I’ve struggled with meditation most of my life. Over a span of 15 years, I bought meditation CD’s, attended meditation classes and read books on meditation, but was nevertheless unable to incorporate it into my everyday life. The meditation CD’s generally put me to sleep and the classes and books made me feel like a failure! In fact, my initially meditation was quite painful and I generally felt like I was too busy to meditate!
The sad truth is that even though most of us are conscious of the added benefits of meditation, incredibly couple of of us really have a frequent meditation practice. There are a lot of obstacles to overcome in order to incorporate meditation into our daily lives. I overcame those obstacles and have been meditating each day for two years as properly as meditating periodically throughout the day! Through meditation I have experienced far more peace and joy in my life, I’ve turn out to be significantly less reactive and much less stressed and I have more energy and creativity! And I know you can practical experience these benefits as effectively!
But initially, I feel it’s essential to define what meditation is? Numerous of us have misconceptions about meditation. The most frequent misconception is that meditation is about receiving rid of thought! That would set anybody up for failure! Meditation, rather, is about becoming the observer of believed rather than the reactor to believed.
Meditation, pure and basic, is being totally present in the moment! In this meditative state you are aware of the truth of who you are beyond your physique and your thoughts.
Have you ever been in awe at a beautiful sunset? So significantly so that you forgot about what happened five minutes ago, and you weren’t pondering about the future? You were entirely in the moment and had this sense of aliveness inside? Properly, that’s meditation!
So now that we know what meditation is, how do we incorporate it in to our every day lives? I knew the motives why I had struggled for years ahead of I created a typical meditation practice, but I was curious to see if other folks had the exact same motives, so I conducted an international survey on the largest obstacles to meditation and received over 400 responses from persons in 46 diverse nations. Below are the Top rated SIX greatest obstacles to meditation, and how you can overcome them!
Obstacle #1: Not getting sufficient time
The greatest obstacle people face in creating a normal meditation practice is TIME. We don’t have sufficient time to meditate! (Interestingly enough this wasn’t just an “American” phenomenon. Folks from all across the globe described they did not have adequate time to meditate).
However there are four basic methods to incorporate meditation into your life without taking ANY time out of your existing schedule!
First, I invite you to convert your waiting time into meditating time.
The typical person waits 45-60 minutes a day. We wait for appointments, we wait in targeted traffic, we wait in line at the grocery shop and we wait on hold on the phone. But these precious “waiting times” can be converted into meditating times.
So next time you are waiting for an appointment, take a moment to notice your breath. Or next time you are waiting in line at the grocery shop, take a moment to smile from the inside.
Second, have a every day activity be your meditation. You can incorporate meditation into any of these each day activities:
*brushing your teeth
*emptying the dishwasher
*showering
*consuming
*walking
*folding laundry, ironing
As you brush your teeth, notice your breath. Or notice the aliveness in your hands and mouth. As you empty the dishwasher, really feel the aliveness in your hand as you place each dish away.
Third, have your dog or cat be your meditation! Have you ever noticed when walking your dog how your dog is entirely in the moment, taking in its’ surroundings? Nicely you can join your dog in this blissful state. When walking the dog notice the aliveness in your feet with every step. Notice the aliveness of the trees, birds, your surroundings. Whilst petting the cat, notice the softness of the fur. Be fully present with your dog or cat!
4, meditate even though driving! Now, of Meditation techniques , do NOT close your eyes and meditate whilst driving. But you can be fully present even though driving, with your eyes open. Although driving, notice the aliveness in your hands as you touch the steering wheel. Or at a cease sign or in traffic, notice your breath.
These are very simple strategies you can incorporate meditation into your each day life without the need of taking ANY time out of your existing schedule. If we all did these simple points, we’d have a every day meditation practice!
Obstacle #2: Lack of Self-Discipline
The second greatest obstacle folks face in incorporating meditation into their each day life is lack of self-discipline! Meditation takes discipline. I know a lot of of us commence out with good intentions to meditate day-to-day or to exercise day-to-day and we may do it for a couple of weeks, but then we lack the discipline important to continue.
That’s why life coaches, individual trainers and other professions have been designed! To hold us accountable and to retain us focused!
So if you lack self-discipline, obtain a meditation companion! Ask your spouse, partner, pal, coworker to join you in incorporating meditation into your daily life. Hold each and every other accountable.
Or even if you can’t obtain an individual that wants to meditate with you, tell your spouse/buddy/partner/coworker of your intention to meditate day-to-day and ask him/her to verify in with you and ask you how you are undertaking.
Just as an exercising companion is helpful and productive, a meditation companion can be also!
Obstacle #three: Not possessing the ideal location or space to meditate
The third greatest obstacle persons talked about is NOT possessing the correct place or space to meditate! This is a “perceived obstacle.” You can literally meditate anywhere whilst driving a vehicle or walking by means of a crowded mall.
People today usually use not possessing a unique spot or certain location as an excuse to NOT meditate. If we continually wait for the correct circumstances to meditate, we’ll in no way meditate.