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Meditation a major struggle...help!

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    #32
    mattyboy20
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29 ✭mattyboy20


    I have the same problem!! I live in an apartment too which means my flatmates are always disturbing me. :mad:


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    #33
    KamikazeKenny81
    Closed Accounts Posts: 51 ✭✭KamikazeKenny81


    I was having serious problems with this last week. I have been into Buddhism for a year and have done a good bit of meditating in the past, I had also been reading and watching a lot of Buddhist teachings but I hadnt been meditating at all. But I held the belief that it would be easy if I wanted to, all this added up as obsticales.

    I meditated at least for 1 hour a day for a week and was really struggling, the turning point came for me when I acknowledged the fact that I was struggling which took off the presure. The first time I truely relaxed into meditating I was actually sat watching the final F1 race, I had fixed my concentration and wasnt "trying" to meditate.

    If you are struggling, from my experience, I would simply recommend to meditate every day but not expect to be successful, simply to sit and rest and practice. You will make that break through, and who knows where and when, almost certainly when u least expect it :D


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    #34
    marabhfuil
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46 ✭marabhfuil


    Firstly, .................. Then, .............. And after you have..., ................ lastly, ................. And don't forget to...........


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    #35
    MeditationMom
    Registered Users Posts: 380 ✭✭MeditationMom


    ...and eat less, and chew well. A peaceful stomach helps with a peaceful mind.

    According the the principle of "garbage in, garbage out" also be aware of all the mental input -TV, radio, music, reading and socialization every day. All create ripples on the mind that have to run their course. But they do run their course and the longer we give to silence they just disappear, especially when we don't fight them.


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    #36
    Dagon
    Registered Users Posts: 857 ✭✭✭Dagon


    I think the best way to start meditating is to try a 10-day Vipassana course. This course gives you the teaching and the technique of Buddha in it's pristine purity, without any of the rites, rituals or dogma. I know countless people, including myself, who have found these courses to be life-changing, and they really help in day-to-day life :)

    The teacher, Goenkaji, says that 10-days is the absolute minimum in which one can learn to meditate and to work correctly.

    It is run solely on donations from old students, so it's free to do a course!

    You can find information on Irish courses here:
    http://www.ie.dhamma.org/

    Worldwide Dhamma site is here:
    http://www.dhamma.org


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    #37
    d'Oracle
    Registered Users Posts: 7,025 ✭✭✭d'Oracle


    Anybody got any tips for the Half lotus or Burmese position, my ankles get real sore from the get go?


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    #38
    18AD
    Registered Users Posts: 1,821 ✭✭✭18AD


    Try some simple yoga and stretch your legs every day. I don't know the names of the postures that would help you, maybe someone else can help there.

    A simple ankle stretch:
    Hold your leg off the ground, keeping it straight and rotate your foot clockwise at the ankle, then anti-clockwise. Repeat with the other foot.
    Repeat 2 or 3 times.

    Otherwise, sitting in the lotus position is not necessary for meditation. You can assume any position as long as your back is straight. You can even lie down.

    Good luck.
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    #39
    KamikazeKenny81
    Closed Accounts Posts: 51 ✭✭KamikazeKenny81


    d'Oracle wrote: »
    Anybody got any tips for the Half lotus or Burmese position, my ankles get real sore from the get go?

    One simple thing you may already be doing is to sit on something, like a cushion or pillow. I find it much easier when my body is raised above my legs.

    Like all yoga, it takes practice. Perhaps try an easier posture if it is painful, like simply crossing your legs?

    Before I became comfortable with lotus I used to prefer meditation lieing down on my back, as in yoga relaxation. I find meditation hard if I am battling to mearly hold my posture (ie frustration) :D


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    #40
    d'Oracle
    Registered Users Posts: 7,025 ✭✭✭d'Oracle


    Yeah cheers guys.

    Problem with crossed legs is it doesnt keep the back straight.

    I have some good info on stretching and will try the lying down.

    Thanks again.


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    #41
    18AD
    Registered Users Posts: 1,821 ✭✭✭18AD


    The one problem with lying down is falling asleep. I find this is unavoidable if I'm lying down.
    Here are two postures you can try and see if they are any use to you:

    The God: Sit in a chair, head up, back straight, knees together, hands on knees, eyes closed.

    The Dragon: Kneel, buttocks rests on heels, toes turned back, back and head straight, hands on thighs.

    Good luck.
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    #42
    roosh
    Registered Users Posts: 2,552 ✭✭✭roosh


    just a quick question re:meditation practice. Is it in any way ill advised to meditate while watching a video of a master giving a talk? I ask because I was watching a video of Sogyal Rinpoche and don't think I tried to meditate but found myself in a somewhat meditative state - if that makes any sense?

    This isn't the only form of meditation practice that I do, but was just wondering if it is recommended to avoid such practices. I know that meditation can be done at any time, but perhaps while watching a tv show would be ill advised. Would the same apply for buddhist/spiritual teachings? Or can it be a helpful addition, given that TV (audio/visual) is such a commonplace medium.


