Meditation is an age-old practice that offers so many health benefits for those who regularly engage. Meditation has the potential to make you happier, improve your overall body functions and of course help you to feel calmer throughout your day. But even with all the popularity surrounding meditation now, it can sometimes seem like a bit of a mystery to those who are unfamiliar.
Words: Mia Barnes
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There are a lot of misconceptions about meditation — both from those who think it's a cure-all for every problem and from those who assume it's so hard that it couldn't possibly be worth trying. The truth is, neither of those extremes reflect the true nature of meditation. Meditation is about finding stillness and focusing on the moment, not about being perfect or easily fixing all of life's ailments.
Anyone can practice meditation. And before you start, it might be helpful to dismantle some of the myths you may have learned about it on the way so you can experience all it has to offer you.
You Have to Meditate Sitting Upright with Your Legs Crossed
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There are so many ways to meditate, and while the classic upright and cross legged position is one of them, it's really just the beginning. Different positions work for different people with different purposes. If you're meditating to wake up in the morning so you can stay focused and alert, the upright seated position might be your cup of tea, but if you're meditating to take a restful pause in your day or to calm down before a good night's rest, you might be better off lying down on your back. There are so many different meditation positions to try, and one isn't better than the rest. It's all about what works for you.
Meditation Is About Clearing Your Mind
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The phrase "clear your mind" has been tossed around a lot in conversations about meditation, even though those who regularly meditate will almost always tell you that's not what meditation is about. Our brains were made to move — even when we are asleep, our brains are full of thoughts and activities. There's no way to turn it off, and meditation isn't asking you to!
Instead of thinking that the goal of meditation is to stop your thoughts from flowing, try thinking of meditation as the practice of focusing on one thing — like a sound or guided meditation track — or as a way to quiet and slow down the thoughts as they flow. Clearing the mind completely is impossible, so don't think you have to in order to have an effective meditation practice.
Meditation Will Cure Your Mental Illness and Solve All Your Problems
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While a solid meditation practice can make you happier, healthier, help you manage mental health and improve your overall quality of life, it's also not a magical cure-all that can fix everything. Meditation does hold the possibility of helping us with many ailments, including decreasing the negative effects of mental illness, improving your hearing and aiding in digestion. Even with all the benefits it offers, meditation will never change who you are as a person or make your problems go away entirely. However, it can help you feel calmer and more equipped to deal with struggles in your life.
There's a Way to Be ‘Good’ and ‘Bad’ at Meditation
Even if you can only sit still for one minute, you're not bad at meditation. And in the same vein, being able to meditate for an hour straight doesn't mean you're good at it either. Meditation is a practice meant to improve your overall health, like brushing your teeth or drinking water every day. It's not a competitive sport, and it'll never yield accomplishments even if you improve and flourish in your practice. There is no good and bad in meditation because the purpose is simply to be.
You Can't Just Sit Down and Do It, Right?
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One great beauty of meditation is that really, all you need is yourself. You can start whenever, wherever you'd like. If you feel the urge to meditate, follow your intuition. You don't need to research, study or prepare in order to just start. Even if it's just five minutes. Even if you change positions. You are finding what works for you.
Meditation, at its core, is about encouraging you to slow down, tune in and allow your mind a moment of rest in the chaos of the world. With the knowledge that there's no need to be perfect, what's stopping you?