These are some of the limiting beliefs I have encountered, also in my own life, I recommend to replace those beliefs and thus getting rid of the obstacles.
Meditation Obstacles for Beginners:I can't meet my expectations.
Which is fine because you're not supposed to have any in meditation, just being is the key. Letting go. Don't expect anything, just say to yourself that you will embrace this meditation whatever may happen, the more you let go before, the greater you will be able to let go
Meditation Obstacles for Beginners: I can't Relax.
You don't have to do anything to relax! Breathing is automatic! Though it does help to slow your breathing. Before meditation, slow down for 5 or 10 minutes, watch your breathing and breathe in slow and deep from below, keep it in for a short while and then let it out smoothly and completely relaxed, so no forcing. Walk slower, breathe slower, think easy and slowly let go of your inner dialogue already. As you go into your meditative pose you will have already slowed down and are well in alpha brainwave range to start.
Relaxing is the easiest and natural state of being for a human.
Meditation Obstacles : I can't silence my thoughts.
That's ok cause you're not supposed to, as you're watching your breath - no counting, since the left hemisphere is supposed to be used less - and breathing slowly, you simply watch the thoughts drift by as clouds, not intervening.
Quote: I don't need to silence my thoughts, I just let go.
Meditation Obstacles: I will never be able to silence the inner dialogue.
If you want to make that happen you sure can, though you will have to be active for it. If you let go, sooner or later you will enter what's known as the samadhi state, the state of pure silence. The first few times you come out of it, you may think you have just fallen asleep - though that may happen too, you will recognize the samadhi state as you exit it when you come out of meditation nice and gradually.
Quote: Silence is inevitable and I look forward to it.
Meditation Obstacles: I'm Afraid of facing my Demons.
There is nothing to fear but fear itself, especially in this case. It can be by facing them that you will be able to let go, and your unconscious mind will be quite reasonable in the amount of material you will have to face along your path. In meditation you are able to get rid of a lot of unnecessary fear, hate and other negative associations, and you are able to reprogram your mind gradually but surely to a more positive way of perceiving the world around you. You will become increasingly more in command of your own awareness and will be comforting yourself increasingly more instead of scaring yourself like you used to.
Quote: There is nothing to fear but fear itself. By meditating I am becoming more peaceful, calm and positive.
Meditation Obstacles : It takes too long for the Advantages
Meditation is a wonderful practice holistically from the very beginning and only gets better!
Meditation Obstacles: Meditation is boring.
Then you're definitely doing something wrong, you're going in with high expectations, limited beliefs and/or a less effective form of practice for your character. Meditation allows even in the beginning blissful feelings, one-ness, letting go of anxieties, samadhi states, highlights of current, past or future issues which can be let go of and resolved, visions of all worldly and other-worldly occurrence and peak experiences, and the always blissful 'zen' relaxedness after meditating. NC: meditation is the true rabbit hole, and experiencing how far it goes is fascinating.
Meditation Obstacles : I'm not Spiritual.
You don't have to be 'spiritual' to meditate, a lot can be understood under spiritual. Just being on our lifes journey and trying to be a good person and not harming others is considered a form of spirituality.
Quote: Meditation is suitable for any human being, no matter the religion or ideology.
Enlightenment is too hard to obtain
Just watch the video of Jill Bolte Taylor called "How to have a stroke", in it you see that the right hemisphere basically operates in 'enlightenment'-mode. All you have to do is realize how natural it is, positive suggestions are very helpful, I found my meditation practice be even more relaxed and interesting after seeing this short fascinating lecture.
Quote : We are all naturally enlightened and just have to realize it.
Meditation Obstacles : I can't find the right meditation or pose.
You haven't been trying much is all I can say to that. You can just lie down on your back even. You will discover hundreds if not thousands of different meditations to practice. Mantras, visualizations, hatha yoga and tai chi routines, so if you do not want to make an effort to face the silence every day. Take a couple of days a week to try a different form of meditation. Probably the most fun I think for beginners is visualising whatever you feel affection for. Quote: I will find many meditation poses and practices suitable for me.
I will never be able to change
There is nothing everlasting or obsessive in your system except that which you think to be so. Every experience changes you. Every affirmation, meditation and positive means of change you pursue has an effect. If you do nothing, look back a week from now to do this day when you thought you could change nothing and see what happened in that week. A bit of work everyday works miracles.
Just say this to yourself I change everyday for the better!
I Dont have the time
If you have time to watch tv when there's nothing on, surf away for hours or being bored during the day, you have time to meditate :). Twice a day is perfect, in the morning and early evening, though any time will do!
Quote: I can make time for meditation everyday.
"There's too much noise where I live."
You can meditate with all kinds of music, there are loads of audiobooks, guided meditations and brain wave entrainment stuff online for free and available for purchase. You can even meditate on Ravel's Bolero, play it twice - it lasts fifteen minutes. try meditating without it a few times too and see how easy it might be to let go some of the neighbourly noise.
I have a physical condition of discomfort or pain which makes it impossible to meditate."
Although it's not as easy to relax , it's quite possible to transcend it. As meditation is one form or other of directed attention (breathing, visualisation, etc), you enter a state where the bodily sensations are no longer as pronounced as before. There are so many kinds of meditation, wether active or passive, that meditation should be seen as a way to reduce suffering, instead as a means that is not doable for you because of your suffering. Now of course you can believe that my condition isn't as worse as yours, or you can try to transcend that too ,
There is nothing in my way pursuing meditation and truth, only limited beliefs. These beliefs are limits to be transcended. In the province of the mind there are no limits.
Meditation is the healthiest, easiest, cheapest, safest and most positive way of relaxing and consciously evolving.
