Learn How Foundation · 60-second quiz

Which meditation should you start with?

Answer six short questions and we’ll suggest one practice that fits your day. You’ll see your result right away. No sign-up needed.

Your starting point:

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Your starting practice

Evening wind-down

Your answers point to the evening. A short wind-down practice helps you put the day down before bed.

  1. Turn the light off and put the phone out of reach. Lie on your back.
  2. Let each out-breath be a little longer than the in-breath.
  3. Count ten slow breaths. If you lose count, start again at one, without judging yourself.
  4. Then let the counting go and just feel your body resting on the bed.

Try it tonight and every evening this week. If poor sleep continues, talk to a doctor.

More on this: sleep meditation for calmer nights

Your starting practice

Three-breath pause

You told us the day often feels tense. The simplest place to start is a pause you can take anywhere, many times a day.

  1. Stop what you are doing and feel both feet on the floor.
  2. Take three slow breaths, letting each out-breath be a little longer.
  3. Quietly name what you notice: “tight shoulders”, “busy mind”, “tired”.
  4. Go back to what you were doing.

Do it three times today: in the morning, after lunch and in the evening.

More on this: meditation for stress

Your starting practice

Breath counting

You want steadier attention. Counting breaths is a classic way to train it.

  1. Sit upright on a chair with your feet flat. Set a timer for 5 to 10 minutes.
  2. Count each out-breath from one to ten, then start again at one.
  3. When you notice you’ve lost count, simply start again at one.
  4. Noticing that you drifted is not a failure. It is the exercise.

The same time each day works best, for example right before you start work.

More on this: making meditation a daily habit

Your starting practice

Five-minute breath meditation

You’re at the start, and that’s a good place to be. Begin with five minutes and one simple instruction.

  1. Sit comfortably on a chair or a cushion. Set a timer for five minutes.
  2. Rest your attention on the breath, at the nose or at the belly.
  3. When the mind wanders, and it will, notice where it went and gently come back to the breath.
  4. When the timer ends, take a moment before you get up.

Five minutes a day for a week teaches more than one long session.

More on this: how to meditate, step by step

Your starting practice

Body sensations practice

You’re ready for a longer, traditional practice. Vipassana starts with the breath and then turns to sensations in the body.

  1. Sit with your back upright for 15 to 20 minutes.
  2. For the first few minutes, feel the breath where it touches the nostrils.
  3. Then move your attention slowly from the top of the head down to the toes, noticing any sensation as it is.
  4. Don’t try to change what you feel. Pleasant or unpleasant, watch it with a calm, balanced mind.

Sit at the same time every day. Consistency matters more than length.

More on this: learn Vipassana meditation

How this quiz works

There are no right or wrong answers. The quiz looks at three things: what you want from meditation, how much time you have, and when you’re most likely to practise. Then it suggests one practice to start with. Starting with one practice is easier than trying five at once, and it gives you a clear first step for today.

Five starting points

  • Evening wind-down — for people who want to put the day down before bed: a few minutes of slow breathing in bed, with the light off.
  • Three-breath pause — for busy days that feel tense: a pause you can take at your desk, in a queue or before a difficult conversation.
  • Breath counting — for people who want steadier attention: five to ten minutes of counting breaths, starting over whenever you lose count.
  • Five-minute breath meditation — for complete beginners: one instruction, five minutes, every day for a week.
  • Body sensations practice — for people who already sit regularly and want a deeper, traditional method based on Vipassana.

What happens after the quiz

You’ll see your practice with simple written steps. If you like, leave your email and we’ll send you our free 7-day plan as a PDF, with one short written practice for each day, plus a few short emails to help you keep going. You can unsubscribe with one click.

Tips for your first week

Pick a fixed moment for your practice, such as after brushing your teeth or before you open your laptop, so you don’t have to decide every day. Keep it short at first. If you miss a day, simply start again the next day. And don’t judge a session by how calm it felt: noticing a busy mind is part of the practice.

A note on safety

Meditation is an attention practice, not a medical treatment. If you’re dealing with a health problem, ongoing poor sleep or strong anxiety, please talk to a doctor or another qualified professional. Learn How Foundation is a non-profit that writes its own practical guides, and this quiz is free.