5 Myths You Need to Stop Believing About Meditation

If you live a hectic life and believe you are too busy to meditate, then you will probably benefit more from meditation than anyone else!

Meditation is a practice where the individual uses several techniques (i.e., mindfulness) to achieve a state of heightened awareness. Regularly meditating has many benefits: improvement in focusing, a more calm state of mind, and mood stabilization. However, in a world full of lots of information, many people hesitate to start meditation due to many myths surrounding the practice. Here are some of the most common misconceptions regarding meditation.

#1: You must quiet your mind if you want a successful meditation session

People often have unrealistic expectations about "quieting" their minds and give up on meditation too soon out of frustration. Our thoughts are inevitable, so forcing yourself to "stop" them will not make them go away. They will only temporarily push them to the back of your brain.

Meditation teaches you to accept your thoughts without judgment. Meditation also lets you accept the thoughts as they come and allow them to leave. Many forms of meditation have a focal point for the individual to focus on (i.e., breathing, a specific body part). During the session, the individual focuses on that focal point. Their thoughts may drift away from their awareness. They should not be too hard on themselves when this happens. They should gently bring their awareness back to the focal point. The goal is not to achieve a quiet mind in one day. The goal is to accept your thoughts entirely and train your brain to become more focused and quiet over time.

#2: It takes years to benefit from meditation

Research has shown that individuals can feel calmer and actually change their brain structure after just eight weeks of meditation (3EDN Conference, 2021). You will not see the change immediately — just like working out a particular muscle, it takes time to see growth. Typically, you will not see them at first, others will tell you!

#3: Meditating takes a lot of time

Many people believe you have to meditate for hours if you want to benefit from the practice. That is simply not true. Taking just ten minutes out of your day to meditate can result in profound benefits for your mind. Those who are truly dedicated to reducing their anxiety and increasing awareness can take just ten minutes out of their day and meditate.

#4: You must sit down to meditate

Meditation can just as effectively reduce anxiety or stress if you practice it while standing up. In fact, meditating while walking around in nature can be a very calming practice. During this kind of meditation, you can focus on observing the environment around you, such as the birds' sounds.

#5: Meditation is a religious practice

While many religions include aspects of meditation, one does not have to be religious to practice meditation. Meditation can be seen as a spiritual experience. Meditation does not necessarily require the belief in a higher power. It focuses more on bringing awareness to yourself and your environment.

Give it a try, just do it

Truly, meditation can be a soothing practice for your mind, body, and soul. Do not shy away from receiving the benefits of meditation by believing one of the common myths around the practice.

Namaste,

Hira Khan

References: By, W. (2020, October 21). According to one study, after 8 weeks of meditation for beginners, which parts of the BRAIN grew - mindfulness Meditation: Your guide to Master self healing. Retrieved February 13, 2021, from https://eeednconference.com/according-to-one-study-after-8-weeks-of-meditation-for-begi

Hira Khan is a 31 year old writer moved to the United States of America at the age of seven and has been in the Chicago land area ever since. She has spent five years living in the heart of the city and the rest of her life in surrounding suburbs. She has over ten years of experience in writing, which ranges from blog posts, articles for mental health clinics, academic research articles, and SEO optimized articles on WordPress. With a passion for staying healthy, Hira has gotten a Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology and Master’s in Public Health. She believes that a person’s mental health and physical health contribute significantly to their overall well being. She is a vegetarian and always looking up new ways to create nutritious, yet tasty recipes, so she does not get bored with her diet.