QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ABOUT MEDITATION

 

“Can I meditate in the wrong way?”

No, you can not. Because meditation is only one way in which you become more relaxed and present in yourself. Rather, meditation strengthens your positive aspects and strengths. Even when listening to a guided meditation voice, there may be times when you may feel that you do not want to take in and do everything that is said, and then it’s okay. Listen to what feels right for you at the moment. But a guided voice can feel comfortable and safe, just because you like to be guided in something and that you can completely relax. The only thing that could possibly be wrong with meditation is if you use it as an escape from the reality that you live in. The purpose of meditation is that you become more present, stronger and get to know yourself more etc, and then able to integrate the energy in your everyday life.

“Can meditation reduce my body aches?”

Yes. In pain, the body is often in constant stress to deal with the cause of the pain and the tensions that arise in the area where the pain is. Meditation reduces stress and brings more calm and relaxation. When the body becomes more relaxed, it releases tension and increases your blood circulation and lymph flow in the area so that the body can heal better and the pain gets reduced.

“Can my illness or my physical problems get better to meditate?”

Yes, it can, but it is individually what effect exactly you are getting. Please see the question above about how science looks at the effects of meditation. In that meditation will help you in a natural way to reduce stress it increases your inner peace, and you learn to better listen to the body’s own signals. You become more aware, and have a stronger contact with yourself, which can also lead to positive lifestyle changes that benefit your health. However, it is always important that you consult your therapist or doctor’s advice on your individual situation if there is anything specific you are wondering about.

“What does scientific research show on meditation?”

A groundbreaking collaboration between scientists and monks have shown that meditation is very effective. Meditation develops the brain centers that give us an optimistic view of life, strengthens the immune system and keeps us healthy. It turns out to have positive psychological effects and reduced stress.

Controlled clinical trials have also been made on people with various diseases and have shown significantly better results and better health as a result of meditation.

With MRI scans of subjects made at Massachusetts General Hospital in the U.S. have meditation proved in only eight weeks to change the structure of the brain’s gray matter in the areas that have to do with memory, self-perception, empathy and stress, so that these areas work better. Scientists have shown that meditation has a measurable effect on the brain, and are not just about the practitioners of the meditation form that makes them feels better, as they learn to relax during meditation.

“Can you meditate, both indoors and outdoors?”

You are not limited in where you can meditate. Inside, you can choose a place that feels comfortable, on a chair, in an armchair, on the floor or on the bed. Outside, you can sit in nature, in the park or even on the bus or on the train for a while.

“Can children meditate?”

There is no age limit in any direction in meditation, and many children benefit of meditation. Being present can all feel good about. However, there are meditations which are for more deeper personal development, which only fits an age when they are emotionally ready.

“Do you have to meditate in a special way, in a special place, with special clothes, etc?”

No, you must not. Meditation is about accepting and feel permissiveness. Especially important because we live in such a stressful society today. So let meditation be just the moment when you release all demands. There are different methods and teachings in meditation that you can use, but the most important is that you are there, that you take the time and sit down with you, either in silence or with a guided meditation. Do what feels right for you. However, it may feel good and be an advantage not to have too tight clothing to be able to breathe more freely.

“Does meditation help for sleeping problems?”

Meditation is great for that. It gives you peace and helps to release tension, pain, anxiety or the day that has been to be able to sleep. Use a guided meditation if you are not used to meditating on your own.

“How can I get in the mood to meditate?”

If you feel you need or think it’s cozy, you can come up with your own little ceremony to find your mood. For example, you can light a candle, get a glass of water that you might have afterward, use a favorite pillow to sit on or to put behind your back. Whatever feels good to you to set the body and mind to a meditate mood.

“How do I avoid to fall asleep when I want to meditate?”

It is best if you practice on focusing first in the meditation, to practice your presence. Meditation can be used to relax and fall asleep, but when you want to meditate to develop and gain more presence and energy in life, you need to practice to pay attention to yourself. If you find that you often fall asleep, you might consider if you really have a lack of sleep, or if you can choose to meditate at any other time when you are more alert. In some cases when you fall asleep may happen because it is hard to listen to yourself and inwards. You might not be used to that, and sleep with relaxation can come as a defense and an “escape” instead to be present. Practice than to be patient with yourself and know that you are important and valuable to get own quiet time with, without performance and beyond the usual sleep at night.

