Anyone got any tips for better meditation?

Maybe lavender will help, Bizzie? If you dress the candle with lavender oil and use lavender incense... maybe even drink a cup of lavender tea prior to attempting your meditation, this will help you concentrate. Also, your breathing exercises... when you do them, focus on the candle flame, and deep breaths of lavender scent will help you to switch off an overactive mind, I'm sure. Maybe even a walk in the countryside before going back home to prepare, concentrating on certain aspects of nature, and closing your mind to all other things going on around, like cars and other people. It helps to condition the mind. Try these, and if you don't find them helpful, contact me... I have a friend who's very learned in the meditation area, and whom I might be able to glean some ideas from. Brightest Blessings.

I don't know if it will work for you, but in my case usually I need a quite place, slow breathing and favorite music plus aromatic candles if there are any in the house. This way, my cat could jump around making mess everywhere and I wouldn't be interrupted :)

There is a lot going on in my life too at the moment and I tried to meditate but someone shouted outside or the phone rang , try sitting with your feet up and breath in on the count of 7 and breath out on the count of 11 , this really does help and you are busy counting so you are not just as easily distracted ' hope it helps take care xx

I am terrible with sitting on my butt and going om but I do a standing meditation called ZHANG ZUANG qi gong..YOU CAN GET A BOOK ON IT, THOUGH i GO FOR CLASSES. iT NOT ONLY STILLS THE MIND BUT MAKES THE BODY GROW STRONGER AND QI GONG IS A MOVING MEDITATION. I think if you can find a qi gong class near you please go..or pm me , maybe I can find one for you..Good luck.

When I started meditating it was really hard to concentrate to. All I could think of was the things that were going on in my life. Later, I went to a meditation temple and they told me to only concentrate on my breathing, and if it was still too hard to concentrate, i should just start counting. Not like 1, 2, 3.... 100, but 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2,... In other words, things that will keep you away from thinking about your daily events. As time passes, you will find it much easier to not think about stuff. It just takes a lot of practice.

I'm no real meditation expert but I have dabbled. I always think that sitting in silence isn't helping to develop the mind because it is concentrating on detatching itself from nothing. My theory aside try having a quite sound in the background like a chiming bell and try to concentrate on it until you can't hear it anymore. Hope I could help.

part of the development of meditation skills is being able to focus on meditating whilst simultaniously clearing our mind . It honestly just takes practice best of luck blessed be

Hi Bizziebod, It is extremely difficult for you at this time as it sounds like you have far too much on your mind for you to be able to meditate, and especially as you say tht you have a bit of a health battle coming up which will not go away until you have dealt with that, as your mind is overactive at this time. I do think that it is best for you to try a few yoga videos as this could be helpful.

I really wish i could give you some good advice,but everytime i try to meditate,my mind starts wondering from one thing to another,and i have a hard time even trying..Hopefully someone can be of more help to you that I.Good luck ...........

You can alternately try slow deep breathing and concentrate only on it. It worked out for me.