Meditation Myths: Why the Cleanse

Rigorous scientific research has proven that the meditation is an effective mechanism for coping with stress. It not only helps people to cope with stress, but also with medical conditions and emotional health issues. However, there are some common myths about meditation that can put you off trying the practice or make you feel like you're not good at practicing it properly at all. In this article, we'll take a look at each of the myths to give more information on why they're not true, so that anyone who's been afraid to try this healthy activity can worry no more!

For those who are afraid to try meditation, fear that there is a "right" way to do it, or need reassurance that they are practicing the activity well, it may help to know why popular myths are not true.
Meditation has many benefits, such as helping people cope with stress and difficult times, with medical conditions, and with emotional health. It's also common for some people to feel discouraged from trying this healthy habit because of concerns about what might happen if you don't follow certain meditation rules, or how effective their practice might otherwise be. However, these misconceptions are false, so learning more would benefit anyone interested in starting a meditative regimen, rather than being misled by misinformation that encourages them not to participate at all because there is nothing wrong with the method you, despite the rumours

Meditation is a useful and healthy activity. It helps people cope with stress, difficult times, medical conditions and emotional health. But there are many popular dogmas surrounding the topic of meditation that can discourage people from trying it or feeling like they are practicing it successfully.

Whether you've been afraid to try meditation, worried you're not doing it right, or just want reassurance that you're doing it well, you can benefit from learning why the myths about meditation are not true.

Let's bust ten myths about meditation that may have given you the wrong idea about the practice.

You need to clear your mind

If you've ever tried not to think, you know it's an impossible task. When we are awake, our minds are active. Experts may claim that you have to empty your mind of thoughts to meditate, but that's not exactly true.

In meditation, your goal should not be to not think. Instead, the more practical goal is to witness and observe your thoughts, and specifically to do so without strong emotional charge.

When a thought comes to you, instead of dwelling on your feelings about it, during meditation you can gradually learn to evaluate it objectively.

The goal is not to not think, but not to be so attached to your thoughts.

If you do it right, you will feel relaxed

There are many ways meditation can lead to a calmer mind. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes a person's life is just too stressful or exciting for them to feel completely at ease - and that's OKAY!

If meditation gives you a sense of inner peace, that's wonderful. If it doesn't, that's okay too.

Embrace whatever feelings meditation gives you, whether it's inner peace or even more excitement for a life event.

Meditation leads to inaction

According to some theories (eg in Zen meditation), meditation encourages you to accept everything in the world as it is, and long-term meditation will lead you to no action in life. This is not true.

Meditation does encourage you to step back and witness life through a more objective lens, but no form of meditation recommends that you stop being interested in it and everything that happens.

Instead, you can use meditation to choose your actions more wisely, making sure they come from a place of rational thought instead of thoughtless emotion.

You need a lot of free time

Of course, there are monks who spend most of their days meditating – but that doesn't have to be you!

You can reap the benefits of meditation in minutes. If you don't have the time or experience, try the collection of guided meditations with author and presenter Milena Goleva. There you will find a wide range of meditations to help you in various aspects, and you will also find meditation that does not require your full attention, but can be listened to while driving, cooking or on public transport, for example.

Even just a few moments spent breathing slowly and deliberately can be meditative. You don't have to invest all of your free time in practicing meditation to benefit from it in some way.

I can't meditate

Sometimes a person tries to meditate and does not feel that he has succeeded in it. Maybe he can't quiet his mind enough to observe his thoughts, or the act of doing "nothing" causes anxiety, or the whole thing just feels boring.

It is important to realize that just because this has happened does not mean that one is unable to meditate.

Even people who meditate regularly have times when it doesn't work, meaning they don't feel like they've entered a meditative space. It happens and there is no problem. That's no reason not to try again.

If you think you can't meditate, try a different way to do it: watch a video or try a different breathing exercise. Anyone can meditate, and even ordinary meditators don't get into the zone every time.

It is always blissful

It would be wonderful if you felt blissful every time you meditated. While this is a common myth, it is not necessarily true at all. Meditation can lead to feelings of happiness and bliss. Or it might not. Whatever state of mind it leads you to is perfectly fine. There are many times in life when bliss isn't on the table, and it's not some kind of failure.

If you've been discouraged from meditating because it doesn't make you feel as happy as you've heard it does, it's good to know that you can reap the benefits of it, whether you feel smiley or not afterward. Benefits like stress reduction aren't necessarily tangible either.

It's not OK to fall asleep

There is a myth that if you fall asleep while meditating, you didn't do it right. This is false. Meditation can be a relaxing experience. If you relax enough to fall asleep, consider it a job well done.

Bedtime meditations exist for this very reason. When you combine meditation with lying down, you are more likely to relax deeply enough to fall asleep. This is helpful for anyone who experiences racing thoughts when they go to bed at night.

If you fall asleep when meditating during the day and end up dozing off, it's only a problem if you oversleep. If you find yourself prone to this, just set an alarm.

Just like therapy

While meditation is a great tool for introspection, it is nothing like therapy.

Cognitive behavioral, somatic, and other forms of therapy rely on a skilled, trained professional to help patients work through deep emotional issues. Meditation can make a person more emotionally healthy, but it is not a substitute for therapy.

Meditation can be an excellent adjunct to therapy, as one can further explore and sit with the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of therapy while in meditation. However, it cannot replace it and should not be considered equivalent practice. The two are not the same.

Go beyond the myths

After debunking some of the meditation myths you may have believed, you can feel more empowered to give this healthy practice a try.