Are you a beginner at meditation? Then this blog is for you. I have been meditating for more than 20 years and have gained so much from meditation. In this long journey, I also made some mistakes when I was a beginner. I wish someone had told me about the mistakes to avoid in meditation. It would have made my journey easier. To make your journey of meditation easier, in this blog, I am sharing the list of 10 mistakes to avoid in meditation. When you avoid these mistakes, you can make the most out of meditation and evolve faster. So, let’s get started.
Here is the List of 10 Common Meditation Mistakes That You Need to Avoid Now:
Importance of Taking Care of Your Body
A healthy physical body is very important to go into the deeper states of meditation. Without a healthy body, it becomes difficult to sit still. Illnesses, pains, and aches distract you and make it difficult to meditate. Hence, taking care of the physical body is important. Eat healthy food, exercise regularly, and sleep well to take care of your body. Regularly check your vitamin D and B12 levels and take supplements if needed.
The Impacts Eating Unhealthy and Junk Food Affects
The quality of the food you eat and the quality of your meditation are closely related. If you are eating junk and unhealthy food, you cannot enjoy meditation. You may fall asleep during meditation or get distracted. Avoid or minimize the consumption of deep-fried and processed foods. Choose more healthy and light foods like raw vegetables and fruits. Once your diet is in control, you will start experiencing deeper states of peace in meditation.
Lack of Physical Activity and Exercise
Many people think meditation involves only sitting, and because of this, they ignore physical activity. Physical activity is a must to keep the body strong. If you are serious about progressing in meditation, you need to incorporate physical activity into your daily life. It could be dancing, yoga, working out in a gym, swimming, etc. Try to do at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day.
Starting Meditation in Old Age
One of the greatest myths about meditation is it is for old age. Truth is quite different. You need meditation to overcome challenges, build inner strength, enhance decision-making ability, improve concentration. These skills are essential to succeed in life. So, the sooner you start meditation, the better it is. Don’t wait for old age to start meditation. Start young and face the challenges of life with the enhanced mindset that comes with meditation.
Can You Meditate on a Full Stomach?
This is a big mistake to avoid. Never meditate on a full stomach. You will fall asleep during meditation if your stomach is full. Do your meditation on an empty stomach or maintain a gap of 2 hours between your meal and meditation time.
Lack of Proper Sleep
Good quality sleep is very important to recharge and rejuvenate physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Such high-quality sleep helps you wake up fresh and gives you the strength to meditate every day. So, give your sleep due priority. Don’t neglect sleep.
Can We Learn Meditation Without a Teacher
Yes, YouTube can teach everything for free of cost. There are so many apps out there teaching meditation. But we need to clearly understand that these cannot replace a teacher who knows all about meditation and has practiced the meditation for several years. You can start your meditation journey with YouTube, but if you want to go deeper, learn from a qualified meditation teacher who himself/herself has practiced meditation for years. The right teacher can make a great difference in your meditation journey.
Not Being Consistent in Your Meditation Practice
If we want to see results in anything, consistency is an important factor. Many of us start something new and then stop after some time. We again start and stop. This journey continues, and we stay at the same place even after several years. In order to break this pattern, consistency is the key. Even if you practice meditation only for 10 minutes a day, do it consistently. Consistency significantly improves your meditation journey.
Expecting Results Very Soon
Some of us have the tendency of expecting results out of meditation practice just after meditating for a month or 2. And if we don’t see the results, we give up. It takes time to see substantial results out of meditation. Don’t be in a hurry to see the results. Results will come but be patient and continue the practice.
Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
Everyone’s meditation journey is unique, and comparing with others is not the right thing to do. Sometimes, others may get greater results than you with less amount of practice. It’s ok. It’s important to understand that every soul’s journey is unique, and we are not in a race with anyone. Don’t compare your journey with others and feel low. Keep meditating, and the right results will come at the right time.
These are the 10 common mistakes to avoid in meditation.
It’s wonderful to meditate every single day and tap into inner peace. If you are a beginner, it’s common to make some mistakes and give up meditation. But don’t give up meditation so quickly. Hang on! Move beyond the above 10 common mistakes and meditate consistently for 6 months to 1 year. When you do this, you will experience clarity in thinking, inner peace, enhanced concentration, better control over emotions and thoughts. It is worth investing your energy and time in meditation. If you want to learn more…
Happy Meditation!