“How do I know that meditation is good for me?”

To meditate should be simple and fit in with just your everyday life and in your life. There are no requirements for how you have to meditate for it to feel good for you. You choose. Example, you can meditate on the job to collect energy, prepare for a meeting or reduce stress. You can do it in the woods at your favourite place in the morning when you wake up, or a short time before going to sleep at night. If you try to meditate for a period and start to feel the positive effects of it, you will find what suits you best and at what hour of the day. Most likely, you have already been in a light meditative state without you being aware of it. For example, during a holiday, a vacation spot, on the beach. Maybe you have then been nice relaxed and able to reflect on your thoughts and feelings and also been more in the present. This you can learn more conscious and use in your everyday life to feel better.

“How long is normal to meditate at a time?”

There is no time that is “normal”. Try to feel what your needs are first, what is the minimum time you need to achieve a calm presence, concentration, relaxation or whatever you’re after. Then you can increase the time a bit if you feel you want. It is always better to meditate for a short time more often, than longer sessions not so often. It’s more of a regularity and allow you to land in yourself now and then, than for you to accomplish something. Make sure that the meditation becomes something you long for and not a must.

“How should I not be disturbed by different sounds during meditation?”

When we meditate on different places there may be sounds around us. The more you learn to be present in only yourself and not take in what is happening in the environment, the easier it is for you to focus inward no matter sounds around you. Sometimes it can be nice to use headphones to block out other sounds though if you rarely have quiet surroundings in your life.

“How will I find time to meditate?”

It typically refers to priority. What you want to do, you usually find the time for. But before you know it and know how much you want to meditate and if you feel that your life is very tight, you can choose to start with a short while now and then. For example, in the evening or at the weekend. Meditate rather brief moments than not at all. This will give you something to look forward to, so it does not feel like a must for you. Plan time in your diary. When you have done so for some time, you may feel that you want to schedule more or a little longer meditation sessions.

“I am so happy and pleased to meditate, but everyday life allows me to quickly get stressed or depressed again. What can I do about it? “

The key is the regularity in that you meditate and continue with it. Then maybe you can also try to reflect on your life while you meditate, to see if you can come to understand what you need to change in your life to find more balance and feel good more often, and not just when you meditate. So even if you find balance during meditation you need to find the reason why an accessing stress or depression is there. What you feel and come to realize through meditation, is to be applied and used in everyday life to make it better. Do not let meditation be a compensation for all the moments you feel bad, but use it in this case to change, so you can feel good whenever you can. Feeling joy is not limited, nor sorrows, if we choose it. So work on changing your thoughts and your life so it gives you more of what you want to fill it with.

“I can get giggly when I meditate, why?”

It may be that you release different tensions in the body. Either physical muscle tension or emotional tension. Just follow the rhythm of your body if you do that and have fun. Sometimes the giggle can be replaced by other emotions too.

“Is meditation for personal development, for I do not know if I want to change me?”

In a way, there is a personal development, but for the better, when you use meditation as you like and how it suits you. It is natural to sometimes feel a certain fear of what is unknown and new. Meditation is a natural tool where you can get to know yourself more if you want to become stronger in body, emotion and mind. It’s really more about becoming more authentic in who you are, not the reverse. The changes that occur usually involve more joy, more insights about themselves and their lives to help to feel a greater inner peace and more confidence. Sure you can be reminded of some difficult emotions sometimes, but in that case, it is those that you already carry within you, and you will feel better when they are released, in order to get new positive force instead.

“Meditation appears to be a little mysterious and strange, which people do it?”

People who want to experience more quality and feel better in their inner and outer lives can meditate as a way to achieve it. It can suit anyone who wants to. There are different forms of meditation, however, so everyone can find the one that feels right. Maybe meditation has been more associated with eastern tradition before, but now it is a widespread way to feel better, wherever it is wellness thinking.

“My family does not respect that I sit and meditate and want to be left alone, what can I do?”

Explain to them what the meditation moment means to you, why you think it is important. It can be just as important as a good workout or a playtime with friends for the children. You can also tell what effects you get that feel good, which is likely to benefit your nearest positive too. When you feel good it spreads naturally. But you should not have to “do penance” afterwards for taking the time to yourself. It’s about both your own and others respect to who you are and your needs. Maybe you can even try to invite them to meditate with you sometime?

