Mythbusters: Meditation Edition

Let’s talk about Meditation. Meditation is my medicine. I have been meditating for six years and doing Transcendental Meditation for four. Meditation has been proven to decrease anxiety, it allows you to be more present, allows you to connect with your intuition, it can lead to increased confidence, decrease anger/agitation, increase clarity. Transcendental Meditation has scientifically been proven to reduce stress, reducing blood pressure, aid with addiction and PTSD recovery, improve focus and decision making, and when introduced into elementary schools TM has been proven to increase attendance, grades, and concentration.

So with all these benefits, how come more people don’t meditate? Today I’m debunking some of the most prevalent myths that I hear about meditation in service to helping you live a more connected and joy-filled life.    

MYTH #1: I DON’T HAVE THE TIME

Meditating doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment, especially when you are just starting out. By meditating even two to three minutes a day, you can reap significant benefits from meditation. Sub out two minutes of your morning Instagram scroll for two minutes of meditation.  

MYTH #2: I DON’T KNOW HOW TO DO IT

I bought into this myth when I first started as well. I had no clue what meditation was or how to do it. The great news is that there are so many youtube videos and apps that guide you through meditation. You don’t have to go at it alone. Some of my favorite apps are: Calm and Headspace. Additionally, Deepak Chopra has great meditations that you can find through a quick YouTube search.

MYTH #3: I’M NOT GOOD AT IT

I’m going to let you in on a little secret...you can’t do it wrong. It’s not about sitting there with absolutely no thoughts, it’s about getting present and trying to quiet the mind. One of the tricks I’ve used in the past is pretending there is a river in your mind and boats are floating in the river. Once a thought comes to mind imagine putting the thought on the boat and then watch it float down the river. This helps to reduce you attachment to thoughts, which is part of what the practice of meditation is about.

MYTH #4: I TRIED IT AND I’M NOT GOOD AT IT

That might be true, and that’s okay; however my encouragement for you is to get curious and explore. There are a plethora of meditation types, so have fun exploring. A few of the most common types include: mindfulness meditation, transcendental meditation, walking meditation, mantra-based meditation, guided meditations. Sometimes I think of meditation like dating, you have to keep trying until you find a type that really works for you.  If you’ve given different forms of meditation a try and you still feel like it’s not for you, then I invite you to find a different type of mindfulness that works for you and stick with it. Consistency is key.

Now that we’ve debunked some of the most common myths, what are you waiting for? Get to meditating and start experiencing the benefits! If you have any friends or family that have been thinking about meditating, but don’t know where to start please share this article with them.

Big Love! Xx