Meditation is a beautiful Indian practice of delving deep inside your inner self. People are always looking at ways to escape the noises and the stress of their personal and work lives. Meditation provides this chance to get deep relaxation and a chance to meet your inner self. 
Meditation comes naturally to some people, while many others cannot attain a deep state of peace and relaxation. It happens because these individuals commit some common mistakes that prevent them from meditating. Meditation becomes easy when you avoid these common mistakes. 

Not Practicing Meditation Consistently

Like all workouts, exercises, and sports, meditation requires consistency on the part of the individual. Practice makes a man perfect, they say, and they are right. You cannot expect to achieve a deep state of relaxation and inner peace if you try to meditate for 1-2 days and then leave it for a few days. Make sure you sit in silence and peace for at least 10 minutes daily. Do not try to give 30 minutes on 3 days a week. You need to inculcate this habit and tell your mind to relax for some time to attain peace and relaxation. 

Expecting Miracles to Happen 

Many people expect to produce benefits for them straightaway. Peace and relaxation are the byproducts of meditation that will come your way once you can slow down the number of thoughts that come to your mind every minute. Stop thinking you will get this or the other benefit just because you have sat down and closed your eyes. The basic premise of meditation is to do your bit and stop worrying about what comes your way. The same is the case with the thoughts going inside your mind. Stop making efforts to cut down on the number of thoughts, and you find that thoughts are slowing down and gradually coming to an end. You will achieve inner peace on your own rather than trying to reach it quickly through conscious efforts. Give up expectations that you have built-up in your mind to slowly reap the rewards of meditation. 
Many people will tell you that the goal of meditation is the enlightenment of the soul. But don’t try to make it your goal when you begin to learn meditation. Such lofty goals are good to read in books but only prove to be big impediments when starting meditation as a beginner. 

Trying it Alone or Following Videos on YouTube

Most people become excited when they are told about the mental health benefits of meditation. They try to do meditation practice alone on their own. Even though meditation is usually done alone in a peaceful place, it is very difficult for beginners to delve deep within their inner self. The same thing happens when people learn to meditate by following the videos of yoga teachers teaching meditation on YouTube. The best way to learn meditation is to join a group where a teacher teaches guided meditation. He induces a state of deep relaxation and peace in the minds of the group. You can also try meditating by listening to guided meditation music available on the internet. 

Treating Meditation as Some Battle

Meditation is a technique for increasing self-awareness. You meet so many people every day, but you never get a chance to meet yourself. You can meet your inner self only when you stop resisting your thoughts and embrace distractions rather than trying to remove them from your sight and sound. Remember the time when you were learning how to swim? The harder you tied with your hands and legs, the quicker you started to sink. The same is the case with meditation. Do not take it as a battle that you ought to win. The harder you try to attain peace and relaxation, the more elusive they become. The moment you give up resistance and struggle, you find that you are there, going down inside your mind, meeting your inner consciousness. Meditation aims to unite the soul inside your body with the greatest soul or the almighty. 

Not Setting the Place and Time of Meditation

Many people make the mistake of trying to meditate n a new place and setting when they are not experts at this practice. Meditation becomes easier when you fix a place in your home and sit with folded legs on the floor or a bed with closed eyes for a few minutes daily. Your brain becomes used to the place and the setting and does not face too many common distractions when you change the place and the position frequently. Another hurdle beginners face is the inconsistent time of the day they choose to meditate. It is always better to choose a particular time of the day in the morning or evening to practice meditation. 

Wearing Tight Items of Clothing

You need to be in a comfortable state of mind when practicing meditation. Wearing jeans or a tight dress while doing meditation is not going to be helpful as your thoughts will not be able to focus inside. Try to wear loose-fitting clothes and sit in a relaxed pose with folded legs. Place your hands in Gyan mudra on your knees and focus upon your breath as you inhale and exhale. By doing so, you will be able to slow down the thoughts coming to your mind. You can also visualize your body parts as you inhale or exhale. You know you are succeeding in your efforts when you start to feel lighter with each passing minute. 
If you read books on meditation, it is described as a way of life and not as a practice. You need to include meditation as a habit and try to learn with it. Do not expect too much too soon, as your goal is gaining insight into your inner consciousness. You will find that with regular practice, you can cut down on distractions and experiencing a state of deep relaxation and inner peace. Gradually, meditation will reduce your stress levels, and you will be able to achieve happiness in your life. 

WRITTEN BY

Clara Rose