5 Myths About Meditation
Meditation is the simplest and one the most popular method to fight stress, relax body, and regain mental peace. Yet, there are some widespread misconceptions about it that can really discourage people from trying meditation or make them quit midway!Check out our list of 5 such prevailing meditation myths that we have dispelled for you, below:
1. Meditation Is A Religious Ritual!
This is the most common myth believed by people who are ignorant about meditation. This ancient practice doesn’t belong to any religion, at all. In fact, meditational techniques do not conflict with anyone’s religious faith. You can practice meditation even if you are an atheist or agnostic. Meditation is not a form of worship or a spiritual practice. It is actually a means to calm down your mind, let go of all wayward thoughts, and seek inner peace.
2. Meditation Is A Tough Activity!
This deep-rooted misconception stems out from Meditation’s image as a standard practice performed by monks, mystics, and spiritual scholars. In reality, all meditational techniques are as easy as focused breathing or soundless humming of a tune. Meditation teaches us to still our minds and this requires practice though. Unfortunately, most of us are unable to resist our wandering while trying to meditate. Some of us are not even aware that we are doing meditation in a wrong manner and get confused into thinking that meditation is a really difficult practice. If you are getting easily distracted by your thoughts or do not know how to meditate properly, then you should practice with a qualified teacher. This will surely help you to prepare your mind and physical self for meditation. With continuous practice, over a period of time, you will become more adept at meditation and no longer require any assistance.
3. Meditation Is A Time-Consuming Practice!
Contrary to this popular myth, a meditation session depends on how long you want it to last. You can devote between 5 to 30 minutes of your time daily for meditation. In fact, you begin benefiting from it the second you start meditating. It’s probable that you might not feel long-term health benefits, immediately; but your mind will get de-stressed and your body will start to relax. Interestingly, when you do meditation regularly, you end up having more time. You’re able to complete more work in less time and in a better way. You become more alert, composed, and focused. This is because meditation lets you enter into a state of restful attentiveness that makes your mind and body refreshed. So, whenever you start to feel that you are too busy to meditate, remind yourself that a few minutes of meditation session is better than no meditation at all.
4. Meditation Lets You Escape From Realities Of Life!
The real goal of meditation is to reconnect your mind and body with your inner-self or soul. Meditation enables you to stop yourself from dwelling on your past and fretting about your future. Moreover, it helps to you to develop your inner strength and self esteem. This would mean that you are able to face your problems and accept difficult situations as they are and tide over them with confidence. Notably, there are meditation techniques that you can use specifically to recognize and eliminate negative thinking process.
5. Meditation Is Done At Specific Times, Facing Specific Directions!
There is no fixed time for doing meditation and you can meditate anytime of the day, including evenings. According to all meditation experts, you should not perform meditation when your stomach is full because you might fall asleep instead. They recommend you to meditate at dawn or in the evening before your dinner-time to keep you alert and throughout daytime. While doing meditation, you can sit facing any direction you want. Although, make sure that the meditation area is devoid of noise and distraction!
There are also other misplaced notions about meditation. Few people think of it as a method for self-hypnosis and having out-of-body experiences. These are untrue and somewhat laughable. We know that doing meditation regularly will definitely pay you in a long run. Therefore, start practicing meditation, if you haven’t started yet and enjoy a peaceful and more balanced mind.