What do you think about when meditating? This question pops up constantly, and honestly, it’s one of the most misunderstood aspects of meditation. You’re not alone if you’ve sat down to meditate and wondered whether your mind should be completely blank or if you’re “doing it wrong” when thoughts keep flooding in.
The truth is, meditation isn’t about turning off your brain like a light switch. Your mind will wander—that’s completely normal and expected. What matters is how you relate to those thoughts and what you choose to focus on during your practice. Think of it like training a friendly but excitable puppy; you’re not trying to stop it from being a dog, you’re just teaching it where to direct its energy.
Let’s dive into what actually happens in your mind during meditation and explore the many different things you can focus on to create a meaningful practice that works for you.
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Understanding the Nature of Thoughts in Meditation
Here’s something that might surprise you: thoughts appearing during meditation isn’t a bug—it’s a feature. Your brain produces around 60,000 thoughts per day, so expecting them to suddenly stop when you sit down to meditate is like expecting your heart to stop beating.
The real magic happens when you learn the difference between thinking and meditating. When you’re thinking, you’re actively engaging with your thoughts, following them down rabbit holes, making plans, or rehashing conversations. When you’re meditating, you’re stepping back and becoming the observer of your thoughts rather than getting caught up in them.
Imagine you’re sitting by a river watching leaves float by. The leaves are your thoughts—you can see them, acknowledge them, but you don’t need to jump in the water and chase after each one. This observer perspective, sometimes called the “watcher,” is what meditation helps you develop.
This shift in perspective is profound. Instead of being in your thoughts, you learn to be aware of your thoughts. It’s like the difference between being an actor in a play and being the audience member watching the performance.
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What to Focus on During Meditation: Core Approaches
Now that we’ve established that your mind will produce thoughts (and that’s okay), let’s talk about what you can actually focus on during meditation. Think of these as different channels you can tune into.
Focusing on the Breath
This is the classic meditation anchor, and there’s a good reason it’s so popular. Your breath is always with you, it’s happening in the present moment, and it gives your mind something concrete to focus on.
You don’t need to change your breathing—just notice it. Feel the air entering your nostrils, the pause between inhale and exhale, the gentle expansion of your chest or belly. Some people like counting breaths (inhale 1, exhale 2, up to 10, then start over), while others prefer simply feeling the physical sensations.
Body Scan Meditation
This involves slowly moving your attention through different parts of your body, from your toes all the way up to the top of your head. You’re not trying to change anything, just noticing what’s there—tension, warmth, tingling, or nothing at all.
Body scans are particularly helpful if you tend to live in your head a lot. They help you reconnect with physical sensations and can be incredibly relaxing.
Present-Moment Awareness
This is about opening your awareness to whatever is happening right now. Maybe it’s sounds around you, the feeling of your clothes against your skin, or the temperature of the air. You’re not focusing on one specific thing but rather resting in open awareness of the present moment.
Mantras and Affirmations
A mantra is a word or phrase you repeat silently to yourself. It could be something traditional like “Om” or “So Hum,” or something more personal like “I am peaceful” or “This too shall pass.” The repetition gives your mind something to anchor on.
Visualization Techniques
Some people find it helpful to visualize peaceful scenes—a beach, a forest, or even imagining light flowing through their body. You’re using your imagination intentionally rather than letting it run wild with random thoughts.
Loving-Kindness and Gratitude
These practices involve deliberately cultivating positive emotions. You might send loving thoughts to yourself, loved ones, or even difficult people in your life. Or you could focus on things you’re grateful for, really feeling the appreciation in your body.
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Common Meditation Themes and Ideas to Focus On
Sometimes it helps to have specific themes or concepts to focus on during meditation. Here are some popular ones that many people find meaningful:
Compassion and Empathy: You might spend time sending kind thoughts to yourself and others, or reflecting on our shared human experience of joy and suffering.
Gratitude and Appreciation: Bringing to mind things you’re thankful for—not just listing them mentally, but really feeling the warmth and appreciation in your heart.
Forgiveness and Letting Go: This doesn’t mean you have to forgive everyone immediately, but you can explore what it might feel like to release resentment or anger that’s been weighing you down.
Abstract Concepts: Some people like to contemplate ideas like love, peace, or interconnectedness. What does love feel like in your body? What would inner peace look like if it had a color or texture?
Mental Imagery: Creating peaceful or meaningful images in your mind—a safe place, a protective light around you, or even abstract colors and shapes that feel calming.
The beauty of these themes is that they can evolve based on what you need. Feeling stressed? Focus on peace. Going through a difficult time? Compassion might be your theme. Having relationship issues? You might explore forgiveness or loving-kindness.
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The Practice of Observing Thoughts
Let’s get practical about what to do when thoughts arise during meditation. Spoiler alert: they will arise, probably within the first 30 seconds of sitting down.
