These Things Don’t Really Make You “bad” at Meditation.
Last week I shared my own experience of learning how to benefit from meditation , although I feel like I’m pretty bad at it. But what makes someone “bad” at meditation? Many people who try to meditate feel like they have failed. Many “failures” in meditation are actually perfectly normal and part of the process. These are just “problems” because we all have misconceptions about what meditation should be like. When you search for meditation online, the image results are more discouraging than inspiring. For example, very rarely do I sit cross-legged by a calm lake at dawn. Tragically.
Here are the common problems people have when trying to dive into meditation , and why they don’t actually stop you from meditating.
Thinking about work and family while meditating
The biggest myth about meditation is that you can magically turn your mind into a distraction-free zone. In fact, meditation does not require you not to think about anything . It’s about paying attention to the thoughts that actually arise. Anxiety about your daily life will enter your mind; instead of trying to drive them out completely, sit back and watch them completely.
Feelings of impatience or doubt
I’ll be honest. I am usually skeptical about things like meditation. Thoughts “Does it work? and “ No, it doesn’t work ” haunt me every time I sit down to practice mindfulness. These feelings of doubt, impatience, and frustration are completely normal as long as you struggle with them. Trying to push them away defeats the purpose of meditation. There is nothing wrong with what you think and feel during meditation. The key is to learn to sit with these thoughts, accepting them and processing them as fully as possible.
Fall asleep
At the beginning of any guided meditation video, your instructor will inform you that it is perfectly normal to fall asleep.
However, napping can interfere with your mindfulness goals. If you regularly sleep every time you try to watch your thoughts, consider sitting up straight or meditating at other times of the day when you are more alert.
bad session
Meditation is more like a workout than a quick fix. Look at meditation as a muscle; it might not work at first, but that’s because you haven’t put in the effort yet. Even bad sessions are useful if you keep coming back to them.
Takeaway
There is no such thing as “perfect” meditation. The only thing that can spoil your meditation is to give up right away. In fact, the less you know about meditation, the more you can get out of its practice.
And if that’s really not for you, don’t worry – consider these meditation alternatives instead.