This weekend, I gave my first meditation workshop. I absolutely loved sharing some of my knowledge and experience with others. It is a journey, and I am happy to help others take their first steps on their discovery paths. My own has been quite a ride in the last year, but I look back and notice and feel its benefits in many different aspects of my life. I want others to feel this too.
Here are 3 myths we de-mystify over the weekend!
Myth #1: I don’t have time to meditate.
This is so interesting, and also false. I think our priorities need to be set right. I mean, everyone has time to post pictures on social media, or look at stories on IG, or search for the funniest GIFs, or silly videos online. We all have time to watch a movie for a second time, or follow our favourite TV shows. For others, priorities are more towards work, or sports, and all of this is OK. You do not need to feel guilty about doing the things you love, and you certainly do not have to give them up in order to meditate.
Also, you do not have to meditate for hours on end every day. Just giving yourself those 5 minutes of conscious breathing and introspection will make you feel great. Slowly, you can increase the time to longer sessions. Studies show that 20-25minutes per day will give you SOOOO many benefits. Plus, these meditation sessions will actually give you more time in the long run, because your ability to focus, pay attention, and your clarity will all be increased.
Myth #2: I can’t meditate because my mind won’t go blank.
Many people won’t even give meditation a try because they have this idea that meditation is to bring your mind to a complete blank. Actually, this is something that not many people can do, it is actually quite difficult, and even more importantly, it is not really what we are trying to do when we meditate. Trying so hard to make our thoughts go away or trying to empty the mind completely becomes a stressful task and it makes the mind busier. One of the reasons why meditation seems so difficult to most of us is because we try too hard to concentrate and to over achieve the exercise. What we want to do during meditation is maintain our focus on either our breath, a mantra, our sensations, or a visualisation. Although thoughts WILL arise, we train our mind to notice that we are having these thoughts, and to bring it back to our main focus. This is already one big step in the right direction.
Myth #3: I can’t sit with my legs crossed and stay still.
Meditation does not have to look like the typical photo you see of someone sitting crossed legged in a remote cave looking peaceful. A bad, uncomfortable posture will not help your meditation experience and practice. For a pleasurable meditation practice, you need to sit in a relaxed way, and for each person, that position may be very different. If sitting with your legs crossed hurts, then try sitting on your knees, or even on a chair. Prop yourself up so that your hips are higher than your knees. By doing this, your back will straighten, using less efforts. You can sit on a block, a bolster, cushions, books, etc. (https://www.shophalfmoon.com/). Finding a way to sit is going to allow you to sit comfortably whether it is for 5 minutes or one hour.
What other impressions do you have about meditation that impede you to give it a try?
La chola 