Common meditation myths it's time to retire

"You need a totally clear head to meditate." That's just wrong. This myth has thrown more first-timers off meditation than any other. I sit down, give meditation a go, all sorts of thoughts about dinner, an old disagreement and that stupid thing I said in 2019 swamp me and then I conclude I'm broken. But you're not. Thinking is the brain's default job. And meditation is not about shutting that factory down, it's about standing watching the belt move and not hopping onto every box as it passes. Even Buddhist monks who have been meditating for years have wandering minds – what changed is how they respond to that uninvited visitor. "You can't meditate without religion being involved." It's true that meditation has roots in Buddhism – yes, but it also shows up in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and plenty of entirely secular wellness routines. Google has meditation rooms — and so, oddly enough, does the NFL. The robes and the incense have nothing to do with the practice, although it is advisable to practice in a comfy chair, ideally when you've got ten mins to spare. "Meditation takes too much time." Even five minutes makes a difference. Three minutes count. I know people for whom only an extremely small amount of research - a few short sessions a day can over weeks have an effect on stress levels for some. Nobody wants two hours in a cave to meditate. Begin with the tiniest amount if that's all you can manage – you're free to work your way up later, or simply keep it at five minutes - five minutes a day is obviously better than zero minutes. "Meditation works instantly." Of all the myths, this one does the most damage; meditation should make me calm from the first day – so that I try meditation today – I don't feel calm – so I quit! Meditation is like going to a gym - it does not result in instant benefits you must persist with it. "Meditation is only for the calm or passive." Ironically, the fidgety and the skeptical often benefit from themindfulcounselor it the most. "There's only one way to meditate." Whether it is breath-centred meditation, body scanning meditation, walking meditation or loving-kindness – take whatever works and ditch whatever does not work. It's those strict rule-making that does most harm to meditation habits.