Meditation Misconceptions

“Meditation is not just for relaxation; its primary purpose is to develop the capacity to respond skillfully and gracefully to life’s difficulties as well as its joys.”

- Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche

Many of you, when you hear the word “meditation”, might automatically shut off - thinking this is going to be some fluffy, soft blog about sitting cross-legged on a mountain, humming into a “zen”-state.?

If you've ever found yourself stating, "I can't meditate," it might be time to reconsider the practice of meditation with a more in-depth understanding of what it's really all about.

From mental health experts and meditation teachers themselves, here are 5 common meditation myths that might be keeping you from reaping the life-changing advantages of the practice.

Myth: Meditation must be practiced in silence.

Fact: We don't have to be in a completely quiet space in order to meditation. And the reality is, it’s probably rare where you are in moments where it's complete silence with no noise. The point is to stop thinking about everything going through our heads and instead pay attention only to the breath. This can be done no matter the background noise.?

Myth: The goal of meditation is to clear your mind.

Fact: Successful meditation is being able to recognize the moment when our "monkey mind" begins to wander into its habitual patterns of thinking and then gently bringing our attention back to the present moment. Begin again (without judgment) each time you are aware of your mind wandering. The awareness of it is the win!

Myth: You must be sitting to meditate.

Fact: “You can meditate and achieve a mindful state while moving. My favorite meditations are walking meditations, hiking meditations, meditations where you observe your environment and narrate what’s around you. Research has shown that moving meditations provide benefits similar to those of non-moving meditations, including reducing anxiety and worry, achieving a more peaceful state of mind and organizing your thoughts. Moving meditations also have additional benefits, such as boosting blood flow, increasing circulation and improving digestion,” said Dr. Judy Ho, clinical and forensic neuropsychologist, associate professor of psychology at Pepperdine University and author.”

Myth: You’re not “good” at meditation.

Fact: There is no right or wrong way to meditate. It's called a meditation practice because it helps us get better at keeping an open mind and paying attention to one thing - being truly present in that moment. Meditation is not about stopping your thoughts or feeling zen-like and calm. It's an opportunity to practice responding to thoughts, feelings, sensations, or distractions in a different way and rewire your brain for new habits and patterns.

Myth: Meditation takes hours.?

Fact: You do not need to meditate for hours a day in order to benefit. As little as 2-5 minutes of meditation practice a day can produce noticeable results. Need to mentally recharge? Stop, pause and gently close your eyes. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, and exhale for 4 seconds. Do this 6-8 times. By breathing intentionally and taking a brief pause before jumping into the next meeting or task of the day, you will feel re-energized and show up in a better way. It’s like your phone battery, if you don’t recharge it once it starts getting low, the battery will die. Don’t try to run with your internal battery on 0%.?

Why is meditation hard?

It takes active awareness and practice to stay in the present moment and not allow our brains to go down a rabbit hole of either ruminating on the past or worrying about everything that could possibly go wrong in the future.

Your mind is a muscle and meditation is an essential exercise for your mind. With consistent practice, you will find yourself calmer, less reactive, and more centered. This positivity will also influence those around you as well as empower you to show up as your best self both in your personal and professional life.

Research has shown that there are many mental and physical benefits to meditation. Here are 7 scientifically proven reasons why you should start meditating every day:

1. Boosts immunity: Researchers found that meditation increases electrical activity in the left side of the brain, which is in charge of your immune system. People who meditate also have more antibodies in their blood, which helps them fight off illness.
2. Decreases pain: If you have aches, pains, and headaches that don't go away, meditation could help! Scientists have found a link between being mindful and feeling less pain. Even though the exact reason for this is still a little bit of a mystery, many health experts recommend regular meditation along with medical treatments for chronic pain.
3. Boosts creativity: Want to be more creative at work? Meditation helps us keep our feelings from getting in the way of our work, which helps us think more clearly and come up with new ideas.
4. Decreases anxiety. Meditation is a powerful and effective technique to deal with stress and anxiety as well as lowering risk of depression. One of the main reasons people meditate is to help calm down a busy mind that is too loud. Meditation gives us a break from the fast-moving thoughts that often come with anxiety. According to a study from 2013, meditation can reduce anxiety by almost 40%.
5. Boosts productivity. Daily meditation can help you perform better at work! Research found that meditation increases your focus, helping you pay attention in the present moment.??
6. Improves social wellbeing. Meditation has been shown to help individuals build better relationships. Meditation teaches us how to be more present in the moment, which is extremely helpful for relationships. One study found that regular meditation was linked to more laughter, empathy, and socializing with others.
7. Increases emotional intelligence. We can learn how to be aware of our feelings and emotions through meditation practice. Meditation rewires your brain and helps you learn to understand your emotions without acting on them.?

Mindfulness and meditation has become such an integral part of my life over the last 2.5 years that I created an online course, Mindful Rewiring, compiled of neuroscience-backed research and data and tactical tools and practices to immediately implement in your daily life. You can find a sample guided meditation led by myself here.?

“Meditation takes you beyond the mind’s noisy chatter into the pure awareness that is the source of all your happiness, inspiration, and love”

- Deepak Chopra

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Resources:?

Forbes - https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonisweet/2020/05/30/11-meditation-myths-you-should-stop-believing/?sh=52031b0e55b6

https://info.totalwellnesshealth.com/blog/9-science-backed-reasons-you-should-meditate-on-a-daily-basis

https://abcnews.go.com/US/meditation-wiring-brain-happiness/story?id=14180253