Don't Fall for These 5 Meditation Myths
Let’s be honest, “Meditation” has a huge “IMAGE” problem
Who knew we could breathe our way to lasting peace.
As for me, this affair began many years ago.
Did you ask why? I am not too sure. Maybe I was looking for tools to handle my chaotic life better. Or perhaps I was simply looking to "actually" live more in the PRESENT instead of always being in a rush to get things done.
My doctor prescribed yoga and meditation to me many years ago. Those who suffer from any skin issues like me know that stress is a major trigger. Stress is something we all struggle with. Or at least that's what we tell ourselves. Because we assume that stress is part of life, most people have no practical way to cope with it. In order to deal with stress better and also to calm myself down, I decided to give meditation a fair chance.
In the beginning, my mind would not stop thinking. My body hurt. It felt as if I was restless and agitated. "Achieving" any kind of peace seemed impossible. But, with time and practice, I learned to be kind and patient with myself, to allow my mind to wander, and to accept that not every meditation session will end with me being in a state of absolute bliss. For me, this practice is about sitting down with myself and doing a quality check of my thoughts.
Technology has created a magical world for us. Our lives have been made easier by smartphones and the internet. The downside is that they can make our days shorter as well. After slogging through work, we spend our spare time clicking and pressing buttons until we collapse in bed wondering where the day went. Digital media often pushes down our true potential and make us wonder why we feel angry or depressed afterwards. We often complain that there is not enough time. Well, the truth is that, there is enough time for you to accomplish everything. You have just enough focus and energy for everything you need to accomplish. It comes down to how you are using those resources.
There is just one activity that I am aware of that will refund back the time that you invest into it and that is - “Daily meditation”
“Meditation takes me to a new dimension”
There are unexplored territory inside of us that has unimaginable power and magic waiting to be discovered. However, getting there may be uncomfortable.
Are you ready to place a bet on yourself?
Will you do the dirty work to know yourself better?
Have you ever considered meditation but then gave up because you felt anxious about emptying your mind?
Have you been told that you can gain the full benefits of meditation only by sitting down in a specific pose for an hour with your eyes closed?
For some people silence is something that they can't handle and hence, they feel meditation is just not the thing for them.
Meditation is misunderstood by many people. That's why I said earlier "meditation" has an image problem.
Think about this? What makes up for a bad day? On most days, when you are too focused on what can go wrong or has gone wrong in the past, you are most likely thinking about an unfortunate past event or an imaginary future event. Suddenly, your mind is filled with fearful and negative thoughts and you converted today into a bad day just by your thought alone. The opposite is also true, and that makes for a good day.
Imagine how powerful your thoughts can be if they determined the outcome of your day or your life. For a few minutes every day, wouldn't it be worthwhile to focus on the quality of your thoughts?
In this blog, I aim to address the top 5 misconceptions about meditation I hear most frequently. Perhaps this will help you remove those mental blocks and allow you to pursue this practice without fear. My life has certainly changed for the better since I started practicing meditation every morning.
Let’s get started..
MYTH 05: MEDITATION means to empty the mind
The results of a 2020 study Trusted Source suggested people typically have more than 6,000 thoughts per day. Let that sink in FIRST !
Do you ever wonder what kind of thoughts dominate our day? Your thoughts alone can determine your mood for the day. Ever wondered that thoughts in and of themselves are not the problem. It’s one’s relationship to thought that is the issue. We become lost in our thoughts. We react to them, fight with them, suppress or act them out. All of this consumes energy, fragments the mind, and can leave us exhausted.
The practice of meditation involves becoming aware of your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. It is as simple as observing our inner landscape using our breath or anything else to anchor ourselves to the present moment. In this practice, you don't empty your mind of ideas, but rather observe them.
Do you remember when you first lay on the beach watching the clouds pass by on the canvas called "sky"? Because you don't have an emotional attachment to clouds, they don't bother you. You can simply observe them as they move in peace. Meditation works similarly. The idea is to watch your thoughts come and go like clouds in the sky. In contrast, we do have emotions attached to our thoughts. We feel emotions based on the thoughts we think. It is hard to watch the thoughts come and go without becoming attached to them. However, that is also why meditation is called a practice. It gets easier to become an observer the more you practice.
