Myth #1: Meditation is difficult.
Truth:
This myth is rooted in the image of meditation as an esoteric
practice reserved only for saints, holy men, and spiritual adepts. In
reality, when you receive instruction from an experienced,
knowledgeable teacher, meditation is easy and fun to learn. The
techniques can be as simple as focusing on the breath or silently
repeating a mantra. One reason why meditation may seem difficult is
that we try too hard to concentrate, we're overly attached to results,
or we're not sure we are doing it right. In our experience at the
Chopra Center, learning meditation from a qualified teacher is the best
way to ensure that the process is enjoyable and you get the most from
your practice. A teacher will help you understand what you're
experiencing, move past common roadblocks, and create a nourishing
daily practice.
Myth #2: You have to quiet your mind in order to have a successful meditation practice.
Truth:
This may be the number one myth about meditation and is the cause of
many people giving up in frustration. Meditation isn't about stopping
our thoughts or trying to empty our mind -- both of these approaches
only create stress and more noisy internal chatter. We can't stop or
control our thoughts, but we can decide how much attention to give them.
Although we can't impose quiet on our mind, through meditation we can
find the quiet that already exists in the space between our thoughts.
Sometimes referred to as "the gap," this space between thoughts is pure
consciousness, pure silence, and pure peace.
When
we meditate, we use an object of attention, such as our breath, an
image, or a mantra, which allows our mind to relax into this silent
stream of awareness. When thoughts arise, as they inevitably will, we
don't need to judge them or try to push them away. Instead, we gently
return our attention to our object of attention. In every meditation,
there are moments, even if only microseconds, when the mind dips into
the gap and experiences the refreshment of pure awareness. As you
meditate on a regular basis, you will spend more and more time in this
state of expanded awareness and silence.
Be
assured that even if it feels like you have been thinking throughout
your entire meditation, you are still receiving the benefits of your
practice. You haven't failed or wasted your time. When my friend and
colleague David Simon taught meditation, he would often tell students,
"The thought I'm having thoughts may be the most important thought you
have ever thought, because before you had that thought, you may not have
even known you were having thoughts. You probably thought you were
your thoughts." Simply noticing that you are having thoughts is a
breakthrough because it begins to shift your internal reference point
from ego mind to witnessing awareness. As you become less identified
with your thoughts and stories, you experience greater peace and open to
new possibilities.
Myth #3: It takes years of dedicated practice to receive any benefits from meditation.
Truth:
The benefits of meditation are both immediate and long-term. You can
begin to experience benefits the first time you sit down to meditate
and in the first few
days of daily practice. Many scientific studies provide evidence that
meditation has profound effects on the mind-body physiology within just
weeks of practice. For example, a landmark study led by Harvard
University and Massachusetts General Hospital found that as little as
eight weeks of meditation not only helped people experience decreased
anxiety and greater feelings of calm; it also produced growth in the
areas of the brain associated with memory, empathy, sense of self, and
stress regulation.
At
the Chopra Center, we commonly hear from new meditators who are able
to sleep soundly for the first time in years after just a few days of
daily meditation practice. Other common benefits of meditation include
improved concentration, decreased blood pressure, reduced stress and
anxiety, and enhanced immune function. You can learn more about the
benefits of meditation in a recent post, "Why Meditate?" on the Chopra
Center blog.
Myth #4: Meditation is escapism.
Truth:
The real purpose of meditation isn't to tune out and get away from it
all but to tune in and get in touch with your true self -- that
eternal aspect of yourself that
goes beyond all the ever-changing, external circumstances of your
life. In meditation you dive below the mind's churning surface, which
tends to be filled with repetitive thoughts about the past and worries
about the future, into the still point of pure consciousness. In this
state of transcendent awareness, you let go of all the stories you've
been telling yourself about who you are, what is limiting you, and
where you fall short -- and you experience the truth that your deepest
self is infinite and unbounded.
