Introduction
Meditation is generally perceived as a process where people sit quietly with a calm and composed mind in a peaceful environment and observe their breath and feel relaxed. But, for many beginners the whole process may be overwhelming and they might feel bewildered. Some people may feel it challenging to sit quietly while others may have difficulty in keeping away their minds from wandering. But all these feelings and challenges commonly faced by beginners to practice meditation are absolutely normal and could be overcome very easily.
So, let’s find out the 5 most common challenges faced by beginners to practice meditation with the most practical solutions to overcome them.
1. I am not able to keep thoughts away while meditating
Challenge- Most of the beginners face this difficulty and keep worrying that why I am not able to stop the thoughts constantly coming to my mind while meditating. This is but natural, as our mind is naturally designed that way.
Solution- You should not force yourself to stop thinking. Relax and welcome all sorts of thoughts negative or positive alike and try to observe them without getting carried away by them. With passage of time, you will learn to manage your thoughts and you will be able to focus on the present moment.
2. I am feeling restless and impatient while meditating
Challenge- Many beginners find it difficult to sit at one place even for few minutes. They start feeling restless, impatient and uncomfortable while sitting and immediately want to discontinue the practice.
Solution- The beginners should keep their meditation session short, just for 2 to 5 minutes initially. Their sitting position should be comfortable. You should be regular with the practice and slowly increase the duration of meditation session when you learn to sit comfortably.
3. I am experiencing physical discomfort
Challenge- Some beginners may experience numb legs, stiffness in back and shoulders or even knee pain while sitting cross legged on a mat.
Solution- You should make changes in your sitting positions. It is not mandatory to sit cross legged on mat to practice meditation effectively. You can sit on a chair or on a cushion or sit in bed with your legs extended, to avoid any kind of physical discomfort. Finding your comfortable sitting posture is essential for a fruitful meditation session.
4. I feel sleepy during meditation session
Challenge- Many beginners find themselves sleepy during meditation session which causes them to discontinue the practice.
Solution- Feeling sleepy during meditation session may seem normal, but it may also indicate that you are not getting adequate sleep at night. So, try to correct your sleep cycle and feel energetic and alert the next morning.
5. I find it difficult to maintain regularity
Challenge- Some beginners may find it difficult to maintain regularity in practicing meditation due to their hectic and tiresome work schedule, lack of motivation, lack of company or sometime their unrealistic expectation of practicing the meditation perfectly.
Solution- You should be gentle with yourself. You should begin with short meditation sessions and should fix a time which suits your schedule. You can use various meditation apps available online and set reminders in your smart watch.
Conclusion
Beginners to the meditation journey, face these challenges of being not to sit quietly and comfortably at one place, experience physical difficulty, hard to focus and unable to maintain regularity. All these difficulties should not be viewed as roadblocks, rather should be regarded as opportunities for self-improvements.
Remember, no one can find a perfect way to meditate, if you are regular with your meditation session even for few minutes, learn to be present in the moment, feel your breath and observe your thoughts, then you are at the right path of your meditation journey.
Call to Action
If you have just started your meditation journey, then what sorts of challenges are you facing? If you liked this blog, do share your opinion with us and don’t forget to share it with someone who is also a beginner to the world of meditation.