5 Myths of Mindfulness Meditation

1. You need to quiet your mind... 
Trying to quiet your mind is like herding cats. When you tell someone not to think of a pink elephant, the first thing they do is think of a pink elephant. The whole idea of mindfulness is to become aware of your thoughts, not try to stop them. When we notice our thoughts, we are able to gentle redirect our attention back to the breath. 

2. Mindfulness meditation is a spiritual or religious practice
​Mindfulness meditation is a secular and scientific process.  that increases one's ability to pay attention to the present moment with kind regard. We are essentially training our mind to focus more efficiently.  

3. Mindfulness Meditation is Always Relaxing...
Mindfulness meditation can be relaxing but it can also not be relaxing. It's important to remember that every day and each moment is unique. Everytime we show up to our practice our minds, energy levels, and attitudes are different. Try to let go of your expectations and what you think mindfulness meditation should look like.  

4. You need to meditate first thing in the morning, sitting on the floor with you legs crossed like a pretzel and a straight back
I like to encourage my students to not be so rigid when approaching mindfulness meditation. It's all about finding what works best for you. I personally meditate lying down in my cozy bed at.  After a long day of teaching high school virtually at my desk, lying down feels more like self care to me and I actually look forward to this part of my day. Some people would find that they would fall asleep practicing the way that I do and would rather practice earlier in the day. We are all unique. The main thing is to find a comfortable pain-free position. This could look like lying on the couch with a pillow under your knees to support your lower back, swinging in a hammock outside, or sitting on a park bench. 


5. You need to practice meditation for years before you see results
Researchers have found that the brain changes in as little as eight weeks of mindfulness meditation. They found that the grey matter in the brain, responsible for emotional regulation and problem solving increased in density. They also found that the part of the brain responsible for the stress response, the amygdala, decreased in size.

The key is consistency. Frequency of practice is more important that duration. For example, doing a 20 minute mindfulness practice daily will be more beneficial than doing a 45 minute practice twice a week.