Why should I meditate?
So here’s another article telling you to meditate.
But before you roll your eyes at the expected promises of bliss and tranquility, let’s be honest it can be difficult to meditate.
Let alone feel anything other than restlessness, doubt, discomfort, fatigue and the admission that perhaps ‘I just can’t meditate’. My intention isn’t to convince you to meditate, it’s to lay to rest some of the most common misconceptions of meditation and to briefly explain its true value.
So all I ask is that you stay with me for one or two minutes more, and by the end of the article you can make your mind up about what to do or not do.
Let's start with the misconceptions
Misconception #1: I can’t stop thinking so I must be doing it wrong
The mind never stops thinking, nor is that the goal of meditation. The goal is to catch yourself in the midst of thinking and then return to focusing on a focal point such as the breath or the body. You may have to catch yourself 50-100 times in a meditation session, and that’s great. Catching yourself getting distracted is where the value lies, not in the unrealistic expectation that you’ll turn the mind off.
Misconception #2: I need to relax the breath and the body to be doing it right
A common meditation cue as a teacher is to invite people to ‘slow down the breath and relax the body’. But what if your breath is feeling constricted and your body is tense? Are you doing it wrong? Absolutely not! One of the values of meditation is to witness yourself exactly as you are. Whether that’s bliss and tranquility, or restlessness and frustration, it doesn’t matter. You meet yourself and practice accepting yourself. Find comfort in discomfort.
Misconception #3: Everything around me needs to be quiet in order for meditation to work
Meditation is the practice of awakening in the ordinary moments of your life, you’re learning to find calm in stressful situations. At work, in arguments, in life. If you always need quiet for your meditation, how do you expect to show up for the chaos in your life?
Misconception #4: Nothing happens when I meditate therefore it’s pointless
What’s happening is that you’re learning how to be comfortable being uncomfortable. You close your eyes and the body feels tense, emotions are restless and the breath is constricted. The more you can practice sitting in discomfort, the more you will witness the ever changing nature of things.
One moment you’re uncomfortable the next moment you’re relaxed.
So why meditate?
A common theme in all of the misconceptions is the assumption that feeling uncomfortable means you must be meditating wrong. In reality the whole point of meditation is to practice how to be comfortable being uncomfortable.
Meditation is a practice intended to prepare you for the ordinary moments of life. And ordinarily some, or many, moments of your life are not so comfortable. Work, life and relationship stresses are a normal part of life. So other than drastically changing your life circumstances, the best way to learn how to cope better with life stress is to practice how to ‘do discomfort better’.
And you know where the most uncomfortable place is? Sitting down quietly and closing your eyes..
Nothing is more confronting than our own thoughts, emotions, internal voices and feelings in our body. Closing our eyes, every one of us is confronted with the chaos that is our own minds. So contrary to most common belief, meditation is actually meant to be uncomfortable. It’s like a training ground for life, training to get really comfortable being uncomfortable. Put another way, if you can sit with the chaos in your mind, the chaos in your life will be easy.
Why would I do something uncomfortable?
The same reason you go to the gym, or do anything with an outcome better than where you started. When you first go into a gym you expect the weights to be heavy and that it will take time to get comfortable lifting weights. Meditation is the same.
At first it’s uncomfortable being uncomfortable, but over time it gets easier and easier. And before you know it life gets easier and much more rewarding.
Because your stress is probably not going anywhere, but how you deal with it is within your control.
So in summary, why meditate?
Because the stress in your life will be a breeze the more you practice sitting with the inevitable chaos in your mind and body. And in time with practice, your mind and body will be safe places for you to venture further into.
The more you can practice noticing and accepting what’s arising for you in meditation, the more moments of relaxation you’ll have. This in turn will calm down the nervous system, which has countless health benefits for the body. Including a stronger immunity and higher degree of focus.
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Follow the links below if you’d like to know more about meditation: