Meditation: On some level all of life is suffering. And in this realization one can find inroads to peace and hapiness. |
- On some level all of life is suffering. And in this realization one can find inroads to peace and hapiness.
- Exploring my changing role as a parent of emerging adult children
- Does anyone else experience colors while meditating?
- The importance of posture
- Dealing with low self esteem through meditation
- When does the enlightenment kick in?
- I'm totally new to meditation, I'm still very afraid of it, now more than ever I get anxiety everyday, and I think it might be able to help me.
- How do you do shadow work?
- Is meditation just tricking the self to continue on with life?
- Headspace
- Am outsider wondering whether this meditation thing will help.
- Some Questions for Casual Meditators
- Any online retreats suitable for E. Asia time zones?
- Diaphragmatic breathing is a total miracle
- I been consistent... how come all of a sudden?
- Crying
- Consistency
- Insecure attachments
- Neglecting your meditation practice
- Sanity check: am I present if I'm walking around, constantly reminding myself about being present?
- I'm Back to Square One and Need Help
- Focusing on my breathing causes me anxiety
- Just finished 30 days headspace - Recommendations
- I began meditation yesterday
| Posted: 08 Aug 2020 06:57 PM PDT Albert Camus said that there is only one truly serious philosophical problem, and that is suicide. Likewise Shakespear's famous soliloquy on suffering and the question of suicide with those famous lines "to be or not to be". This may sound absurd to some or so much philosophical handwaving but I don't think it is. I think those who have contemplated suicide have often come up against one of the the truths of life. Of course life is far more painful for some than others. I am not equating the easy life of a millionaire born into riches with those of a street alcoholic born into abuse and neglect. BUT, suffering is not entirely about magnitute of experience either. As anyone who has fallen into pits of despair and depression can tell you, it's not about what you have in life. Many a blessed person with seemingly wonderful lives has despaired and committed suicide. The view that life is hopeless, bleak, painful, not worth living. Many would say this is a horrible mistake. BUT. I say it's not so much a mistake but a truth. I think those who have fallen into the depths of depressions have glimpsed a truth about life. It IS about suffering and despair. Or... this is as valid a view as any other. And here we can find a key to true hapiness and peace. It is all about perception and acceptance. This is not an argument to accept intolerable life situations and cruelty. But it is about acceptance of those things we can not change at all. Loss, pain, death, isolation, loneliness, mortality. These are things that so many of us spend our entire lives running from in one way or another. I must not look at the elephant in the room. I must fill my life with a million unfulfilling distractions, pleasures and games. Anything not to sit too long with the existential dread of life. That we are all fundamentally "alone", that we all die, that we are deeply sad, that we are unhappy, that we are longing for something. Anything not to look at that. And those who are forced to, someties break. For it IS a bleak truth. And yet there is such beauty to be found here too. Such peace. [link] [comments] |
| Exploring my changing role as a parent of emerging adult children Posted: 08 Aug 2020 09:57 AM PDT I hope this is the right sub for this, since meditation was a key part in helping me work through this. As my kids are transitioning into adulthood, I find that I'm struggling with making my own transition from parent to consultant. It's been surprisingly difficult for me! I find that I'm clinging to my role as their mother and guardian… maybe I still want to be relevant in their lives, maybe I continue to wish for second chances to do better as a parent, maybe my maternal protectiveness is stuck in the ON position. I'm still exploring all this, so there could be more. Through meditations I've uncovered fears, thoughts and limiting beliefs that I've explored and found to be untrue. Simply ceasing thinking those thoughts is really tough, for I've worn some pretty deep grooves in my mind thinking these thoughts over and over again. These are the recurring fears that I've wrestled with:
For me, I've had to do these things to help me with the transition to new and better thoughts:
These are the affirmations I've come up with: I easily trust and know that my memories of suffering are uniquely MINE. I know that my kids have their own stories, unique to them. I easily trust and know that they will learn and grow from their own suffering. I easily relinquish my wanting to control my kids' suffering. I easily trust that my kids can handle life. I easily trust that my kids can figure things out on their own. I easily allow my kids to choose their own path. I am completely accepting of the timing of my kids' life events. I easily relinquish my desire to rescue my children from uncomfortable learning experiences. I know and accept that I did everything I could to prepare my boys for adult life. I know and accept that I did a good job raising my children. I easily trust and accept that my children appreciate me. I easily trust that my kids love me, no matter what. I trust that my kids will stay in touch with me. I've found that these methods are tremendously comforting to me. I hope other parents of emerging adult children may also find comfort. A dear friend (who's a therapist) told me that my job as a parent is to love them, guide them, and then let them go. I hope that this helps others with the letting go part. Thanks for reading. Peace and love to everyone. [link] [comments] |
