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Insomnia and meditation
mmo
Veteran
Does any of you know of any possibility that meditation could help with insomnia?
Thanks
0
Comments
Not specifically, although your position may help... raise your feet a little way above your hips, and do a complete body scan.... then recite a mala. I find this sends me off in no time....
Traditionally samatha meditation is an antidote to the hindrance of restlessness and anxiety, so that might help. It depends of course what the cause of the insomnia is.
@federica, what is Mala?
@SpinyNorman, is Samatha meditation to be done before sleep?
It is just sometimes, I got trouble not being able to sleep. I don't get dizziness or headache in the morning. But I feel that I don't get the sound sleep.
I know everything around me at night. So am I turning into light sleeper? What is light sleeping anyway.
This is a Mala. I use one often.
Oh
prayer beads. Parents are visiting me and bring one for me. Will try that tonight.
Thank loads
@mmo
I find that sleep, like meditation, is simply a reflection of how I live my life.
Determining changes to the quality of my sleep or my meditation, has always depended on the quality of attention paid to each moment of my day.
Do you have specific things on your mind when you can't sleep @mmo? Are you anxious about specific things?
Yes. If not sleeping. Meditate. Funnily enough, the more meditation, the more time awake . . .
What you are perhaps concerned with is rejuvenating sleep helped by 'yogic sleep' . . . yoga nidra . . . or you could try reading dharma books instead of z z z . . . (the worthier and more boring the better . . . sutras always put me to sleep)
.
doyogawithme.com/content/yoga-nidra-sleep
Daily exercise practice always helps one sleep better . . .
@bunks, Yes. I do have issue. It is a failed relationship which I am trying to let go of for the past year. He has moved on easily though. At first I got depressed for some time. Meditation and having friends and family around help me cope with this issue a bit. But I am left with occasional sleepless nights.
@lobster, thanks, I will try that reading thing as well. Before, I plays some Ajahn brahm youtube video and listen while I am in bed.
I'm sorry to hear that @mmo. You've probably heard it 100 times but here's 101: time heals.
At some stage in the future you'll get over it.
Good luck!
Actually, at the risk of sounding like an irksome pedant, - time does no such thing. All time does, is pass.
Look at @mmo's own situation. She broke up apparently about a year ago - but he has apparently moved on. A year has passed - why has she not done the same? Two things, I suspect: One, he broke up with her, and two, she had already asked a question about her past tormenting her which would seem to indicate that mmo has a great deal of difficulty in releasing things, particularly those which hurt her.
The only way to really progress in healing is to Mindfully accept the events, know they cannot be changed, know we cannot predict the future, nor affect it 100% to our benefit, and know that there is no time like the present, to grab the opportunity to heal.
@mmo - no amount of good advice, counsel, pointers, links to quotations, suttas or teachings will be of any use to you at all, until you perceive that the source of your disquiet is within your mind. it is Mind-wrought. And it is up to you to attack this pain at its heart, and let it go. You have to let go, for you, for yourself.
@federica, just want to say that you describe my problem well. I have been chasing or trying instant cure or fix to my issue, after some time getting stuck in it. I like your post and respect you for taking time to review my situation.
Thanks.
It might help. You could try focussing on the breath for a while, alternatively feel your weight on the bed which is a way of grounding yourself.
Mine is always either tied around my left wrist or hanging around my neck.
@mmo: I do believe time heals. But you have to help with the healing.
Try to let go, fill your day with interesting activities, go out with friends, give yourself the chance to meet new men...
Only you can make it work.
There is always a space in which healing can visit. Notice and rejoice in the space. The space is always there.
Strangely most of us are attached to our dukkha. We wish to pick at the scab. Play with our wounds.
Putting into place the means for practice, space, tranquility, emotive health, dream awakening would mean . . . well what?
Decide. Implement. Be on the path.
We all knew that right? :wave: .
Meditation does rest the brain in much the same way sleep does (but probably not immediately if you are just starting out)
get some fresh air, sunshine, and exercise during the day. It helps a lot with sleep later on.