Why Meditation is Not for You…
Laguna Colorada, Bolivia - Andrew Benfield
1. “I’m Just Not Calm Enough...”
That is like saying you’re not fit enough to go to the gym: the whole point of going there is to get fit, it’s not a pre-requisite for entry!
In exactly the same way, you get calm by meditating, that’s exactly what it’s for.
In fact, the more manic you are now, the more you stand to gain from meditation.
2. “I Can’t Sit Still That Long!”
Bagan, Myanmar - Andrew Benfield
It is possible to meditate by just sitting crossed-legs for ages, but there are plenty of other ways to do it too. These include using body movement, practicing breathing exercises, and even just doing your daily activities in a “mindful” way.
In any case, once you learn how to calm your mind, you may well find that even sitting still turns from being a pain into a pleasure...
3. “I’m Not a Religious / Spiritual Person”
Darjeeling, India - Andrew Benfield
Sure, meditation features in all of the world’s major religions in some form. But then again so does music and singing - and that doesn't make them inherently religious.
So it all depends on the context - just like music and singing, meditation is not religious per se, it has always thrived in a secular form alongside its inclusion in our great faiths.
There’s nothing mysterious or impenetrable about it either. Simply, it’s a series of proven, practical mental and physical techniques to help you get calmer and happier. The results, however, can still be pretty out of this world.
4. “If Only I Had the Time…”
Abijatta-Shalla National Park, Ethiopia - Andrew Benfield
Here’s some great news for you: not only can you start meditating for as little as a minute a day, but the magic of meditation is that, however much time you do spend on it, you get back at least as much in time saved.
How does that work? Well, by meditating, you end up calmer, energised and more focused. Which means that you can get everything else done with much less time and effort.
And remember, you can meditate anytime, anywhere, even stuck in traffic.
5. “It’ll Turn Me into a Zombie”
Gunung Mulu Caves, Malaysian Borneo - Andrew Benfield
Does meditation alter your mind? Absolutely - but in a good way. Its goal is to give you your freedom back, not to take it away or turn you into some kind of emotionless zombie.
Most of us find our minds constantly swinging wildly from one thing to another (or alternatively repeating the same thing over and over again), with a bias towards negativity and believing whatever has just popped into our heads at that moment, brainwashed by our own little internal soap operas.
Meditation gives us back control, freedom to choose how we respond to our random thoughts and feelings, rather than becoming a slave to them. We’re waking up from a trance, not falling into one.
This means that you end up with much more mental space and energy to develop your positive and creative sides, as well as to connect with the people and world around you.
6. “I Tried…Epic Fail!”
Thame Valley, Nepal - Andrew Benfield
The first time you step out of the stream of thoughts and observe them, you realise just how intense and crazy they are. And what you’ve been unconsciously living with this all these years. That can be quite a shock.
But it doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It just means you’ve made the first step to taking back control - waking up to what’s really happening.
And each time you do step out of that stream, see it objectively, you’re a step closer to calm, to being able to choose whether to run after every random thought or not.
And, remember, you’re not trying to make yourself stop thinking here, but just to open up some space between your thoughts and your reactions to them.