Im so glad to see you are learning about meditation!
One thing I have been told by experts is its important to ground yourself before you go really deep within.
By this I mean, when you first close your eyes and breath deeply imagine your are connected to the earth and her life force you are a part of the earth, so focus on being grounded to this planet for the fist few mins. This will ensure you wont let negative energy into your body while your mind is off somewhere else. Also meditating out side is the best, if its nice out where you live that is.
Good luck! and remember don't be afraid, there is nothing to fear, it's just you out there.

Heres a step by step guide to my favorite form of meditation taught by an energy healer here where I live. It's called Kriya yoga, and I've had some very powerful actual VISIONS from it.

1. The position is laying down flat on your back, comfotably. Place your hands whereever comfortably.

2. Get to a state of physical relaxation, when muscles are not relaxed they are a distraction. To do this, I like to start from my toes and tense it as HARD as I can while breathing in; then hold; then breath out while simultaneously releasing the muscle. Start from your toes and move all the way up to your neck. Even muscles you can't "tense" up, imagine you are still tensing and releasing.

3. After you're totally physically relaxed, develop the Kriya yoga breathing pattern. This is the most important part, because breath is what puts your mind and body in a trance state.

a. Breath in deeply and deliberately with your nose.
b. make sure you're breathing with your STOMACH, not your chest. Your stomach should be going up and down with each breath, not your chest. This takes practice, but after a while it becomes natural.
c. let the air "fall" out of your mouth. Like, don't breath out, let the breath fall out.
d. repeat.

4. So, what if you have trouble "clearing your mind"? They key is don't try so hard! Allow the thought to come in and out. What I do is recognize I'm thinking a certain thought, ACKNOWLEDGE it, solve the thought, then let it pass. For example, if you're worried about a test you have the next day, let the thought of the test cross your mind, then decide consciously that you'll study in a couple hours, then let the worry pass. Acknowledge, solve, let it go.

5. With this meditation you'll start to be having memories, and you may find these memories turn into a dreamlike vision, that's what always happens to me.

good luck! There are many types of meditation but this kind has always helped me the most

Meditation rocks. Just a quick scroll on google reveals it actually does "expand your mind" in a literal way, litereally increasing the density of gray matter in certain areas of the brain, and increasing the thickness of the neocortex (among a lot of other things!)

Zeta, a star and flag for starting this thread, and thanks to all who have posted comments, so much great information.

I find meditation to be very relaxing and insightful at the same time. When I teach my yoga students to meditate for the first time I ask them to focus on the breathing. Inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the nose, allowing the belly to rise on the inhalation and fall on the exhalation. As the breathing slows down the length of the inhales and exhales increases. I do not suggest they empty their minds as that seems to distract them from relaxing. If a thought pops into their mind, I tell them to acknowledge it and allow it to drift away like cloud. No one becomes good at it the first time and most can only sit still for short periods of time.

It is best to find a comfortable position sitting or lying down and as was already suggested try to relax the muscles. Yoga classes help to do this as you are working the body prior to meditating at the close of the class. We usually lie in Savasana or "corpse" pose to let the body just release all tension.

It is best not to have any expectation of what meditating is going to do for you, just let it happen. I find that most students who are new to the practice will fall asleep before they arrive into a trance-like state. This is good because it proves that you can relax. If you are worried that something may happen while meditating, obtain a piece of Hematite, this is a grey, shiny stone that has grounding properties (can be found in most health food stores or at metaphysical shops). It also protects the user from negative energies and provides a point of reference during astral traveling. It can be held in the hand or placed on or near the body, acknowledge it as an anchor for your practice.

I find there is no right or wrong way to begin, learning to relax the body is probably the hardest part. Once you can be comfortable in one position the other aspects will fall into place for you. Meditation, like sleep, allows the body to rejuvenate and heal itself (and as Jerk_Idiot stated you will feel as though you've had a nap). Give it some time, it only gets better with practice. Enjoy the journey, its well worth the trip.

Namaste,
YogaGinns

Originally posted by ZetaExplorer15
I tried it 2 nights ago for 15 minutes. It felt like I was out for 5 minutes only, other than time going fast, nothing else really happened, but I am going to try it again tonight.

Zeta, this is a good start. Some people meditate for years before feeling anything more than a sense of deep relaxation at the end of the session. If it was easy everyone would be doing it.

Don't give up on it, find a method that feels good and stick with it. It may help to develop a ritual like meditating at the same time and place each day. Ring a bell as you begin or light some incense. I like using meditation beads, and often just holding them is enough to relax my whole body. Be open to suggestions and find what is right for you, then stick with it. It will come to you in its own time.

Namaste,
YogaGinns

Thanks for all the great advice and replies! I tried it again the last two nights in a row and, once again, time just goes fast, and nothing. But I am starting to get use to accepting the darkness and relaxing. Thanks again!

*my generic meditation recommendation post....*

Ok
You will need some visual aids as well as physical cues.

first you should go to a park and find two pointed rocks. About the size of a mouse. You should also get some ants from a pet store, about 50-100. If they are red, then better.

Place the rocks under each butt cheek and sit Indian style. Next take some pure lemon juice and place it into a large bowl in front of you. Without blinking stare at one point on the wall. Then take two fingers and dip them into the lemon juice, then carefully, rub it into your eyes.

Next imagine that there are ants all over your legs, when you have that image, take the ants you bought and pour the bag onto your legs. Remain still and just feel them walking. Focus again on the point on the wall you were looking at without blinking and imagine that there is a fly buzzing just out of your peripheral vision.

If you can, get some flies from the pet store as well and let them loose at this point.

Now this is the most important part. Rock yourself back and forth on the rocks you got. While doing this you have to scream the lyrics of any Pantera song you chose beforehand. You might like '*snipping* Hostile', but Highway to hell by ACDC can be effective.

Now when you have done this for about 3 minutes, lean as much as possible onto the stones, and stick your tongue out and bite down hard.

hold it. Do so for about 10 minutes without letting up.

When you are done with all these exercises I recommend a cool down period to let all the relaxation sit in.

Go to the bathtub, and put the water on the coldest setting. If you have any spare ice now would be the time. Jump in, don't test it, that ruins the harmony you have achieved.

sit until the ice melts. All of it.

Then get out but don't dry yourself and don't get dressed. If possible go outside and run a little.

That should be it. You are now in a state of Zen.

OR

Just find something comfortable and do that. We are all different and sometimes we can meditate while sweeping, or gardening, or running. Do what makes you feel natural and good. Focus on that mentally, and expand. That is meditation as well.