Experts speak about common meditation mistakes and how to avoid them

A lot of people are trying to adopt meditation to keep themselves mentally at peace but fewer might know that beginners make a lot of mistakes.

Here are some of the mistakes and their solutions, according to experts.

Mistake 1: Getting stressed about not being able to do the meditation properly.

Solution: “There are various types of meditations out there that are available for achieving various outcomes including calmness, peace, clarity, concentration, compassion etc. In fact, there are few meditations like Shikantaza where the aim is to just sit or be without thinking of anything or wanting to achieve something,” say Dhruv Patel and Dr. Batul Patel.

“There is no right or wrong way to meditate, sometimes even without trying to meditate you might already be meditating, especially when you are in the flow of doing something you love. So the last thing you want to do is have expectations from your meditation session, there is no perfect way of doing it, just make a conscious effort and let meditation come to you effortlessly,” added the experts.

Mistake 2: Seeking immediate results

Solution: “Just like a seed that grows itself into a sapling and then a huge tree, true practices of Dhyan require a routine practice regime. Meditation is that treasure which swiftly guides us towards the answers we are seeking for,” says renowned Yoga guru Grand Master Akshar.

Mistake 3: Getting stressed if you fail to calm your mind

Solution: “Meditation in its truest essence is concentration on the universal consciousness. In simpler terms meditation is also a mental exercise for the brain similar to physical exercise. We have to consistently exercise and discipline our brain to start showing results in terms of increased clarity of thought, improved focus and concentration, compassion etc. So be consistent with your meditative practices and you will definitely start seeing results soon,” say Dhruv Patel and Dr Batul Patel.

Mistake 4: Practicing at any and all times of the day

Solution: Yoga guru Grand Master Akshar says “Meditation requires a regular practice and a fixed time for acing the technique. Practicing it any time of the day is something which people should avoid.”

Mistake 5: Trying to control thoughts during meditation

Solution: “This is a very common misconception that we have to fix our mind and get rid of all thought. In fact the more we think of a concept in this case trying to control the mind we give it more power and energise it. So during meditation calmly observe your thoughts just like you would look at the clouds gently passing by. The idea is to not get involved with your thoughts but be a silent observer. This will gradually reduce the intensity of your thoughts and completely empty your mind,” say Dhruv Patel and Dr Batul Patel.