Experts on common meditation mistakes and how to avoid them

Not fixing time for the practice, worrying too much about the technique, trying to completely get rid of thoughts or seeking immediate results are some of the mistakes that meditation beginners make.

Meditation, an ancient practice of mindfulness can offer an array of benefits for your overall well-being. But when it comes to adopting it as a daily practice and nailing its technique, many people tend to give up too easily. While meditation helps you manage stress, at times worrying about not being able to do it properly can make you unncessarily anxious. The truth is that meditation takes time to perfect and with consistent efforts and discipline, you can reap all those amazing benefits. (Also read: Meditation guide: 7 simple steps to meditate for beginners)

Are you making these meditation mistakes? (Pixabay)

Not fixing time for the practice, worrying too much about the technique, trying to completely get rid of thoughts or seeking immediate results are some of the mistakes that meditation beginners make. Experts on how to remove these roadblocks from your meditation journey.

Mistake 1: Getting stressed about not doing the meditation properly.

Solution: "There are various types of meditations out there that are available for achieving various outcomes including calmness, peace, clarity, concentration, compassion etc. In fact, there are few meditations like Shikantaza where the aim is to just sit or be without thinking of anything or wanting to achieve something," say Dhruv Patel and Dr. Batul Patel (Founder – Ruhgu).

"There is no right or wrong way to meditate, sometimes even without trying to meditate you might already be meditating, especially when you are in the flow of doing something you love. So the last thing you want to do is have expectations from your meditation session, there is no perfect way of doing it, just make a conscious effort and let meditation come to you effortlessly," add the experts.

Mistake 2: We seed immediate results

Solution: "Just like a seed that grows itself into a sapling and then a huge tree, true practices of Dhyan require a routine practice regime. Meditation is that treasure which swiftly guides us towards the answers we are seeking for," says renowned Yoga guru Grand Master Akshar.

Mistake 3: Getting upset if you fail to calm your mind

Solution: "Meditation in its truest essence is concentration on the universal consciousness. In simpler terms meditation is also a mental exercise for the brain similar to physical exercise. We have to consistently exercise and discipline our brain to start showing results in terms of increased clarity of thought, improved focus and concentration, compassion etc. So be consistent with your meditative practices and you will definitely start seeing results soon," say Dhruv Patel and Dr Batul Patel.

Mistake 4: We practice at any and all times of the day

Solution: Yoga guru Grand Master Akshar says that meditation requires a regular practice and a fixed time for acing the technique. Practicing it any time of the day is something which people should avoid.

Mistake 5: Trying to control thoughts during meditation

Solution: "This is a very common misconception that we have to fix our mind and get rid of all thought. In fact the more we think of a concept in this case trying to control the mind we give it more power and energise it. So during meditation calmly observe your thoughts just like you would look at the clouds gently passing by. The idea is to not get involved with your thoughts but be a silent observer. This will gradually reduce the intensity of your thoughts and completely empty your mind," say Dhruv Patel and Dr Batul Patel.