Experience Question?

pankaj_gupta03

I am a new member. I started meditation 6 months back. Many times when I get into meditation I get a calming feeling. I am not sleeping but weird thoughts circle through my head with a sense of calmness. These thoughts have not link to my day to day life. Just out of blue!

Has anyone experienced this?

ThailandTom

I think this is just the nature of the untrained mind.. From my experience it takes a lot of practice and time dedicated to meditation, but the you will see progress with time

Dazzle

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Thoughts come and go ...no need to try to analyse them. Just bring your attention back with the breath again.



Kind regards,

Dazzle


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pankaj_gupta03

Thanks. Please advice me

I have GAD (Generalized Anxiety disorder) and was adviced meditation for the same. I've been practicing meditation from quite some time (6-10 months). I practice breath or throught meditation (watching your thoughts) from Jon Kabat Zinn's guided meditations. I practice nearly 30 minutes every day (15 mins in morning and 20 mins in evening after coming from work). Meditation has certainly helped me with my anxious thinking. However, in terms on wandering mind I'd still say my my mind produces same anxious thoughts entire day as it used to an year back, but their impact on me has reduced. Probably my mind has gotten habitual to anxious thinking now. Most of the day it about reacting to anxious thoughts or letting go of anxious thoughts. I hope that my practice gets better and my mind comes to rest.

I am not sure what stages the mind goes though or how to see if my practice is getting better or not. Looking for advice and guidance for the same.

When I started meditation I could hardly stay on breath and used to be frustrated with distractions to thoughts. Now the concentration has gotten little better (not BIG difference), and bringing my mind back to object of attention is not that frustrating. Some days practice is very calming some days its not. Earlier many times I slept in between practice, now it hardly happens. I do feel gradual improvement in my practice.

I am need of some experienced advice about my meditation practice, what lenghts of practice should I go for, and type of meditation? I'd appreciate any help I can get.

Dazzle

From what I've heard, John Kabat Zinn's books and meditation CD'S are very helpful for people with depression and anxiety disorders and also MBCT (mindfulness based cognitive therapy) is said to have good results.

If you have anxiety, I would suggest that perhaps you should aim to be a little more relaxed before you meditate....have a nice warm bath or warm shower and do some gentle stretching exercises first.

(going to a regular Tai Chi class might be good for you too)

If you watch and then follow the meditation instructions on this video series, you might find it helpful.

This one is the first:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd7a9Ur2x0o

Hope that helps.

Kind wishes,

Dazzle

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federica

Pankaj, listen very carefully.

Ther is no pressure. There is no definitive time period, there is no right way, there is no generally strict adopted method, there is no restriction upon you.
All these thing the Meditator places upon him or herself. There is no outside directive.

I must confess I really do not meditate nearly as much as I should do.
But there isn't anybody who has ever told me I'm doing it wrong, not doing it enough, nor doing it the acceptable or unacceptable way.

The confession of "not meditating nearly as much as I should do" is entirely my own self-criticism.

And this I can tell you for sure.
As you steadily build up your practice, the quantity (of time) is insignificant in comparison to the QUALITY of your meditation. better 5 minutes practised to your satisfaction, than an hour spent unproductively.
By all means stretch your endurance, but do not push yourself to limits you cannot maintain.

It's rather like walking a marathon: You train your body little by little to be able to accept a further and further distance.
It's like stopping smoking: Taking one hour at a time, is easier on the mind than simply telling yourself to Stop Forever....
It's like losing weight: Giving yourself a target of losing 5 stone, is a mountainous challenge, whereas eating a healthy balanced diet with reduced portions, and walking more, will do the trick more positively.

Do you see what I mean?
Start gently.
Be kind to yourself, be generous and be lenient.
Challenge yourself by all means, but never berate yourself for failing.
Rather, be pleased with yourself that your intentions are sound.

RichardH

Hi pankaj. It might be worth while not trying to avoid the anxiety all. Just sit and be anxious. Allow yourself to be anxious and allow your thoughts to do whatever crazy thing they are doing. Just sit and feel as awful as you actually feel, as confused as you actually feel. Just sit and give yourself permission to be wherever you are actually at. Just sit and give yourself permission to feel that way completely. 15 minutes of just sitting. Just you being exactly how you are. Just sit still and keep to precisely 15 minutes. repeat when you can. Let yourself just be how you are.

pankaj_gupta03

Thanks guys! I ithink I got to stop judging my practice and give it how much ever time it needs.

IronRabbit

It is not necessary to eschew analyzing your progress - it is important not to make a good or bad evaluation your sole, obsessive goal. Training the mind in equanimity can and should allow us easier access to cognitive processes that are beneficial (such as using a garden tool that is well maintained, oiled, or sharpened to best effect) in our daily lives. Here's an article worth "evaluating".

http://www.tricycle.com/practice/evaluate-your-medtation

newtech

the thoughts go away kinda easy, remaining only anxiety but much more physical instead of mental...