| Does anyone else experience colors while meditating? Posted: 08 Aug 2020 02:26 PM PDT Originally when I started meditating I would get an orange glow. Just recently I switched my mantra and got a purple one. Sometimes it shifts colors but in general when I am deep in my meditation I get enveloped in said color. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 08 Aug 2020 11:14 AM PDT Hello, I came to an important realisation recently that may seem a bit obvious to some people but it has truly made me re-evaluate my practise and why I wasn't able to make good progress, even though I had been practising meditation for a long time now. It's because I wasn't actually breathing properly. I realised that, not only did I had an excessive anterior pelvic tilt, my rib cage was also 'flared' which meant that I wasn't able to properly exhale, causing stale air to stay in my lungs. This is apparently called open scissor syndrome (https://www.trainrugged.com/postural-correction/spinal-bracing-avoiding-rib-flare/) . Having this posture meant that I couldn't properly release tension due to the dysfunctional breathing. I felt just as tense after my meditation sessions as before I started and I couldn't really figure out why; I knew something was wrong with my breathing but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Having this poor posture/dysfunctional breathing pattern has also been detrimental to my daily life. I'm pretty certain this is a major contributing factor towards my anxiety too - I spend a lot of the day subtly struggling to breathe which means I'm unable to effectively maintain mindfulness/focus a lot of the time. So if you're struggling with releasing tension/emotions during your practise, make sure you're breathing properly using the diaphragm! If you're unable to do this effortlessly then you may want to consider your posture. Even if it looks alright on first sight, do an examination and make sure everything is aligned. Happy practising! [link] [comments] |
| Dealing with low self esteem through meditation Posted: 08 Aug 2020 10:08 PM PDT My girlfriend has been an avid meditator since she was younger, and since we met I've always been interested in it. I had always wanted to try it, and I did a couple months ago, only to begin crying thirty seconds in. Recently I've had more success, doing a guided meditation a week ago, but since then I haven't done anything new. The current state of events has been taxing on me emotionally and there's a lot of pent up anxiety, and I feel meditation can help me deal with that anxiety. However, it feels like meditating when I'm anxious or restless causes me to feel much worse than I did before. I have a low self esteem that I've been working to improve for years, but it's still very present and it makes it difficult for me to "accept" my meditation thus far. I compare myself to other "more mindful" people and it makes it difficult for me to meditate. Has anyone else run into this roadblock, and if so, how did you get through it? Can meditation help me deal with my self esteem issues? [link] [comments] |
| When does the enlightenment kick in? Posted: 08 Aug 2020 10:01 PM PDT I meditated for a good half an hour this morning and don't really feel any different? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 08 Aug 2020 08:05 AM PDT Everything is in the title, I just don't know where to start, is it possible/normal to be more confuse after than before meditating, is there practices and hacks about mindset or posture or I dont know to really dive deep into meditation? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 08 Aug 2020 03:14 PM PDT I see this term being used a lot and people emphasise it's significance but I'm confused as to what it actually is, or how it should be done, how often etc [link] [comments] |
| Is meditation just tricking the self to continue on with life? Posted: 08 Aug 2020 08:28 PM PDT I've lately felt that even pleasure is work. On a day off work I would like to enjoy active leisure. I'd rather hike or explore than lay around. But it's work to get out and do even the things I enjoy. And that makes me feel trapped. The fact that I cannot even enjoy life without working for it. It's true. Suffering. Work. I still do it, but I dread it at times. And I feel as though meditation is just me tricking myself into being ok with it. Should I accept it, really? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 08 Aug 2020 03:52 PM PDT |
| Am outsider wondering whether this meditation thing will help. Posted: 09 Aug 2020 01:21 AM PDT I have constant brain fog, and my memory is terrible. This leads to a lot of anger. Can meditiation help me with this? [link] [comments] |
| Some Questions for Casual Meditators Posted: 08 Aug 2020 07:13 PM PDT For the last year or so, I've been drawn to meditation and practiced on a weekly basis, with the goal of gaining spiritual insight and calming my mind. Here are a few questions I have for those who are a bit more experienced/practiced. I'm curious if there are ways that I could vary my practice in order to gain a bit more. Q1 - when you sit to meditate, what does that look like, practically? For instance, do you set a timer, or a stop-watch, or do you not track the time? Do you sit cross-legged, do you lie down, do you walk? Q2 - how long did you meditate before you noticed distinguishable benefits? Q3 - for any folks out there who feel you take too much of the conversation when talking with friends or family, have you found meditation to help you be more mindful in conversation? Q4 - any general advice that was helpful to you early on? Don't feel like you need to answer all four questions if you reply :) [link] [comments] |
| Any online retreats suitable for E. Asia time zones? Posted: 09 Aug 2020 12:52 AM PDT Hi folks, Just wondering if anyone is aware of online meditation retreats that might be suitable for someone in an East Asian time zone? I'm currently in Taiwan (where covid is under control,) and Dhamma.org is actually running in person retreats here - but I've attended 3 in the past and that's about enough of watching Goenka's videos for me.. I have a daily practice following instructions from Culadasa's The Mind Illuminated, and just finished Shinzhen Young's unified mindfulness online course which seems to dovetail quite nicely. Any recommendations appreciated! [link] [comments] |
