What’s the biggest (and most common) mistake you see people making in regards to starting a meditation practice?

I was recently approached with this question.

I certainly had a few thoughts .. after teaching meditation for the last eight years and having a personal meditation practice of 25+ years, I think I have probably heard or experienced most of the challenges that crop up when we start (or try to maintain) a meditation practice.

This insightful question came from Kevin at Counter Culturist who was writing an article  31 Meditation Teachers Show You How To Overcome The Biggest Meditation Mistakes

My first response was to ask Kevin if he wanted a straightforward or more reflective answer .. and on this occasion we went with straightforward (the more reflective answer I will address here at a later time).  And so I based my answer on the most common gripe that I hear from those new to meditation:

“I can’t stop thinking”

The full article holds a wealth of insight from a broad range of meditation teachers and practitioners (31 in fact) .. and I can guarantee there is something here for everyone, along with (thankfully) some suggested antidotes for those challenges that get in the way of starting and maintaining a meditation practice.

Dan Millman bestselling author of The Way of the Peaceful Warrior comments that

‘Meditation does not get you anywhere but here’

Janice Marturano Founder and Executive Director of the Institute for Mindful Leadership talks about

‘putting in too much effort’

Lodro Rinzler practitioner and teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist lineage finds that

‘We’re so used to instant gratification .. Meditation is not that’

I am sure you will find your own meditation challenge mentioned, perhaps it is about unrealistic expectations, impatience, issues around religion, not understanding the importance of making meditation a habit, or even taking meditation too seriously. Full article HERE

What is your challenge?