Often times, when something is good for us, we will find excuses not to do it. Going to the gym, eating healthier foods, and, according to Philip Goldberg, meditation is no exception. Goldberg, in his article for Huffington Post, explains that there are two main reasons people fail to meditate.
The most frequently mentioned excuse, predictably, is lack of time. Virtually everyone feels that he or she has too much to do and too little time to do it in. But isn’t it interesting that we always find time for things we truly value, whether it’s exercising or reading the Sunday paper or taking the kids to soccer practice? If you really valued a period of silent meditation, you’d find the time. If not an hour, then half an hour; if not half an hour, then 15 minutes, or 10. With a little spiritual time management, most people find they can free up time to nurture their souls.
The second reason people who want to meditate don’t is: they don’t know how. I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard someone say, “I’ve tried to meditate, but it doesn’t work for me” or, “I’m not good at it.” When I ask if they’ve ever been taught how to meditate, the answer is usually no. For some reason, people think they ought to be able to pick it up on their own. Well, you can pick up computer programming or scuba diving on your own too, but if you want to do such things well and get the most out of them, it’s a good idea to get some proper instruction.
In the full article, Goldberg explains that people don’t find time to meditate because they have not come to realize the value of meditation. He tells us to consider Mahatma Gandhi, who said, “I have so much to accomplish today that I must meditate for two hours instead of one.”
Goldberg continues by explaining that proper instruction on meditation techniques make the practice easier and produce both immediate and long-term benefits.
By gaining proper instruction to meditate and finding the time for your practice, you can overcome any other obstacles (or excuses). You will learn to recognize the value of meditation and stick with it.
