Myths about meditation can make the practice seem more intimidating or exclusive than it really is, and can leave many feeling it isn’t for people like them.  Having a better understanding of what meditation is, and what it isn’t, can help with this.

One of the most common and persistent misconceptions about meditation is the idea that to meditate ‘properly’ you need to stop your thoughts, and if thoughts do come up you're doing it wrong.

This myth causes people to be discouraged, creates unnecessary pressure and makes meditation seem intimidating or even impossible.

So it’s important to realise that meditation is not about stopping your thoughts at all.  In fact, thoughts have an important role to play in the process of becoming more mindful and present.

Many people, especially beginners, feel anxious about meditation because they think they don’t know enough or aren't doing it ‘right’. But a beginner's mind is something to be celebrated, not overcome.

Meditation isn’t magic or miracles.  But the evidence of the benefits to be gained from regular meditation practice is nonetheless pretty eye-opening.

Meditation practice has been with us for centuries.  We find meditation throughout human history, in many different cultures, evolving over time, intimately woven into the ways we perceive and understand ourselves and the world around us.

Meditation has brought about many changes in my life, shaping my outlook and well-being in a variety of ways.