Comments on: Mindfulness of Breathing 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: Bodhipaksa http://www.wildmind.org/mindfulness/comment-page-2#comment-152749 Bodhipaksa Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:46:12 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/mindfulness/#comment-152749 Hi, Paul. That's the "hindrance of restlessness and anxiety" and I offer some advice <a href="http://www.wildmind.org/blogs/on-practice/easing-your-anxiety-without-pills" rel="nofollow">here</a>. Feel free to get back to me after you've tried some of the techniques I suggest. All the best, Bodhipaksa Hi, Paul.

That’s the “hindrance of restlessness and anxiety” and I offer some advice here. Feel free to get back to me after you’ve tried some of the techniques I suggest.

All the best,
Bodhipaksa

]]> By: Paul http://www.wildmind.org/mindfulness/comment-page-2#comment-152732 Paul Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:54:30 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/mindfulness/#comment-152732 Hi, Sometimes when meditating, I experience an intense impatience to move, an increased heart rate and anxiety. There sometimes is even a slight ringing in my head. I become almost hyper-aware of the stillness and instead of it being calming, it's troubling. I generally meditate after I wake up (and after drinking coffee, which might be the cause, but these feelings occur without that as well.) Generally, I feel varying degrees of calm during and after my meditating, but I'd love some advice on how to handle these uncomfortable sensations when they arise. Thanks, everyone! Hi,

Sometimes when meditating, I experience an intense impatience to move, an increased heart rate and anxiety. There sometimes is even a slight ringing in my head. I become almost hyper-aware of the stillness and instead of it being calming, it’s troubling.

I generally meditate after I wake up (and after drinking coffee, which might be the cause, but these feelings occur without that as well.)

Generally, I feel varying degrees of calm during and after my meditating, but I’d love some advice on how to handle these uncomfortable sensations when they arise.

Thanks, everyone!

]]> By: Jessica T. http://www.wildmind.org/mindfulness/comment-page-2#comment-151537 Jessica T. Sun, 01 Jan 2012 20:44:53 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/mindfulness/#comment-151537 Thank you so much for this very informative site. The information that you provide is really helpful and the guided meditation is very detailed and well explained. I have been meditating for some time now, but have only practiced mindfulness a couple of times, but will begin to focus more on this type of meditation and see how mindfulness can benefit me in ways that other types of meditation can’t. Thanks again for this great site Jessica T Thank you so much for this very informative site. The information that you provide is really helpful and the guided meditation is very detailed and well explained. I have been meditating for some time now, but have only practiced mindfulness a couple of times, but will begin to focus more on this type of meditation and see how mindfulness can benefit me in ways that other types of meditation can’t.
Thanks again for this great site

Jessica T

]]> By: Kasun http://www.wildmind.org/mindfulness/comment-page-2#comment-143712 Kasun Sat, 26 Nov 2011 17:49:07 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/mindfulness/#comment-143712 Dear Bodhipaksa, Your instructions are really helped me. I'm greatful to you for your help. You're a Kalyanamitta ( noble friend). I learned a lot about intricate parts in Anapanasathi in your site. I'll refer to you when I find difficulty again. Keep up the good work! Regards, Kasun. Dear Bodhipaksa, Your instructions are really helped me. I’m greatful to you for your help. You’re a Kalyanamitta ( noble friend). I learned a lot about intricate parts in Anapanasathi in your site. I’ll refer to you when I find difficulty again. Keep up the good work!

Regards,
Kasun.

]]> By: Bodhipaksa http://www.wildmind.org/mindfulness/comment-page-2#comment-143418 Bodhipaksa Fri, 25 Nov 2011 01:45:45 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/mindfulness/#comment-143418 These things are hard to describe, but it definitely sounds as if you were close to experiencing jhana. If there were a lot of wandering thoughts, then that suggests you might have been in a mildly distracted state we call access, which is just before jhana. Think in terms of enjoying the pleasant flow of the breathing, at this point. Bring your awareness more fully into the body, so that you're less focused on what is going on in the mind. This should help bring about a bit more calmness. Learning to become absorbed in the inner sensations of pleasure and joy may take a little practice, but usually they're such prominent features of our experience as we actually enter jhana that it's quite easy to focus on them. Also, when these experiences don't arise, that's OK! Sometimes people get upset when, after a jhanic or near-jhanic sit, they find that their meditations have gone back to something more "normal." But this is a common experience, and we need to simply accept the ups and downs. These things are hard to describe, but it definitely sounds as if you were close to experiencing jhana. If there were a lot of wandering thoughts, then that suggests you might have been in a mildly distracted state we call access, which is just before jhana. Think in terms of enjoying the pleasant flow of the breathing, at this point. Bring your awareness more fully into the body, so that you’re less focused on what is going on in the mind. This should help bring about a bit more calmness.

Learning to become absorbed in the inner sensations of pleasure and joy may take a little practice, but usually they’re such prominent features of our experience as we actually enter jhana that it’s quite easy to focus on them.

