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What Meditation Is, and What It Isn't

Learn what meditation really is, what it isn't, and what to honestly expect from it as a complete beginner, with no beliefs or gear needed.

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THE WRITTEN LESSONFollow along at your pace

Welcome to Meditation for Beginners. In this first lesson you learn what meditation is, what it isn’t, and what you can honestly expect from it. You don’t need any beliefs or special equipment. This course is general information, not medical advice.

Paying attention, on purpose

Mindfulness means paying attention to what is happening right now, inside you and around you, on purpose, and without judging it. Inside you might be a thought or a feeling. Around you might be a sound or the light in the room.

It is a way of paying attention, not a belief system. You can do it with any background and any worldview.

A person sits on a chair. A dashed arrow points left to a head with a small storm cloud, labeled Inside you, and another points right to a window, labeled Around you. Three chips say Right now, On purpose and Without judging, and a muted chip says Not a belief system.(opens the full-size picture)
Attention can point inward or outward.

A family of practices

Meditation is a family of practices. Some train your attention, like resting on the feel of your breath. Others build a quality, like kindness. Mindfulness meditation is one kind among many. It has Buddhist roots, but modern courses teach it without any religion, so you can keep it as plain as you like.

Two cards. The first shows a glowing circle and says Train attention: the breath. The second shows a heart and says Build a quality: kindness. Two chips below say One kind among many and No religion needed.(opens the full-size picture)
Two of the many practices you will meet in this course.

What it isn’t

Meditation isn’t emptying your mind. Your mind will wander, and that is expected. The practice is noticing that it has wandered, and gently coming back.

It also isn’t the same as relaxing. You notice whatever is there, pleasant or not, though you may feel calmer too.

A thought bubble reading Empty your mind is crossed out in red. Beside it, a card with a curved arrow says Notice, then gently come back, with a green check. A box below says Not just relaxing: notice what's there.(opens the full-size picture)
Notice, then gently come back. That is the exercise.

Honest expectations

In reviews of many trials, mindfulness brought small improvements in anxiety, depression and pain. That was about as much as other good options, but not more. After short courses, the changes were small. So treat it as a useful skill, not a cure.

Three equal green bars labeled Anxiety, Depression and Pain sit under the heading Small improvements. A dashed line beside them reads Other good options: about the same. A chip says A useful skill, not a cure.(opens the full-size picture)
Small improvements, about level with other good options.

A note on safety

For most people, meditation is low-risk. But it can sometimes stir up difficult feelings. If you have a history of trauma, psychosis, bipolar disorder or severe depression, talk to a clinician before you start. Later in the course you will learn the signs to watch for.

The course ahead

First you will clear up common myths, learn how to sit, and try your first five-minute session. Then you will see why a wandering mind is the practice, and explore the different types. Next come a body scan, loving-kindness and walking meditation. Finally you will find a routine that fits your day and make your plan.

Eleven small cards in two rows, each with a drawing: What it is, Myths, How to sit, First session, A wandering mind, Types, Body scan, Loving-kindness, Walking, Fit it in and Your plan.(opens the full-size picture)
The eleven lessons at a glance.

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Read the full lesson script

Welcome to Meditation for Beginners. In this first lesson, you'll learn what meditation is, what it isn't, and what you can honestly expect from it. You don't need any beliefs or special equipment. This course is general information, not medical advice.

Mindfulness means paying attention to what's happening right now, inside you and around you, on purpose, and without judging it. It's a way of paying attention, not a belief system.

Meditation is a family of practices. Some train your attention, like resting on the feel of your breath. Others build a quality, like kindness. Mindfulness meditation is one kind among many. It has Buddhist roots, but modern courses teach it without any religion.

Meditation isn't emptying your mind. Your mind will wander, and that's expected. The practice is noticing that it has wandered, and gently coming back. It also isn't the same as relaxing. You notice whatever is there, pleasant or not, though you may feel calmer too.

What can you expect? In reviews of many trials, mindfulness brought small improvements in anxiety, depression and pain, about as much as other good options, but not more. After short courses, the changes were small. So treat it as a useful skill, not a cure.

For most people, meditation is low-risk. But it can sometimes stir up difficult feelings. If you have a history of trauma, psychosis, bipolar disorder or severe depression, talk to a clinician before you start. You'll learn the signs to watch for later in the course.

Here's the course. First, you'll clear up common myths, learn how to sit, and try your first five-minute session. Then you'll learn why a wandering mind is the practice, and explore the different types. Next, you'll try a body scan, loving-kindness, and walking meditation. Finally, you'll find a routine that fits your day, and make your plan.

So remember: meditation is paying attention on purpose, without judging. A wandering mind is part of it. And expect a useful skill, not a cure. Before the next lesson, sit for one minute, and simply notice your breath. Next, you'll clear up the myths that stop beginners.