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Being Tired
Hi.
I have read that the best time for most people to mediate is in the morning because the mind has less jetsam etc floating about hindering clarity or focus. Obviously I know that everyone is different and what works for one may not necessarilly work for another but my question is to do with tiredness.
I know one should try to judge mediatation and/or improvement etc but for approximatley the last 2 months I have been mediating everyday between 20 mins to an hour. Most of the time I have relativley few issues beside the expected, but when I am tired (morning or not) I find that about 20mins in, when my attention would usually be very focused, I tend to almost "come to" and find myself half way through something akin to a dream. I am never aware of it begining but suddenly bam there I am halfway down some dream path.
Now I know that I am not falling asleep per se as I am upright and cross legged and not in a sleeping position, also I know I wouldn't fall to sleep normally should I be lying in a more comfortable place such as on my bed reading etc. It seems to me that when tired the very act of concentration and quiet focus is a really difficult thing to do for me. The only thing I can liken it to is when your so tired and your eyelids are real heavy and closing, closing.... !!! and then you wake up not realising that despite your attempts your eyes closed and you have no idea how long you were out for. Obviously I try to bring my mind back to my focus point but to no avail the process just repeats
Sorry for babbling for so long but I hope I have managed to make myself clear. My question really is has anyone had a similar issue to this or found this happening to them? I know obviously its occuring because I am tired but I can't help it and I do feel a sense of faliure when I have to cease my practice because of this when at other points (as metioned initially) I dont have the same difficulty.
Anyone got any tips? (other than the obvious of more sleep) I dont have a Sangha yet, ergo no teacher/guide or fellow people practicing to talk to so I am not sure if I am some weirdo mutant alone in this. Surely not. Well...maybe...
Bless
I have read that the best time for most people to mediate is in the morning because the mind has less jetsam etc floating about hindering clarity or focus. Obviously I know that everyone is different and what works for one may not necessarilly work for another but my question is to do with tiredness.
I know one should try to judge mediatation and/or improvement etc but for approximatley the last 2 months I have been mediating everyday between 20 mins to an hour. Most of the time I have relativley few issues beside the expected, but when I am tired (morning or not) I find that about 20mins in, when my attention would usually be very focused, I tend to almost "come to" and find myself half way through something akin to a dream. I am never aware of it begining but suddenly bam there I am halfway down some dream path.
Now I know that I am not falling asleep per se as I am upright and cross legged and not in a sleeping position, also I know I wouldn't fall to sleep normally should I be lying in a more comfortable place such as on my bed reading etc. It seems to me that when tired the very act of concentration and quiet focus is a really difficult thing to do for me. The only thing I can liken it to is when your so tired and your eyelids are real heavy and closing, closing.... !!! and then you wake up not realising that despite your attempts your eyes closed and you have no idea how long you were out for. Obviously I try to bring my mind back to my focus point but to no avail the process just repeats
Sorry for babbling for so long but I hope I have managed to make myself clear. My question really is has anyone had a similar issue to this or found this happening to them? I know obviously its occuring because I am tired but I can't help it and I do feel a sense of faliure when I have to cease my practice because of this when at other points (as metioned initially) I dont have the same difficulty.
Anyone got any tips? (other than the obvious of more sleep) I dont have a Sangha yet, ergo no teacher/guide or fellow people practicing to talk to so I am not sure if I am some weirdo mutant alone in this. Surely not. Well...maybe...
Bless
0
Comments
have you noticed a period of the day when you are most alert? I'm a morning person, but I know some people who don't feel like themselves until midday or the afternoon.
I went to a Zen center where they alternated periods of sitting meditation with walking meditation and even gave you a cup of green tea. It helped me fight off the sleepiness a little.
Yeah I know its inadvisable to do something when it the least likely to suceed - what do you expect to happen - but my issue is that should I be doing anything else I do not find myself falling into sleep. It appears that this only happens when meditating and focusing, single pointedly, my attention. I'm sort of afraid that its an issue of me having restraint and control (to an extent) over the chattering mind for a time but as soon as I get a little further, "deeper" if you like I dont have the necessary ability to reign in the mind.
Oh well it aint going to stop me practicing so I may as well keep on and not worry.
Going to go to the Vihara near (I should say nearest as its not really close) me to meditation classes there. My concern there is the observation of Pansil. I dont know Pali and can barely pronounce most of them long long words and hate the thought of feeling really out of place.
Thanks
hi dear JackV
Good on for your practice, determined and patient, you sound like it. Re feeling out of place in a Buddhis centre, please don't worry - who doesn't feel like that at first, it is all part of the process. If you feel uncomfortable, feel uncomfortable, that is also part of the process.
sorry but my tip really is - get enough sleep first. I really emphasise that, I think it's very important. Secondly, open your eyes. Sometimes if sleepiness is too much, I have to force myself to open my eyes a bit wider.
You are not a weirdo or a mutant, you have my deep thanks, dear one.
Abu
Just keep paying attention to the breath or whatever the object of your meditation is, if that is your meditation.
Is the Vihara in Wimbledon? There is also the London Buddhist Society in Victoria and Ajahn Sumedho at Amaravati in Hemel Hempstead / at Chithurst in West Sussex.
Best wishes,
Abu
I like you find it very difficult to keep my focus and cocentration while meditating if I am tired. I usually meditate after I have been awake for a little and and at night I meditate before I am really tired. Floating Abu thank you for your suggestions, I will have to use them.
Yours in the Dharma,
Todd
Thank you very much for your replies. A little feedback from others goes a long way when there is no one else to communicate concerns to. Things seemingly grow out of proportion without perspective.
Wimbledon is probably my second closest centre - and for some reason that place until now never even entered my mind. My closest however is the London Buddhist Vihara in Chiswick although I also would like to visit Amaravati, it looks lovely.
Gee, I was tired all the time, even when I woke up in the morning. I had a Sleep Test done and it turned out that I had severe sleep apnea (32 episodes an hour during REM sleep). Now I sleep with a mask that blows a breeze down my airway, keeping it open through the night. I'm not tired all the time and I can meditate well in the morning.
For ordinary tiredness or for just not focusing well during meditation, my teacher recommends getting off the cushion and doing any of: go to a bright light, go to fresh air, splash cold water on your face, walk around or up & down a flight of stairs. When you feel awake and alert, go back to your cushion. He also recommends multiple short sessions of meditation over one long sessions. Better to learn how to concentrate well for 5 minutes than spend an hour learning how to let your mind wander.
Wow. Thats some really major problems. Hopefully its nothing of that sort. Glad you got that sorted in the end.
Anywho thanks to all for assistance. Yeah I'm just begining to work with it and change my patterns when needed and just let things flow.
I believe the first was to rub his limbs with his hands. Look it up!