You may have heard certain myths about meditation, myths that have prevented you from taking up a regular practice. Let us dispel some of those now.

1) Meditation is for religious people only. Meditation has a wide range of benefits for

all of us. You don't have to believe in a God in order to reap the benefits of meditation. It is a practice that is beyond religion, one that we can all do, any time, any place. Many yogis and Buddhists meditate for the purpose of inner transformation, or as part of their spiritual practice. If you are religious you do not have to walk away from your faith, you can practice alongside of it. You can meditate simply to achieve a little more peace in life, or you can use it as part of your spiritual practice.

2) Meditation is a way of escaping life's problems. On the contrary meditation helps you to face some of life's greatest challenges with less emotional attachment. We can be more peaceful in times that other people become much more stressed. As we go deep in to meditation some of our old wounds may surface to be released. It sheds light on them so we can no longer pretend they are not there. Meditation provides us with a tool to view some of life's greatest challenges and overcome them.

3) I will become a monk sitting all day every day. You do not have to go and join a monastery to make the most of your meditation practice. Of course if that is what floats your boat, go for it! For most of us it is a great way to bring balance in to our material life. You are not being asked to throw away all of your material possessions. You can meditate whether you are a millionaire or a pauper. As already stated you do not have to convert to any particular religion.

4) You need to meditate for 90 minutes a day to reap any rewards. In the beginning you may only do 5-10 minutes of practice per day. You may be at 20 minutes meditation in no time at all. In those short periods of time it is possible to go deep in to meditation and reap the rewards. Sure, if you want to practice 90 minutes a day you can work up to that, but you can absolutely improve your quality of life with 5-20 minutes. It is more about regular practice than length of practice.

5) You have to be able to sit with your legs crossed in Lotus Posture otherwise it does not work for you. This should not stop you from meditating. You can perform it seated in a chair or sitting on the ground. But you do not have to sit in a position that will compromise any joint injuries you may have. In this guide you will learn about the range of ways that you can sit and still benefit from meditation.

So hopefully you have now scrubbed these common myths from the blackboard of the mind and are ready to find out some of the truly life changing benefits of a regular meditation practice.