If you’re having some trouble
with your meditation, don't get disheartened too easily. It is
usually a matter of small, subtle
changes that may enable
you to get on the right course. Here are some methods to the common meditation problems people cite as cause for discouragement in their course.
How To Meditate If Sitting Cross-Legged is Uncomfortable…
Some people are victims to the misconception that meditation can be practiced only while sitting cross-legged. Many instructors are very strict about this too. Personally, I feel if a position makes you uncomfortable, it’s not right for meditation. I’d rather sit on a comfortable chair or somewhere else (so long as I keep my spine straight), instead of creating distractions for myself by deliberately sitting in an uncomfortable position.
How To Meditate If Sitting Cross-Legged is Uncomfortable…
Some people are victims to the misconception that meditation can be practiced only while sitting cross-legged. Many instructors are very strict about this too. Personally, I feel if a position makes you uncomfortable, it’s not right for meditation. I’d rather sit on a comfortable chair or somewhere else (so long as I keep my spine straight), instead of creating distractions for myself by deliberately sitting in an uncomfortable position.
How to Meditate If You Can’t Stop Thinking…It's actually a highly common problem that most beginners face - which they can’t stop thinking. Remember - no one is likely to stop thinking altogether, but rather focus on a particular train of thought. If you think your mind wandering to noises in the surroundings, or what happened in the day, or other miscellaneous wandering, try to focus on something specific such as your breathing. You could also try chanting some encouraging/relevant words to channelize your thoughts. For instance - say ‘Freedom’, ‘Be Free’, or something that is purposeful with each and every breathing cycle.
What If Your Stomach Growls While You’re Meditating…
Okay, this may sound funny and may even remind you of that embarrassing moment when your stomach went grrrmmmp while you were attempting to impress your date, but during meditation it shouldn’t be a cause of worry. The stomach growling may actually be indicative of relaxation. It is because, often when tension is released, it goes towards the stomach or bowel. This may produce grumbling sounds, which are completely normal. However, if you think it really distracting, you could meditate with music in the background to cover up the sounds.In case you Can’t Follow A Meditation Routine…
Many beginners find it difficult to attach a routine to their meditative practice. They find it difficult to devote time at a fixed time for a fixed period everyday. Though this is really helpful, it isn’t a hard-and-fast rule. If looking for a fixed time is difficult, squeeze in time for meditation between two routine tasks like bathing and wearing clothes, or clothes and make-up/shoes, and so on. If even that doesn’t work, you can do periodic short sessions of meditative exercise throughout the day whenever you find time.
These micro-sessions ought to be substituted with a full session at the end of your
day whenever you find enough time.Any
time you take up meditation, it
is important to acknowledge that
you may not be successful overnight;
mastery comes with time, and thus,
perseverance is important. Even
when you end up failing miserable, don’t quit immediately - try another type of meditation for it might work better for
you. Eventually, you’ll
definitely improve and see the benefits of this art.
No comments:
Post a Comment