Comments on: When not to use meditation http://www.wildmind.org Explore Meditation Online Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:56:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kyria http://www.wildmind.org/applied/depression/when-not-to-meditate/comment-page-1#comment-140536 Kyria Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:04:05 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/applied/depression/when-not-to-meditate/#comment-140536 I have suffered from clinical depression and anxiety in the past, and have also been meditating for around five years. I can say that in my experience, meditating during an episode can definitely make things worse. I find that it can feed negative feelings, and also push one into an introverted and 'spacey' head space. By comparison, meditating when well has only ever brought me benefit. I think that it is important to really observe whether meditation is helping or harming in these situations, and have the courage to stop. My brother is a Buddhist monk, and his abbot recommends physical exercise, spending time with friends, and 'wholesome activities' when depression is severe - and 'not too much meditation' - none if it is making things worse. I do find, however, that giving myself Metta through the day is really helpful when depressed. What have other people found re: Metta, mindfulness and mental illness? I have suffered from clinical depression and anxiety in the past, and have also been meditating for around five years. I can say that in my experience, meditating during an episode can definitely make things worse. I find that it can feed negative feelings, and also push one into an introverted and ‘spacey’ head space.

By comparison, meditating when well has only ever brought me benefit.

I think that it is important to really observe whether meditation is helping or harming in these situations, and have the courage to stop. My brother is a Buddhist monk, and his abbot recommends physical exercise, spending time with friends, and ‘wholesome activities’ when depression is severe – and ‘not too much meditation’ – none if it is making things worse. I do find, however, that giving myself Metta through the day is really helpful when depressed. What have other people found re: Metta, mindfulness and mental illness?

]]> By: Sunada http://www.wildmind.org/applied/depression/when-not-to-meditate/comment-page-1#comment-82967 Sunada Wed, 24 Mar 2010 20:34:46 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/applied/depression/when-not-to-meditate/#comment-82967 Dear Sarah, I'm sorry to hear of all your difficulties, and at the same time impressed with your determination. That more than anything else will get you through this. I don't know if you consider taking a course online through Wildmind a viable option. I'm the teacher of those courses. You'd be able to discuss your practice with me via a public discussion forum, plus you'd have one opportunity to write me a private email. I really don't know of specific teachers to recommend otherwise, but I can refer you to the FWBO website listing of centers in the UK, here: http://www.fwbo.org/contacts/addresses-uk.html. If you find a center near you, I'm sure they could help point you further. I wish you all the best in finding something that will be helpful to you. Sunada www.mindfulpurpose.com Dear Sarah,
I’m sorry to hear of all your difficulties, and at the same time impressed with your determination. That more than anything else will get you through this. I don’t know if you consider taking a course online through Wildmind a viable option. I’m the teacher of those courses. You’d be able to discuss your practice with me via a public discussion forum, plus you’d have one opportunity to write me a private email.

I really don’t know of specific teachers to recommend otherwise, but I can refer you to the FWBO website listing of centers in the UK, here: http://www.fwbo.org/contacts/addresses-uk.html. If you find a center near you, I’m sure they could help point you further.

I wish you all the best in finding something that will be helpful to you.
Sunada
http://www.mindfulpurpose.com

]]> By: Sarah http://www.wildmind.org/applied/depression/when-not-to-meditate/comment-page-1#comment-82943 Sarah Mon, 22 Mar 2010 19:50:50 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/applied/depression/when-not-to-meditate/#comment-82943 Hi Bodhipaksa, This was a really interesting and helpful post. At the moment I am suffering from what I think is depression, and I have had anxiety problems for as long as I can remember! I also have OCD. I have been meditating for just over a year, and in the last few months have had a fairly regular practice. I can see / feel that I have got some benefits from it, but it is true to say that I have come closer to my depression and negative feelings than ever before, and this has been very frightening at times. There have been times where I was scared I might do something awful, to myself or others. It is very, very difficult to say whether this is caused by my external circumstances (which haven't been easy recently - financial and job-related stress, as well as living in a foreign country away from family and friends), my underlying genetic / biochemical problems, or the meditation. Probably a combination of the first two, somewhat exacerbated by the third. So - I was wondering what you would advise me to do. I have moved back to the UK to live with family and be around friends, and my financial / professional situation is looking up. The depression, anxiety, OCD and severe concerns about meditation persist. Do you know of any teachers in my area (north east England - Teesside, more specifically) who would be prepared to take me on as a student? I don't mind if it's through the FWBO or other groups, as long as the person is a very experienced meditator and teacher. If you have any other advice about my situation I would be very grateful. I don't really want to have to give up on meditation, as I am on a fairly intense "spiritual" search and in Buddhism have found some sense. I'm just not sure what to do for the best at the moment. Best wishes and thank you in advance, Sarah (not my real name) Hi Bodhipaksa,

This was a really interesting and helpful post.

At the moment I am suffering from what I think is depression, and I have had anxiety problems for as long as I can remember! I also have OCD. I have been meditating for just over a year, and in the last few months have had a fairly regular practice.

