If you notice any tension in your body, consciously relax those areas.
5. Now, try to hold awareness of your breath, sounds, and bodily sensations simultaneously.

Cultivating Open Awareness (2 minutes)

1. Imagine your mind as a clear sky, with thoughts and sensations as passing clouds.
2. Allow thoughts to arise without engaging with them or trying to push them away.
3. When a thought appears, simply notice it and let it pass, like watching a cloud drift across the sky.
4. If you find yourself getting caught up in a thought, gently redirect your attention to the sensation of breathing.
5. Try to maintain a sense of spacious awareness, where your breath, bodily sensations, sounds, and thoughts all coexist without any one dominating your attention.

Remember, meditation is a skill that improves with practice. Don’t worry if your mind wanders frequently or if you find some steps challenging. The goal is to cultivate a gentle, non-judgmental awareness of your present experience.

Visualization Example

My friend and fellow druid, Ashley R., once led a group in a visualization exercise, with the key idea of grounding at the “root” of the body, as opposed to grounding with the feet. This was a great starting point for a visualization I’ve come to employ, and you might find it helpful too:

1. Imagine yourself as a strong tree, rooted in the ground at your waist. Feel the mycelial network beneath the earth, nourishing your roots (toes, feet, legs) and entire body with life. Imagine yourself as a living, breathing part of the natural world, tapping into the life force that surrounds and sustains you.

2. As these nutrients reach your belly, feel the warmth of these relationships, holding you in a comforting hug. Here external, life-giving energy connects to your inner well-being.

3. Continuing higher, feel energy reaching your solar plexus, a radiant sun just below your heart, fueling your confidence and personal power. Like a tree sending its branches, feel yourself taking up space in the world, and don’t apologize for it. Breathe deeply and take up all the space you can with your branches.

4. Still drawing energy from your roots, feel it come into your heart, making it beat steady and strong, and sending out pulses of energy and nutrition to your branches.

5. Then, observe it moving up to your throat, empowering your voice. Here, let your creative thoughts flow freely, as a genuine and unapologetic expression of your truth and emotions.

6. Lastly, imagine light flooding into the leaves, flooding your body. As you inhale, feel the light illuminating your intuition, inner vision, and wisdom. As you exhale, release that “oxygen” as a creative force into the world around you.

What I really like about this visualization is that it grounds you in external reality, and invites you to connect your inner thoughts and feelings into it, all while giving you a sense of connection with your body, and giving yourself permission to use it with intention, confidence, and self-compassion.