Some people have mentioned to me they are terrible at meditating or can only meditate for a few minutes before they become restless. I am here to tell you that this is a common experience, especially if you are new to meditation. I am also here to encourage you to stick with it. Enjoy the process - the journey - and don’t focus too much on the end-game, whether it be obtaining samadhi or kundalini activation.
Today’s society does not encourage us to be still. We are constantly on the move and multi-tasking whether its eating while commuting or talking on the phone while checking email. Also, today’s society is information-based and forces us to use our minds non-stop. If this describes your lifestyle, then, of course, sitting still will be an adjustment. Initially, the important thing is to adopt a routine and commit to it. Sit for as long as you are able, even if it is for a few minutes at first, and increase the time you sit with each day.
When people tell me that they are bad at meditating, I immediately ask what they were doing right before they started meditating. In some cases, people were going about their day when they came across some free time to sit. In other cases, people were in a stressful situation and using the meditation to calm down.
Your mind has to be some-what calm to meditate effectively. Going directly from an activity to meditating is challenging. Along the same lines, meditating when you are stressed is even more challenging since the mind is especially agitated. Rather, we need to first prepare our minds for meditation.
From a Vedic perspective, asanas (yoga postures), pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation are interconnected. The asanas help center the body and brings you inward. The breathing exercises help to slow the mind by slowing the breath. In that way it is a progression - starting with asanas, then pranayama and ending with meditation. Ideally, your practice should encompass these components in that order. That being said, if you are attempting to meditate in the middle of the day or during a stressful situation, inhaling and exhaling deep long breaths may calm the mind to an extent that will facilitate meditation.
Finally, keep in mind that everyone has different experiences during meditation and I think people’s experiences should be just that - their experiences. If you do not have a similar experience, do not become discouraged. The beauty and power of meditation is it gives YOU exactly what YOU need. Let intuition and love be your guide.
Keep checking out our blogs for more tips on enhancing or deepening your meditation practice. Feel free to comment or start a discussion.
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