“Should I stop thinking when meditating?”

The thoughts are important to us in our daily life to function as human beings, have discussions with ourselves, to use your imagination and come up with ideas. What may be the problem with our thoughts is that they are too messy and without structure. They chatter also often about things that were, and about things that could possibly happen, so a lot about the past and the future. Our thoughts have been characterized, among others of our experiences, which sometimes does not benefit us anymore in the present. So what we can do in meditation is to learn how to let the thoughts serve us more and not control us. We can learn to think more positively and let the thoughts become clearer and more honest. By meditation, your mind will become clearer and more focused, you will be able to assess situations more objectively, and you’ll feel more creative.

“Sometimes I get sad when I meditate, what should I do?”

If emotions come up that you have within you, the best thing you can do is to release them by feeling them. Maybe you’ve kept them inside for long. Follow your rhythm and accept the feelings. When you accept and give emotions time to be there, they will eventually peter out and lose significance. It is when we put the lid on the emotions, or deny them as they grow within, may feel hard, create worry, anxiety and so on. Let the feelings give you insights that will help you make good decisions and bring you further in life.

“Sometimes it’s so nice to meditate I just don’t want to quit, what should I do?”

Try to remain present in meditation and grounded. Set a watch and decide in advance how long you want to sit and meditate. Remember that meditation is a tool you can use in your life to feel better and be more creative. It is not a condition that you should remain in order to avoid other parts of your life, that you also can make better. But it’s really wonderful that you feel so positive, so continue to enjoy and feel good in what you do in a balanced way.

“What are the benefits of meditating in a group and do it on your own?”

The benefits of meditating on you own is that you decide completely where, when and how you want to meditate. You choose what feels right for you in the moment, and you can give you the exact time you need. It will be a golden moment for only you. The advantage of meditating in a group is that you get a lot of inspiration from the other participants and the instructor. The energies and the mood often feels very strong in a group and it is often a good personal development through exchange of experiences.

“What do you do on a meditation course?”

At a beginner’s course, you can learn the basics of meditation and how to most easily use it in your life. The format may vary, also depending on the people in the group and what their needs are. You sit in a group and meditate simultaneously with others, and the experience can feel very strong and positive. To hear others experiences and together learn from each other tend to give much. In advanced courses, you develop your meditation and what you have learned previously.

“What is a mantra? I’ve heard that you can meditate to it? “

A mantra is a word that you can concentrate on during meditation to not think about anything else. The word must be a positive word that affects you positively. It may also be a short sentence. The word or phrase that you repeat is like an affirmation during the meditation. “Man” means mind and “tra” means free.

“What is the best meditation position?”

That you are there is the most important. There are several “traditional” positions, as the lotus position, but it’s nothing you need to do to meditate. The only one can think of is to not put the legs over each other or cross the arms, it may prevent the flow of energy a little. You can sit on the chair, on the floor, on the sofa or lie down. Wherever you find it convenient. Let the arms lay in your lap or along the sides.

“What is the best thing of meditating?”

It is individually what you think. Most people find they feel better in body, mind and soul, their emotions become more balanced and that they see life in a more positive way. They feel, for example, that meditation is a great tool in their daily lives, where they have a better relationship with yourself and others. Many experience a greater happiness in their lives of meditation.

“Where does the doctrine of meditation come from?”

Meditation has thousands of years of tradition in different countries and religions. It is for example, strongly associated with Buddhism and how Buddha found his spiritual believes of life. Today, meditation is a far-reaching significance for many people in the world and is a valued learning regardless of religion or culture they are from. For example, mindfulness has arisen and spread as a simple form of meditation where you learn to be more in the present.

”What does it mean to meditate?”

Meditation means that you are in a deeply relaxed state, where you have the opportunity to feel a greater inner peace and balance in body and mind. To meditate gives you time to yourself and to nurture and develop who you are. The body, mind and your emotions will be more balanced and you get more energy, you learn to be more present in yourself and in relation to other people. To meditate means to be in the present, where you will also increase your ability to concentrate and to focus.

”What is the meaning of the word meditation?”

In Latin it is called “meditare” and means – to be brought to the center, towards the center.