Welcome, gentle soul to today’s post, Meditation For Beginners: 3 Mistakes Most People Make.
This month, I have decided to take part in the #bloglikecrazy challenge run by blogger Javacia Harris Bowser, the founder and editor of See Jane Write
To help keep myself focused and on point, I am going to use #bloglikecrazy to share my understanding of meditation with you.
Meditation For Beginners 3 Mistakes Most People MakeSome of the posts will be academic and factual and others will be more personal accounts of what meditation means to me and how having a daily practice has helped me overcome low times in my life. I may even feature a couple of case studies from students I have taught.
If there are any topics around meditation you wish me to blog about, drop me an email or share your thoughts in the comment box below. Thank you.
Ok, so let’s get started. It’s day 3 of #bloglikecrazy and I’m already 1 day behind!
To start off with, let’s chat about three of the most popular mistakes most people make when they start to meditate.
They are:
- Being Crazy-busy.
- Too many thoughts.
- Can’t sit still.
Top of your head, which mistake, or difficulty with meditating do you identify with?
Meditation Mistake #1: You Are Crazy-Busy
Do you ever have multiple projects on the go and spend half your time rushing around?
I know I do.
And my daughters are forever telling me “mum, slow down, just breathe and do one thing at a time!” (what can I say uh.)
Solution:
- Watch this video which gives a good example of how you/I can overcome this “being crazy-busy” scenario and find a moment of calm in your busy day.
Upgrade Solution:
- Set a timer on your phone, for 2 to 10 minutes, make a commitment to yourself that when your timer goes off you dedicate this time to show up for your practice.
- Find a meditation accountability buddy. Someone who will encourage and support your practice.
- Make a date and time to practice, and stick to it.
Meditation Mistake #2: You Have Too Many Thoughts
This is a common one.
Did you know you have over 101 thoughts in a day?
No wonder it is hard to calm and be still and settle your mind to meditate.
Solution:
- Before you start to meditate, calm your mind by practising yoga breathing exercises.
- Here’s my favourite go-to basic yoga breathing exercise:
- Close your eyes, and take 3 long steady breaths in and out through your nose.
Then,
- Focus on breathing in slowly through your nose for a count of three (1…2…3….) and breathe out through your nose for a count of six (1…2…3…4…5…6…)
- Do this for 3-5 cycles of breath and notice how calm you feel and ready to focus on your practice.
Meditation Mistake #3 You Can’t Sit Still
A lot of people struggle to sit still and feel comfortable when you meditate.
Your body seems to rebel at the thought of “being still” and you notice every itch and twitch, your back feels tight, your hips are stiff and your knees sore and creaky.
It is hard to focus on your practice when your mind is occupied with dealing with the aches and pains you experience in your body.
Solution:
- To ease aches and pains, practice a few simple yoga poses before you settle down to meditate.
- This article shows you five simple yoga poses you can try to reduce stress and tension in your body so that you feel comfortable when you practice.
Upgrade:
- Make it part of your daily routine to do a few simple yoga exercises.
- The Sun Salutation is perfect for this as it gives your body a full energy boost! Or
- If you are super keen, join a local yoga class or take up private yoga lessons. Your body will thank you!
Closing Thoughts:
Learning meditation is like learning any new skill.
You will have obstacles and challenges to overcome.
Most people, even experienced meditators and yogis suffer from being too busy, have too much on your mind and from aches and pains.
Don’t worry about it. You are not alone.
With practice and being part of a supportive group, it becomes easier for you to embrace these challenges and roll with them.
If you want to learn more about how you can make yoga and meditation part of your daily routine, check out my new Yoga For Beginners Book which shows you how easy it is to reduce stress and feel happy and healthy.
Learning to meditate is a gift you give to yourself.
Knowing what the popular mistakes are:
- being crazy-busy,
- having too many thoughts and
- you can’t sit still long enough to meditate
- and what you can do to avoid these mistakes, helps get the benefits of meditating with ease.
Want to Learn More?
If you are interested in taking better care of your body and want to find out more about how yoga exercises and breathing techniques can help you learn how to relax, stretch and heal your body – so you can meditate with ease, you will love my new book, Yoga For Beginners: A Simple Guide to the Best Yoga Styles and Exercises for Relaxation, Stretching, and Good Health. You can buy your copy here.
