Misconceptions about Meditation

As a certified meditation teacher, I have become familiar with many common preconceptions about the practice of meditation. Since I have often felt like an iconoclast, my prior assumptions about meditation never really hindered me from exploring meditation; although, a couple of uncomfortable attempts at beginning a practice almost stopped me from continuing down the road I currently travel. Several years before learning to practice Primordial Sound Meditation, I remember being guided by a teacher to see a white light that I could never really see, and then another time, being guided to focus on the tip of my nose. Talk about awkward.

Fortunately, I was exposed to the wisdom and life story of Deepak Chopra, M.D. In his deeply personal book, Return of the Rishi, he shares how he overcame addiction to smoking, and found peace, bliss, and rejuvenation through the effortless practice of Transcendental Meditation. In 1996, I finally learned to meditate with comfort and ease, using a close cousin of Transcendental Meditation, Primordial Sound Meditation, which Deepak had adopted and resystematized several years before, after creating the Chopra Center.

For those of you who are not familiar with Deepak's story or who are still inexperienced with a comfortable meditation practice, I would like to review eight misconceptions about meditation. Hopefully, the information which I share will encourage you to continue to explore the path of meditation, a path which I am so happy to have found.


Eight Misconceptions about Meditation

1) Meditation is only for hermits, people who practice yoga, vegetarians, and those who eat wheatgrass.

Reality: There is a wide range of people who practice meditation. Many athletes practice meditation to help them stay "in the zone," and to obtain deep rest. Many corporate executives rely on meditation to balance their lives and make better decisions. Parents who meditate report that their ability to care for their children is strengthened by the renewal that comes with daily meditation. Artists often rely on meditation to enhance their creativity. Some examples of famous meditators include T. Harv Eker, the author of The Millionaire Mind, Frank Zane, a famous bodybuilder, Howard Stern, Bill Ford of Ford Motors, Tiger Woods, Tina Turner, and Al Gore.

2) Meditation requires concentration, and takes years to master.

Reality: While some meditation techniques use concentration, others like basic meditation, and Primordial Sound Meditation, do not. Primordial Sound Meditation utilizes personalized mantras which offer a soothing disconnection from the activity of life. The gentle favoring of the mantra interrupts the normal flow ("the mind chatter") of thoughts, leading to more abstract levels of the thinking process, till we ultimately slip beyond thought and enter the stage of "Restful Awareness". Forcing, or trying, leads to tension, and for most people, that is not a good way to begin a practice of meditation.

The basic meditation class taught by Restful Awareness, Inc., as well as its Primordial Sound Meditation course, do not require years to master. They are both easy to learn and can be practiced effortlessly on a daily basis after the brief instruction process is complete. Within two weeks of regular practice of these techniques, beneficial physiological and mental changes occur. However, the benefits of a daily practice increase over years of practice.

3) Meditation offers no real health boost.

Reality: Though not a cure by itself, there are hundreds of studies which have documented the beneficial effects to health from transcending through meditation. The more scientists have discovered about the debilitating impact of stress, and the mind-body connection, the greater the evidence for the power of meditation to heal and keep well.

4) Meditation is only for Hindus and Buddhists.

Reality: There are meditation practices in almost every religious tradition, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, as well as the Eastern traditions. The Primordial Sound Meditation technique originates from the ancient yoga tradition of India, but is not a religion, and does not necessitate adherence to the beliefs of Eastern traditions. Furthermore, the mantras in Primordial Sound Meditation have no specific meaning, and are only used for their specific vibration or sound.

5) Thoughts are not part of the meditation process.

Reality: As we release stress in meditation, thoughts arise, and are absolutely part of the process of meditation. The more we try not to think during meditation, the harder it is to let go and to have silence. When we meditate and thoughts arise, we gently let them go, and gently return to the mantra.

6) Meditation is just a relaxation technique. Like sleep, it dulls awareness.

Reality: Meditation is not only an excellent way to relax. It is also a technique for cultivating greater awareness.

Researchers have found that the amount of rest experienced during the deepest stage of meditation is twice as great as that found in the deepest stage of sleep. However, sleep leads to restful dullness; meditation leads to restful alertness. During meditation, brain waves become more coherent. Regular meditation leads to greater present moment awareness, and a more intimate connection with one's self. As we meditate, we begin to be aware that we are part of something greater than our ego. Our awareness shifts from the constricted experience of stress, toward the more expanded awareness of our spirit, or non-conditioned mind.

7) Meditation requires lofty thoughts.

Reality: Everyone, even long time meditators, have a shadow or dark side. We do not meditate because we have lofty thoughts. Rather, we meditate because we want to improve the quality of our lives.

8) Meditation will make life problem free.

Reality: While the quality of life improves with regular meditation, we will still experience challenges. The difference is that with regular meditation, we develop the foundational skill of "being present", so we can more easily follow our better instincts and act with less reactivity when we are faced with stress. Furthermore, we begin to view forces outside of ourselves as less threatening when our awareness expands beyond our ego needs.