How to Meditate at Home - with Printable Exercises

Amidst all of the major shifts and changes in the past year, centering in on one’s thoughts has never been so important. 

With more time spent at home, finding a quiet place to sit with your thoughts might seem trying or even expensive. However, converting a space in your home into a meditation room doesn’t have to be time-consuming or pricey. Don’t think you have an area of your home that can be transformed into this spot? A tranquil corner or a small area of a quiet part of your bedroom will do. Prioritizing your wellness and mindfulness can be done by taking time out of your busy day to do simple practices. If you are interested in meditating but are not sure what exercises are right for you, here are some helpful DIY meditation tips and printable activities from Homeadvisor to help you to be at one with your mind. 

Breathing Techniques

To enter the right state of mind for meditation, breathing is an essential element of relaxation and centering. Just by breathing, you can reduce stress levels in your body, lower your blood pressure, and even manage any chronic pain you may be having. There are tons of pluses to honing in on your breath during meditation and understanding the simplicity of healthy breathing. A few easy breathing exercises to help inspire mindfulness include:

• Lazy 8 breathing: Imagine a horizontal infinity shape. Breathe in. As you cross over to the other side of the lazy 8, slowly let your breath out. Continue breathing until you reach a calm body and mind.
• Square breathing: This will help you to slow down your breathing and aims to distract your mind as you count from 1-4. It often helps people to calm their nervous systems and decreases stress levels.
• Triangle Breathing: Hold your breath for three counts and imagine tracing the side of a triangle. Then breathe out for three seconds as you reach the other side of the triangle. Repeat this until you feel your body relaxing. 

Download and print out this helpful breathing activities guide to help you get started:

Morning thoughts

Practicing healthy morning reflections will help you to start your day off in a calm, healthy way. Reminding yourself to take deep breaths, move and stretch your body, and take daily vitamins will help you to be prepared for tasks throughout the day and stay focused and positive. Writing down your daily goals and intentions will also help you achieve your goals. Some other helpful things to journal include:

• How you are feeling this morning
• Today’s top five tasks
• Today’s top five goals
• Something you are looking forward to 

Print these reflection pages guide to further record your thoughts:

Evening thoughts

To reflect on the day you have had, recording your thoughts at night will also help you to feel accomplished and at one with what you have done in your day. Whether your day consists of relaxing or prioritizing important tasks, understanding what your mind and body need daily helps you to practice wellness. Similarly to morning reflections, ideas for the evening include: 

• Practice your skincare routine
• Make a cup of tea
• How you felt during the day
• Today’s lessons and challenges
• Something you are grateful for
• What was the biggest takeaway from today

Finally, to help make your at-home meditation area a more calming space, print out this calming wall art to remind yourself to focus on you:

With these simple and easy tips, you can start your meditation journey to build a more relaxing and calming lifestyle. 

Now relax, and happy Tuesday!

Disclaimer: this post was written in partnership with Siege Media and Homeadvisor. Except for the first image at the top of the post, printables and images were supplied by them and as such are not owned by me.