Solutions to Meditation Challenges.
I’ve been meditating for decades, and it's one of my most critical self-care tools. I’m mostly consistent with my practice and meditate each morning for 15 minutes. However, my practice occasionally gets derailed, and it certainly did this year because of my Lyme and COVID diagnoses. Many mornings, I was just too tired for my morning routine of stillness and found it hard to concentrate from the brain fog.
Now that I’m feeling so much better, I’ve been transitioning back to my regular practice and finding it more challenging than when I’ve taken other breaks. I’m not sure why it's difficult this time, and my frustration led me to a great article about the difficulties with meditation.
I’ve taken excerpts from this article, and some of the reasons for meditation challenges might resonate with you. It's expected that meditation can be daunting at times, and with this understanding, I want to encourage you to stay with it and reap its many benefits.
Problems with thoughts in meditation.
This is the most common challenge people have with meditation. They feel they cannot quiet their mind and keep out their thoughts. "My mind just won't stop its chatter." "I can't stay focused on meditation." Solution: The key is to stop resisting thoughts and trying to make them disappear. Thoughts are a part of meditation. They are a natural activity in the mind. Although meditation can be a way to experience inner silence, this comes about not by eliminating thoughts but by becoming aware of the silence that is naturally present in the mind along with the thoughts. When we stop resisting what is naturally happening, we experience calmness and peace.
Restlessness.
Often people find it hard to sit still for meditation. It doesn't take long to start thinking of all the things you could be doing or to feel restless, like you want to get up. Solution: Restlessness can arise as the body "unwinds." When we sit to meditate, it's as if we've spent the day in a moving car. Once we stop and rest, it feels like our body is still moving. It takes time for the body to settle down and feel at rest. Meditating is like shifting gears in a car -- you shift into neutral, and the engine takes a while to slow down and come to idle. Continue meditating, allowing yourself to be aware of the sensation of restlessness in the body. You can continue with the meditation practice, such as watching your breath, during this time, or if the restlessness is extremely intense, you can give your attention fully to the sensation of restlessness. Notice exactly how it feels in your body -- where you feel it and what the sensation is like. As you allow yourself to experience restlessness, it will eventually settle down.
Being uncomfortable with our feelings.
Sometimes during meditation, we may be uncomfortable with some of the feelings that arise. This might be a strong emotion or a physical sensation in the body. When the mind is no longer caught up in its outer-directed focus and the usual distractions of the day, we can become aware of feelings under the surface. You may feel tempted to stop meditating, or start to resist these feelings, making meditation a struggle. Solution: The key to achieving a state of deep relaxation is to learn to stop fighting certain feelings and be present to "what is." Thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations come and go continuously in the natural flow of life. Left to flow by themselves, they will pass through. Allow these feelings to be present, not trying to push them out, but also not following the mind's stories about them. If an emotion is so strong that it's overpowering, allow the awareness to be easily with that emotion. Notice its location in the body, and let the awareness be with the physical sensations associated with the emotion until it diminishes. Let go of the meaning the mind gives to the emotion.
Occasionally in meditation, something can come to particularly difficult awareness, such as a repressed memory from the past or a realization about something we need to change in our lives. In this case, getting some support, such as counselling to help deal with the issues that arise, may be helpful.
Disappointment that "good experiences" aren't always there.
Every time we meditate, our experiences will differ depending on our ever-changing physical and emotional states and life circumstances. It is essential to understand that our experiences will change, as we will tend to form expectations based on our previous experiences. Naturally, we like some meditative experiences better than others and may feel disappointed if we meditate and don't have those experiences.
There are no good or bad experiences in meditation. There is no right or wrong way to feel. Meditation is about "letting go" and trusting the natural flow of life. It is important to remember that these meditations aim not to have special experiences but to become more at ease with whatever arises. By meditating regularly and following these guidelines, ease in meditation will grow, translating into greater ease in living -- the ability to flow with whatever life brings.
Sitting in an uncomfortable posture.
People often think they must sit in a particular posture for effective meditation, yet they find it impossible to do so comfortably. If you are physically uncomfortable, this will dominate your awareness, making it impossible to relax. Solution: For sitting meditations, it is best to sit with the spine erect but not to strain in any way. Sit in a way that is natural and puts you at ease. Sitting with back support and flat feet on the floor works best for most people. Source
This article helped me identify some of my frustrations with my current experience. In addition to the above challenges, meditation will not always feel peaceful and blissful and will not solve your problems. However, the benefits far outweigh the frustrations. My regular meditation practice helps me approach life’s difficulties with clarity and calm.
I practice Transcendental Meditation, where I sit in stillness for 15 minutes each morning and silently repeat a mantra. I’ve been feeling too restless for my usual practice, and I have been using guided meditations and finding it much more manageable. I’ll do this for a while and hope to routine to my regular practice soon. I already feel the benefits of calming my mind and practicing presence and mindfulness.
Perhaps you’ve tried meditating and found sitting still too challenging if so, then find other ways to still your mind. Try walking in nature in silence, cycling, swimming or focusing on one task like gardening, painting, or knitting.
If you’ve never tried meditation and you are curious, check out one of my previous blogs- Meditation & Mindfulness Are a Must for Self-care.
Do you meditate? Have you had any challenges? Let me know in the comments below about your experiences.
Be well.
Anita
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