It's easy to do,
but also easy NOT to do…
Meditation is simple, cheap, and highly effective, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy. And to be honest, it actually is pretty easy, but sometimes, it’s just not what people expect it to be. As the quote above, by Jeff Olson, states… related to building habits, things are just as easy TO DO, but just as easy NOT TO DO and sometimes this is why they fall to the way side. This is why I thought it might be important to address the 10 reasons why meditation may not be working. Let’s address some of the meditation issues to get you on the right track. Sound good?
Beginners have all sorts of challenges when meditating, but most of them aren’t really problems. The complaints beginners have are simply part of the meditation process. The more you know the easier and more successful your meditation practice will be.
Meditation can work for everyone that puts in the time and effort.
…But are these challenges holding you back?
10 Reasons Why Meditation May Not Be Working
1. Your mind is too active
Of course, it’s active. It takes practice before the mind quiets down, and it’s rarely silent even after years of practice. It takes about 20 minutes for experienced meditators to notice a slowing down of the mind.
I remember asking a close friend if they meditated when I was first starting some 9 years ago. I recall them telling me that meditation didn’t work for them because their mind was too busy. At that point I said… “Oh!” and we moved on with the conversation. Having nearly a decade under my belt now and studying like crazy for the last few years, I realize this is everybody’s experience. I now joke sometimes when I am leading a meditation that if this is happening… “Congratulations you are human and alive!”
So in all honesty, this isn’t really a problem. Part of the purpose of meditating is to learn how your mind operates. This is how it operates.
Just return your focus to your breath.
2. Your mind wanders
What’s the old saying? Not everyone who wanders is lost, is that right? Well, it’s not uncommon to suddenly realize that you’ve been daydreaming for the last five minutes or building a To Do List. The solution is the same as the previous issue. Just return your attention to your breath and continue.
I was joking earlier this week with a friend who told me they caught themselves planning their meditation strategy. I have to laugh because I cannot tell you how many times I’ve caught myself planning something.
3. A lack of consistency
Meditation needs to be done daily to see the greatest benefits. It also needs to be done daily to gain a high level of proficiency. You can’t become skilled at what you don’t practice. Get as much practice as you can.
This is of course easier said than done. In all honesty, I’ve always thought if people would do 10 minutes of meditation for 30 days they would build solid practice, however, I think it is more than just 30 days. With further research, I found several other issues with the consistency issue that we address in the 30-Day Daily-Meditation Habit Builder Challenge. If you would like to get on the waitlist for when we open this challenge again, you can get on the waitlist here.
4. You fall asleep
It is said… it’s not as easy to fall asleep if you have the proper posture. Some even say it should be impossible to stay asleep if you have the proper posture, as you’re sure to lose you balance and fall over. Many also believe the best position for meditating is to sit up straight and if you lie down, you may struggle to stay awake.
I do a lot of lying down meditations so although many think sitting is the “only way” or the “best way”, I disagree. If you are falling asleep in your meditation I say… have grace on yourself maybe you needed some extra sleep. If you always fall asleep I would then recommend looking into walking meditation. This action based meditation obviously makes it harder to fall asleep while you’re doing it and I’d say the best meditation for those who struggle with falling asleep during meditation.
5. Body pains
Holding one position can be painful, especially when you’re just starting out with meditation. Over time, your aches and pains will largely go away. Sometimes it is just a matter fo finding a position that works well for you.
- We may also think it’s best to try to remain still. Shifting your position can give temporary relief, and the process can start all over again. I go back to having grace for yourself. Some recommend not moving. I am from the mindset of not every meditation being perfect and just do the best you can. If it’s a bust – accept it and just try again later or tomorrow.
- Itches fall into the same category. Just leave them alone, or scratch and observe them.
6. Boredom
Yes, meditation can be boring, especially if you’re used to significantly more stimulation. Learn to sit still with your boredom and just observe it. Boredom can be more fascinating than you might think.
There are millions of different styles of meditation beyond just exploring and sitting with your boredom, I might also suggest trying a different meditation. You might find that getting the right kind of meditation really taps into a joy you have. Try the Insight Timer app for free and I know they have like 100,000 different kinds of meditation to try so you should be able to find something that excites you.
7. Rationalizing that quitting is a good idea
Common thoughts include things like, “This is a waste of time.” “Why am I doing this?” “Is this all there is?” Again, just sit with your thoughts and notice them. Every thought is as meaningless as the next.
- Just realize that it’s your discomfort with stillness that’s bothering you. You’ll come to understand that many of the things you do in your life are to avoid this feeling. This includes things like staring at the TV and overeating.
- Think about brushing your teeth. This isn’t exciting at all, but we do it to take care of our mouth. Just know that just like brushing your teeth this habit pays off sometimes without seeing what is happening under the surface or if we didn’t do the task.
- So here is an article titled – Most People Will “Quit” Meditation : This Is How You Can Master It. Have a read if you are in this space for some good advice.
8. Finding time
This excuse is hardly a valid excuse. Go to bed 20 minutes early and sit in the corner. Heck you could even do sleep meditations to put yourself to sleep. Or get up 20 minutes early and do a meditation and breathing exercise before you get out of bed which is what I do.. The truth is, after a little practice, you can meditate at your desk or on a bus or so many other ways using informal practices.
- If you had time to watch TV, surf the internet, or play on your phone, you DO have time to meditate. Sometimes an accountability partner can help. Try finding a buddy to meditate with.
- I actually wrote an article on this titled – I’M TOO BUSY TO MEDITATE. HOW CAN I FIT MEDITATION IN MY BUSY SCHEDULE? Have a read for other ideas related to this one.
9. Desiring perfection
Perfection in meditation isn’t achievable, but you don’t need to be perfect. Put in the time with your best effort. That’s all that’s required.
I truly believe this one is one of the main ones that corrupt a practice. It is NOT about perfection it is about just doing. One single meditation isn’t going to fix your life, it is continued practice time and time again that brings the results. Some days will be imperfect for sure. Just accept it, my friends.
10. Expecting more…
Meditation rarely involves earth-shattering insights or perfect enlightenment in a single or even multiple sittings early on. It’s a gradual process that brings understanding over time.
Final Thoughts…
I hope these ideas helped address the 10 reasons why meditation may not be working for you. The problems above aren’t really problems per se. They’re simply misunderstandings of what normally occurs during a meditation session. Just keep at it and have faith that everything is as it should be. This is a tough lesson as it is different than what we hear all day about every other task we are told to do.
Meditation is a funny thing. I know it seems like a cure-all for every single thing that ails us and as my mom used to say if it sounds to good to be true then it is, well maybe not in this case. Ha! Seriously though meditation does help a lot of people in a lot of different situations, live their best life. I truly believe the key though is working with an expert to help guide you.
I have a few experts I study under but I work really close with one right now. I also think joining a meditation group offers a huge amount of support and accountability. Honestly, in my groups, I’ve seen people really thrive in a short period of time. The community piece really helps.
I have built a 30-Day Daily-Meditation Habit Builder Challenge to help people get started with meditation and help more seasoned folks build their daily practice. If you are getting hung up on any of these issues, having a community or coach to work with could really be a game changer for you.