I can see / feel that I have got some benefits from it, but it is true to say that I have come closer to my depression and negative feelings than ever before, and this has been very frightening at times. There have been times where I was scared I might do something awful, to myself or others.

It is very, very difficult to say whether this is caused by my external circumstances (which haven’t been easy recently – financial and job-related stress, as well as living in a foreign country away from family and friends), my underlying genetic / biochemical problems, or the meditation. Probably a combination of the first two, somewhat exacerbated by the third.

So – I was wondering what you would advise me to do. I have moved back to the UK to live with family and be around friends, and my financial / professional situation is looking up. The depression, anxiety, OCD and severe concerns about meditation persist.

Do you know of any teachers in my area (north east England – Teesside, more specifically) who would be prepared to take me on as a student? I don’t mind if it’s through the FWBO or other groups, as long as the person is a very experienced meditator and teacher.

If you have any other advice about my situation I would be very grateful. I don’t really want to have to give up on meditation, as I am on a fairly intense “spiritual” search and in Buddhism have found some sense. I’m just not sure what to do for the best at the moment.

Best wishes and thank you in advance,

Sarah (not my real name)

]]> By: Bodhipaksa http://www.wildmind.org/applied/depression/when-not-to-meditate/comment-page-1#comment-82586 Bodhipaksa Tue, 05 Jan 2010 02:36:35 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/applied/depression/when-not-to-meditate/#comment-82586 Sure. I have a friend, Dharmasuri, who teaches at Nagaloka Buddhist Center. You can find them at http://www.nagalokabuddhistcenter.org. She's a lovely woman, although she's in Georgia for a few months. I believe Karunasara, a woman who happens to be a neighbor of mine, may be teaching at Nagaloka as well. I'd suggest contacting the center through their website. All the best, Bodhipaksa Sure. I have a friend, Dharmasuri, who teaches at Nagaloka Buddhist Center. You can find them at http://www.nagalokabuddhistcenter.org. She’s a lovely woman, although she’s in Georgia for a few months. I believe Karunasara, a woman who happens to be a neighbor of mine, may be teaching at Nagaloka as well. I’d suggest contacting the center through their website.

All the best,
Bodhipaksa

]]> By: Linda http://www.wildmind.org/applied/depression/when-not-to-meditate/comment-page-1#comment-82584 Linda Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:36:23 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/applied/depression/when-not-to-meditate/#comment-82584 I am wondering if anyone can recommend an experienced meditation teacher who would be on hand to give me guidance as needed. I am currently in counselling with a gentle, warm and buddhist practicing therapy, but I can only converse with her in our 50 minute sessions, weekly or less. It would also be wonderful if this person was female, and local to me (Greater Portland, ME, USA area), so that I could meet them face to face sometimes. Thank you~ I am wondering if anyone can recommend an experienced meditation teacher who would be on hand to give me guidance as needed. I am currently in counselling with a gentle, warm and buddhist practicing therapy, but I can only converse with her in our 50 minute sessions, weekly or less. It would also be wonderful if this person was female, and local to me (Greater Portland, ME, USA area), so that I could meet them face to face sometimes.
Thank you~

]]> By: Loes http://www.wildmind.org/applied/depression/when-not-to-meditate/comment-page-1#comment-57072 Loes Fri, 26 Dec 2008 19:59:26 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/applied/depression/when-not-to-meditate/#comment-57072 I would advice anyone with serious depression or other mental turbulence to not go at it alone! You always need a friend, teacher... a refuge! Meditation done wrong can unravel you, throw you into groundlessness. Any teacher will tell you that to meditate to achieve anything is a senseless activity anyway... Meditation is not a pill. And you can not learn proper meditation from a book. Just like you can't learn how to swim or ride a bike from a book or CD alone. But on the other hand, if you know how to meditate, and you know your illness, it is always good to meditate. You can just observe your mind turning against itself, and see it fall apart. It is very useful. How incredible real and serious it appears, and than how ridiculous and absurd it actually is when you look at it later. I am not saying it is easy... not all... it is amazing how you keep falling into the same traps. But it is extremely useful to get to know your crazy mind (especially if you have to live with it anyway... I am a long-time sufferer from severe depression and anxiety) I would advice anyone with serious depression or other mental turbulence to not go at it alone! You always need a friend, teacher… a refuge! Meditation done wrong can unravel you, throw you into groundlessness.

Any teacher will tell you that to meditate to achieve anything is a senseless activity anyway… Meditation is not a pill. And you can not learn proper meditation from a book. Just like you can’t learn how to swim or ride a bike from a book or CD alone.

But on the other hand, if you know how to meditate, and you know your illness, it is always good to meditate. You can just observe your mind turning against itself, and see it fall apart. It is very useful. How incredible real and serious it appears, and than how ridiculous and absurd it actually is when you look at it later. I am not saying it is easy… not all… it is amazing how you keep falling into the same traps. But it is extremely useful to get to know your crazy mind (especially if you have to live with it anyway… I am a long-time sufferer from severe depression and anxiety)

]]>