Before we dive into more details, let’s go over a few basic points that will help us get the most out of every meditation session.

Where and when to meditate

The easy answer to where and when to meditate is “wherever, and whenever you can”. And while this is true – in fact, it will become increasingly relevant as you progress – there are ways to make your meditation session more enjoyable and productive.

In terms of where to meditate, you should find as quiet and peaceful place as you can. You can sit cross-legged on a cushion if you want to, as that posture tends to be especially conducive to meditation. If you’re not comfortable sitting cross-legged, simply use a chair on which you can sit upright.

If possible, you should meditate in the same location each day. That will reinforce the habit of meditating. Eventually, simply moving to that location will put you in a meditative state.

This brings me to the second point of when to meditate. I recommend meditating daily. Like with any skill, daily practice, even if only for a few minutes, will yield more benefits than meditating for longer but infrequently. Once again to reinforce the habit of meditating, I recommend that you meditate at the same time each day. Personally, I find the early morning especially conducive to meditation. Setting aside some fixed amount of time each day to meditation will eventually feel easy natural. You will even look forward to it!

Useful tools and equipment

While not mandatory, here’s a list of all the “stuff” I use when meditating.

• A timer. I use the free app Insight Timer, which has a simple meditation timer that automatically keeps track of your daily sits.
• A cushion. I sit on a simple meditation cushion filled with buckwheat hulls, similar to this one. When it gets too soft due to prolonged use, I add a few scoops of hulls.
• A blanket. I use a blanket that looks like that one when meditating. The weight of the blanket is comforting, and provides warmth when meditating in the cold Canadian early mornings.

That’s all. Meditation is a frugal activity.