How to meditate for beginners

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All it takes is 10 mindful minutes | Andy Puddicombe | TEDTED
Uploaded Jan 11, 2013 · 5.7M views (as of Nov 2, 2026)

Quick answer

Most people who try meditation quit in the first week because they think they're doing it wrong. Their mind wanders, they feel restless, and they decide they can't meditate. Here's a simple way to start, and what beginners who stuck with it say made the difference.

What 125x is: 125x is a web app at 125x.app. You connect your YouTube subscriptions, and it gives you a feed of the latest videos from the channels you follow, each with a summary: a verdict, the 5 key takeaways, and the spoiler, plus Actionable and Lessons tabs with more tips. You read that and decide what's actually worth opening.

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Your first session

Per Mindful's beginner guide, the basic practice has only a few parts. Sit somewhere quiet, set a timer for five or ten minutes, and follow the feeling of your breath going in and out. Your attention will wander.

When you notice it has, come back to the breath without scolding yourself. That's the whole practice, and you repeat it as many times as you need to.

The part everyone gets wrong

Beginners often think the goal is a quiet mind. People who've practiced for years say the opposite: noticing you drifted and coming back is the exercise, the same way each lift is a rep at the gym. One longtime meditator put it this way: the aim is to get better at noticing where your attention is, and holding it on the breath for a long time comes second.

What beginners say helped

Start tiny. One or two minutes a day, eyes open if that's easier, beats a 20-minute session you skip.
Tie it to something you already do, like brushing your teeth or making coffee.
Label it and come back. When you drift, say 'thinking' in your head and return to the breath without reviewing how long you were gone.
Count breaths up to ten, then start over. If you lose count, that's your cue to start again at one.
Try walking if sitting drives you up the wall. Feel each step and come back to your feet when you drift.
Use it during the day. People who stuck with it say catching one anxious thought in a real moment kept them motivated more than the sitting did.

Agree or disagree: guided apps or silence?

Some beginners swear by guided recordings because a voice keeps them on track. Others say the voice becomes something to lean on, and that sitting in silence is where the skill builds.

We think both are fine at the start. Use a guided session for the first couple of weeks, then try one silent sit a week and see which one you come back to.

Our own tips

Our unusual tip: keep score of the catches. Instead of judging a session by how calm it felt, count how many times you noticed you'd drifted and came back. Write the number down after each sit. A high number means a good workout. After a few weeks you'll notice the catches start happening during the day too.
Sit at the same time each day for the first month so it becomes automatic.
Don't change technique every few days. Pick breath focus and stay with it for at least two weeks.
If your mind feels busier than ever, that usually means you're noticing it for the first time.

Where 125x fits

On 125x, every video in your subscriptions feed comes with a summary: a verdict, 5 takeaways and the spoiler, plus an Actionable tab with steps and a Lessons tab with the bigger ideas. There are thousands of meditation videos and talks on YouTube, and the summary shows which ones teach something you can use. See also how to stay present, breathwork videos on YouTube, NSDR and yoga nidra videos and how to stop overthinking.

FAQ: questions people ask

How long should a beginner meditate?

Start with one to ten minutes a day. Short and daily works better than long and rare.

What if my mind keeps wandering?

That's normal and part of the practice. Each time you notice and come back to the breath counts as a rep.

Should my eyes be open or closed?

Either works. If open, keep a soft gaze pointed slightly down.

What's the best time of day to meditate?

Whatever time you'll actually stick to. Tying it to an existing habit, like morning coffee, helps.

Do I need an app to meditate?

No. A timer and a quiet spot are enough, though guided sessions can help in the first few weeks.