I used to be terrible at meditation. I would’ve gladly eaten boiled brussels sprouts rather than sit quietly with my thoughts for twenty minutes. I watched fellow students who meditated get further along faster than me, but there was always too much to do and too little time to do it in. Does that sound like you? Well good news, it’s not as hard as you think. Here’s three things they never tell you about meditation:

Three things they never tell you about meditation

Even four years later, I still procrastinate like crazy. My gutters are spotless, the laundry’s up to date, and the dog smells like a rose, BUT! I’ve discovered ai don’t have to beat myself up if I miss a day and there’s actually no way to mess it up. The Woo Woo police won’t be coming to give you a ticket.

1. There’s no wrong way to meditate.

Seriously, you can’t mess it up. If you’re sitting with an upright spine and breathing, half the job is done. Part of the reason we are on a spiritual path to be aware – to wake up; to feel so present we can observe the magic all around us.

Breathing helps with that. It gives us a focus. Of course, the mind will wander, that’s OK. By gently shepherding it back to the breathing we allow ourselves to fail, try again and fail.

Someone once compared meditation to a toddler learning to walk. They don’t give up after the first topple. They pick up and try again. This is how we can treat ourselves, with love, like a baby exploring the wonder of her world.

2. The first few minutes are the hardest!!

It takes a while to arrive. Our bodies might be sitting, but the mind may be running all over the place. That’s why the first few minutes are the hardest – we’re still arriving. The yoga studio I go to is mindful of that process.

We allow ourselves to arrive with gentle poses and sitting before heaving up into the first creaky down dog of the day. In most meditations, the beginning focuses on the breath. It helps to bring the mind into the present and centre on the body again. Breathing switches on our inner GPS. Focusing on the breath allows us to arrive gently and begin, and it’s perfect for busy minds.

The meditations I use are specifically for connecting to the higher self, and guides. It’s a simple process to expand awareness and energy outward and upward. There’s no magic carpet ride or meeting wise old men to chat. It’s not a guided adventure, but a journey to meet the self – possible the most magical ride there is.

3. No one gave us the handbook.

Even Buddhist monks can’t still their minds every time, that’s why they call it a practice. By seeing it as a practice, the pressure lifts and we can forgive ourselves. If you’re a perfectionist like me, you could worry about doing it right, and whether this or that meditation s the “right” one.

What a relief to know that there’s no way we can mess this up, that once the first few minutes are done it’s easier, and there really are no rules.

The meditation police won’t give you a ticket. Thoughts are hard to stop, the brain isn’t wired to do that, but by focussing on the breath or expanding the energy body, like I do in my meditations, the mind has a job, and it loves that. You can’t shut the mind up, but it can have something to do.

It’s a practice

There’ll be good days not so good days when we sit, and that’s why it’s called a practice. The main thing is the sacred space set aside for just you and your soul. And if you’re goal is to work with your intuitive skills and increase the connection to your guides and helpers, then meditation is a must. It’s how we check our messages. Think of it like hitting the reset button on the computer.

Can’t settle?

The main ones I use for expanding psychic ability are saved for students on My Psychic Soul however they’re useless if it’s hard to settle down.

If STILL find it hard to meditate, I invite you to play with this short mindfulness exercise that helps you settle down and stop the overthinking first. Get Grounded and Present in five minutes.