Do you want to achieve all the benefits that come with regularly meditating with relaxation techniques? Regrettably, there are many mistakes that beginners make that keep them from being able to reap the benefits from meditating. Below are some of the pitfalls you must avoid.
What Works for You?
There is no one method that works for everybody. If you pick one method and it’s not working for you but you keep trying it, you are not going to be able to enjoy any benefits and you may end up giving up.
To avoid this pitfall, take the time to try different methods until you find one that works for you.
Using Meditation in Stressful Situations
Meditation will certainly help you through a stressful situation, however, it’s not something most beginners are able to do well. Don’t deceive yourself into thinking meditation is the problem when your attempts are ineffective.
Only meditate when you’re relatively calm and most importantly, you have mastered meditation.
Meditating for Long Periods of Time
The quality of your meditation time is much more important than the quantity of it. Make sure you’re not forcing yourself to spend hours in meditation when you’re still learning. Meditation is something that takes time to learn and requires practice. As a novice, you’re not going to be able to do it for hours just yet.
Take several breaks while meditating and don’t push yourself to meditate for extended periods of time.
Following Guided Meditations Too Much
Even though it may be a good way to get started with meditation, sticking with guided meditations for too long can hold you back. Meditation is a deeply personal experience. Relying only on guided meditations won’t help you reach the next level of meditation.
Once you have mastered meditation, then you can start using only self-guided meditation.
Allowing for Too Many Distractions
Even though you may benefit from some soft music playing in the background to help you focus, this may become a distraction that will keep you from being able to meditate well.
Find a quiet place to mediate and shut off the music. Eliminate every distraction.
Getting Frustrated
The point of meditation is to relax your mind and body. Many beginners fall into this pitfall of becoming frustrated when they cannot get it right at first. If you get frustrated or angry with yourself while meditating, it will make it even harder for you to stay focused on your goal.
Meditation takes time and practice to master. Give yourself a lot of room to make mistakes at the beginning.
Above all, do not give up! Don’t be afraid to ask for help from a meditation expert who might be able to tell you what you’re doing wrong. They might be able to give you ideas that will get you back on track. People learn at different speeds.
Be determined to succeed and you will be able to master meditation.
