Practicing meditation is currently being touted for its benefits left, right, and centre.
When you consider starting a meditation practice or course it’s good to get an idea of what to expect and what not to expect so you can decide if it’s right for you, and so you don’t get put off or give up quickly due to some unexpected surprises.
1. Not Just Breathing Exercises
Meditation is not just a set of breathing techniques or the seated meditation practice, it is also a life philosophy and worldview which entails being present and remaining non-judging towards ourselves and others in all that we do.
Sitting down and focusing on the breath is also only one specific type of meditation and focus. You can practice a walking meditation, listening to sounds, plus many other forms of practice.
2. Not A Quick Relaxation Tool
A lot of my clients come to me because they are looking for relaxation.
While you may experience a sense of relaxation and calm – slowing the busy mind is an important component of practice – there are many other experiences that may arise when you practice.
As the mind starts to settle, emotions can be brought to the surface that you may not have previously sat with in stillness before.
Sometimes meditation can be very uncomfortable, boring, make you feel angry, and many different other emotions.
Mindfulness Does Not Empty the Mind of Thoughts
In meditation practices you observe the thoughts (with kindness and without judgement), not try to get rid of thoughts. You can try as much as you like, but I can assure you that new thoughts are always around the corner.
There is an acceptance that we will always have thoughts, but we are practicing to change our relationship to those thoughts.
Not the Answer to All Problems
While meditation practices and philosophies can help with many forms of suffering, meditation is not always recommended to practice.
If you are feeling emotionally distressed, or experience panic attacks, or have gone through a recent traumatic event, observing your thoughts and inner experiences can cause high levels of emotional dysregulation.
You should always talk to your teacher, and if you are seeing a therapist, to discuss your desire to practice with them as well.
Not Only to Help Ourselves
Meditation is not only practiced to help with our own suffering, but it is also meant to ease the suffering of others as well. As the Tibetan Daila Lama says in his morning prayer, he practices ‘for the benefits of all beings’.
There are many different meditations and practices designed to strengthen inner qualities that help us to be more understanding and kind individuals to those around us.
Not the Same as Concentration
It is easy to mix up the practice of meditation with concentration (steps 7 & 8 in the eightfold path).
Meditation and concentration are not the same, but they do go hand in hand.
Concentration can be defined as “one-pointedness of mind. It consists of forcing the mind to remain on one static point” (Gunaratana 172.)
Whereas mindfulness meditation observes the point of focus and notices when the mind wanders, brings it back to the point of focus, as well as notices the qualities of experience.
Creating a long-term meditation practice
When you are choosing a course, sitting down to practice in silence, or choosing a style of meditation, keeping these misconceptions in mind can help you avoid unexpected negative experiences, help you keep an attitude of openness and kindness to yourself, and help you develop a mindfulness practice which is more likely to stick for the longer term.
