How can I teach my friend to meditate?
If you’re asking yourself this question, it’s finally happened. Your friend saw you meditating and wants to learn how to do it. This can be both an exciting and scary moment in your friendship.
On the one hand, you’re glad your friend showed interest in your spiritual practice. On the other hand, you might doubt your ability to teach and guide someone who has never meditated before. In this article, I want to share how you can overcome self-doubt and teach your friend how to meditate.
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Join Patreon1. Overcome Self-Doubt
Like many of us, you might have started your meditation journey on your own. You’ve read books, watched YouTube videos, or even taken some classes. You’re familiar with Buddhist principles and are trying to apply them in your own life.
But all of that experience seems insignificant when someone close to you, like your friend, asks you to teach them how to meditate. As someone who runs a meditation blog, I can tell you I know how that feels. Back in November of 2017, I was scared to hit publish on my very first blog post where I shared why I started a mindfulness blog.
But to my surprise, and judging by the comments, people liked it. There certainly was a need for something like this, even if it wasn’t the only blog about mindfulness (and there are many great blogs on the subject today). So don’t doubt yourself. You can definitely do it. That’s why I have free mindfulness resources that you can use to teach your friend how to meditate. Take a look and don’t hesitate to ask any questions.
2. Ask Your Friend What They Want to Achieve
Before you even begin to teach someone meditation, you must have a clear understanding of why they want to do it.
We all have a lot of prejudices and assumptions about other people, myself included. You might feel uncomfortable asking your friend this question, but it’s a vital step that will make the process easier for both of you.
For example, you can ask, “What do you know about meditation?” or “Have you tried it before?” Answers to these questions will give you a clear understanding of your friend’s preconceived notions about meditation.
Then ask them what they want to achieve. For example, you could ask, “What do you hope to achieve?” or “What thoughts or emotions would you like to release during meditation?” The answer to these questions will determine what type of meditation you should teach your friend.
3. Share Your Own Motivation for Starting Meditation
Now that you know why your friend wants to meditate, it’s time to share why you do it.
Do you remember what got you interested in the first place? By going back in time, you can reconnect with your own motivation and remember what was most difficult for you when you first started your meditation practice.
Sharing your own struggles can also be a great opportunity to deepen your friendship and increase the joy of meditating together.
4. Choose an Appropriate Meditation Technique
Keep it simple. Don’t try to do anything too advanced. Based on your friend’s answers, you might already have an idea of what type of meditation you want to teach them.
But if you need some pointers, try mindful breathing or lovingkindness meditation. The former is aimed at counteracting restlessness and developing tranquility. The latter is aimed at pacifying anger and overcoming resentment.
On my blog, I have articles titled “3 Relaxing Meditation Postures for Beginners,” “How to Practice Mindful Breathing,” and “How to Practice Loving-Kindness Meditation.” All have free worksheets that you can use when teaching your friend how to meditate.
5. Tell Your Friend About Common Meditation Obstacles and How to Overcome Them
At this point, your friend probably has some unrealistic expectations.
When I was learning how to meditate, I thought I would have a deep spiritual experience. What I didn’t expect was physical discomfort, distracting thoughts, and self-doubt.
Try to remember your first meditation and what obstacles you had to overcome. Then think about the type of advice you would give yourself when you were just starting out and give it to your friend instead.
In Conclusion
Teaching your friend how to meditate is a great opportunity to deepen your friendship and improve your mindfulness. Complement with Buddhist Meditation: Tranquility, Imagination, and Insight by Kamalashila and our free resources page.
I’m a freelance writer and mindfulness advocate behind this blog. What you see here is the combination of my three favorite things: reading, writing, and mindfulness. While you’re here, subscribe to my blog updates and gain access to free mindfulness resources for stress relief.
