FAQ’s and concerns you may have about meditation

I struggle with thoughts and switching my brain off…

People often say to me they find it difficult to switch their brain off, they feel stressed and tired. They are looking for a way to feel calmer, more relaxed and have some quality ‘me’ time.

People are often interested in trying meditation but are worried that they won’t get it right, be able to stop thoughts or aren’t good at relaxing. They feel like they can’t relax, switch off or stop their brain running at 100mph.

It is common for people to be worried about not being able to stop thoughts during meditation. They think the aim of meditation is to not have any thoughts so they aren’t doing it well when they try. When actually the aim of meditation isn’t to stop the thoughts and empty the mind, but to not get caught up in the thoughts, to be able to let them go and to focus on you breathing. With practice you hopefully find you have more space between thoughts.

Meditation is a wonderful tool which can help people to clear their mind, reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, feel calmer, make clearer decisions and also sleep better.

Do I have to be able to sit in a certain way, i.e. cross legged on the floor?

You don’t have to sit a certain way, the position you choose is entirely up to you. Most people sit in a chair but you can find a position which is comfortable for you. You may choose to sit, lie or kneel also if you are in a wheelchair you can do it within your wheelchair.

A lot of people think you need to sit in a lotus position on the floor with your legs crossed but most people find this really difficult to maintain for a while, and find that they’re actually focusing on their body screaming with aches or pains. Therefore you can choose whatever position is right for you and which you can maintain for the duration of the meditation.

I am not good at relaxing…

I hear this one a lot too as we as a society we are often used to being busy and sometimes it is frowned about if we don’t appear to be busy. Relaxing might be something people do in an evening but it might include a glass of wine, tv and scrolling through a phone at the same time.

You don’t need to be a calm person to meditation but you might find you are calmer after you have practiced meditation.

So focusing on one thing can seem daunting, not normal and really difficult. We are often used to thinking about what we need to do next, what we could have done differently and what are the kids /family up to.
So not doing this and doing something different takes trust and and courage.
Relaxation is essential for our body and mind to heal, recover and flourish.

I often see moments of relaxation as time out so that when I go back to my normal routine I have more energy, I am more focused and productive, I have more patience to cope with change and dramas.

I would encourage you to start thinking of relaxation as a positive thing, an essential thing and a skill with practice you can get better at. Don’t worry about whether you are getting it right just start.

I tried to once and didn’t get on with it…

This is something I hear quite a lot. Meditation takes perseverance and practice, I often think it is a skill we are constantly working on, even for me. If you think about when you learnt to drive you might have had good days and bad. Learning meditation is the similar, some days maybe easier than others to stay focused. That been said there are lots of different types of meditation and maybe you just haven’t found the right one that works for you yet. As a beginner I would always recommend a guided meditation and start with 5 minutes and build up to longer. I would also recommend trying lots of different types ideally with a teacher so you can talk through any concerns or things you are finding challenging during your practice.

Basically don’t just think it isn’t for you after one try

How much do I have to pay / what does it cost? What can I wear and what will I need?

We offer a special “Reduce stress, improve sleep and clear your brain fog with mindfulness meditation” beginners’ session. There is no need to rush out to buy specific clothing or equipment to meditate. Meditation can be done in any clothing you feel comfortable and are able to breathe deeply and relax in. If you enjoy the beginners course, we may recommend some books, pillows or stools but these are not essential. We can also offer private 1-2-1 sessions if you would like to explore an element of meditation in more detail please contact use directly for more information.

I don’t have time, how will I fit it in my busy schedule?

Meditation doesn’t have to take hours and you can do just 10 minutes in your day when you have learnt how to meditate. This can be done at any time of the day; some people prefer doing it first thing in the morning, I prefer to meditate just before I go to bed with my homelife. Ultimately it can be practiced anywhere in your day that feels right for you! Furthermore you can take your meditation practice into every aspect of your life, so you can have mindful moments where you are focusing on your breathing, for example, when you brush your teeth or wash your hands.

But isn’t meditation boring?

There are lots of different types of meditation and some are right for some and not for others. My job is to try and help you find the one that is right for you. There may be moments within meditation that seem boring but these will pass.

Is meditation just for ladies?

This is totally not true anyone can benefit from meditation regardless of the their gender.

Do I have to sit still to meditate?

There are lots of different types of mindfulness meditations and some are practiced walking so no you don’t have to sit still although for beginners we often start sitting or lying down. 

But what if I fail at meditating?

So a couple of people have said to me that they were worried about trying meditation as they might not get it right and feel like they are failing.
This is really common and actually I am not sure you can fail at meditating… Meditation is all about recognising when you loose your focus and coming back to it. Actually the more you do this the easier it gets, you are actually making changes within your brain!
Yes some days are easier than others, but sometimes you learn more on the days when staying focused is a challenge. It is called a meditation practice – I often think that is because it takes persistence and you are practicing a skill.

Learning to meditate is a bit like learning to walk, you didn’t suddenly stand up as a toddler and start walking, you kept falling and got back up and tried again. You had the advantage of other people giving you love, support and showing you how when you did this.

So if you had a coach supporting you and guiding you learning meditation should feel easier and you can ask advise and get tips to make it easier.
if you changed it and realised you are learning a new skill

But what if I fall asleep and start snoring?

The aim of meditation and soundbaths is not to fall asleep, it is an active process where we are remaining present, focused and relaxed but sometimes when we are tired we can drift off. In soundbaths I often say at the beginning of the session if some does start to snore just be thankful that person is helping you to stay awake. This often makes people chuckle as they don’t feel worried about it anymore. 

So if you are letting this stop you from trying meditation please don’t let it put you off – you won’t be the first and you won’t be the last and we will celebrate you helping the others to stay awake and present. 

Isn’t meditation a type of hypnosis?

This is a misconception, meditation is totally separate to hypnosis and during our meditation practice we do not include hypnosis.

I am not a yogi, hippy or religious, can I do it?

We hear this a lot and you don’t need to be a yogi, hippy or religious to benefit from meditation. We teach a secular form of meditation which anyone can do. You don’t need to be bendy, a yogi or have incense to meditate. Meditation has origins in yoga sitting a lotus position but you can also just do it sitting in a chair. You also don’t need to practice yoga, wear lycra or be a bendy person to practice meditation and feel the many benefits.

To meditation you don’t need to be religious, the practice we teach is secular but if you are religious this will also not go against your beliefs.  We will not ask you to join in in activities that you do not feel comfortable with.

Easy…

The learning of Meditation isn’t an easy journey or a quick fix to solve your problems. That being said you can use the techniques to make a quick change to your mind and thoughts. Meditation is a skill that takes practice, patience and some days you will find the mind is gentle with greater space between thoughts and others not. I often find the meditations that are more challenging to remain focused are the ones that I learn from the most