When you first start meditating, you are bound to encounter challenges – or “Whammys”, as I lovingly call them.
The term Whammy is from the old gameshow, “Press Your Luck”, which ran in the US from 1983 to 1986. I don’t know why, but I absolutely LOVED this show, where contestants tried to win cash and prizes by pressing a button and winning a cash prize. I sat in suspense as the player spun the wheel, and the host announced either the winnings, or the Whammy. No one ever wanted to get the Whammy, because if you did, you lost your earnings. Yet, as it is with gameshows, carnival games, or any type of game where there is a chance to lose, choosing a Whammy was always an option.
Surprisingly, this old gameshow has quite a bit in common with learning to meditate.
Just as different kinds of Whammys could pop up during the game, different kinds of meditation blocks can pop up during your practice. Does it mean you’ll never win the meditation game? Hardly not. In fact, once you know about and learn to deal with these Meditation Blocks or Whammys, you’ll put yourself in a position to “win” the rewards of meditation.
Here are three of the most common meditation blocks I see:
Block #1: Lack of a “blank” mind. Have you ever meditated and had random thoughts appear? Have you ever meditated and found yourself thinking about things you need to do later that day? If you answered yes, I’m giving you a huge pat on the back and shouting a big CONGRATULATIONS to you!With around 60,000 thoughts a day, it is tough for anyone to “turn off their mind” – let alone someone who is new to it. So, if you’ve struggled to maintain a mind void of thought, know this: you are meditating, even when this occurs. Please also note it is a common misnomer that the mind must be completely blank when meditating. Although one goal of meditation is to “quiet” the mind, meditation does not always mean the absence of thought. In fact, if you’re someone who uses mindfulness or use guided meditations, it never does.
Block #2: Lack of time. Given that a “good meditation” can occur in a few minutes, and a “great one” in 5-10 minutes, this block is shaky at best. First, it’s about understanding that you don’t need 30 minutes a day to meditate. It isn’t necessary. Some days, especially when you’re starting out, all you can muster is three to four minutes. And that’s okay. It’s amazing what 3-4 minutes of focused energy can produce for you when you try! The other thing about time and meditation is that, in the long run, meditation saves you loads of time. Your memory will improve and you’ll be more aware – so you’ll spend less time losing things and looking for them.
Block #3: I can’t sit still. If you have trouble sitting still – and many of us do – please don’t believe the lie that you can’t meditate. It isn’t true! Traditional meditation – a process where a person sits in silence for hours a day – is one form of meditation. But there are many others. Do you have difficulty sitting still for lengthy periods of time? Do you find it challenging to focus on only thing? Rather than giving up on meditation, find the form that suits you best. In this case, I would recommend mindfulness, which is the practice of being present. I would also recommend a physical form of meditation, such as a walking, gardening, or swimming. When doing physical meditations, the focus can be on the movement, the body, or how one feels during the process.
Well, there you have it: three of the most common blocks – or Whammys – I see in beginning meditators.
Do you identify with any of them?
Which ones? Click here and tell me – I love hearing from you!
XO
Jaime