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Meditation: Myths and Realities

When someone says the word meditation, the first image that often comes to mind is that of a Buddhist monk sitting in a robe, cross-legged, in the lotus position. This is just one way to meditate—there are many more. In this blog, I’ll discuss different forms of meditation and the benefits it can bring to your mind and body.


What Are the Benefits of Meditation?

Meditation allows you to pause the "autopilot" mode of your life and reconnect with your essence, body, and mind. It’s a mental exercise that helps improve your focus and fosters mental clarity and calmness. Meditation helps us savor life more fully and focus on the positives. By enhancing our mental clarity, it enables us to put things into perspective and manage our emotions more effectively.

Additionally, meditation stimulates the brain’s neuroplasticity—that is, it enhances the brain’s ability to form new neural connections, recover, and adapt to the experiences we go through in life.

Meditation helps us adapt to changes, navigate uncertainty, and deepen self-awareness. It supports personal growth, allowing us to become the people we aspire to be rather than being guided by unconscious patterns or behavior programs.


What Are the Myths About Meditation?

There are many misconceptions about meditation. Here are some of the most common ones:

  • “Meditation is very difficult”: Meditating is one of the simplest and most accessible practices in the world. All you need to do is connect with your inner self, observe your breath, your body, your thoughts—and you’re meditating. The challenge lies in being consistent and making time for it in your schedule. If you find yourself thinking it’s difficult, pay attention to any self-sabotage—it might reveal deeper reasons behind your resistance.

  • “Meditation is for religious people”: While meditation has been practiced for centuries in religions like Hinduism and Buddhism, today it is widely used as a mental exercise with countless benefits. It’s not inherently tied to any specific religious practice.

  • “You have to empty your mind to meditate”: This is not the goal of meditation, primarily because achieving a completely blank mind is nearly impossible. Meditation is about focusing attention, expanding your state of calm, and connecting with your mind-body system.


How Do I Start Meditating?

For beginners, I often recommend starting with a simple attention exercise in the morning, right after waking up, and at night before going to bed. Spend one minute observing and describing what you see in the room without judgment. For example: “The wall is white, there’s a crack (but don’t think about whether or not you should fix it—if you do, redirect yourself to description), there’s a photo of my partner…” This exercise is a simple way to consciously bring attention to your mind.

Another easy way to start meditating is to pause three times a day to take 6–10 deep breaths, focusing solely on your breathing. This practice will help you become aware of your body and improve mental clarity.


Gradually, you can extend these moments into longer sessions focusing on your breath. You might also pay attention to your body by scanning it from head to toe, noticing how each part feels in that moment.


These practices will connect you to your calmer side and, through consistent effort, strengthen the mind-body connection, leading to an improved quality of life. Are you ready to start?

Image by Freepik

Melinda Sánchez Coach

 
 
 

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