Think of your thoughts like clouds passing through the sky. The sky (your awareness) remains unchanged whether there are fluffy white clouds, dark storm clouds, or no clouds at all. You’re learning to be the sky, not the clouds.
When you notice your mind has wandered off to your grocery list or that awkward conversation from last week, don’t panic. That moment of noticing—that’s actually the good stuff. That’s your mindfulness in action. You’ve just become aware that you were lost in thought, and now you can gently guide your attention back to your chosen focus.
Here’s the key: be gentle about it. Don’t scold yourself or think you’ve failed. Would you yell at a puppy for being energetic? Your mind is just doing what minds do. A soft, kind “oh, there’s thinking” followed by a gentle return to your breath (or whatever you’re focusing on) is all you need.
The more you practice this gentle returning, the stronger your mindfulness muscle becomes. You start to notice thoughts more quickly, and eventually, you might catch them before they carry you away entirely.
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Techniques to Calm and Manage Thoughts
Creating the right environment can make a huge difference in your meditation experience. You don’t need a perfect zen garden, but a few simple adjustments can help your mind settle more easily.
Environment Matters: Find a quiet spot where you won’t be interrupted. Turn off your phone or put it in another room. Some people prefer complete silence, while others find gentle background music or nature sounds helpful. Experiment to see what works for you.
Start Small: If you’re new to meditation, don’t jump into hour-long sessions. Start with 5-10 minutes. It’s much better to meditate for 5 minutes consistently than to attempt 30 minutes and give up after a few days.
Position Yourself Comfortably: You can sit in a chair, on a cushion, or even lie down (though you might fall asleep). The important thing is that you’re comfortable enough not to be distracted by physical discomfort.
Use the RAIN Technique: When challenging thoughts or emotions arise, try this approach:
- Recognize what’s happening
- Allow it to be there without fighting it
- Investigate with kindness—how does this feel in your body?
- Natural awareness—let it be there without needing to fix or change it
Be Patient with Yourself: Some days your mind will feel like a calm lake, other days like a washing machine on spin cycle. Both are normal. Meditation isn’t about having perfect sessions—it’s about showing up and practicing awareness, whatever your mental state.
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Advanced Practices and Variations
Once you’ve established a basic meditation routine, you might want to explore some deeper practices or variations.
Resting in Open Awareness: This is sometimes called “choiceless awareness” or “Big Mind” practice. Instead of focusing on one specific thing, you open your awareness to everything—thoughts, sounds, sensations—without getting caught up in any of it. It’s like being a vast, spacious sky that can hold any weather.
Customizing Your Practice: Your meditation can and should evolve based on your needs. Feeling anxious? Focus on calming breath techniques. Going through grief? Loving-kindness toward yourself might be most helpful. Dealing with anger? You might explore forgiveness practices.
Exploring Different Styles: There’s no rule that says you have to stick to one type of meditation forever. Some days you might do a body scan, other days you might work with mantras, and sometimes you might just sit in open awareness. Think of it like having different tools in a toolkit—use what serves you in the moment.
Working with Difficult Emotions: As your practice deepens, you might encounter strong emotions or memories. This is normal and can actually be healing. The key is to approach these experiences with the same gentle awareness you bring to wandering thoughts. If something feels too overwhelming, it’s perfectly okay to open your eyes and ground yourself.
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Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them
Let’s address some of the most common hurdles people face in meditation and how to work with them skillfully.
“I Can’t Stop Thinking”: This is probably the number one complaint about meditation. Remember, you’re not supposed to stop thinking completely. The goal is to change your relationship with your thoughts. Every time you notice you’ve been thinking and return to your focus, you’re succeeding, not failing.
Restlessness and Fidgeting: Some days your body feels like it needs to move. That’s okay. You can do walking meditation, try some gentle stretching before sitting, or simply acknowledge the restlessness without judgment.
Falling Asleep: If you consistently fall asleep during meditation, you might need more sleep in general, or you could try meditating at a different time of day when you’re more alert. You can also try sitting up straighter or meditating with your eyes slightly open.
Expecting Instant Results: Meditation is like going to the gym for your mind. You wouldn’t expect to bench press 200 pounds on your first day, and you shouldn’t expect your mind to be perfectly calm after your first meditation session. The benefits build gradually over time.
Judging Your Experience: There’s no such thing as a “bad” meditation session. Noticing that your mind was busy is valuable information, not a failure. Every session is practice, regardless of how it feels.
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Scientific Insights and Benefits
The research on meditation is pretty impressive, and understanding the science can help motivate your practice on days when it feels challenging.
Studies using brain imaging have shown that regular meditation literally changes the structure of your brain. The areas associated with attention, emotional regulation, and self-awareness tend to become more developed, while the amygdala (your brain’s alarm system) becomes less reactive.
