Beginner Meditation Mistakes: 10 Common Myths You Don’t Need to Worry About

Meditation has become more popular than ever, but with that popularity comes a lot of confusion. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing it “wrong” because your mind won’t stop thinking—or because you haven’t had a transcendent experience—you’re not alone. The truth is, many common meditation myths can create unnecessary pressure and prevent people from starting (or sticking with) a daily meditation practice.

In this post, I’ll gently dismantle 10 widespread misconceptions about meditation—from what it’s supposed to feel like, to how long you “should” sit, to what makes a practice successful. Whether you're new to meditation or simply need reassurance, this guide will help you create a more sustainable, compassionate relationship with your practice. Let’s clear the clutter so you can focus on what really matters: showing up, being present, and letting meditation support your real life.

When practicing meditation, comfort is queen. Make as many adjustments as you need, shifting and stretching and include supportive props like cushions, bolsters and blankets to invite ease into your practices sessions.

By understanding and gently releasing these beginner meditation mistakes, you’ll be able to approach your practice with more ease, authenticity, and confidence—free from the pressure to get it “perfect.”

Myth 1: You must clear your mind of all thoughts to meditate effectively.

Davidji emphasizes that it's natural for thoughts to arise during meditation. Rather than resisting them, he advises allowing thoughts to come and go, gently returning your focus to your chosen object of attention, such as the breath or a mantra. This process is integral to the practice itself.

Myth 2: Meditation should produce special or transcendent experiences.

While profound experiences can occur, Davidji notes that the primary purpose of meditation is to cultivate stillness and presence. Expecting extraordinary events can lead to disappointment; instead, he encourages practitioners to appreciate the subtle shifts that meditation brings to daily life.

Myth 3: Only long meditations count—if I can’t sit for long, I must be doing it wrong.

Quality matters more than quantity in meditation. In meditation, as long as you are doing it, you’re doing it right, therefore, even brief, consistent sessions can be highly beneficial. The key is regularity and sincerity in practice, rather than the duration of each session or number of distractions.

Myth 4: Meditation will lead to enlightenment.

Davidji believes that enlightenment is not a distant goal but an inherent state within each individual. Meditation helps peel away layers of conditioning, allowing one's innate wisdom and clarity to surface.

Myth 5: Meditating makes you more spiritual or superior to others.

Meditation is a personal journey toward self-awareness and compassion. Practitioners should avoid viewing meditation as a status symbol or a means to feel superior, and instead, emphasize that it's a practice of humility and connection.

By recognizing and releasing these myths, practitioners can approach meditation with a more open and accepting mindset, allowing the practice to unfold naturally.Don’t try to have some special experience like transcendence or merging into oneness.  These are rookie mistakes.  We don't meditate for the experiences in meditation.  We meditate for the destressifying and the peace of mind it brings two our lives when were are not meditating. So why isn’t everyone meditating?

Be here now. A simple mantra silently repeated for a number of minutes to focus attention when practicing meditation.

Excuse #1 I Don’t Have Enough Time The number one excuse people give for not meditating is that they don’t have enough time.  Watching TV, surfing the internet, hobbies, working late, partying, scrolling through social media, napping, waiting and more waiting … but no time for meditating.  We determine what activities fit into each moment of the 24 hours of our day.  Time is not some independent being that imposes itself on our schedule.  We develop our schedule based on our values and beliefs.  We decide what wee think is the best use off our life energy and how much time we are willing to allot to various activities.

Excuse #2 I Don’t Feel the Results The second most common reason people cite for to mediating is that they think the results are too subtle, so they can’t see nay value in continuing. This goes back to our misconception about whaat meditation is supposed to be.  Iff your expectations are to levitate and see colors, but you’re only aware of drifting back and forth between your breath and thoughts, you will assume it’s not working and give up.  You may even think you’re doing it wrong, because you don’t have any Aah! moments during your practice.  Remember, the benefits happen in the other 23 hours in the day, when you’re not meditating.  Just keep meditating, and after a few weeks, you will recognize distinct changes in the way you interact with life, stress, disappointments unmet needs, your emotions, and your own thoughts.  

The only bad meditation is the one you don’t show up for! 

Begin your meditation journey with confidence: Learn to meditate with Master Meditation Teacher, Joy Zazzera, in this digital ebook designed for beginners.

👉 Want more expert guidance on developing a confident meditation practice?

Download my free digital Ebook, “Meditation Made Easy: Learn to Meditate With Joy,” and get instant access to the guide with a bonus Step-by-Step Daily Practice Guide included—just subscribe with your email to receive it all!

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References

Davidji, Secrets of Meditation. Hayhouse, 2012.

Davidji, Masters of Wisdom & Meditation Teacher Training Manual & Lecture Notes. Davidji Meditation Academy, 2025.