Transcript
Hi, and welcome back! In this lesson, we’ll explore how high expectations can make meditation challenging.
We’ll focus on managing these expectations, recognizing common mistakes, and explore helpful practices to make meditation more accessible, enjoyable, and compassionate.
Sometimes, we have an unrealistic, perfectionist idea of what meditation should be.
It’s essential to remember that meditation isn’t about stopping thoughts or emotions.
Rather, it’s about approaching our thoughts and feelings with care and kindness.
Let’s begin with some meditation Don’ts.
These common mistakes can hinder our growth and progress in meditation.
- Don’t judge or criticize yourself for losing focus. A wandering mind is a human mind!
- Don’t beat yourself up for skipping a day. Just return to your practice once you remember.
- Don’t force yourself to breathe one certain way, let your breath be natural.
- Don’t force an uncomfortable, upright posture. You can sit, stand or lie down.
Never force yourself to stay with a practice that feels unsafe or too painful to be present.
To make meditation easier, find the practice, posture and time of day that works best for you. Emphasize patience and self-compassion while you practice.
- Do practice self-compassion at all times, remember that you’re human.
- Do learn about the window of tolerance, and how to stay within it.
- Do experiment with different meditation postures, which feels most comfortable?
- Do experiment with meditating at different times of day and observe what changes.
- Do experiment with several different styles of meditation.
Beginners sometimes find it difficult to meditate because they’re unsure where to begin or what to do.
Guided meditation can make it easier for beginners, by offering loose suggestions on where to place your focus.
The guided meditations in lesson 2 is an excellent place to begin, whether you’re ready to devote five or 30 minutes to your practice.
