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Not sure where to start with meditation? Match your personality and schedule to a style, with ideas for readers across the North Shore and Northern Beaches.

Start with yourself, not the technique

Meditation can look intimidating from the outside, as though it demands perfect posture and endless patience. In reality there are many doors in, and picking the right one is mostly about knowing yourself. Run through the profiles below and see which sounds most like you.

If you cannot sit still

Active meditation might be your match. Yoga, tai chi and qigong all join steady breathing with slow, deliberate movement. Chinese medicine tradition holds that qigong helps Qi travel freely, an idea that belongs to classical theory. Find a qualified instructor so you learn the movements well. A walk along the beach or through a reserve on the North Shore, done with full attention, is another option.

If you like clear instructions

Guided meditation gives you a script to follow. A teacher or a recording describes images or leads your attention around the body, so you never have to wonder what to do next.

If your mind is noisy

Try anchoring it with sound. Mantra practice repeats a syllable or phrase, for example "Om". Sound meditation rests on a tone, a chant or a gentle vibration. Transcendental meditation, a well-known mantra approach, is traditionally done for about 20 minutes, twice a day.

If you enjoy quiet and tradition

Seated meditation, much of it inherited from Buddhist and Zen schools, may focus on the breath, a sound or a mantra. Classic postures such as the lotus have been taught for generations to help the body settle.

If you are short on time

Make ordinary jobs your practice. Gardening, cleaning, painting, playing music or writing can all be meditative when your attention stays on the task and you enjoy it.

What you might hope to gain

People take up meditation for many reasons: to unwind, to feel steadier when life gets busy, to focus more easily, or to feel more connected with themselves and others. Results are personal and research continues. Think of meditation as a wellbeing habit that complements medical care, and talk to your GP if you have health worries.