MYTH 04: MEDITATION is a religious practice
It is hard to pin down when and where this practice originated from. In some form, it is found in many religions. This does not, however, make it a religious practice. The wall art found in caves in India dates back to around 5,000 BC and depicts religious believers meditating. In talking about meditation, it is impossible not to use the name "buddha.". Buddhism gave birth to a mindful exercise called dyana, which is also a form of meditation. By removing the distractions of senses, this is a form of mind training that leads to awareness. Dasho, a Japanese monk, taught zazen, a form of sitting meditation.
Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, who founded the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1979, is considered one of the most influential figures in the field of mindfulness today. As a result of his program, MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction), mindfulness practice has been brought to the attention of the public and scientific communities around the world without any religious overtones.
The term meditation can refer to a wide range of practices, from mindfulness to chants to trance states. In spite of the fact that many religions emphasize meditation and its importance, it does not have to be a religious practice. Meditation can be practiced regardless of one's religious beliefs.
MYTH 03: MEDITATION can be done in just one manner.
There is “NO” one way to MEDITATE. Yes, I mean it.
You can practice meditation sitting on a couch or chair with your feet on the floor and your back straight if that is comfortable for you. You can also do this lying down on your bed in your favorite pajamas cozy up in a warm blanket. Guess what, you can also mediate in half lotus, full lotus or quarter lotus positions. It is true that having relaxed shoulders and a straight spine contributes to mental clarity. And this strong connection between the body and mind has now also been validated by science. In saying that, when it comes to the best meditation position, there is no single solution that fits all. A posture isn't better than another.
Meditation in motion is another great way to add mindfulness to your daily walk or run if you don't like to sit still for a long period of time. If you are not a fan of closing your eyes, you can meditate with your eyes open on the beach with your favorite beverage. Let nature do it’s magic while you watch the waves crash. Meditation can be done in many ways. Take time to discover what works best for you by trying different way. My absolute favorite meditation is “beach meditation”. Moreover, it is perfectly normal to try different approaches on different days to keep the affair interesting.
MYTH 02: MEDITATION can be done only at “4 a.m.” each morning
“NO” ! You don’t have to sit down facing North east at 4 a.m. every morning to practice meditation. Feel free to add meditation to your morning routine if you are a morning person like me. My point is simply that you aren't required to. You can absolutely meditate in the evening or during a midday break if you struggle to rise early. It won't make the experience any less powerful or take anything away. As discussed earlier, Meditation can be practiced in many ways and at different times. You can also add it to your favorite daily activity like a morning coffee or evening walk. Enjoy 10 mindful minutes with your favorite cup of coffee each morning or take your dog on a mindful walk. Make sure the timing works for you so that you can practice every day. Mindfulness is about being present in the moment and being aware of your thoughts. It is very normal for your mind to wander to the past or the future from time to time. Be patient with yourself and gently bring it back to the present. Because we have practiced being distracted for so long, we are good at it. Similarly with practice, you will get better at being mindful too. And the interrupting thoughts will gradually diminish. The best advice I can give here is to set aside a time and place each day to meditate (no matter how long or short it is). It is helpful for habit formation.
MYTH 01: MEDITATION create a state of BLISS
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it's not all rainbows and unicorns here.
While occasionally this is true, for most of us meditation is challenging. Not everyone who meditates daily is happy all the time. We may be surprised by how busy our minds are when we stop and pay attention. We may also encounter challenging emotions such as sadness, grief, and loneliness when we take the time to focus on what's going on within us. Daily practice of meditation puts us in touch with the entirety of our experience, and that includes the full spectrum of emotions - the good, the bad, the ugly !
We often spend our entire lives ignoring the difficult thoughts. We live in a world of endless supply of digital media at our fingertips and it has become easier than ever before to get lost in the process. Booze or food addiction is another way to keep the mind distracted and not ask yourself the difficult questions. Meditation is about shining the torch of awareness into our minds full of thoughts and paying attention to our negative thoughts and to let them know that our mind is not their home.
If you have managed to get this far, I would like to take a moment to say “Thank you very much” for visiting my page. You seem to be the type of person who is seeking ways to incorporate more mindfulness into their lives. I hope this blog helps you start your own affair with meditation and I hope it brings a positive change in your life. The best advice I can give you is to be patient with your meditation journey. Mediation isn't about becoming the best neditator in the world, but it’s about understanding your own depths. Here is a FREE 7 Day - Mindfulness Guide, all you have to do is leave your details below and I will take care of the rest. This will give you a taste of different forms of mindfulness practices and in the end of 7 days, you can decide what works the best for you.
I wish you continue to learn and grow and handle our thoughts and internal world more adeptly.
