Meditation has been lauded by scientists and spiritualists alike as a practice with countless benefits for body and mind - to improved immunity, reduced stress, more harmonious relationships and better work performance to name a few. Unfortunately though, there are quite a few myths and misconception around meditation that can be off-putting and downright confusing to new and wannabe meditators. In this article I'm going to bust these myths for you one by one..
Misconception 1: "I Tried It Once And It Didn't Work"
Perhaps you have tried meditation once in a yoga class, meditation workshop or even at home with a guided audio and were disappointed with the results. You were most likely expecting peace and bliss but instead felt like your mind was crazier than a bunch of monkeyson speed. This is a totally normal experience - the problem lies in making the assumption based on this one experience that meditation simply doesn't work for you. Meditation is a practiceit's something that needs to be done regularly and it can take time before you get more accomplished at quieting the mind.
Misconception 2: "I Just Can't Stop My Thoughts"
A lot of novice meditators mistakenly believe that if they were meditating "successfully", they would be able to switch their thoughts off like a switch in order to experience peace and calm. When they can't seem to be able to stop their thoughts, they often get into an internal struggle trying to resist them or worse, giving up completely. Meditation is about developing enough focus and awareness to simply notice when the mind is wandering, and to keep bringing the mind back to the object of concentration - again and again. There is no need to try to stop thinking altogether!
Misconception 3: "I Don't Have Time to Meditate"
You don't have to sit on your meditation cushion for hours each day in order to experience its beneficial effects. Even just 5 to 20 minutes of meditation per day can be enough. The important thing is to practice often and to schedule time to meditate - we are all busy and we must selectively schedule in time for what is important, so it's simply a matter of making our own mental wellbeing a priority.
Misconception 4: "I Don't Have The Space To Meditate"
Sure, it would be lovely to be able to meditate in a Zen garden, on a mountain-top or on a tropical beach. But it's really not necessary - all you need is somewhere reasonably quiet where you can sit upright comfortably for a few minutes without being disturbed. You can meditate sitting up in bed, on a chair or a couch or even on a bus or a train - don't let wanting a perfectly tranquil venue stop you from just doing it.
Misconception 5: "But I'm Not A Buddhist"
While a lot of meditation practices originated from Buddhism, meditation is not inherently religious, and you don't have to subscribe to any particular set of beliefs to meditate. Everyone experiences mental stress, agitation or anxiety from time to time and meditation can be beneficial to everyone - regardless what religion they belong to or even if they are not religious at all. There are, however, many practical and informative meditation classes and retreats held at Buddhist centres in many countries, and they are available to the general public no matter whether one is Buddhist or not.
Hopefully this article has busted some myths that may have been preventing you from starting your own meditation practice. Meditation is truly for everyone and with practice and consistency can change your life in many profound and unexpected ways.
Misconception 1: "I Tried It Once And It Didn't Work"
Perhaps you have tried meditation once in a yoga class, meditation workshop or even at home with a guided audio and were disappointed with the results. You were most likely expecting peace and bliss but instead felt like your mind was crazier than a bunch of monkeyson speed. This is a totally normal experience - the problem lies in making the assumption based on this one experience that meditation simply doesn't work for you. Meditation is a practiceit's something that needs to be done regularly and it can take time before you get more accomplished at quieting the mind.
Misconception 2: "I Just Can't Stop My Thoughts"
A lot of novice meditators mistakenly believe that if they were meditating "successfully", they would be able to switch their thoughts off like a switch in order to experience peace and calm. When they can't seem to be able to stop their thoughts, they often get into an internal struggle trying to resist them or worse, giving up completely. Meditation is about developing enough focus and awareness to simply notice when the mind is wandering, and to keep bringing the mind back to the object of concentration - again and again. There is no need to try to stop thinking altogether!
Misconception 3: "I Don't Have Time to Meditate"
You don't have to sit on your meditation cushion for hours each day in order to experience its beneficial effects. Even just 5 to 20 minutes of meditation per day can be enough. The important thing is to practice often and to schedule time to meditate - we are all busy and we must selectively schedule in time for what is important, so it's simply a matter of making our own mental wellbeing a priority.
Misconception 4: "I Don't Have The Space To Meditate"
Sure, it would be lovely to be able to meditate in a Zen garden, on a mountain-top or on a tropical beach. But it's really not necessary - all you need is somewhere reasonably quiet where you can sit upright comfortably for a few minutes without being disturbed. You can meditate sitting up in bed, on a chair or a couch or even on a bus or a train - don't let wanting a perfectly tranquil venue stop you from just doing it.
Misconception 5: "But I'm Not A Buddhist"
While a lot of meditation practices originated from Buddhism, meditation is not inherently religious, and you don't have to subscribe to any particular set of beliefs to meditate. Everyone experiences mental stress, agitation or anxiety from time to time and meditation can be beneficial to everyone - regardless what religion they belong to or even if they are not religious at all. There are, however, many practical and informative meditation classes and retreats held at Buddhist centres in many countries, and they are available to the general public no matter whether one is Buddhist or not.
Hopefully this article has busted some myths that may have been preventing you from starting your own meditation practice. Meditation is truly for everyone and with practice and consistency can change your life in many profound and unexpected ways.
About the Author:
Sharee James is a naturopath and a yoga and meditation instructor with a special interest in holistic mental health. For extra information on meditation check out her Youtube video How To Meditate or visit her site at http://www.ashimaliving.com/. Free reprint available from: The 5 Biggest Misconceptions About Meditation.