Meditation is growing in its popularity but there are still several myths surrounding meditation that prevent people from enjoying its benefits.
You do not have to sit crossed legged on a mountain top in a robe in order to meditate. Did you know that anytime your mind is fully focused in the NOW, you are meditating.
Guest blogger and Meditation Tutor, Katherine Pinczuk, summarises the 3 myths surrounding meditation – “I don’t”, “I can’t” and “I’m no good at it”.
MYTH NUMBER 1 – "I DON'T HAVE TIME TO MEDITATE"
You can practice meditation anywhere, anytime without any special equipment. As little as ten minutes a day will provide positive benefits in your life. Mindfulness meditation is a style that can easily be integrated into your daily routine. For example, when you are walking or having a cup of tea with full awareness of the present moment.
MYTH NUMBER 2 – "I CAN'T STOP THE THOUGHTS IN MY HEAD"
The idea surrounding meditation isn’t to empty the mind. Meditation aims to refocus the mind so that you become the master of your thoughts rather than the other way around.
Meditation can help you find more ‘quiet’ in your thoughts and focus your attention to specific things, rather than the ‘noise’ in your mind.
Studies show that workers who practiced mindfulness meditation were able to stay focused on their tasks for longer and better remember the details of their tasks compared with their peers who did not practice meditation*.
MYTH NUMBER 3 – "I'M NO GOOD AT IT"
You can’t be bad at meditating because there is no right or wrong way to meditate! It is simply a matter of finding a style of meditation that best suits you. An experienced meditation teacher can assist you in discovering techniques to help you meditate and apply it practically in your personal circumstances.
TRY THIS 1 MINUTE MEDITATION EXERCISE
Next time you are standing in a queue, rather than getting stressed about how long you have been waiting, try this meditation exercise. Scan your body for areas of tension. When you find one, simply say in your mind ‘relax’ and let that tension go. Keep going from the top of your head all the way to the bottom of your feet.
You have just practiced meditation and it only took 1 minute out of your day! Congratulations!
Starting from 1 minute a day and building up to as many minutes a day as you can spare, you will start reaping the benefits of meditation.
These could include*:
- Reducing stress;
- Controlling anxiety;
- Improving sleep;
- Decreasing blood pressure;
- Promoting emotional health;
- Enhancing self awareness;
- Lengthening attention span;
- Helping to fight addiction; and
- Reducing age-related memory loss.
Macquarie Community College runs several meditation classes throughout the year. For more information or to enrol, visit: https://www.macquarie.nsw.edu.au/course/meditation_introduction_sydney
Source: *https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-benefits-of-meditation#section1