We’ve all heard about meditation from somewhere or other. Whether it’s a friend who started meditating in the mornings, or that sweaty guy who’s constantly talking about it in your yoga class after work. Though hearing about it doesn’t really give you a good idea about what it really is, and there are a lot of misconceptions about the practice itself.
In case you were wondering what meditation is really about, here are four common misconceptions about the practice, and a little information regarding what meditation can do for you.
1. You Don’t Need to Be Religious or Spiritual
This is probably the most common misconception regarding meditation. Although it did originate from a spiritual background, that doesn’t mean it’s worthless for a non-spiritual person to pursue.
Meditation focuses on the self, whatever self you choose to be, which means it helps you relieve stress, realign with your own personal belief system, and quiet your mind when it’s racing. Studies have shown that meditation is proven to decrease levels of anxiety in a regular practitioner.
2. You Don’t Need to Be in a Yoga Pose
Meditation doesn’t mean you have to be uncomfortable in order to practice it. People tend to have this idea that they need to be lotus pose or some other uncomfortable yoga posture in order to really meditate, but this is not the case.
Some experts will tell you that the position in which you meditate makes a difference, but for beginners, any position will do. Don’t focus on the way your body is positioned when you meditate; focus on your mind, your thoughts, and your breath.
3. Time Doesn’t Matter
Another misconception is that meditation takes a long amount of time.
When you first start out, ten minutes a day is enough to reap the benefits. Once you start practicing meditation more regularly, you can start doing it for longer periods of time. Consistency is far more important than the amount of time for each session, so make sure you’re doing it every day.
4. You Receive Benefits Immediately
People think that it takes a dedicated practice in order to receive the benefits of meditation, but you actually start noticing the benefits almost immediately.
A study found that in about two months of regular practice, participants experienced growth in certain areas of the brain associated with empathy, stress regulation, and memory.
source and courtesy: dailyvibes.org