Rapid Eye Movement or Twitching during meditation. Help.

visionstream · February 23rd, 2011, 03:16

Hi there! New to this forum but I have come here in search of some advise.
I am new to meditation, having only successfully meditated about 5 times. When I meditate I usually do it to Tibetan Buddhist music. This really helps me to get in the zone quite rapidly. Of course I begin by focusing on my breathing and then as I forget about breathing my mind starts racing with thoughts. I do as an instructional video I've seen advised and start repeating to myself "thoughts....thoughts....thoughts...." and picture the actual word "thoughts" kind of fading away kind of how the Starwars opening statements scroll up and slowly vanish.
As I start to get into the meditative mindset when the colors start flashing behind my eyelids and I get really abstract visuals my eyes start to shake a lot. It seems to be an involuntary twitch. It makes it hard to focus on nothingness as it is an odd sensation. The past few times I manage to forget about it and continue onto the meditative state, but it still troubles me. It feels like my eyes are moving up down right and left in a very intense manner and have even reached up and touched my eyes to verify that it was actually happening.
Does anyone have any ideas? Anyone have trouble with this or have heard of a solution?
I try very hard to just relax them and it works but then I'm not focusing on nothingness and as soon as I start to get back in the zone, it happens again.
Quite bothersome.
Appreciate any advice.

GilesC · February 23rd, 2011, 15:24

Everyone (well almost everyone if it's not everyone) has this trouble when they first start meditating.
It's something that takes practice, but you also should consider that "focusing" on something is what allows the mind to generate thoughts, so e.g. focusing on your breath causes your mind to think about the breath, often causing you to force the breathing into a pattern and then have thoughts about whether you're breathing correctly and "how long can I maintain my focus this time?" etc. The mind is a naughtly little trickster sometimes.

Have you downloaded Michael's free "Discover Meditation" course from this website? If not, I would recommend it. It uses mantra based meditation, which in a sense is similar to your repeating the "thoughts... thoughts... thoughts...." to yourself, but in a slightly different way, as you just let the mantra repeat itself, at it's own volume and speed, letting it come and go as it deems right.

Of course, thoughts will arise during meditation, including the thoughts that we are "not meditating correctly". Simply acknowledge that these thoughts are there, and invite your mantra to return, letting the thoughts pass by. Even physical sensations are normal, and likewise, recognise they are there and let them be, bringing the mantra back.

It takes practice, but you'll get there.

Hugs

Giles

Edwin · February 23rd, 2011, 15:30

What Giles said goes for me as well.

When I first started I was so frustrated with all those thoughts.
But being frustrated was also feeding the thoughts, so I started having thoughts about how frustrating those thoughts were.
See what Giles means with calling the mind "a naughty little trickster ?"

visionstream · February 23rd, 2011, 17:08

I see.
Thanks for the info! The biggest nuisance was the eye movement, not the thinking however. Your assuring me that this is normal? And something you just overcome?

nathandavid · February 23rd, 2011, 18:37

REM and twitching is a sign of trance, and trance is different from meditation. You may want to download the free info, and also look into body and breath awareness techniques. The key is to quiet the mind (which is difficult but not impossible) while maintaining conscious awareness ie: not slipping into trance or falling asleep (which does happen, so don't worry)

I don't want to come off as an expert, because I certainly am not, but I have been meditating for years now, and the goal of meditation is for you to gain control of your mind and heart, not to give up control thorough passive trance. Just my two cents.

visionstream · February 24th, 2011, 17:42

Originally Posted by nathandavid

REM and twitching is a sign of trance, and trance is different from meditation. You may want to download the free info, and also look into body and breath awareness techniques. The key is to quiet the mind (which is difficult but not impossible) while maintaining conscious awareness ie: not slipping into trance or falling asleep (which does happen, so don't worry)

I don't want to come off as an expert, because I certainly am not, but I have been meditating for years now, and the goal of meditation is for you to gain control of your mind and heart, not to give up control thorough passive trance. Just my two cents.

Wow! Thanks so much for the info. I will have to give it a try.