I am on a mission. I am trying to get all my close ones to try meditation and since the readers of Choose To Thrive are all close to my heart, you are on my list as well.
After years of trying on and off to meditate unsuccessfully, I think I have finally been able to find my meditation groove although I am not yet a master at it. Even with my limited experience, the positive changes I have experienced is something that I want everyone to be able to achieve.
However, the biggest problem with meditation is that there are too many myths, misconceptions, supposed rules etc.
This keeps a lot of people away from it. I myself used to think meditation was not for me. Now I realize it’s because I believed in all of those misconceptions. Unfortunately most of us try to learn from gurus or videos online and buy into the hype that is being promoted.
So the main aim here of today’s article is to ensure that you are aware of these myths and do not let them turn you away from practicing this great art.
Here are the most common myths and misconceptions about meditation that I have personally experienced:
1) Meditation Time and Duration
At the moment, I meditate for about 15 minutes a day. On days that I am really busy, I try to get at least 5 minutes done.
However, when I was starting out, one of the main reasons I quit again and again was because people kept telling me you need to meditate for an hour. Some say meditate for 30 minutes at least to get any of the benefits of the practice.
Unfortunately most “gurus” are simply wrong. You do not need to meditate for that long every day. Of course if you can do it, then its brilliant. Just in case you don’t have the time, then 5 to 15 minutes is good enough. Important thing is to meditate every day. Not the duration.
Luckily I met someone who told me to start with just 15 to 30 seconds. That’s all you need to get comfortable with meditation and make it a habit.
So if you are one of those who have tried meditation and given up because you either don’t have the time or do not have the energy to meditate for an hour, remember just a few minutes a day is all you need.
2) Meditation Posture
When we try to learn meditation from a teacher or watch YouTube videos, they all ask you to sit in a particular position. They show about 4 postures and ask you to choose any one. They say you should meditate only when in any of those 4 positions.
Now I have lower back pain as well as knee pain. All of those postures were strictly a no for me. Again this demotivated me for a while.
However, what I do at the moment is sit on my sofa with a backrest. I ensure my back is straight. Not curved in any way. I then meditate in this sitting posture and I feel great after the session.
If you want, you can even lie down on the floor with a yoga mat. You can then meditate in this position as well. As long as your spine is straight, you are fine.
So choose a position that is comfortable for you and do not worry about what others are saying.
3) Promise of Nirvana
This is something that just made me feel odd at the beginning. Some people just go overboard on what they have experienced after meditating.
They talk about connecting to another world. They talk about sensing things from out of our known material world. They talk about achieving nirvana.
Now I can understand someone experiencing bliss after meditating regularly. However, this overdoing of the benefits can really turn people like me away from meditation.
Meditation has genuine health benefits. There is a proper science behind it which I will cover in another article. However, if you meditate and feel bad that you are not experiencing what others claim they do, then please do not get demotivated.
There are genuine long-term health benefits of meditating regularly. Just keep at it and you will experience changes in both your physical and emotional health.
4) No Thoughts
This was the toughest aspect of meditation for me. The general belief is that there should not be any thoughts whatsoever. From the moment you start, you need to stop thinking.
While the goal is to control your mind’s endless chatter and build focus, remember it is simply not possible to not have any thoughts at all. Unless of course you have some superhuman power or you have been meditating for ages.
It is only now that I understand that getting thoughts is natural. You just need to acknowledge your thought and then consciously start focusing on something else like your breathing.
That is exactly what I do now. Every time I start thinking of something, I take control by acknowledging that I have got a thought. Then I shift focus to my breath. I try to focus on inhalation and exhalation. Feel the air going through my nostrils, feel my lungs and diaphragm expanding and contracting.
After a while, I do get more thoughts but then I repeat the same process. Acknowledge that I have got a thought and shift focus back to my breathing.
5) Think of a Happy Place
This might be a controversial point for some to include in the myths and misconceptions about meditation.
There are many who say you need to think of a happy place and maintain your thoughts towards that happy place.
While this technique has helped a lot of people, it also is usually not recommended.
Meditation is about focus, stopping mindless chatter and not think about moving visions. Thinking of a happy place can trigger a number of thoughts and you are not really focusing on a single aspect like a breath. Hence those who use the ‘think of a happy place’ method may not be experiencing the full benefits of meditation.
Final Thoughts
It is tough to meditate for longer periods of time without having any thoughts from the beginning itself.
Also you will not really experience something out of this world even after meditating for a while.
Do not let these kinds of things demotivate you from meditation. The science behind meditation is real and you get genuine health benefits.
Please keep at it. Please keep trying even if its for a few minutes a day and do not let any of the myths and misconceptions about meditating keep you away from this wonderful practice.
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