Learning to be still can be hard and like with other self-care practices it can take time. The Meditation we seem to be exposed to is either moments of quiet or long stretches of meditative peace, monk style. As a practising mediator, I believe that there is a special place in between. Beyond the 3-7 min Savasana that we get in the closing of a yoga class and long before we are sitting on a mountain in Tibet for several hours. The body can learn to pause and the mind will follow.
I am very much within my journey, I am not yet someone who has mastered meditation by any means, and someday I struggle to drop in at all, however, the stillness I have found offers multiple benefits. I believe that these benefits should be accessible to everyone. To quiet the mind is a skill but it is one we can call on at any time. Reducing stress and anxiety by slowing down is something we should all know how to do.
10 Meditation Myths:
- Meditation is turning off the mind. This is not true, you will still have thoughts come up. Just because your mind wanders doesn’t mean you are doing it wrong. With practice, you will acknowledge the thoughts and let them go. It's with practice that these thoughts will pass you by gracefully rather than affect or distract you while in meditation
- Meditation is about going to another place. The idea that you will have a trip to a level of consciousness beyond this one is unrealistic for beginners. For beginners it is simply sitting quietly, consciously breathing for some time to create space for the mind to slow. This allows your mind and body to connect allowing you to feel rested.
- Meditation is woo-woo. I love this one, I’m not sure how sitting quietly has been given this reputation. If you need to look beyond this, know that meditation has been scientifically proven to increase our capacity in many ways. We become better versions of ourselves, and having a clear mind allows us to be clearer and kinder in our lives. Resting the mind allows it to be more optimal. It’s like resting after sport, you give a part of the body recovery time. Meditation is similar.
- Meditation is sitting in silence. This is not true, many people meditate to music or use apps to guide them through a sequence of relaxation.
- Meditation is sitting in stillness. This also isn't true. Once you know how to be in a relaxed mindset, paying attention to the breath you can do it while cooking, walking, creating, etc. It's a practice of observing the mind.
- Meditation is linked to religion. Meditation is used within some religions, however, to meditate is to find a connection inward. it's about the individual and their personal practice. Meditations don't belong to a religion meditation belongs to the meditator. It is all of ours.
- Meditation only gives benefits if practised for many hours, over many years. This is incorrect, recent studies have shown that 10-20 minutes of stillness is enough to experience benefits.
- Meditation is only effective with mood-enhancing drugs. Meditation like most things has a scale and the depth of the practice can be felt in different ways. Everyone can experience the benefits of meditation with nothing but breath and stillness. There will always be individuals that take on a deeper exploration but it is not a prerequisite.
- You can be bad at meditating. I love this one, how can anyone be bad at observing their breath, thoughts and feelings?
- Meditation is self-indulgent. This myth unsettles me, if you meditate you develop the capacity to be kinder, more patient and have a deeper understanding of yourself - this allows you to show up better for others. Taking time for yourself, so that you can be more connected with yourself could be the most generous thing you do for your community.
Imagine the world where everyone meditated and used this ancient practice to be more self-realised, calmer, humble, less stressed, empathetic and kinder. What a world that would be. Meditating might be the best way for you to serve yourself and others. Try it today, start with a guided meditation, or a playlist, Spotify, Headspace, Calm, Fiton, YouTube, or Apple. There are hundreds of places for you to find a 3-5 minute meditation to get you started. See how it feels and then start to expel the myths about meditation.
