In this article, I’ll be answering all the common questions about meditation.
As a private meditation teacher working online, many people ask me all sorts of questions about meditation. The following are the most common.
Let me show you how to get the most out of meditation.
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The Most Common Questions About Meditation (And Answers)
Why Am I Crying During Meditation?
One of the weird things that can happen when you meditate is that you start to cry. This can seem weird because, after all, isn’t it supposed to make you feel good?
The truth is that sometimes when we meditate we release emotions that we might have been repressing. When those emotions come out, you might cry. So that’s that question answered.
However, this is actually a good thing because you are letting emotions out in a healthy way.
That’s just one reason why you might cry when you meditate.
What’s Better, Guided Meditation Or Silent Meditation?
Another common question about meditation is whether you should do silent or guided.
There are two main ways of meditating. One is to do traditional meditation. In other words, silent meditation. The other way is to use an app. So which is better?
Interestingly, these two ways of meditating have massive differences in the way they affect you. Meditating with an app is nowhere near as effective as traditional, silent meditation. And that has been proven in research by Harvard..
Now, I’m not going to tell you to stop using apps. Sometimes guided meditations are helpful. They are relaxing and they can make you a little bit happier.
However, if you truly want to get the most out of the practice, you will certainly want to use traditional, silent meditation.
For more on this, read my article Guided Meditation VS Silent Meditation.
What To Do Before And After
It’s important to know what to do both before meditation and after. By starting your practice the right way, you will get more out of it. And by doing certain things after meditation, you can make the effects last longer.
Before meditation, there are generally two things you will want to do. The first is to clear away any distractions that might prevent you from focusing in your meditation session. The second thing is to prepare both your mind and body. This can be done with a few gentle stretches.
Read my guide What To Do Before Meditation And After.
Why Meditation Makes You Angry
Another really weird thing that can happen when you meditate is that you get angry. And you probably think that this is the opposite effect that meditation should have. Are meditating incorrectly? Good question. The answer isn’t as obvious as it might seem.
You have to consider the fact that your mind is probably not accustomed to focusing on one thing, as you do when you meditate. So when you sit down to meditate, your mind is not being given as much stimulation as it is used to. And your understimulated mind could become angry.
There is actually a lot more to this question. The answer is deep. And you can read about it here: Why Meditation Makes You Angry.
Should you do it before or after workout?
Honestly, you can do meditation before or after a workout, either is fine. Meditating before a workout will help you to enjoy your workout more. Meditating after a workout will help you to relax and will also help your body to recover.
How is meditation supposed to feel?
While some meditations are indeed relaxing, others are not. Some are energising, some are designed to make you feel more creative, and others are designed to boost your focus and concentration. It really depends on why you are meditating and what you hope to get out of it.
How To Make It Easier
There are three basic ways to make meditation easier. Firstly, cut out background distractions. Secondly, choose a different object to meditate on. You don’t have to meditate on your breath, you can meditate on anything you want. And finally, live a healthier lifestyle, which will naturally improve your ability to focus.
How To Stay Mindful
One of my favorite questions about meditation is how to stay mindful.
Meditating for twenty minutes or so is great and all, but what if you want to stay mindful throughout the day? What should you do to preserve your Zen and stay consciously aware?
Thankfully, that question was answered by Buddha a long time ago. Buddha spoke about the Four Pillars of Mindfulness. These are four factors that we should be aware of at all times.
You can learn all about this in my article How To Stay Mindful All Day.
Why Does Meditation Make Me Tired?
Let’s finish this Question and Answers session with one of most common questions about meditation: Why does it make you tired?
Actually, this is a bit of a fallacy. Most of the time it does not actually make you tired. It just makes you aware of the fact that you already were tired.
Plus, it also stimulates both the parasympathetic nervous system and alpha brainwaves, which are related to sleep.
For this question’s answer, read my article Why Meditation Makes You Tired.
Does it make time go faster?
Here’s an interesting question about meditation. Fores it make time go faster? There have actually been scientific investigations into this.
From science we know that:
- Increased mindfulness decreases the perception of time
- Increased mindfulness makes time appear longer when looking back in time
- Meditations that cause a sense of selflessness will also cause a sense of timelessness
I hope this meditation Question And Answers article has enlightened you to many of the aspects of the practice.
If you would like to learn more, book an online meditation lesson with me today.
Paul Harrison is a passionate meditation teacher who believes in genuine, authentic meditation. He has more than 15 years experience in meditation and mindfulness. He studied meditation in beautiful Oxford, UK, and Hamilton Ontario Canada, and earned his degree at Staffordshire University.
“My goal is to provide the most authentic meditation sessions so you can harness the power of your own mind for personal transformation” – Paul Harrison