Many people have an idea of what meditation and mindfulness mean… but there’s a lot of misinformation too.
Here I’ll try to set the record straight!
Do you need to be able to clear your mind to meditate?
Working in media I naturally had (and still have) a busy mind. Constantly enveloped in news – how was I ever going to be able to shut out all that noise? Every time I experienced meditation (usually at the end of a yoga class) I heard the words ‘now clear your mind’ and immediately went into overdrive thinking how? How can anyone do that?
The fact is – you don’t have to clear your mind at all! This is a major myth – and practically impossible to do. It’s more about noticing when your mind wanders.
Do you have to sit in a funny position to meditate?
Well you can if you want I suppose, but that’s not a requirement!
The fact is – the most important thing is to be comfortable – wherever you are, whether you sit in a chair, on a mat, or you are lying down.
Is meditation is about doing nothing?
Not at all true.
The fact is – while you may be sitting quietly – it takes quite a bit of effort to stop and take a few minutes for yourself. It’s called a meditation practice for a reason. Meditation is more about ‘not doing’ than doing nothing.
Do you need a lot of time to meditate?
If you have five minutes to make yourself a cup or tea or 15 minutes to go out and get your barista made coffee, you have the time to meditate or practice mindfulness.
The fact is – you can meditate for five minutes or 50 – that’s up to you, and you can practice mindfulness anywhere, at any time.
Is meditation a spiritual thing?
People meditate for many reasons – usually to induce a feeling of relaxation and calm, or to help overcome stress and anxiety.
The fact is – you do not have to be spiritual or religious to practice meditation.