Over the years I have tried many forms of meditation.  As a busy, energetic person I found the idea of emptying my mind and sitting in nothingness virtually impossible, because of this, I thought that I was doing something wrong.  Now, 20 years later, I am teaching regular meditation classes and I constantly find that people have similar misconceptions and fears about the whole subject of meditation.  The most common comments I hear after people have tried their first meditation class are that it was easier than they thought, and that they enjoyed it more than they expected. In fact, it is very rare to meet anyone who has tried meditation without benefitting from it in some way. Today, I would like to examine meditation and dispel some of these myths so that, whatever your lifestyle, you have the opportunity of enjoying the immense benefits that meditation has to offer, if you choose to.

Firstly, let’s make it clear that there are as many different forms of meditation as there are colours.  This is great news as everybody is different and therefore, like most things in life, we are all drawn to different styles that suit our individual lifestyles and personalities.  Secondly, meditation does not have to be sitting quietly in silence in a rigid position; it can be active and engaging.

When I first started teaching meditation, it became apparent that even the word meditation seemed to scare people. When I asked these people about this over time, I got the same responses over and over again.  Many people thought that it was a) religious b) they would have to sit in a classic pose c) they would have to stop thinking and do nothing d) that it would be frustrating, pointless or boring or e) that they were scared of losing control of their mind.

So, let’s dispel some of the most common myths.

MEDITATION IS FOR EVERYONE
Although meditation is used in many religions and philosophies, it is also used widely and very effectively for conventional stress management, to improve health and reduce anxiety related disorders, to name but a few.

POSTURE
It’s true that there are some well-known meditation poses, such as the lotus, but this posture is uncomfortable for most people and sometimes not possible at all for others.  The most important point about posture for meditation is that the spine is straight and the body is relaxed.  Successful meditation can be carried out very well while seated in a chair or laying down.

MIND CHATTER
The definition of meditation is to spend time in quiet thought to reflect or contemplate.  Not the absence of thought.  It seems that many people think, when they start any form of meditation, that their thoughts will automatically stop and if they still have thoughts going on during the meditation that they are not meditating correctly.  Then, they resist and fight their own thoughts, causing them to become frustrated with themselves and the meditation practise.  It may be that, after a lot of practise, the thoughts may become totally still, but the aim to begin with is to focus and relax.  It is a choice to focus on one thing for a short time for the purpose of training the mind and body to relax. That thing may be a candle, a chant, a guided relaxation CD, your breathing, some music, a symbol, a word, a colour.  It doesn’t matter that your mind starts chattering with shopping lists or internal conversations, that’s completely expected. Instead of fighting the thoughts, just choose to bring your attention back to the focus point.  You may need to do this a lot of times to start off with, but that is absolutely fine.  Whenever you realise that you have wandered off into thoughts, just bring your attention back to the focus point without getting angry at your thoughts.  That is meditation, bringing your attention back to the focus point when your mind wanders off.

Any form of meditation is a practise, and as with any practise, the more often you do it, the easier it becomes.  As your mind realises that it is safe for you to relax, it will stop chattering so much.

BORING OR REWARDING?
So what is the point of quietening the mind and relaxing the body?  The proven health benefits of regular meditation are multiplying as more research of the subject continues.  Anxiety reduction, lowered blood pressure, improved concentration, emotional balance; but still, many people think it must be boring to think of nothing for a fixed amount of time.  That is why there are so many different types of meditation, even dancing and listening to music can be a form of meditation where you are focussed and relaxed at the same time.

NOT ENOUGH TIME
The most benefit from meditation is felt when it is practised regularly because it gives the body and mind a clear message that it can feel relaxed, and it breaks the constant cycle of busy thinking and doing, allowing your system to rest and be, instead of do for a few moments.  It is more beneficial to do 2 minutes a day than 1 hour a week because then we feel the benefits.  Yes, I did say 2 minutes a day, and yes, this really can be very effective.  Just breathing deeply for a few minutes a day can have a huge impact. Try it for a week and then don’t do it for a week and notice the differences for yourself.   Meditation does not have to be a lengthy process, it needs to fit in with your own life or else you won’t do it. Regularity is far more important than quantity when starting out with meditation.

LOSS OF CONTROL
A challenge that many people imagine about meditation is that they will lose control of their conscious awareness and float off somewhere, this then prevents them from relaxing fully.  This is another meditation myth as the reality of a meditative state is one of heightened awareness and relaxation at the same time, so that, when meditating, our minds feel very clear, aware and relaxed.  Again, regularity is key to dispelling this myth as it allows the mind and body to experience this first hand, allowing you to relax more deeply.  Don’t worry if you fall asleep when you start as this is just your mind and body getting used to relaxing in this way.

SO REWARDING
It took me many years of trying various forms of meditation to find the ones that worked best for me.  When you do find the right type for you, it can give you such a rewarding experience in your normal daily life, allowing you to become more content and fulfilled.  It can become a trusty friend who you can always count on to help you through challenging times. I would recommend anyone interested in trying meditation to look around at the many different types available. Go for what you’re drawn to and try a few different types.  I would also recommend that whatever type of meditation you try, give it a few sessions, rather than one, to see whether you get on with that type or not. Remember, regularity is key.  Enjoy your meditation journey.