Meditation myth busters.

When coping with moments of anxiety it can be really easy to brush aside meditation. I understand, a meditation practice solely on its own isn’t always the answer.
It can seem counter productive to sit in silence with your thoughts when your mind is racing and you just want to look outwards for the answers. This too was my reality for many years.
However, changing our view on meditation and busting some of the myths that we tell ourselves can help us see that meditation is not only a helpful practice assisting us through moments of anxiety, but when incorporated into our daily lives we provide ourselves the mental space to create awareness as to why these thoughts and feelings are showing up.

Here are 5 myth busters which will I hope will have you a little more curious to start your practice;

Myth #1 To meditate you need to stop your thoughts.
When you meditate you engage your prefrontal cortex, which is your brains ability to self regulate emotions. We cultivate awareness of our emotions, thoughts, breath and senses during meditation, noticing what is there without judgement.
Eventually a racing mind will ease as we observe what is here.

Myth #2 Meditation is all about trying to relax.
Although relaxation and space from and between our thoughts may arise from meditation, striving for a goal moves the goal further away.
Letting go of these ideals allows us to connect with and be aware of what is showing up in that moment, connecting to the now.
Meditation calms your amygdala, which is your brain's fear response therefore you will eventually feel less stressed and anxious.

Myth #3 Meditation is hard.
Like we learn to swim, we learn to meditate, this strengthens our practice.
You don't need to sit still in silence for hours to meditate, that is a challenge in itself for most of us. Instead, try out different techniques till you find one you feel more at ease with, and that fits into your life. Here's a few;

~ breath work / sound / singing / chanting
~ movement meditation
~ visualisation

Myth #4 If your mind wanders you're not meditating.

If you've noticed your mind wandering, you are meditating!
Meditation is the awareness of where your body is, your thoughts, your breath, your senses at the present moment. Control of your mind rather than your mind controlling you, so if it wanders and you bring your awareness back to a focus point, you are meditating.

Myth #5 I don't have time.

Whilst a daily meditation routine is recommended for ongoing benefits, a short 5 minute meditation such as deep belly breathing can assist to engage your parasympathetic nervous system which aids rest and relaxation.

Carla x