Forcing yourself to meditate for all the benefits it may produce is unlikely to yield the results you desire…
It is only natural that we only continue doing things that we love to do. So if mediation is a chore, or it just seems too hard, then we are extremely unlikely to make a habit of it. For the habit to stick there needs to be the cue, routine, reward (see more on habits here).
One of the common things we hear as people take up meditation for the first time is that they need to ‘force’ themselves to concentrate. Or need to ‘force’ themselves to clear their mind.
This actually becomes counter-productive. As you put pressure on yourself to do something that is not feeling good or natural, you are just building up even more inner conflict.
Last week we mentioned Meditation Myth #1 – Meditation is about nothingness. And that is a great place to start. Meditation in not about controlling the mind. It is more about being at peace with your mind and letting it find its own state of equilibrium.
You can help guide the mind down different paths with various types of meditation. This will depend on what your goals are with meditation as a whole or with any specific meditation.
It’s good to set an intention, but don’t get too caught up with it. It’s the same in general life. We can set goals, have ‘to do’ lists noted on page after page. But the reality is, none of us have a crystal ball. We can’t predict the future. There are so many variables in life that things are bound to come up.
Be patient, be flexible, and most of all don’t be too hard on yourself. Meditation is a way to unwind and relax. So don’t go pressuring yourself into thinking that it must be done a certain way or you should get immediate results.
Take a leaf out of all the clichéd sports interviews…Just take it day by day, one meditation at a time, and enjoy the moment.
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