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    #43
    18AD
    Registered Users Posts: 1,821 ✭✭✭18AD


    Given the amount of meditation cd's out there, I don't ese a problem with this. If it helps, then by all means go for it.

    Remember also, that a couple of drinks will go a long way helping you with your meditation practices!
    That's not sarcasm.

    All the best.
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    #44
    mccoist
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭mccoist


    love this blog
    recently stared meditating
    such a pleasure to realise we can stop thinking
    etc etc


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    #45
    IrishGuyCork
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 49 ✭IrishGuyCork


    Hi All. I have been studying Buddism for a few years now and met a few buddist monks and nuns for teaching, guidence, and meditation.

    Im living in Cork, Anyone there from Cork who does Buddism let me know would like to connect.


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    #46
    Cork24
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,663 ✭✭✭Cork24


    IrishGuyCork wrote: »
    Hi All. I have been studying Buddism for a few years now and met a few buddist monks and nuns for teaching, guidence, and meditation.

    Im living in Cork, Anyone there from Cork who does Buddism let me know would like to connect.


    What Center you with


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    #47
    White Tara
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭White Tara


    Hi minduflness ireland have groups in cork city and county as have rigpa ireland. there is a theravaden retreat centre in adrigole in beara Pahsiddhi.
    The mindfulness people are doing a day on 17/4 in cork. you can search for it.

    In my experience as a meditation leader for the past while in the Gelugpa (Dalai Lama's) Tradition it seems that a lot of people think that they should have no thoughts coming into their mind as they meditate.
    Meditation means 'to become familiar with'. Think of how we meditate on our lunch if we are particularly hungry, or we can mediate very attentively on a 'date' or party, what we will wear etc.etc.Ever see a man watching a soccar match-full concentration.So Lunch meditation, date/party meditation/soccar meditation.

    So it's about familiarising yourself with your mind without judgement. Sometimes it's really busy, sometimes a little calmer. It's all about just learning to to see what your mind is like.
    Of course the main part is the motivation, for what reason
    you are meditating and being really clear about that helps. Thats why in the beginning we use a quiet space and use an object to concentrate on be it your breath,a candle, your foot steps, focussing on a cleaning job perhaps, a flower, an image, a visualisation a mantra. They are tools for concentration.
    I was lucky to study directly with a Tibetan Lama and he said it's best to start with about seven breaths or even one breath. Quality not quantity. Then build up from there.
    If you are feeling generous sharing any positive energy generated with others at the end.
    From that beginning you can then move into a place call called calm abiding wherein you start to really observe the nature of your mind and discover it is like a clear blue sky, clear pure awareness in the nature of love and compassion which wishes for and brings about all beings best possible and enduring happiness and their ultimate liberation from suffering and the causes of their suffering through the healing and purification of their suffering and causes of their suffering.
    Thoughts ,feelings and emotions arise from this nature of mind and dissolve back into it. They last for as long as we choose to follow it up, like a water skier grasping the rope of the speed boat which pulls it along. Of course easier said than done.
    Hope this helps.
    There is a great piece on you tube by a teacher who is called Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche who used his own panic attacks as the object support for his mediataion. Very funny guy.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5bpe6fXuPk


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    #48
    Cork24
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,663 ✭✭✭Cork24


    White Tara wrote: »
    beara Pahsiddhi.


    Dont you mean the e Beara Peninsula ?


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    #49
    White Tara
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭White Tara


    Cork24 wrote: »
    Dont you mean the e Beara Peninsula ?
    Indeed. My bad typing/grammar, there are two centres Dzogen beara of Rigpa ireland and Pahsiddhi in Adrigole.
    In Bantry attached to the wholefood shop they do Minfulness training related to Thch Nhat Hanh's Midfulness organisation.


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    #50
    Cork24
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,663 ✭✭✭Cork24


    White Tara wrote: »
    Indeed. My bad typing. there are two centres Dzogen beara of Rigpa ireland and Pahsiddhi in Adrigole.
    In Bantry attached to the wholefood shop they do Minfulness training related to Thch Nhat Hanh's Midfulness organisation.


    Could you please share the WebSite to this Pahsiddhi in Adrigole ? for others to see the place,


    http://www.dzogchenbeara.org/

    This is the Ripga Link, for Dzogchen Beara down West Cork.


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    #51
    White Tara
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭White Tara


    http://www.vipassana.ie/

    Passaddhi is a small meditation centre in the Beara Peninsula, in the southwest of Ireland. It was built as a family home in 1996 by Marjó Oosterhoff and her husband, and since 1999 meditation retreats take place at the house. Passaddhi seeks to make the teachings of the Buddha, and in particular the meditation practices of vipassana and metta, available to as many people as possible, whether they are Buddhist or non-Buddhist.
    view.jpg


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    #52
    excalibur the swordsman
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 16 ✭excalibur the swordsman


    Relax.


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