Many people sit down to meditate , but find it difficult to do so, because either they don't prepare themselves enough, or they don't really know what's it all about.

Some difficulties usually faced are:

Mind goes haywire. If the mind is not disturbed it is spontaneously blissful, just as water. It is by nature transparent and clear. The mind in meditation can be compared to a jar of muddy water- the more we leave the water without interfering or stirring it, the more the particles will sink to the bottom, letting the natural clarity of the mind shine through. So take care not to impose anything on the mind. When you meditate there should be no effort to control, to be peaceful..

Body becomes restless and back becomes sore - This happens due to lack of preparation. It becomes difficult to sit for a long duration in the same pose as the body is not used to it. This is where yoga comes in - by which a person can prepare his body to remain in a particular meditative pose for the desired duration of time. According to Integral yoga a routine of asans, yoga nidra and pranayam should be followed prior to meditation.

Expectations are too much If you think mediation means instant peace, or that it shall clear the hassles of the mind in minutes then you are wrong .The state of meditation does not mean a warm, fuzzy feeling, a mind full of loving thoughts. If you hope meditation will cure incurable diseases in several weeks, again you shall be wrong. The first thing about meditation is that you should not have any expectations. Every person comes with a different mind set when starting meditation. One person may be close to inner space and others may be years away from basic relaxation. There shall be doubts and confusions, all of which will be solved by practice and dedication in time.

Which method is best suited to me ? There are plenty of methods some for beginners, some for experienced, some for intellectual, some for devotional or mystical kind of person. So the only way to find out the best method suited to you, is to learn yoga under the guidance of an experienced teacher who will be able to guide you about a method, you may adapt depending on your lifestyle, your ability and your need. But then trial and error has done no harm and you can go ahead and find out for yourself what suits you best.

Experience of duality in your life - Many mediators have a dualistic kind of existence. Some people love doing meditation but find that for many hours in the day they are unconsciously working against the very thing they are trying to achieve in their quite times. If harmony is not created in the personality, then self control and self-discipline will create more conflict rather than peace of mind. A person shall have to develop a harmonious relationship between his personality and his lifestyle.