Meditation Misconceptions
How many times have you told someone you are stressed and their recommendation for you is to participate it yoga or meditation? I use to get so frustrated when someone told me that I needed to meditate more. Meditation used to frustrate me because I never fully understood how one meditates.
What are common meditation misconceptions?
Meditation consists of clearing your mind so that you think about nothing.
This is not a clear explanation of what meditation is, but rather a loose description. While there are some who are able to clear their mind and think of nothing, this is not the necessary standard to “properly” meditate. Meditation comes in different forms. It is perfectly acceptable to have thoughts during meditation, the key is having control over those thoughts. Instead of allowing your mind to have control with a thousand tasks, decisions, and lists rummaging through your head; you slow your mind by giving your psyche structure. Organize your thoughts to help yourself become more aware and conscious of the world around you.
Meditation takes years of practice to be good at.
There is no competition. Meditation is not about being better than someone else, it is about working on yourself. The only way to get better at meditation is to practice at it. Meditation is not something that you master immediately, but it isn’t something that you have to be perfect at to be able to do. You will learn how to clear your mind and slow your thoughts more so you practice the process. However, it is not something you need to stress out about because you think you are not immediately good at it. That is the point! You get better and better the more you try.
Meditation takes too much time and focus.
The modern world is all about the grind and getting as many things done as soon as possible. People constantly express a desire to relax and recuperate, but they hate taking the time to do it. But you do not need to meditate for twenty or thirty minutes, you can meditate as little as five minutes a day. I am extremely guilty of this procrastination because I am such a task orientated person. Almost everyday I wake up and create my To-Do list because I need that organization and structure. For many years I have felt the need of the satisfaction when checking off the boxes because I feel it helps alleviate my stress. It took me awhile to realize that I cannot continue to live life in such a busy manner. I make sure to pencil in meditation or a tarot reading for myself daily because I have found that if I don’t, I forget to include that me time for myself. I have found that just giving myself five or ten minutes of meditation a day helps me refocus and calm down.
You must be still and silent to meditate.
Everyone has their preference with meditation. Some like the still quiet and some find light ambiance with some guidance more appealing. I find pleasure with either environment for meditation, but I do prefer guided meditation. I have a very busy mind that is constantly thinking and moving, so having someone help create structure to slow down my train of thought helps me immensely.
Meditation is a religious practice.
You do not have to subscribe to a specific to religion to meditate. Some people think that only Buddhists monks partake in meditation. You can be a follower of any religion or no religion. Meditation is more so an activity to help collect your thoughts and create a mindful setting within your mind. While it can be connected to religious purpose, it does not have to be.
What is meditation?
While there are some small truths to the above misconceptions, take them with a grain of salt. Meditation is much more than sitting silently and clearing your mind. It is an activity to help gather and understand your thoughts. You should use meditation to revoke intrusive thoughts from your psyche and establish a more calming mindset. While this practice does help with stress relief, it is not the sole purpose for participation. You should not think that meditation will be the fix all for day to day stress, but it can help.
