The Empty Mind Myth

The first time I tried to meditate, I was bored. I knew meditation was beneficial and would help with my anxiety, but I just couldn’t turn off my thoughts. I would sit quietly, breathe deeply, and suddenly my mind was swarming with more thoughts. I knew I must be doing something wrong and within a few attempts gave up on meditating.

But a few years later, I heard about a course on meditation being offered in my community and decided to give it another try. The class was excellent and provided opportunities to try many types of meditation, but more importantly the instructor started the course by explaining and busting the many myths surrounding meditation including the “empty your mind” myth that made me feel like a failure when I first attempted meditation.