As
you practice on a regular basis, you cleanse the windows of perception
and your clarity expands. While some people do try to use meditation
as a form of escape -- as a way to bypass unresolved emotional issues
-- this approach runs counter to all of the wisdom teachings about
meditation and mindfulness. In fact, there are a variety of meditation
techniques specifically developed to identify, mobilize and release
stored emotional toxicity. If you are coping with emotional upset or
trauma, I recommend that you work with a therapist who can help you
safely explore and heal the pain of the past, allowing you to return to
your natural state of wholeness and love.
Myth #5: I don't have enough time to meditate.
Truth:
There are busy, productive executives who have not missed a
meditation in 25 years, and if you make meditation a priority, you will
do it. If you feel like your schedule
is too full, remember that even just a few minutes of meditation is
better than none. We encourage you not to talk yourself out of
meditating just because it's a bit late or you feel too sleepy.
In
life's paradoxical way, when we spend time meditating on a regular
basis, we actually have more time. When we meditate, we dip in and out
of the timeless, spaceless realm of consciousness... the state of pure
awareness that is the source of everything that manifests in the
universe. Our breathing and heart rate slow down, our blood pressure
lowers, and our body decreases the production of stress hormones and
other chemicals that speed up the aging process and give us the
subjective feeling that we are "running out of time."
In
meditation, we are in a state of restful alertness that is extremely
refreshing for the body and mind. As people stick with their meditation
ritual, they notice that they are able to accomplish more while doing
less. Instead of struggling so hard to achieve goals, they spend more
and more time "in the flow" -- aligned with universal intelligence that
orchestrates everything.
Myth #6: Meditation requires spiritual or religious beliefs.
Truth:
Meditation is a practice that takes us beyond the noisy chatter of
the mind into stillness and silence. It doesn't require a specific
spiritual belief, and many people of many different religions practice
meditation without any conflict with their current religious beliefs.
Some meditators have no particular religious beliefs, or are atheist or
agnostic. They meditate in order to experience inner quiet and the
numerous physical and mental health benefits of the practice --
including lowered blood pressure, stress reduction, and restful sleep.
The original reason that I started meditating was to help myself stop
smoking. Meditation helps us to enrich our lives. It enables us to enjoy
whatever we do in our lives more fully and happily -- whether that is
playing sports, taking care of our children, or advancing in our
career.
Myth #7: I'm supposed to have transcendent experiences in meditation.
Truth:
Some people are disappointed when they don't experience visions, see
colors, levitate, hear a choir of angels, or glimpse enlightenment when
they meditate. Although
we can have a variety of wonderful experiences when we meditate,
including feelings of bliss and oneness, these aren't the purpose of
the practice. The real benefits of meditation are what happens in the
other hours of the day when we're going about our daily lives. When we
emerge from our meditation session, we carry some of the stillness and
silence of our practice with us, allowing us to be more creative,
compassionate, centered, and loving to ourselves and everyone we
encounter.
As you begin or continue your meditation journey, here are some other guidelines that may help you on your way:
- Have no expectations. Sometimes the mind is too active to settle down. Sometimes it settles down immediately. Sometimes it goes quiet, but the person doesn't notice. Anything can happen.
- Be easy with yourself. Meditation isn't about getting it right or wrong. It's about letting your mind find its true nature.
- Don't stick with meditation techniques that aren't leading to inner silence. Find a technique that resonates with you. There are many kinds of mantra meditation, including the Primordial Sound Meditation practice taught at the Chopra Center. Or simply follow the in and out of your breathing, not paying attention to your thoughts at all. The mind wants to find its source in silence. Give it a chance by letting go.
- Make sure you are alone in a quiet place to meditate. Unplug the phone. Make sure no one is going to disturb you.
- Really be there. If your attention is somewhere else, thinking about your next appointment, errand or meal, of course you won't find silence. To meditate, your intention must be clear and free of other obligation