Also, when these experiences don’t arise, that’s OK! Sometimes people get upset when, after a jhanic or near-jhanic sit, they find that their meditations have gone back to something more “normal.” But this is a common experience, and we need to simply accept the ups and downs.

]]> By: Kasun http://www.wildmind.org/mindfulness/comment-page-2#comment-143355 Kasun Thu, 24 Nov 2011 19:07:44 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/mindfulness/#comment-143355 Thanks Bodhipaksa for your instructions. When breath disappeears, my mind became peaceful and quit. For me it was feel like the time stops. It is difficult to convay the feeling because the language barrier. But after your guidance, I tried to examine it closely. When the breath vanished, most prominent feeling I experienced was feeling of pleasure. Also when it happened my mind gets brightened. But it was not glowing light. It's just bright feeling in mind. I tried to shift my attention on feeling of pleasure. But it is difficult because my mind used to feel rough sensation like breath. I felt my mind was not stable and wondering in thoughts. What should I do? Thanks Bodhipaksa for your instructions. When breath disappeears, my mind became peaceful and quit. For me it was feel like the time stops. It is difficult to convay the feeling because the language barrier. But after your guidance, I tried to examine it closely. When the breath vanished, most prominent feeling I experienced was feeling of pleasure. Also when it happened my mind gets brightened. But it was not glowing light. It’s just bright feeling in mind. I tried to shift my attention on feeling of pleasure. But it is difficult because my mind used to feel rough sensation like breath. I felt my mind was not stable and wondering in thoughts. What should I do?

]]> By: Bodhipaksa http://www.wildmind.org/mindfulness/comment-page-2#comment-142945 Bodhipaksa Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:35:11 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/mindfulness/#comment-142945 Hi, Kasun. It's great that your meditation is leading to the breath becoming very subtle to the point where it disappears. Many people experience this as they're going into jhana, which is a state of joy, calm, and concentration (I don't have the experience of the breath vanishing, for some reason). Anyway, if the breath vanishes, this is a god thing, but you need something to replace it. You can shift your focus to another object, such as feelings of pleasure and energy in the body, or the emotion of joy, or the perception of light. Usually the mind finds an object, and I'm guessing that your mind has been creating an object for you, and you've been ignoring it because you think you're supposed to be following the breath. Sometimes the object is an image, or a feeling in the body. They're very varied. Think back and see if you can remember anything like that happening. I'd be very interested to hear more. Hi, Kasun.

It’s great that your meditation is leading to the breath becoming very subtle to the point where it disappears. Many people experience this as they’re going into jhana, which is a state of joy, calm, and concentration (I don’t have the experience of the breath vanishing, for some reason).

Anyway, if the breath vanishes, this is a god thing, but you need something to replace it. You can shift your focus to another object, such as feelings of pleasure and energy in the body, or the emotion of joy, or the perception of light. Usually the mind finds an object, and I’m guessing that your mind has been creating an object for you, and you’ve been ignoring it because you think you’re supposed to be following the breath. Sometimes the object is an image, or a feeling in the body. They’re very varied. Think back and see if you can remember anything like that happening. I’d be very interested to hear more.

]]> By: Kasun http://www.wildmind.org/mindfulness/comment-page-2#comment-142921 Kasun Tue, 22 Nov 2011 10:30:20 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/mindfulness/#comment-142921 Thanks for your words of wisdom. I'm not fluent in English. I have been doing Anapanasathi meditation for 6 months, 2 or 3 times a day for 30-40 minutes. After 15-20 min breath became subtle and I couldn't notice it, because there was no bodily sensation. Then I fell in to sleep. Now I'm stuck in this point. Please help me to get over this problem. Thanks for your words of wisdom. I’m not fluent in English. I have been doing Anapanasathi meditation for 6 months, 2 or 3 times a day for 30-40 minutes. After 15-20 min breath became subtle and I couldn’t notice it, because there was no bodily sensation. Then I fell in to sleep. Now I’m stuck in this point. Please help me to get over this problem.

]]> By: John Gregory http://www.wildmind.org/mindfulness/comment-page-2#comment-134094 John Gregory Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:52:34 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/mindfulness/#comment-134094 Hi, This morning at 0645, I meditated for 20 minutes. About 15 minutes in, I became aware of my breath, belly moving with the breath, my posture, the traffic and strangest of all, I was dreaming at the same time. I felt at peace during this, however, looking back, it seems quite surreal. Hi,

This morning at 0645, I meditated for 20 minutes. About 15 minutes in, I became aware of my breath, belly moving with the breath, my posture, the traffic and strangest of all, I was dreaming at the same time. I felt at peace during this, however, looking back, it seems quite surreal.

]]> By: Bodhipaksa http://www.wildmind.org/mindfulness/comment-page-2#comment-133636 Bodhipaksa Fri, 23 Sep 2011 23:05:02 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/mindfulness/#comment-133636 Hi, Chris. Ain't gonna happen :) All the best, Bodhipaksa Hi, Chris.

Ain’t gonna happen :)

All the best,
Bodhipaksa

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