How Do I Know If I Am Meditating Correctly? 5 Signs

Whether you’re new to meditating or you’ve been doing it for years, you’re not the first person to ask themselves – “How do I know if I am meditating correctly?”

Meditation is one of the most solitary things we can do. We are literally alone in a quiet, comfortable position, training our minds to achieve a calm and stable state.

So, it’s hard to know just how well it’s going, right?

I know I’ve questioned my technique and progress before.

I’m fortunate enough to have been meditating for many years at this point. I’m able to look back and see the improvements I made, and I’ve discussed meditation techniques with hundreds of people.

If you’re looking for reassurance that you’re meditating correctly, here are some of the things you should be improving on:

You’re Able to Relax and Free Your Thoughts

One of the hardest things to get to grips with when you first start meditating is the ability to slow your pace from all the stresses around you and relax.

I still find it challenging sometimes to stop thinking about certain things that have happened recently that are on my mind while I’m meditating.

If you are able to reach that state of mind, whether it’s every time you meditate or just sometimes, you’re meditating correctly.

If you’re not able to clear your mind and focus only on the object, word, or activity in your meditation, you’ll get there. It takes practice and is often the hardest part of meditation.

You Lose Yourself in the Moment

One of the most wonderfully profound things about meditation is when you start to realize that you’re losing yourself in the moment.

That’s a sign that you’re truly engaging your mind with your subconscious. You’re no longer aware of what’s around you, where you are, how long you’ve been meditating, and so on.

I often use guided meditation tracks. They can vary from 10 to 60 minutes depending on how long I have, yet neither feels any different in duration when I’m finished.

When you’re new to meditating you’ll notice this happening in smaller chunks. Like, a few minutes of your session past effortlessly. Over time you’ll “lose” yourself for longer periods.

You Have a Heightened State of Awareness

This is another of the profound benefits that come with meditation. If you’ve noticed any kind of heightened awareness or senses, you know you’re meditating correctly.

This could mean:

• Hearing distant sounds, and while you shouldn’t focus on those sounds during meditation you’ll think about them later.
• Being more sensitive to smells.
• Hearing your heartbeat or breathing louder than you have before. You might be aware of the sound your heart makes beating in your chest.
• Becoming aware of feelings in parts of your body you’ve not noticed before. Such as little muscle spasms or even the blood pumping around your body.

Some of these things will last after you’ve finished meditating too. You might even feel a little light-headed or “fuzzy” headed afterward.

You Are Seeing Colors or Images

Seeing images and colors doesn’t often happen unless you’ve been meditating for a long time.

It’s hard to say how long, but if you haven’t had a vision it doesn’t mean you’re not meditating correctly.

If you have seen some kind of imagery, then you know you’re doing it right. I’ve written some articles about my experiences seeing a vortex and seeing the colors purple and blue while meditating before.

This was what really took my meditation to the next level. I’ve since been able to engage with different images and colors through meditation, and it’s helped improve my health and wellness in a number of ways.

Related – Seeing a baby while meditating? Here’s what it means.

You Feel More Relaxed, Calm, and Focused in General

The previous points were all related to how you feel while meditating. I have to add some comments around how you feel in your day-to-day life as a result of meditating too.

If you’re meditating correctly, you’re going to see, feel, and experience the benefits in your everyday life.

After all, that’s why we meditate.

Exactly how someone should feel is very personal and will vary from person to person. But, you will notice a change if you’re meditating correctly.

If you have your own reasons, such as trying to become calmer, reduce stress, or make a spiritual connection, you should be able to recognize if you’re achieving these things.

In Summary

It’s normal to question if you’re meditating correctly or achieving the results you want from your meditation sessions.

The best advice is not to overthink it – after all, that’s a big part of meditating – you’ll see and feel the effects if you’re meditating correctly.

It takes time, patience, and practice. For best results, experiment with different types of meditation, put aside a little more time each day, and most importantly, stick to a routine.