| Diaphragmatic breathing is a total miracle Posted: 08 Aug 2020 03:05 PM PDT Not exaggerating. I had the worst panic attacks and anxiety during the last two months due to the lockdown. Also the lack of exercise resulted in poor posture and weak core muscles which led to shallow chest breathing. Today I wanted to give my old habits a chance and holy cow, I feel insanely better. No anxiety and my dizziness improved. I can't believe it's so powerful. I have to invest in more exercise and more belly breathing from now on, it's totally life changing. [link] [comments] |
| I been consistent... how come all of a sudden? Posted: 09 Aug 2020 12:46 AM PDT I been dealing with some OCD like thoughts a month in a half ago. Been meditating so much and been consistent.. but two days in row it has been difficult focusing while meditating... regardless i still meditate but no pun intended I (NOTICE) more thoughts coming in and getting distracted. Any insights? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 08 Aug 2020 06:46 PM PDT Help. I have bipolar 2 and started meditation because my therapist and psych nurse told me too. For awhile it went fine. I used Playne and focused on counting breaths and started to work my way up to twenty minutes. But recently when I try to mediate I end up getting upset and crying. I do it in the morning so my head should be clear. I don't know what's happening and what to do about it. When I try to push through it I just get more and more upset and if I take a break I return and start crying even harder. It reminds me of once when doing a guided meditation in a therapy group I had a strong vision of drowning myself. Is meditation just not right for me? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 08 Aug 2020 08:32 PM PDT Hi first time posting here! Just wanted to share a struggle I've been having. Some context: I am experienced in meditating, have done a few retreats and have been meditating on and off for about 2 years now. I try to get at least 5 min a day but I just can't find any consistency with it. I struggle with consistency in general as a person(working out, texting back, general forgetfulness). Not sure where to go from here. I need some strategies to help me firstly remember to do it and secondly to ensure that the meditation isn't half hearted. Help remembering my motivations if you will. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 08 Aug 2020 01:32 PM PDT Hey everyone, Growing up I've always developed insecure attachments with people and tend to not fully commit to friendships and relationships due to fear of loss and abandonment. I tend to develop a good relationship with people then get anxious and avoid the people I want to connect with. I also have social anxiety so making friends is hard to begin with. I was wondering if meditation can help with changing patterns in my attachment style and also how to go about doing it? [link] [comments] |
| Neglecting your meditation practice Posted: 08 Aug 2020 11:54 PM PDT What have you noticed during times when your meditation practice was neglected? [link] [comments] |
| Sanity check: am I present if I'm walking around, constantly reminding myself about being present? Posted: 08 Aug 2020 05:55 PM PDT |
| I'm Back to Square One and Need Help Posted: 08 Aug 2020 12:26 PM PDT Hey All, First of all, thank you if you are taking the time to read this. A couple of years ago I had started my meditation journey and actually done quite well. It really helped my anxiety and gave me something to do when I wasn't busy at night. However, as many do, I fell out of it and my mental condition has very much worsened. There is a quote by Fyodor Dostoevsky that says " Scraps and shreds of thoughts were simply swarming in his brain, but he could not catch at one, he could not rest on one, in spite of all his efforts" I feel like this accurately represents my dilemma. I have so many anxious thoughts that I never really reach a harsh conclusion. Rather than feeling like an individual, I feel like a ball of nerves. I guess what I am asking is if anyone here has started meditating when they are really struggling mentally. Its as if the world presses down on me when I am alone in my head and I want to get back to who I used to be... [link] [comments] |
| Focusing on my breathing causes me anxiety Posted: 08 Aug 2020 11:33 PM PDT I've been diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder since I was around 13. I am now 22 and for the last year I've been attempting to practice mindfulness and have created a schedule where I meditate every night. Despite this, I have continued to struggle with meditation, especially breathing exercises. Often times, I'll find myself experiencing physical discomfort, including a tightening chest and an overwhelming sense of panic whenever I try to quiet my thoughts. This only seems to happen when I focus/tune in to my physical body, like my breathing, or heartbeat. I know this is a pretty important part of meditation, though and it's super frustrating that I struggle so much with this. I would love some tips on how to overcome this and would also like to know if anyone else has ever experienced something similar? Is there a reason I feel like this and is there something else I can focus on besides my breathing? [link] [comments] |
| Just finished 30 days headspace - Recommendations Posted: 08 Aug 2020 11:24 PM PDT So I've just finished my first 30 days of the basic courses on headspace and am wondering which one next to try. Which ones have you tried and which ones have you found the most beneficial? Thanks in advance! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 08 Aug 2020 07:35 PM PDT After practicing semen retention for a month and watching spiritual videos since a couple days I decided to beginning meditation to manifest good things in my life and discover what's in within. For the first day I meditate 15 minutes and was just chillin. But this morning I meditate for 24 minutes and I was feeling my soul get bigger and my physical body get little. I also feel my aura now. If you can give me advice for a rookie like me it would be cool. Thanks for reading me. [link] [comments] |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Meditation. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |
No comments:
Post a Comment