5 Meditation Myths Debunked

Close your eyes and … wait, now you can’t read the post! Okay, open your eyes and let’s talk about meditation. One question that I get asked all of the time is HOW to meditate. It seems like it should be easy, right? Sit cross-legged, mutter “Om” a couple of times and then you somehow end up in a place of peace and serenity. The only problem is that meditation doesn’t work that way AT ALL, especially not for beginners. A lot of the confusion about meditation comes from myths about the practice.

 Let’s break down some of these misconceptions!

1. You can’t think or feel while you meditate.

If there were any such thing as a mental and emotional “off”switch, believe me, I would have found it by now! But think about it, is it actually beneficial to turn off our thoughts and emotions? I think not. We are all human beings who feel and think. There’s no stopping that. Really, what we want is to not be controlled by our thoughts and emotions, and that is perfectly doable.

2. Meditation looks a certain way.

There is no “look” to meditation. You can choose to sit in the lotus position, but sitting in a chair is fine too. You can sit on a yoga mat or on the floor. You can be indoors or outdoors. The best position is one in which you’re upright, aligned and comfortable. The best location is wherever you feel most at peace. That’s it!

3. Meditation takes too much time.

Any time that you spend meditating, however brief, is beneficial. You can even practice mindfulness meditation sporadically throughout your day. Just remember that every moment in which you are present, able to connect with the universe, and not controlled by your thoughts and emotions is a mindful moment. Think of a ten-minute meditation session as a prolonged, or a few prolonged mindful moments. No matter how long you are able to meditate, the act will still be beneficial.

4. Meditation will give me carefree bliss.

Uh, no! I think this is one of the most damaging meditation myths. People tend to think that meditation puts you on the VIP line for a stress-free life. While meditation can and does offer a great way to tackle anxiety, depression and general stress, do not meditate and expect instant gratification. The benefits are gradual and the lessons that meditation practice teaches are applicable in every moment of your life, not just during a meditation session.

Also, it takes work! And time! Try to integrate meditation into your everyday life. Go into it with no pre-judgments and walk away without disappointment. You’ll notice the benefits, but don’t try to rush it.

5. I can’t meditate. I keep messing up.

There is no way to get an A+ in meditation. Think about meditation as a television that you’re sitting down to watch, but instead of Optimum, your mind is the cable provider. The key is to watch – to observe your thoughts and feelings. Just like how you can feel a certain way about your favorite character getting killed off, but then change the channel and tune into something new, you can do the same with the mind. You don’t have to get super invested in every show and your most certainly don’t have to let what you’re watching influence your life or how you feel about yourself.

Say you’re meditating and trying your best to be present. You’re counting your breaths to keep your mind focused. Somewhere around number six, you remember that awkward joke that you made yesterday at work, then you start thinking about work, then you start thinking about that meeting you have to go to… and once again you’re being controlled by your thoughts and emotions.

You realize that you have veered off track – it’s not so much the thoughts as much as it is the fact that you gave yourself over to them so easily – it was as if you had little or no say in the matter. Meditation teaches us to have some distance from our thoughts and some control over the endless babble in our minds. This moment of apparent failure is actually a moment of victory! You just realized that you were giving yourself over to your thoughts and your very consciousness of this means that you’ve taken a step back from your thoughts. Now you’re in control. Having these disruptive moments more often just means that your mind is getting better at recognizing when you’re lost in thought and pulling you back into the present. Don’t get frustrated when you realize that your mind wandered, that means you’re doing something right.

Did these tips help clear up any confusion about meditation? What are your tips? Let me know in the comments!