The practice of meditation is not a straight line. You are bound to experience issues along the way, especially if you are just starting out.
That’s why I’ve listed some of the most common issues newcomers experience here:
1. Your Thoughts Are Running
Thoughts that arise while meditating are natural. It is essential to realize that meditation does not mean that you should completely stop thinking. Instead, it is a tool to train your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts.
So, when you find yourself struggling to concentrate, go back to your breath, and count each inhale and exhale. It is an effective method to calm your thoughts and occupy your mind with a simple task. The next time your thoughts wander, always go back to the breath.
2. You Space Out
Spacing is another common issue encountered during meditation. You will be surprised that there are even some people who fall asleep in the middle of the practice. Sure, one of the goals of meditation is to relax the mind, but you still need to stay alert and present to get the full benefits of the practice.
When you find yourself spacing out, add more energy to the practice. For example, if you are sitting while meditating, adjust your position, and gently engage your abdominal muscles. Every time you find yourself spacing out, again, come back to your breath. You can also repeat an affirmation in your mind.
3. Find It Challenging To Look
Personally, one of the things I enjoy most about meditation is visualization. However, I get that some people really have problems with this.
What I can recommend is to release all your expectations when you visualize and just focus. You can also use guided visualizations for a while until you can do it on your own.
Keep in mind that visualization is just another form of meditation, and there are other techniques you can try if this one doesn’t work for you. Still, it’s worth a try!
Visualization is a great way to bring positive energy into your overall well-being.
4. Feeling Aches and Pains
Aches and pains can be the result of bad posture, or it can simply be because you sit quietly that draws your attention to tiny twinges and small discomfort that you don’t notice before.
What you can do here is to focus on the sensation and observe the sensations you feel in your body. Don’t react to it. Just observe. You can also try some gentle stretching before meditating. If aches and pains bother you, you may want to try a different position,
Keep in mind that like physical activities, you will have some initial pain until you get into the practice.
5. You can’t relax
This is quite similar to when you have your thoughts running. The difference is, it’s not just the thoughts that get in the way, but it’s your body that just won’t relax. For some, when the body is not relaxed during meditation, they become even more stressed and anxious.
What you can do is release stress in other ways such as exercise, go for a walk, talk to a friend, etc. Tap into your external environment when you just can’t relax before sitting down to meditate.
When you experience any of these issues, remember that you will pass it.
All you have to do is try, and keep trying until it no longer bothers you.
