Recently I learn meditation in order to develop my powers of concentration. What I have to say, it is vital to proceed at my own pace.
To begin with, keep things simple. There is no point in attempting difficult meditations before I am ready. It is also important to establish regularity of practice. I will not succeed in stilling the mind without it.
At first, practice for a few minutes increasing to perhaps 30 minutes each day, or at least several times each week. If I go for weeks without practice, I cannot expect to attain mental quieting. So, to make beneficial progress, meditate once a day at least three times a week. Discipline yourself to keep going. Once I begin to practice regularly, I feel the benefits.
Devote a few minutes at the start of each practice session reflecting on why I am meditating. The more clearly I establish the goal of my sessions, the stronger will be my motivation, and the higher my chances of success. Make relaxation and the calming of my mind, the immediate short-term goal of my meditation. Later, as I become more adept at the practice, I can start to get more ambitious and work on developing my concentration and determination of purpose. In the beginning aim merely to subdue the mind, stilling it, gently pushing wayward thoughts out of the way.
The place where I do my practice sessions should be somewhere quiet where I will not be disturbed for the duration of my session. It is a good idea to set aside a special room that should have a comfortable temperature level.
If I find the guidelines on posture difficult or tedious, I can simply sit cross-legged and relaxed. My mind should not be stressed by whether I have got the posture right or wrong. Better to get it slightly wrong and be relaxed than to struggle in achieving a posture that is perfectly right but full of tension. In concentration practices, success depends very much on the ability to focus in a relaxed way.
