What to do if your meditation isn't working
If you're struggling with our meditation technique, 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
- Finding it difficult to observe pain
- Experiencing intrusive thoughts
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. Finding it difficult to observe pain
If you find it difficult to identify pain or to focus on it, try starting with basic yoga poses.
Because all forms of pain are linked to physical sensations, observing pain becomes easier by by enhancing your awareness of these bodily sensations.
Yoga helps sharpen your awareness of bodily sensations by encouraging you to focus on your body during various poses.
For more details, check out our article "Beginner's guide to home yoga".
4. Experiencing intrusive thoughts
If unwanted thoughts arise during meditation, don't try to force them away.
Instead, simply observe them as they are.
If you feel frustrated by these thoughts, acknowledge that frustration as well.
Trying to eliminate thoughts can actually hinder your meditation, so let them come and go naturally.
Final Thoughts
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.
By preparing your body and mind, yoga can make meditation easier.