“I just can’t meditate”

“My mind doesnt stop”

“I feel restless and uncomfortable”

“After a point, I feel scared”

“I tried meditating and then I gave up.”

If these phrases sound familiar then you are not alone. Why does this happen?

1. Your intention to meditation is not defined. Don’t meditate because your friend told you to or you read it was a great way to beat anxiety. Meditate because you want to. Explore different techniques until you find the one you are most comfortable with.
2. Your expectations are way too high. You cannot experience a state of permanent bliss and concentrate for 18 hours a day – not only is it impossible if you are working, are married or have children, it is a state achieved by those who have been meditating for decades. But when you slow down and take out just a few minutes each day for quiet reflection you will slowly begin to find that peace.
3. You’re pressurising yourself to find peace. You can’t find quiet if you are shouting inside. Meditation is not a rigorous ‘must do, must get” experience, it’s a state of being, learning to let go and to be present.
4. You want instant results. Your anxiety, your past, your hurts are not going to dissolve away immediately. Meditation means taking out a little time for yourself everyday, without keeping score, without comparing. Just look it like pouring a little positive energy inside yourself every day.
5. Too many distractions. Make a quiet time for meditation each day and do keep the phone off and remind the kids not to interrupt you. When there are too many distractions, meditation becomes impossible and probably the most popular reason why people quit.

Remember meditation is all about releasing the pressure and there should be no stress around it. If you’re forcing yourself to close your eyes and focus on your breath while feeling restless and cranky sitting in the same pose, then it may be time for you to try another form of meditation, or try at another time. And yes, initially it is a struggle but if you are patient and persistent, the results are truly wonderful.

Mita Bhan 2018. All Rights Reserved.