The Beginners Guide to Meditation
The word “meditation” comes from the Latin root meditari, which means “to reflect, to contemplate, to think deeply, or to attend to.” It also relates to mederi, meaning “to heal.”
Most of us go through life watching shadows on a wall—our thoughts, worries, and habits—believing that these are all there is. This is much like Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, where prisoners, chained and facing the wall, perceive only shadows of reality, never knowing the full world beyond. Meditation is the inner act of turning around, of shifting attention inward, so we can see what has always been present but hidden from our habitual awareness.
I’ve practiced meditation for years, starting with books like The Power of Now as a teenager, exploring various techniques, and eventually diving into Vipassana. Through all of it, I’ve realized that meditation isn’t about becoming someone new. It’s about returning to the place you already are. It’s the simple, yet profound, act of noticing—turning attention inward to discover what has always been here: your body, your breath, your awareness.
Meditation, in its essence, predates words and traditions. Its action comes from three fundamental human impulses:
Turning attention inward – moving awareness away from distractions and habitual thought patterns.
Knowing oneself directly – investigating the true nature of your mind and body beyond surface-level appearances.
Observing the body and breath – noticing sensations, posture, and rhythm, which anchor you in the present moment.
These are the original movements from which every meditation practice, ancient or modern, grows. Just like the prisoners in the cave, the act of meditation is the deliberate turning toward what is real instead of being trapped by shadows.
Starting Simple: Breath and Body
For beginners, the most accessible doorway into meditation is the breath. You don’t need to control it—just notice it. Feel its natural rhythm. Observe how it moves through the body. Then expand your awareness to sensations, posture, and the subtle currents of presence within you. Each return to the breath is a small act of turning inward, a tiny step toward seeing what lies beyond the shadows.
Over time, this practice leads to presence that is no longer just an idea but a living, felt experience. It can also be deeply healing: tension softens, emotions shift, and the mind begins to reorganize itself with clarity and balance.
Meditation as Metaphysical Healing
Meditation is more than relaxation—it is a metaphysical process, a conscious alignment with reality itself. The act of turning inward allows you to step beyond habitual patterns, explore your inner landscape, and experience presence as an intelligent, restorative force. In this sense, meditation is both a discovery and a restoration: you are meeting yourself, fully, for the first time.
A Beginner’s Invitation
Notice your breath. Observe without judgment.
Notice your body. Sense your posture, sensations, and tension.
Return again and again. Every return is an act of awareness, a turning away from shadows and toward clarity.
Meditation is not as difficult as it may initially feel. It is a slowly, a sinking into self that can become seamless with practice and time. Like stepping out of the cave, it invites you to see that there is more to life—and more to yourself—than you’ve been watching.
Whenever you feel stressed, alone, or out of sync, remember the act of turning inward. You are never far from a truly connected reality.
