What to do if your meditation isn't working
If you're struggling with Body Scan Meditation and Pain Scan Meditation, here are some solutions to help you overcome common challenges.
Common Meditation Challenges
Here are some common difficulties people face when meditating:
- Feeling tired quickly when sitting still
- Losing control of your breath
- Experiencing intrusive thoughts
- Finding it difficult to observe bodily sensations
- Finding it difficult to observe pain
How to Address Each Challenge
Let's explore solutions for each of these challenges below.
1. Feeling tired quickly when sitting still
If you feel tired quickly while sitting, it might be due to weak core muscles.
Practicing yoga can strengthen your core, helping you sit longer without fatigue.
Learn more in our article "Beginner's guide to home yoga".
2. Losing control of your breath
If you lose focus on your breath or struggle to control it during meditation, it may help to pause and try some basic yoga poses.
Yoga can improve your ability to regulate your breath, making meditation easier over time.
For more details, check out our article "Beginner's guide to home yoga".
3. Experiencing intrusive thoughts
If unwanted thoughts arise during meditation, don't try to force them away.
Instead, in Body Scan Meditation, focus on observing changes in bodily sensations; in Pain Scan Meditation, focus on observing the pain.
Trying to eliminate thoughts can actually hinder your meditation, so let them come and go naturally.
4. Finding it difficult to observe bodily sensations
If you struggle to notice changes in bodily sensations, try starting with basic yoga poses.
Yoga enhances bodily awareness by directing attention to the body through movement and posture.
For more details, check out our article "Beginner's guide to home yoga".
5. Finding it difficult to observe pain
If you have difficulty observing pain during Pain Scan Meditation, go back to the basics with Body Scan Meditation.
If you still feel stuck, practicing yoga can be very helpful.
For more details, check out our article "Beginner's guide to home yoga".
Relationship between Yoga and Meditation
We've explained how yoga can help with common meditation challenges, and this is no coincidence.
While yoga is often seen as a form of exercise, it was originally developed as a practice to enhance meditation.
If you have the time or if you're feeling stuck in your practice, consider giving yoga a try.