Kick Start Your Meditation and Myths Uncovered
Why the procrastination? Said with tongue firmly in cheek as I always had a reason not to start.
I knew for a long time meditation would play an intrinsic role in my life and for a long time a little voice would tell me it was what I needed to do but I kept batting it away. There’s no time for goodness sake! I decided to stop ignoring the voice that kept whispering and I embarked on my meditation journey at the beginning of 2015. With my enthusiasm levels at a record high I completed Headspace’s 30 day foundation course and from then on I knew meditation would always be my rock, my sidekick, my BFF albeit with the usual ups and downs along the way….
Take 1
Ok let me be honest, it wasn’t sustainable doing it every day and I did have a bit of a break because if I couldn’t do it every day, what was the point?
Myth 1 - You need to meditate every day to reap the benefits.
No! Start small, commit to 2-3 days a week and build up from there beginning with 5-10 minutes. This way you don’t put too much pressure on yourself and you can build your confidence slowly. Schedule it! Set your alarm, make a calendar appointment, whatever works; remember you’re trying to make this a habit. Decide the night before what you’re going to listen to so you’re not faffing in the morning, find a quiet spot and Bob's your Uncle.
Take 2
I began my practice again intermittently but would get frustrated with the inability to quieten my mind. Yet again I took a step back; if I couldn’t quieten my mind, what was the point?
Myth 2 - To meditate means stopping our thoughts.
Probably one of the most common myths. Do not be disheartened if you struggle to quieten your mind, most of us do. Consider that the minute you notice your mind has wandered is the moment of insight, the moment when you’re present and aware. Like anything new, meditation takes practice and the more you meditate the more you spend time connected than away with the fairies. However, the mind is a busy place so let go of any expectations when you sit to meditate, part of the practise is to observe what arises and to be ok with that.
Take 3.
3rd time lucky huh. And actually yes, it was. All of the above probably happened over a period of 2 years and once I had rejoined the path I made a decision to take no more detours. I often use guided meditations as I find they help me to stay focused, yet some days my mind can still race even though I consider myself a regular meditator. Do I still find life stressful? Yes but I manage it better through practising meditation and mindfulness.
Myth 3 - With regular practise my mind will become still and I will be free from stress.
Maybe for Buddha but not for the majority. A busy, thinking mind is inherent to our daily life. You cannot be bad at meditating but it is easy to get frustrated when the mental chatter doesn’t die down. Accept that some days the mind is simply going to be like that but with practice we can become more used to observing our thoughts rather than indulging and when that happens we can manage stress more easily as we find ourselves getting less caught up in negative chatter and limiting self beliefs.
And yes, there will always be a reason not to meditate: kids coming in, the school runs, busy working life, the (occasional) killer hangover, hitting snooze ‘just one more time’ or one I often hear, ‘but I’m not a morning person’. It doesn’t have to be morning, that’s just my personal preference but it is a great way to start the day!
So let’s start your path of self discovery to be the best version of you. It's a continuous and occasionally bumpy road but an enlightening one. When we commit to leading a more mindful life, this helps to instil calmness and conscious living in ourselves and those around us.
And to be frank - if it’s not for you then that’s fine too. Meditation isn’t for everyone as it can bring up difficult emotions and memories, when we sit still with our thoughts for many of us this can be challenging; it’s not all rainbows and that elusive pot of gold. That’s another blog post but in the meantime, give it a go, what have you got to lose?
Let’s meditate together and let me help you start the day on a positive note or send you off to the land of nod with a bit more peace in your heart. Connect with me here: www.liveyoga.co.uk/connect and 7 meditations will blissfully wing their way to your inbox.
Next stop: https://www.liveyoga.co.uk/blog/my-top-5-meditation-tips