Not a How-to Guide nor a Meditation 101, just some insights from my personal meditation journey
Like most people, I struggled with meditation - finding the time, clearing my head, staying focused, etc. I somehow held conflicting views on the subject - I thought it should be simple (which I realised later does not mean easy) and I also thought it was too hard and beyond my ability to do. I believed it was too time consuming or even a waste of time, for I could be doing something useful rather than just sitting there actively doing nothing...
Now I meditate daily, often several times a day, for varying reasons. I'll meditate out in nature, to still my thoughts and connect with the world around me. I'll meditate whilst I'm working, to gain clarity on a subject or disrupt unhealthy thought patterns. I'll meditate in the morning, to consolidate my dreams and prepare myself for the day. And I'll meditate in the evening, to review the day's events and to observe my thoughts, emotions, and actions within them.
This last one is of particular importance, considering how important it is to conduct reviews for the purpose of continued learning and development.
Meditation has become such a valuable tool for me that I wish to share with you all I've learned thus far, even though I'm no expert on the subject and have a great deal to learn. What follows is my knowledge gained through experience and research. Please follow the links further information or clarification, visit Spiritual England to discover more, and visit our Meditation Forum where we'll any questions you may have!
In this article
Personal Meditation Advice
1. Sporadic Practice
My meditation breakthrough came when I began practising meditation on the fly...
If I was waiting for a train, I would meditate on the bench
Whilst riding the bus, I would meditate in my seat
A friend is late to arrive, time to meditate
Waiting for the adverts to end, meditation time
You get the idea.
Of course, there were often lots of distractions - far more than I would have had back home on my comfy little meditation cushion. However, the constant small practices in less than ideal conditions really helped to condition me for the dedicated, longer, and quieter meditation sessions.
As seems to be so often the case with learning something new, it was doing it little and often which garnered the greatest results. Now, whenever anyone asks me for advice on meditation advice, this is the best I can think to give. It worked for me and won't necessarily work for everyone, but give it a try and let me know if it works for you!
2. Active Meditations
In hindsight, I note two other things which has helped me develop my meditation practice, both of which I refer to as active forms of meditation. Breathing exercises, as referred to in No Preparation, can both calm and focus the mind. They work to synchronise your mind and body, influencing the parasympathetic nervous system, and help to achieve a meditative state. I always incorporate these into both my meditation and yoga practices.
Speaking of yoga, Yin Yoga is largely underrated and unknown form of yoga, and an amazing method of active meditation. Staying in each yoga pose for 2-5 minutes may seem like a daunting task, but the reality is a body-centred meditative practice providing a focal point for the mind in a similar way to the breath. We know we store stress and tension in various places around the body, but did you know the locations relate to different emotional and psychological causes? I've found Yin Yoga to be a highly effective way to access and release these accumulated burdens.
3. Get Comfortable
Did you know the entire practice of physical Yoga was created to allow one to sit comfortably in the Lotus pose for an extended length of time? That's right, yoga as we know it is merely a tool for meditating comfortably.
This should alert you to the fact the typical Lotus meditation position is not an easy one to maintain, especially for beginners and those without lots of yoga under their belts! Nothing will hinder your meditation practice more than pain and discomfort, so focus on making yourself comfortable first.
There are various stools, mats, and cushions all designed specifically for improving meditation posture and comfort, but you don't need to go out and buy all the equipment before getting started. Prop yourself up with cushions, lean against a wall, or sit on a chair... whatever works for you, just remember to keep your back is straight. The Lotus pose redirects blood flow from the legs to the major organs, aligns the nervous system, and encourages the free flow of energy through the meridians; so, it's worth aiming for this pose in the future, but it isn't the best place to start.
Common Meditation Mistakes
1. No Preparation
When talking to people about their meditation problems, it's often the same issues and the same mistakes being made. The lack of preparation is probably the most common element and should be the first point of call (unless you're doing a sporadic practice). The saying 'failing to prepare is preparing to fail' is no less true for meditation than it is for every other aspect of life. Next time you sit down to meditate, spend 5 minutes first going through a few breathing exercises designed to calm your mind and body, and then see how your practice goes.
2. No Practice
As with almost all things in life, meditation takes practice. We're not taught to meditate as children, by our parents or in school, so it's not something which comes with any prior experience.
