What do you think when you hear the word meditation?
Many people will almost immediately shutdown when hearing the word. They will shutdown because of all kinds of pre-conceived ideas and beliefs about meditation.
That is too bad. Because meditation is an age-old science that can change anybody’s life for the better.
Teaching and practice of meditation can make the world a better place. The Dalai Lama has said: ’If every 8-year old in the world is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation.’
What is it that makes people walk away from meditation?
My dear mom recently suggested that I write a blog to explain meditation in more detail.
Great suggestion mom. Thank you.
I have decided to split my further explanation in two:
Next week I will discuss what meditation truly is and I will share the many benefits you can experience from a meditation practice.
In this first blog I want to share a number of misconceptions about meditation that may be the cause for people’s hesitation about it.
Misconception 1 – Meditation is religious
Misconception 1 is that meditation is religious.
It is not. Meditation is totally non-religious. Meditation existed long before the religions came into existence. It has been practised for 10,000 years which also gives convincing evidence that it is beneficial. Why else would people have continued with their meditation practice?
Misconception 2 – For meditation you need to be something or you need to give up things
Misconception 2 is that meditation comes with all kinds of prescriptions on what you can and cannot be or do in your life. People often think that if you want to meditate, you need to be a vegetarian or you need to stop drinking alcohol.
Nothing can be further from the truth about meditation. Meditation is the science of freedom and power. Freedom to choose how you want to live and the feeling of empowerment over your life.
Misconception 3 – Meditation costs a lot of money and time
Misconception 3 is that meditation requires significant investment of money and time to be beneficial.
Meditation does not cost anything. The only recommended investment is to learn the basic wisdom and some meditation techniques from an accomplished teacher and possibly invest in some useful tools. Maximum investment some 500 EUR. It is then up to you to practice and reap the benefits.
Meditation does not need to take a lot of time. There are meditation techniques that take 30 seconds only and techniques of a few minutes. Lack of time cannot be an excuse not to meditate.
Understanding these misconceptions might help you to become more receptive for the powerful science of meditation.
If you start your meditation practice, you will come to experience that learning to meditate is the best investment you can make in your life. Paul, a very enthusiastic recent meditation student of mine, wrote in his feedback: “I should have done this way earlier!”
In my next blog I will further explain meditation and talk about the significant advantages meditation can have for everybody.