Meditation struggle

[Maya3]

I have meditated for years and the last couple of years I have had a deep and steady practice with deep concentration most of the time.

But I have been going through a lot of personal traumas this year and needless to say my meditation is not as focused anymore.
It's like I'm back at square one, I feel completely disconnected and I cant focus at all.

Have anyone else been through this? How did you get back to a more focused meditation?

Maya

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

I have meditated for years and the last couple of years I have had a deep and steady practice with deep concentration most of the time.

But I have been going through a lot of personal traumas this year and needless to say my meditation is not as focused anymore.
It's like I'm back at square one, I feel completely disconnected and I cant focus at all.

Have anyone else been through this? How did you get back to a more focused meditation?

Maya

Dear Maya,

I have been through this. It's usually after I had the feeling I was making lots of progress. I always see It as just a practice. I practice while things are going well. I practice while I am Having a hard time. I am not giving advice because I am not far along to do so. I just feel like it is always just a practice and the pay off comes from being consistent. I know this is a very hard thing. So good luck.

 

[Maya3]

Dear Maya,

I have been through this. It's usually after I had the feeling I was making lots of progress. I always see It as just a practice. I practice while things are going well. I practice while I am Having a hard time. I am not giving advice because I am not far along to do so. I just feel like it is always just a practice and the pay off comes from being consistent. I know this is a very hard thing. So good luck.

Thanks, looking at it is as practice is good, I do do it, but I'm unfocused during it.
You gave very good advice, thank you for that. I should just keep doing what I'm doing and not feel so goal oriented about it.
I know what you mean about it changing after you have had lots of progress, it does come and go in waves. Only this time I know there are a lot of outside forces that is affecting it.

Maya

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

T Only this time I know there are a lot of outside forces that is affecting it.

Do you believe that the sitting has helped you handle the negative outside forces better.

 

[Maya3]

Do you believe that the sitting has helped you handle the negative outside forces better.

I think so...some parts definitely but I'm still not "myself", I'm probably dealing with it easier. But I think it is more because of the years of good meditations leading up to what is happening now, then the meditations I have now during it.

Maya

 

[jg22]

What kind of meditation do you practice?

 

[Vinayaka]

Maya3, I think this is pretty normal, I know nobody who hasn't been through it in some way. Some drop off for lifetimes, not just a couple of years. I once stopped all religious practice for about 8 years. But it's like the cat ... it came back, I just couldn't get away.

 

[Maya3]

Maya3, I think this is pretty normal, I know nobody who hasn't been through it in some way. Some drop off for lifetimes, not just a couple of years. I once stopped all religious practice for about 8 years. But it's like the cat ... it came back, I just couldn't get away.

Life gets in the way sometimes, unless you are a monk, it's hard not to get caught up in it.
Even then I'm sure there are lots of distractions.

jg22,

I don't know if my meditation has a name, I focus on my third eye and the sound of OM within me.

Maya

 

[Jainarayan]

Maya, I have a hard time meditating too, because I never really learned how to do it. I've never known what mantra to use, whether to use a mālā or not, and so on. What's helping me is learning to breathe. I'm just starting with that.

I read that a good training technique is the Soham mantra. So Hum Mantra Meditation - Online Practice It's quite relaxing. I've read that the layperson should not chant OM because it's too powerful. Other sources say it's for everyone. Whom to believe? Maybe some of the more learned and experienced members here can shed some light. My personal favorite is "Om Sri Krishnāya namaha" on the exhale, silence on the inhale.

Another problem for me is learning to block out external stimuli. I can't meditate at home, even with earplugs, unless I am completely alone and the house is quiet. I've even been disturbed in temple! I was staring at a point, breathing, and one of the well-meaning ladies came over to me to ask if I was OK. Basically, I'd have to go into the middle of the Sahara or to Antarctica to be left alone to meditate.

 

[no-body]

Being a good meditator shouldn't be your goal anyway "I sit to sit"

 

[Maya3]

Maya, I have a hard time meditating too, because I never really learned how to do it. I've never known what mantra to use, whether to use a mālā or not, and so on. What's helping me is learning to breathe. I'm just starting with that.

I read that a good training technique is the Soham mantra. So Hum Mantra Meditation - Online Practice It's quite relaxing. I've read that the layperson should not chant OM because it's too powerful. Other sources say it's for everyone. Whom to believe? Maybe some of the more learned and experienced members here can shed some light. My personal favorite is "Om Sri Krishnāya namaha" on the exhale, silence on the inhale.

Another problem for me is learning to block out external stimuli. I can't meditate at home, even with earplugs, unless I am completely alone and the house is quiet. I've even been disturbed in temple! I was staring at a point, breathing, and one of the well-meaning ladies came over to me to ask if I was OK. Basically, I'd have to go into the middle of the Sahara or to Antarctica to be left alone to meditate.

Thank you!


You know, I can be really dense sometimes. Chanting yes, that is what I need to get back to doing before my meditation. Your post just reminded me of that. My teachers do teach that chanting before and after meditation is really important, at the Ashram we always do this. But of course I get anxious to get into my meditation so I skip it.
And I have done no chanting at all for months...

But really if you chant first, you set the mind to be more able to concentrate, it is very hard to go from your day with all the distractions to deep meditation. Especially now when I have so many.

Thank you all for your kind advice, I will let you know how this goes, I realize that it will take time to get back into it. But I will keep at it.

Maya

 

[SKC007]

The benefits of meditation are often slow and subtle akin to "slow steady rain falling on hard earth"... it eventually wears through.
Keep on meditating regardless of the external circumstances and do not regard it as a tool to escape difficulties but embrace all into the practice. You will after a time do things and have sudden insights that will surprise you and could only have come from the practice itself.

 

[Maya3]

The benefits of meditation are often slow and subtle akin to "slow steady rain falling on hard earth"... it eventually wears through.
Keep on meditating regardless of the external circumstances and do not regard it as a tool to escape difficulties but embrace all into the practice. You will after a time do things and have sudden insights that will surprise you and could only have come from the practice itself.

Thanks,

I do meditate anyway, it´s just that my mind is going high wire instead of my usual focused deep connection.

I will keep at it for sure.

Maya

 

[Vinayaka]

If you view Patanjali's 8 limbs in any way as an order of practice, like each one being a precursor for the next, meditation is number 7 on the list. it might be easier if you had the previous 6 mastered first. Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Jainarayan]

If you view Patanjali's 8 limbs in any way as an order of practice, like each one being a precursor for the next, meditation is number 7 on the list. it might be easier if you had the previous 6 mastered first. Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Can't frubal you yet for that, but that is a nice little list to print out as a pocket guide. :clap

 

[Maya3]

If you view Patanjali's 8 limbs in any way as an order of practice, like each one being a precursor for the next, meditation is number 7 on the list. it might be easier if you had the previous 6 mastered first. Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Good idea too, it´s been a long time since I read them.

So in other words, I should get back to chanting more again, reading more scriptures and keep mediating and then I´ll get back to my focus slowly but securely.

Maya

 

[Vinayaka]

I'm working on yamas, and niyamas. First things first. But to each his/her own. For Patanjali's Big 8, some see levels, some see branches.

 

[nameless]

Have anyone else been through this?

IMHO, every meditators should go through this, thats why it is said that guidance of a master/guru is necessary, meditation is really a challenge for all.

 

[Maya3]

I'm happy to report that I just had a nice meditation.

I went to Ganesha puja yesterday and then we had kirtan after. I think it helped a lot to get me back on track a little bit.

Maya

 

[spiritualhitchhiker]

In my experience it is a lot easier if you don't burden your practice with expectations.