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Re: Meditation and mental health
@Tavs said:
And thanks Jeroen and Jeffrey for the advice about meditation. It never occurred to me that I might need to do less.
No problem. Too much meditation can cause a variety of issues that look like mental health problems, in those who are sensitive. You’ll find that at meditation retreats they often ask about a background of mental health problems in the family, and may refuse entry to the retreat if there are enough “red flags” in someone’s application. The reason for this is that some people can suffer a breakthrough with accompanying mental health issues, sometimes even psychosis, during a retreat.
As far as I’m concerned, meditation doesn’t have to be done in long sessions to get the benefits. Something like 10 or 20 minutes a day can be enough.
Jeroen
Re: Meditation and mental health
Hey Tavs,
Since I find so much benefit, I joke that I'm the sports guru and that if I did not exercise on a particular day I don't get to complain.
Pretty much every single mental health resource of any approach will advocate exercise. If you aren't already, go exercise!
In addition to anxiety and depression, it will improve literally 100 other things.
marcitko
Re: Meditation and mental health
I have mental health issues and I also adjust meditation durations when I am having symptoms. Shorter sessions. Also walking meditation can be good for depression because it gets the body going. Mindfulness during and between meditations can help you stay in the present and to "be with" difficult thoughts, feelings, and sensations. I like the RAIN exercise that psychologist and spiritualist Tara Brach talks about.
Jeffrey
Re: Meditation and mental health
I’d recommend keeping meditation sessions to not more than 20 minutes, or even to stop entirely for a while. Sometimes meditation can make things surface which are not ideal for normal living, and it’s best to take a cue from the normal mind, and just let things settle for a month or so.
I have some experience with mental health and meditation, and have worked as an expert-by-experience in the mental health field. It’s common for people with mental health difficulties to cut back on meditation when they’re not feeling well.
Jeroen
Re: Meditation and mental health
Do you have access to mental health care/help? I would strongly suggest that….i say that bec depression and anxiety usually can’t be addressed with just spirituality alone.
Vastmind
Re: Liberation for all sentient beings
Can you teach non-attachment to views if you are attached to views?
I don't know about that but I do think we can do virtuous things for each other. What is sangha for if that is not the case?
Jeffrey
Re: Liberation for all sentient beings
There’s no quick, easy answer to this. It can depend on the school/sect you are following.
For example, this is a general Mahayana approach, with some reading references attached, but you’ll notice they mention the Tibetan approach as well. From my experience, there’s some reading involved in learning not only the basics of Buddhism, but also where the schools branched off and where there are some different approaches and ways and lanes, many being culturally different and influenced.
What Are The Five Buddhist Paths to Liberation?
https://mindworks.org/blog/what-are-the-five-buddhist-paths-to-liberation/
https://www.ourbuddhismworld.com/archives/1775
https://www.worldhistory.org/article/492/a-short-history-of-the-buddhist-schools/
When you do some reading…or not…What do you think? Do YOU think you could help liberate
Someone else without “finishing”? How do you feel about someone thinking they could help
Liberate you without “finishing”?
Vastmind
Re: Liberation for all sentient beings
Can you help liberate other sentient beings when you have not finished working on one's self?
No.
(also when 'Finish' arrives, that is a 'good start')
lobster
Re: Liberation for all sentient beings
Hmm, if you haven’t yourself worked out that facet of the path, it is difficult to embody it for someone else. I think the example of elite athletes and coaches doesn’t really hold in the example of enlightenment, with the path to enlightenment you have to be able to verify that your path does in fact lead to spiritual enlightenment, while a coach can verify that his methods work when an athlete runs the 400m a bit faster.
Jeroen
Re: Liberation for all sentient beings
@Tavs said:
Can you help liberate other sentient beings when you have not finished working on one's self?
Help liberate? Of course.
Many, perhaps most, elite athletes are helped by coaches. The athletes are much further along the path to athletic greatness than the coaches are, but the help provided by the coaches is critically important, probably indispensable.
As I accumulate life lessons and inspirations, my de facto teachers are many and varied. Probably few have achieved spiritual greatness, whatever we think that might be, but my learning isn’t dependent on what they’ve finished achieving themselves.
Steve_B