Are you someone that thinks meditation is dumb? That it is a waste of time?
If you’re like me you probably know scores of people who are totally closed off to the idea of meditation. They say things like:
- Meditation doesn’t work
- It’s for hippies or yoga weirdos
- I don’t need to meditate
- It’s dumb or pointless
- It won’t help me
- I don’t have time to meditate
- My mind is too fast. I would get bored meditating or couldn’t do it
I had a very closed off mindset. One that thankfully, I have grown out of.
What to expect when starting meditation
When I first tried to meditate I hated it. I tried to sit in the traditional meditation way. Legs crossed with my arms on my legs forming an o with my fingers.
First, I noticed that it was very uncomfortable. My back ached and did not want to sit straight up with no support like that. It was very uncomfortable (I still have this issue sometimes).
Second, I could not keep my mind on track at all. I tried to focus on my breath, but found my mind racing going from thought to thought. I remember thinking “I don’t think I can do this, my mind won’t shut up” This was very frustrating for me and almost made me want to quit.
Third, time seemed to move very slowly. I was constantly fighting the urge to look down at my phone’s timer and see how much time was left. I often was worried I had not started the timer at all because it felt like it had been so long.
Lastly, the timer would ring and I would think wow that was it? I sat here and wasted my time doing this chore and got nothing out of it.
But then, as I got better at meditation I was able to actually turn my brain off for short periods of time by focusing on my breath. I would sink to a seemingly lower state of consciousness until suddenly the time was up. This occurrence was rare however.
When I was able to actually sit down and meditate, turning my mind off and not having distractions interrupt me I could feel the effects of meditation. Almost as if I just woke up from a trance into a state of calm with a new awe for the world.
That’s when I thought wow. This can actually be awesome. This trance like reset of the mind had been what I was looking for and I was only at the beginning.
Sadly, this has only happened a few times and I can’t seem to force myself into it. I also noticed that it only happens when I sit down and just focus on my breathing for 10 minutes at the minimum. It has not happened during a guided meditation or during shorter meditation sessions.
Currently I am doing guided meditations using Headspace. I am taking a guided meditation course on sleep. I have noticed a big difference in my ability to fall asleep more quickly. I will review this course later once I have finished it.
I hope after I am done with this course to get back to the non-guided meditations and see what happens. Maybe I’ll have some type of spiritual awakening.
At the lowest level if you start meditating for the first time you can expect some frustrations, but you will also learn to be more in touch with your mind and body. You will gain the skill of calming yourself as well.
Give it a try
Whenever you are in a bad mood or things aren’t going your way sit down and try meditating for a few minutes and see how you feel afterwards.
Stick to the habit of meditating and you will find yourself getting better at it and discovering new applications for it.
Go somewhere quiet, sit down with no expectations and focus on your breath. Get in tune with your body. Be open to the experience. Do this for a few weeks and decide whether you think meditation can be useful for you or not. Even if you end up not liking it you can at least say you tried it and don’t have to wonder if it’s for you anymore. I doubt that will happen though. You’ll discover the amazing tool that meditation can be
For more resources around meditation check out this post.
How to get started meditating
If you still aren't convinced
If after reading this article and looking at my previous challenge post for meditation I have an alternative for you.
This isn’t really meditation and is a lot more free form than traditional meditation. At the very least you can try this.
Go to your favorite place. Sit or stand comfortably without distraction. (that means turn your phone off)
Now that you are there, think about your day. How did it go? How did you handle any of the challenges you faced? Did you use this day to the best of your ability? e.g. did you use your time wisely?
Think about the things that you are grateful for and some challenges you have yet to face.
Then even if just for a few moments look at your surroundings. Notice any sights, smells, sounds in the area.
Lastly, ask yourself this question. What did I do today that was excellent?
What will you do tomorrow?
You can also write this down in a journal if that works better for you. Try this exercise and see what you think. Comment down below if you tried it and share your thoughts.
I hope you enjoyed this short article and that it helped you decide to try meditation. If you did enjoy this post please like, subscribe, comment about your experiences, and share it. It helps me out a lot.