How I Overcame Challenges and Found Clarity about Meditation

From my young age, I am well aware of the abundance of spiritual gurus, various schools of Yoga, and meditation approaches, ranging from basic breathing exercises to advanced Kundalini awakening activities, with practitioners and centers drawing people from all over the world in search of enlightenment. However, there are individuals like you and me who have no religious or spiritual ambitions but still find ourselves bombarded with articles, lectures, and videos promoting the miraculous powers of meditation to reduce stress, anxiety, cure diseases, rejuvenate the skin, and help maintain youthfulness. We simply seek to increase productivity, attain a peaceful mind, and achieve success through meditation. Although I'm a regular meditator now, a few years ago, like many others, I struggled with the challenge of sitting silently and folding my legs for just a few minute

If you are someone who faces challenges during your meditation time, such as feeling back or lower back pain, itching in the body, and constantly getting annoyed by your monkey mind, lacking motivation, and stopping after every 3-4 days, only to start again from the beginning, then I used to be in the same boat a few years ago. These are the most common hurdles that beginners undergo in the first phase of their journey, and many of them quit.

Over the years, I have transformed myself from a struggling meditator into a persistent one, and I take great pride in this journey. Through conversations with expert instructors and my own experiences, I have come to realize some truths that differ from our general perceptions.

But before discussing it, I would like to share my understanding about ‘what actually meditation is and how to do it’. The fact is that as because meditation is to attain a thought less mind, , no one can meditate but one can reach meditative state. Now one might think that I become thoughtless during the sleep but awareness is the key of meditation. So you must remain aware and watch your thoughts until they fade away.

Now, I'd like to share two important insights I've gained through my meditation journey:

• Meditation stands apart from activities like mantra chanting, affirmation, and visualization. While these practices are sort of self-hypnosis, which allow to send specific messages to our subconscious, meditation brings us refreshing, revitalizing state once we attain thoughtlessness.

• Many individuals get into meditation seeking relief from stress, anxiety, and depression to achieve better health. However, the biggest truth is that reaching a meditative state is a far cry; one can't even sit calmly with such a disturbed mind. Meditation won't occur unless there is control over emotions.

So, I've been really puzzled about this: if you can't even meditate because your mind is stressed or you're dealing with overthinking and depression, how can meditation be the solution for these exact problems?

But later I realized that, just as there is a starting point for anything, there are also some corrective measures that must be taken before starting meditate. These measures include:

1. Changing lifestyle: No one can change overnight. It took me some time to change my old lifestyle and incorporate new habits. For instance, I started waking up 30 minutes earlier than my usual time and tried to do some Pranayama, breathing exercise persistently. Eventually, I became early riser. Similarly, I improved eating habits and started eating light and consuming more home-made food. Since, Meditation is primarily centered around concentration and the cognitive functions of the brain. Concentration heavily relies on our sleeping patterns and dietary habits, these chnges have had indirect effects on the success of my meditation.

2. Control over emotions: To become a regular meditator, , one must gain control over strong emotions such as anger, anxiety, and panic, among others. There are several methods to achieve this. In my case, the mirror technique worked well. Whenever I felt overwhelmed by any of these emotions, I used to stand in front of a mirror and observe myself without passing judgment. Gradually, this practice helped me to calm down.

3. Staying in the present moment: It is crucial yet challenging, especially when someone is new to meditation. my goal used to be mindful throughout the day, focusing on what I am doing. To cut down distractions, I use a powerful technique called "drift writing." Here's how it works: Carry a pocket size notebook and when notice strong emotions or thoughts like anger, fear, jealousy, or desire creeping in, write them down. By consistently doing this for a few months, one can eventually find it easier to bring the wandering mind back to the focus during meditation, reaching a state of peaceful thoughtlessness.

To sum up meditation isn't a quick remedy that can solve all problems, as it is sometimes marketed to be. Instead, it is a journey that requires a disciplined process and can be achieved through consistency. One needs to be prepared for this journey through corrective methods

Once someone is able to engage in daily meditation, they can significantly enhance their long-term mental and physical health.