Have you ever sat down to have one of those epic meditation sessions that everyone talks about when suddenly you don’t feel so zen?
Sitting meditation can be surprisingly hard. The benefits are numerous, yes, but let’s all feel free to say out loud that it’s sometimes challenging as well. So, let’s talk about it. What makes meditation inherently difficult, for everyone (even if they don’t admit it!), and what practical tools can we use to make meditation a sustainable and long-term endeavor?
Physical Discomfort
One of the first hurdles most meditation practitioners encounter is the physical discomfort of sitting for any length of time. Westerners simply aren’t used to sitting unassisted. And we’re certainly not used to sitting on the ground!
And surprisingly, just the simple act of sitting uses quite a few muscles. The back, hip, and abdomen muscles all work to keep the body upright and stable. It’s no surprise then that even a couple of minutes of sitting mediation would start to feel uncomfortable to those of us who sit in front of a computer all day.
As meditators continue with their practice, these stabilizing muscles gradually start to build, and sitting for longer periods of time becomes easier. But in the meantime, here are a few tips that can help all levels of meditators.
3 tools to help with physical discomfort during meditation
1. Invest in a meditation cushion
All of the meditators that I know sit on a cushion during their practice. This is because elevating the pelvis props the hips above the knees and helps to support the natural curvature of the spine. Doing so relieves pressure on the joints and encourages proper blood flow.
A sturdy cushion with buckwheat hulls that contours to the body like this one is great for beginner and “advanced” meditators alike.
image credit: Capital One Shopping
2. Tuck your chin
An important way to keep the spine in proper alignment is to tuck the chin during meditation. Since most of us stare down at our phones all day, the neck and upper back start to pull forward. During meditation, try pushing the chin back while imagining the neck stacking properly onto the rest of the spine.
This technique is known as a chin lock (jalandhara bandha) in Yoga. It is one of 3 energetic locks that direct the flow of energy and provide stability to the spine.
3. Put down a Yoga mat 1st
For extra stability and cushion, put a meditation cushion on top of a Yoga mat. If a Yoga mat is not available, feel free to use a blanket. This not only provides added comfort to your sitz bones, but also to your ankles and knees which tend to get uncomfortable resting on hard surfaces.
The Yoga mat featured below is a nice option because it’s much thicker than other mats, which only adds to more enjoyable meditation session.
image credit: Capital One Shopping
Emotional Discomfort
Right behind physical discomfort oftentimes comes emotional discomfort. You sit down for your zen meditation session and then the thoughts start coming. And then more come. And now you’re in a torrential thought downpour.
The thoughts can go like this:
“Wow my back is starting to hurt.”
“Wait why am I thinking? I’m supposed to be meditating.”
“I’m not very good at this.”
“How am I going to reap the benefits if I can’t sit here for more than a minute.”
“How do others make this look so easy.”
“This is not relaxing at all. In fact, I’m even more anxious.”
“I suck at this, I’m going to watch tv.”
Remember these 3 things when experiencing emotional discomfort during meditation:
1. Thoughts are a part of the gig (the human gig)
Thoughts are normal. They are never going to stop. So let them come. And let them go.
No shame. No judgement.
Thoughts are like the clouds traveling through the sky. We add 0 emotion or thoughts to their existence. Instead, bring the mind right back to the present, back into the body, and out of the clouds. Again and again until you’ve meditated for 100 years and then you’ll find: that the thoughts keep coming then too!
2. There are many types of meditation that might be a better fit
The most popular meditation in the West right now is Mindfulness Meditation (observing the mind). However, there are many different ways to meditate. I talk all about my meditation journey here and how if someone struggles with their mental health or trauma, Mindfulness Meditation might not be the best option.
My favorite way to meditate is to use Mantra Meditation. Boy oh boy does it make you feel great. It regulates the nervous system, calms and focuses the mind, and actively changes the habitual neural pathways of the mind.
It’s very powerful.
Check out my Mantra Meditations here!
3. Above all, listen to thy self!
Start slow. Experiment. Be kind to self. Meditation should not be just another exercise in beating yourself up and striving for perfection. Don’t we do that to ourselves enough? So when you start to feel not good enough or that you’re not doing it “right” during meditation, Stop. Just stop. Stop the thought. Stop the feeling. Or even stop the meditation. There’s no rule saying you have to power through.
Take it nice and easy.
Return to the breath.
Place your hand over your heart in great love. And breathe.
And then when you feel ready, come back. Take a seat (or lay down or use a chair) and begin again. Each time, begin again.
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