Wellness with Anand

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about meditation?

What is the first feeling that arises when you think about meditation? For some of you, it may be anticipation or a feeling of relaxation. For some of you, it may be fear or avoidance because meditation is for other people.

I’m Anand Quinn, an emotional wellness and embodiment coach based in Tuamgraney, Co Clare, Ireland, and I’ve been facilitating meditations for over ten years. But my relationship with meditation didn’t start with confidence or ease—it started with massive resistance.

When Meditation Feels Alien

When I first started meditating, it began with just a couple of minutes of watching my breath, and for someone who never wanted to look inside, let alone slow down, it was alien and scary. I still sometimes find it scary going within.

But here’s what I’ve learned: meditation isn’t about reaching a permanent state of peace. It’s about being present with whatever arises in the moment whether it is fear, bliss, irritation, or total silence.

The Truth About Meditation: It Changes

My own experience of meditation is that it changes all the time, and it is an ongoing process. I have been meditating regularly for over ten years, and while it is many things, meditation is never boring.

Some days, meditation brings profound stillness. Other days, my mind races the entire time. Sometimes I feel expansive and connected. Other times I’m restless and counting the minutes until it’s over.

I have felt bored, but the meditation process itself is not boring. I always get something from it—even when that “something” is simply the awareness that I’m resisting being present.

This is important to understand, especially if you’re new to meditation. You don’t need to achieve anything. You don’t need to clear your mind or reach enlightenment. You just need to show up each time and notice what’s there.

A Simple Practice to Begin

If you are unsure of where to start with meditating, I invite you to sit in a comfortable chair and watch the breath going in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Set a timer for three minutes and notice how you are before you begin this exercise, and how you are three minutes later.

That’s it. No special cushion required. No perfect posture. No need to sit cross-legged on the floor. Just you, a chair, your breath, and three minutes.

What you might notice:

• Your mind wanders all over the place (this is normal)
• You feel more settled afterward, even if it felt chaotic during the meditation
• You notice tension in the body that you didn’t know you were carrying
• Three minutes feels surprisingly long (or surprisingly short)

The point isn’t to do it “right.” The point is simply to do it and notice what happens.

Going Deeper Into Practice

Enjoy your cup of meditation, and if you are curious to expand on this, I share 112 meditation techniques from the Osho Book of Secrets on YouTube that you can try in your journey of meditation.

These techniques use every aspect of daily life as a springboard into meditation from using the breath, sound, sight, travelling in a vehicle, looking at the sky, before going to sleep and so much more. Find one that you resonate with and try it for three days. If it clicks, try it for three months.

I also work with individuals who want personalised meditation support. You can book me for a bespoke meditation programme that would suit your specific needs, whether you’re brand new to meditation, struggling to maintain consistency, or ready to deepen an existing practice.

Reflection Questions

• What comes up for you when you think about meditation? Excitement? Resistance? Curiosity?
• If you tried the three-minute breath exercise, what did you notice before and after?
• What would change if you stopped trying to “do meditation right” and simply allowed yourself to be present?

Resources & Related Content

If you found this helpful, you might also enjoy:

• Discover Your Meditation Style – Take my free quiz to find which meditation approach suits your personality
• Meditation on Insight Timer – Free nature meditations you can practice today
• OSHO Book of Secrets on YouTube – 112 meditation techniques to explore

Want personalised meditation support?

If you’re curious about developing a meditation practice tailored to your needs, or if you’d like to integrate meditation into emotional wellness work, book a free 60-minute Insight Call to explore how we might work together.

You can also explore my meditation facilitation services or learn about emotional wellness coaching which integrates meditation with somatic practices and coaching.

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What’s your relationship with meditation like? I’d love to hear from you—leave a comment below or reach out at info@wellnesswithanand.com.