Tatyana Souza, a yoga and meditation teacher, says not only is the idea of completely clearing your mind a myth but it also breeds other myths.
You might think that some people have an innate capacity for mind-clearing, or that the skill should be natural, not learned.
“This concept in practice is truthfully quite difficult, and that is why it is called a meditation ‘practice,’” she says. “This often leads to many people quitting after their first try or even after their first minute of attempting to meditate.”
In fact, being “good” at meditating, in general, is all relative. You don’t need to be “good” at meditating to try it or get the benefits of the practice.
People often swing to one side of the pendulum or the other, thinking that meditation is either very easy or very hard.
But Kamau notes that meditation is a practice, something to cultivate over time with consistency and discipline. That’s why it’s important to form a daily meditation habit.
“It’s similar to training our muscles. We’re training the mind with repetition and practice,” she says.
It may come easier to some than others, but you don’t have to be a certain type of person to achieve a meditative mindset, Kamau says.