In fact, so much of our upbringing and daily lives are antithetical to meditation, suggesting we have a lot of pre-programming we must first contend with in order to meditate successfully. You can set aside a time each day to meditate, such as the first thing you do in the morning or the last thing you do at night.
The results can be subtle at first and the motivation to continue your practice can dwindle. If you're struggling to keep a regular practice, consider my personal meditation advice to see how I practice and made significant progress in a short space of time.
3. No Intention
With there being so many different ways to meditate, merely plonking yourself on a cushion and expecting 'meditation to happen' may not be the most effective way to get started. Begin by deciding on how you want to meditate and what you intend to achieve through it. If you're not a very good swimmer, it may be a good idea to have a plan in mind before jumping in the ocean. Even if it's just a way you want to feel or an idea you want to explore, set your intention first.
Having said all that, if you find a particular method of meditation is not working for you, then instead of giving up and doing something else entirely, you can alter your practice to suit your state. As previously mentioned, some practice is better than no practice and the mere act of trying and going through the motions will pay dividends in the future.
4. No Time
Like pretty much everyone, I was under the illusion that I had no time to meditate. However, if I could lie in bed for half an hour every morning, play a game on my phone for 45 minutes, and watch a 2-hour film at night, then I was lying to myself about having no time in the day for self-improvement. What I had were easy and ingrained habits which needed replacing with an admittedly harder, but far more rewarding habit.
When you decide to take time out of your day to meditate, you're actively taking some of your precious time back for yourself. You're not giving anyone or anything your attention and you're focusing on the most important thing in your life - you. Take the time to get to know yourself better and deepen your understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, motivations and triggers.
Meditation is a selfish act which ultimately benefits everyone
Guided Meditations
I have mixed feelings when it comes to guided meditations. On one hand, they're a wonderful technique to attain a highly meditative state, enter into a trance, achieve deep relaxation, and explore the far reaches of the mind. Guides can help you to those hard to reach places, confront problems, and overcome barriers. They allow people with limited meditation experience to benefit greatly from a meditative practice that would be beyond their ability by themselves.
On the other hand, I find them to be very limiting in the grand scheme of becoming better at meditating. I believe guided meditations were holding me back - tricking me into thinking I was meditating when I was actually just enjoying what I'd hesitantly call a light hypnosis, which I could never transfer to my own unguided meditations. They became a crutch with which I could no longer walk without, and I had to put it down before I could progress further.
Guided meditation often feels more like hypnosis than true meditation. Hypno = sleep, and Osis = condition, and when the purpose of meditation is to become more aware and awake, undergoing sleep conditioning seems counterintuitive to say the least.
Meditation & Relaxation
Even though I'm well aware how deeply relaxing meditation can be, it can still be a challenge to remember to use it for this purpose. There's really nothing better after a long day working, travelling, or some other activity which has built up stress and tension. I know this to be true even before I discovered meditation, when I would jump in the bath and let all my thoughts and worries drift away.
Having said all that, when I'm in this state of requiring relaxation, my thoughts go to putting on a movie or TV series before thinking of meditation. Much like smoking a cigarette, this only provides the illusion of relaxation, whereas in reality the body and brain are being stimulated more than ever. I'm clearly still undergoing a process of undoing these learned behaviours... Luckily I know the best tool for the job - meditation.
Meditation Apps
Look no further than our Spiritual Apps page for useful mobile tools to help your meditation practice. Don't be afraid to stop using one if it isn't helping you - there are so many to choose from and everyone has their favourites. I'm not fussed about all the bells and whistles, so an app with a nice simple timer and pleasant gong sounds is more than enough for me. They can be great for tracking your practice and encouraging you to meditate every day.
Final Thoughts
The mind has been referred to as a muscle in need of exercise and practicing meditation is certainly a highly beneficial exercise for it. Furthermore, when you're in that deep and blissful meditate state, the mind is truly at rest, and like with any muscle following exercise, it's in that resting state where the greatest healing and growth takes place.
The Ego will do whatever it can to protect itself, including working to prevent you from doing anything to reduce its influence and control. Your mind is not a place to be feared and don't let your thoughts distract your from this highly beneficial practice. Stick with it and you will reap the rewards - take back control of your own mind, understand it and your Self better than ever before, and use this valuable and versatile tool to achieve your goals.
Looking for advice?
Get in touch with Adam Pike
Natural Health Consultant & Systems Thinker Director of Spiritual England
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