Here’s what the research tells us about different meditation focuses:
| Focus Type | Primary Benefits | Brain Changes |
|---|---|---|
| Breath Awareness | Reduced anxiety, improved attention | Strengthened prefrontal cortex |
| Loving-Kindness | Increased empathy, reduced implicit bias | Enhanced compassion networks |
| Body Scan | Better pain management, relaxation | Improved body awareness regions |
| Open Awareness | Greater cognitive flexibility | Increased default mode network regulation |
Stress Reduction: Multiple studies have shown that regular meditation can reduce cortisol (stress hormone) levels by up to 25%. That’s significant enough to impact your physical health, not just how you feel mentally.
Attention and Focus: Research from Harvard and other institutions shows that just 8 weeks of regular meditation can improve sustained attention and reduce mind-wandering by measurable amounts.
Emotional Regulation: Brain scans of long-term meditators show increased activity in areas associated with emotional balance and decreased reactivity to stressful stimuli.
Sleep Quality: Studies have found that people who meditate regularly fall asleep faster and report better sleep quality, likely due to reduced rumination and anxiety.
The beautiful thing about these benefits is that they tend to spill over into daily life. You’re not just becoming a better meditator—you’re developing skills that help you handle stress, relationships, and challenges more skillfully.
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Practical Tips for Beginners
Starting a meditation practice can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some practical tips to help you establish a sustainable practice:
Start Ridiculously Small: Seriously, start with 3-5 minutes. Your brain is more likely to cooperate if it doesn’t feel like you’re asking too much of it. You can always sit longer if you feel like it, but starting small removes the pressure.
Same Time, Same Place: Try to meditate at the same time each day, even if it’s just for a few minutes. This helps establish the habit. Many people find morning works well because the mind tends to be a bit quieter then.
Experiment with Different Approaches: Don’t get stuck thinking there’s only one “right” way to meditate. Try focusing on your breath one day, doing a body scan the next, and maybe working with loving-kindness after that. See what resonates with you.
Use Apps or Guided Meditations: There’s no shame in using guided meditations, especially when you’re starting out. They can provide structure and help you learn different techniques.
Track Your Practice: You don’t need to track every detail, but noting when you meditated (even for a minute) can help you see your progress and maintain motivation.
Be Kind to Yourself: This might be the most important tip. Meditation is called a practice for a reason—you’re learning a skill. Some days will feel easier than others, and that’s completely normal.
Don’t Overthink It: You don’t need special cushions, expensive courses, or perfect conditions. You can meditate in a chair, on your bed, or even on a park bench. The most important thing is just showing up.
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Building Your Personal Meditation Style
As you develop your practice, you’ll likely find that certain approaches resonate more than others. This is perfectly normal and something to embrace rather than worry about.
Maybe you discover that you love working with mantras but body scans make you antsy. Or perhaps you find that gratitude meditation feels natural while visualization seems forced. There’s no medal for being able to do every type of meditation—the best practice is the one you’ll actually do consistently.
Your meditation style might also change based on what’s happening in your life. During stressful periods, you might gravitate toward calming breath practices. When you’re feeling disconnected, loving-kindness meditation might feel more appealing. Going through major life changes? You might find that sitting in open awareness helps you stay grounded while everything else feels uncertain.
Some days you might want structure—counting breaths or following a guided meditation. Other days, you might prefer to just sit quietly and see what happens. Both approaches are valuable, and learning to sense what you need in the moment is part of developing mindfulness.
The goal isn’t to become a meditation master who can sit in perfect stillness for hours. The goal is to develop a friendly, curious relationship with your own mind and to cultivate the ability to be present with whatever life brings you.
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Conclusion
So, what should you think about when meditating? The answer is beautifully simple: whatever serves your practice in the moment. Your breath, your body, a mantra, loving thoughts, or simply the spacious awareness that can hold it all.
The most important thing to remember is that there’s no perfect way to meditate. Your mind will wander, you’ll have days when sitting still feels impossible, and sometimes you’ll question whether you’re doing it “right.” All of this is not only normal—it’s the actual practice.
Meditation isn’t about achieving some blissful state where thoughts never arise. It’s about developing a different relationship with your thoughts, emotions, and experiences. It’s about cultivating the ability to be present with life as it is, not as you think it should be.
Every time you notice your mind has wandered and gently return to your chosen focus, you’re strengthening your mindfulness. Every moment of awareness—whether it’s peaceful or chaotic—is valuable practice. Every session, regardless of how it feels, is contributing to your overall well-being and resilience.
The journey of meditation is deeply personal, and what works for others might not work for you. That’s not a problem to be solved—it’s an invitation to explore, experiment, and discover what supports your own awakening to the present moment.
Be patient with yourself, stay curious about your experience, and remember that the best meditation practice is the one you’ll actually do. Whether that’s three minutes of breath awareness or twenty minutes of loving-kindness, what matters most is showing up consistently with an open heart and a willingness to be present with whatever arises.
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Your meditation practice is a gift you give yourself—a few minutes each day to step out of the constant doing and into simple being. In a world that often demands our constant attention and action, this practice of presence becomes not just personally beneficial, but radically transformative.