| Have you ever wondered how much of your | | | | of evenings to finally getting it off your plate once |
| meditation time you actually spend meditating? Or | | | | and for all. Ahhh, that's better! |
| how much is actually completely wasted in getting | | | | Meditation Mistake #4: Mind Chatter |
| ready to meditate? Well read on and I'll share with | | | | If your conscious mind is chattering away like a |
| you my top tips for fixing the 5 most common | | | | drunken monkey, it's hard to concentrate on your |
| meditation mistakes. | | | | meditation. Any practice however that involves |
| Meditation Mistake #1: Physical Stress | | | | using your internal dialogue rather than fighting |
| One of the main reasons yoga goes hand in hand | | | | against it will be more successful. After all, your |
| with meditation is that it's a lot easier to focus on | | | | mind runs like that by design. |
| your 'inner game' when your body feels nice to | | | | Solution: Try mantra meditation processes, as |
| be in. Getting quieter mentally often reveals | | | | made famous by the TM movement. Pick a |
| where you're out of balance physically, so you're | | | | sound or word that resonates with you and chant |
| well served by making sure your mind has a nice | | | | it on long, slow, sonorous out breaths. Then let |
| body to live in! | | | | your voice fade and switch over to mentally |
| Solution: take up a regular physical discipline | | | | repeating the sound. |
| alongside your meditation practices. Many people | | | | Meditation Mistake #5 Energetic Stress |
| enjoy yoga or tai chi and one of the most | | | | Your body has a sensitive network of energetic |
| efficient uses of your time is rebounding. | | | | fields that can be strengthened or scrambled by |
| Meditation Mistake #2: Environmental Stress | | | | the environment you live in, making it harder or |
| Noise, funny smells, untidy space or simply a lack | | | | easier to meditate deeply. |
| of guaranteed privacy can really interrupt your | | | | Prolonged stress triggers the energetic side of |
| session. Whilst with practice you can meditate | | | | your fight and flight mechanism, which the ancient |
| anywhere, it's a lot more useful at first to | | | | Chinese called Triple Warmer, which can drain |
| establish a meditation zone that you can keep | | | | energy from the rest of your energy field. |
| coming back to. | | | | Obviously this is useful in emergencies but over |
| With regular use you also establish a mental | | | | time it can scramble the rest of your system. |
| trigger that fires each time you go there, helping | | | | Solution: Try this simple drill - rest your fingertips |
| you get back in the zone quicker and easier with | | | | on your temples for one long, deep breath. Then |
| each session. | | | | as you breathe in, smooth the fingers along the |
| Solution: Find or make a clear, quiet space where | | | | sides of your head, up over the top of your ears |
| you can practice consistently. | | | | and down to where your neck meets your |
| Meditation Mistake #3: Unfinished Business | | | | shoulders. |
| Having lots of things 'undone' floating around in the | | | | Hold there as your breath out then in again, then |
| back of your mind can really put you off. It's like | | | | as you exhale, smooth down the top side of each |
| running too many programs on your computer at | | | | arm in turn, flicking energy off your fingertips. Do |
| once. | | | | one side then the other. |
| Solution: Start shutting mental windows by making | | | | You might find this drill makes you yawn or shiver |
| a list of all unfinished business and allocate a couple | | | | slightly as you discharge the stress response. |