“I’m not very good at meditating. I can’t possibly turn my mind off.”
This simple comment from a conversation a decade ago has stuck with me through the years. I remember the dismissal and exasperation in my new friend’s voice as she shared her thoughts on meditation. As the years have unfolded, I’ve discovered that many people share this view and frustration. Meditation misconceptions come in many forms, so I want to illuminate and expand on why the mindset above can prevent the development of a productive meditation practice.
The idea of being “good at something” is counterproductive to personal growth.
Meditation is a personal practice. It occurs within oneself. There are no scoreboards, no opponents, no rivals, and no one from whom to gain approval. It is a process and an experience that is unique to each individual. In a world and society that so often measures value with a comparative scale, freeing one’s mind and spirit from external expectation can feel strange, unguided, and even silly. That’s all OK. Personal growth occurs when the scoreboard is turned off and inner awareness is turned on.
There’s more to a meditation practice than turning off one’s mind.
A common meditation misconception is that one has to turn off the mind to “achieve meditation.” While being able to truly quiet the mind is incredibly difficult and often therapeutic, it is usually not the be-all-end-all for a profund practice. I find it to be an incredibly powerful pillar of a profound meditation practice, but to stop there would likely leave much to be desired. In many ways, it would be like working hard to get the lid off the pickle jar only to put it back on. No easy feat to be sure, but there’s more juice to be had from the squeeze.
Negative self-talk leads to negative outcomes.
While seemingly self-explanatory, the importance of this concept is so often overlooked. A positive outlook and mindset are crucial to a beneficial spiritual practice. We reap what we sow and thoughts are things. We weave them into existence. So as we weave the tapestries of our own thoughts, emotions, and desires into our very being, let’s all resolve to choose those colors that make us feel warm and whole in our quilts of character.
There’s no one correct way to meditate. Finding one’s own individual style can lead to self-discovery and creation. Alternatively, many spiritual practices and teachers have specific processes to help guide those interested in learning. If you are interested in learning about the Deepflow Meditation Process, stay tuned! Be well.