Most people I speak with say they’ve tried meditation at one point or another but didn’t stick with it for some reason. Whether that might have been that they felt like they weren’t doing it right, it was too hard or, my favourite, they didn’t have enough time. I get it, meditation can be one of those tricky things to gain a handle on. My hope is that with the following tips you give it another go and this time, stick with it.
Tip 1: See it as something you want to do rather than should do.
The reason why most people take up meditation is that they are wanting it to fix some type of problem they are experiencing. This could be to decrease their stress/anxiety levels or maybe to improve their focus and productivity. Either way, the mindset is that of almost a prescription of some type ‘if I do this, then it should do that’. Having this approach either leads to one of two things. Disappointment that it didn’t quite deliver on what you were expecting or it did, and now I can get back to my everyday life.
If you want to consistently grow and feel benefits of meditation I would recommend shifting your approach from this to one of simple enjoyment. Something you look forward to. Can’t wait to do again. By having this approach, it releases the expectations from it which will allow it to actually work more efficiently and you’ll be more inclined to stick with it as it’ll feel like something you want to do rather than a chore.
Tip 2: Start with guided Meditations
Just like if you were to have a personal trainer to get fit. Having a meditation teacher to help guide when starting out can help a lot. That’s why we’ve made it so that every meditation class that is delivered at Soul Alive is live by an experienced teacher. This way if you have any questions or are struggling in any way, you can ask the teacher and talk it through with them.
Tip 3: Set a goal for yourself
Discipline and depth are two elements I talk a lot about when it comes to meditation. We’ll cover depth in the next tip. Setting a goal for yourself on the number of meditations you’d like to complete a week over a period of time, can really help you stick with it.
5-ALIVE, which is a 5-Week Mindfulness Challenge was created for this very reason. Where you join in with a group of people and support each other to complete 5 meditation classes each week for 5-Weeks.
Tip 4: Progress comes with depth, not breadth.
One common hurdle that comes up with meditation is when people feel like they are ready to progress onto more ‘advanced’ types of meditation. Progress with meditation actually comes by not wanting to progress. The more willing you are to surrender to the process and let go of what you are wanting it to do for you, the deeper you will go and the more will progress with it. So when you feel that urge of wanting to move on, wipe the slate clean and approach the next meditation session as if that was your very first time meditating and see what happens.
Luke is hosting a 5-Alive mindfulness challenge. It is designed to help you master your inner world. For more info click here https://www.soulalive.com.au/5alive
