Common misconception

I have been practicing and teaching meditation for a decade now, and I noticed a common misconception. Meditation is not about avoiding or ignoring your thoughts or feelings. It is about confronting and accepting them - allowing them to come and go - in a brief encounter.

The end result is being at greater peace with these thoughts and feelings (both good or bad) but the encounter with yourself can be difficult.

Meditation helps you to be mindful of your experiences, thoughts and feelings. It can be done with deep breathing, in relationship with your spiritual source and strength, or with another person guiding you. These can help meditation feel safer and easier to practice.

I actually recommend practicing with a video first. Try this one if you're struggling with managing your own anxiety.

But one thing that's true of meditation like any healthy practice, is the importance of consistency. Doing meditation daily can reduce stress, increase feelings of gratitude and joy, and also improve your relationship with yourself and others. 

Yes, the positive effects of meditation is supported by science and health professionals. Yes, mindfulness has become an industry in and of itself. No, I’m not sponsored by any of these apps, but I think they can be beneficial especially if you’re just starting your meditation practice.

Some helpful links/apps

My work

Yoojin Nam LMFT is the author of Thinking to Feel. He has been providing psychotherapy for 7 years and is licensed to practice in CA & TX.

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Disclaimer: These posts are not a replacement for therapy. The information contained within is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be therapeutic advice.