I can't meditate - Please Help Me!

[Echo]

The course has already started. I missed it. Maybe it will come around again.

It is on a rolling programme, Tyrus, and both m courses are open all the time to new members, working one to one with me.

[Whyan]

Hey... now I wonder, I think meditation don't strictly limit to sitting still and going to trance or dissolute in nothingness, even though it being the elevated level.

I think on the more exoteric level on meditation "in the moment", any action (or no action), doesn't matter what is being done, as long as the subject can melt and absorbed into the very moment and become one, it's a form of meditation. When the mind is totally focused on single object (or no object), time and space forgotten, subject object and action forgotten, what's left is the experience of total immersion, that is a form of meditation.

Say, I can just play instrument, dance, sing, paint, have a walk, just sit still, looking at something, drown in embrace, listening to something, or basically just anything the activity you might do, and melt away into it. Unified focus of mind and heart, until I forget the surrounding, time, the body, the breath (many time I found I stopped breathing for quite a long time), what I did earlier etc2 and become one with it in the moment. I think that experience is, if not similar to, meditative state. (The difference is that meditation is more passive on the physical activity and the focus is a symbol, or nothing, that is abstract compared to activity that might have attraction factor in the object, thus harder to reach the same state)

Even thought the result from various activity might vary, and actually fun to explore about. No need to rush things, try from the mundane activity and give more attention to everything you do, start to keep the mind and heart at pace and in focus, after awhile, you will get calmer and found the mind chatter has lessen and lot easier to navigate yourself around on meditating and everything else.


Or, having a guide on/ about meditation sounds good.


^___^

[The Student]

Regulate the breathing, breathing regulates mind, focus on the breath.

eyecanblackstars is correct thats how i meditate.

[Briony Haldane]

All of these suggestions and experiences are terrific ideas! I am so glad that there are as many ways of doing things as there are people- no one size fits all is necessary in spirituality. Thank you everyone for sharing what works for you

[Haruth]

All good advise, I feel. The Transcendental Meditation movement relies heavily on the use of mantras.

You could try something simple to start with, eg. "Aum". Initially start by making the sound, and if your mind wanders off and throws something in, simply acknowledge it, let it go, and return to focus on the Aum.

When you find yourself able to continue for around 5 minutes without too many interuptions, internalise the sound at your next session. Hear only the sound of the Aum, and continue to allow things to enter your mind, acknowledging it, and coming back to the internalised Aum.

The main thing is to be gentle on yourself! Everyone can do it, but it takes time and practice. Start off setting a 5 minute goal, then slowly build up to 20. Best to have a set time each day when you can be alone and everything around the house is quiet to start off with.

Eventually, you will be able to meditate anywhere, any time you choose... though driving or operating machinery should be avoided...

[Briony Haldane]

Easy for a tiger to say.....do they drive or operate machinery?..

[Echo]

though driving or operating machinery should be avoided...

Spoilsport

[bparry]

Don't worry too much about the thoughts that come to you, that's just the momentum of your life, normally we're constantly moving so the momentum builds up and up and we don't notice. When you sit and do nothing, the momentum of it all just pounds you, but as you get more used to the practice there becomes less and less. The main problem that can arise is that if you worry too much about you're thoughts, especially by trying to stop them you'll become stuck in them like an endless loop keeping the momentum going. What you need is to take the focus of of your mental activity, so the momentum can wear itself down while you don't feed back into it. The ultimate goal of all the meditations should be to find and connect to your true self which is normally obscured by all the debris you collect in your life.

My only meditation now involves focusing on the breath at the tip of the nose with eyes closed, you might have to inhale exhale pretty forcefully at the start to feel it well, but as you get more used to it a gentler breath can develop and with each breath the sensations of the cool inflow and the warm outflow right on the tip of your nose are perfect for the focus, and become so comfortable after a while you won't want to leave them. This means more and more throughout the day when you've got a few moments spare, you'll instictively return to the breath; reconnect to yourself and become truer to yourself at the same time.

That's really all there is to meditation, never look for anything magical, any fancy experiences or visualisations they are only distractions from the truth. Best of luck, it's hard at the start but stick with it, and once you can naturally bring it into your daily life more and more, you've arrived.

[LaMozelle]

Everyone has offered great advice. I’m pretty simple when I cannot meditate. I try to relax using other techniques. I may not be able to meditate, but I can still have the benefits of relaxation. I put a little of my favorite oil on my body. Light candles and incense which I do not usually do during meditation. I will even lay down though this might not be acceptable to others, but it works for me. I ask the universe for what I need (Law Of Attraction). I might even listen to a guided meditation CD. Then there is always meditation exercises that I learned in Echo class. Even Simple day dreaming and visiting my “Special Sanctuary” I have found helpful. Trying to force myself to meditate when I can’t only becomes frustrating which is of no use when trying to meditate.

[Pema]

Don't worry too much about the thoughts that come to you, that's just the momentum of your life, normally we're constantly moving so the momentum builds up and up and we don't notice.
.

That's what most meditation masters would say, meditation is not about having a blank mind but rather dealing with thoughts in a non-grasping manner.