Overcoming Common Obstacles to Meditation
“Focusing on my breath is triggering.”
This is a statement I hear all too often in therapy. And, I get it. If you experience anxiety, panic attacks, or trauma symptoms, meditation can present challenges that can make the healing process seem discouraging. After all, just a quick browse on the internet and you might come to believe meditation is a cure-all for mental and emotional struggles— so why can it feel so difficult?
Common Challenges:
Physical discomfort: be gentle with yourself and explore alternatives to seated meditations, such as lying down or sitting in a chair. If you find yourself restless or having difficulty sitting still— notice that with a non-judgmental stance and know that you are asking yourself to do something new.
Active or racing thoughts: imagine a snow globe that’s been shaken up vigorously. That’s an example of our brain when we try to sit down to meditate. Everything we’ve been distracted from, avoiding, or even ruminating on, is now front and center. This is a chance to just notice the snow globe and give ourselves the time and space to see if we can allow things to settle down to the bottom for a bit. If no “settling” occurs? No sweat. This is a practice. A phrase I like to use in these moments is, “that’s how it is right now”. You can bring your attention to the sounds in the room or to your breath to re-anchor yourself when needed.
Resistance: a common experience when starting something new is to resist change. Sitting with ourselves can bring up emotional or mental discomfort, so if a traditional meditation practice is too activating at this time, try some of the alternatives below:
Mindfulness walks: Go for a walk in nature or even around your neighborhood, without distractions, and notice what you can hear, see, smell, and feel. Try to notice details you may not have seen before, and walk leisurely.
Yoga: the combination of breathing and physical movement is backed by plenty of evidenced-based articles that support yoga as being beneficial for mental health.
Creative practices: any creative activity that requires all of your concentration and can get you in a state of “flow” would be considered meditative. I like watercolor, but you might enjoy playing an instrument, knitting or crochet, clay modeling, drawing, or cooking. Take your time and be present.
Guided visualizations: try an app like Insight Timer, Headspace or YouTube and search for a guided visualization. You can search by topic and length of time. The audio will guide you through relaxation cues and visuals to promote a sense of well-being.
Integrating these practices into your healing journey can result in definable benefits to your ability to feel calm, regulate emotions, cope with stress and anxiety, and have resiliency. A licensed therapist can help you explore what works best for you and tailor your unique self-care tools.
