5 Myths About Meditation that are Absolutely Fake — EastWesticism

Along with meditation’s sudden rise in the West came a lack of information, a great deal of misinformation, and even some disinformation. Here I’ll expose 5 myths about meditation that are completely false.

Meditation Myth #1. Only Hindus, Buddhists and Atheists Can Meditate

Wrong! Meditation is a completely non-religious activity that requires no belief in anything. Meditation is like dinner. Anyone can eat it and it is nourishing for all, regardless of what you think of it.

The two most common types of meditation are mantra and breath meditation. Mantra involves repeating a sound or word silently to yourself. It’s no different than silently humming. The sounds are often either meaningless or they may mean something like peace or love.

Breath meditation is focusing on your breath. No God ever said that it’s a sin to spend a few minutes a day focusing on your breath. Quite the contrary. God prefers us to be present, observe and appreciate all of God’s creation. That includes focusing on our breath and marveling at the miracle of life itself.

Meditation Myth #2. You Have to Sit on the Floor in a Specific Posture

Quite the contrary. Every activity can be a meditation if you use it as an opportunity to be present. Brushing your teeth mindfully, feeling every little subtle sensation and being fully present with each brushstroke, is a meditation.

So, Doing the dishes, having conversations, literally everything can be a meditation practice just by being fully present, fully engaged.

Also, In Buddhism and Hinduism, they have a very specific walking meditation, eating meditation, and even sleeping meditation. For them, life is a meditation. Here is a great YouTube guided walking meditation video.
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Originally published at https://www.eastwesticism.org on February 20, 2022.