Hello From New Zealand

[PeterNZ]

Hello I am Peter from New Zealand. I recently started meditating but am a beginner. I always found it relatively easy to relax with good music etc. I have a pretty full lifestyle with running a farm together with my partner, a small business plus a day job. My mentality is more or less that I worry about everything and am constantly thinking what could go wrong etc.

I then read the book "Hurry Up and Meditate" by David Michie and was fascinated. Because what he described in there was exactly what I am. So since about a week I meditate 3 times 10 minutes a day.

I find it hard. Not as much to achieve relaxation and mindfulness and keep my thoughts more or less under control but I find the physical side quite hard. Crossing my legs and sitting in the lotus position is to me the probably most uncomfortable position I can sit. Why is this the posture for meditation? My ankles are hurting, my hip is painful, my back is aching. I try to keep it up but quite often in the middle of my session I can't cope anymore and need to stretch out my legs. Of course this then is not really benefitial for my meditation. What do others more experienced meditators suggest? Should I be more patient and more persistent? Should I rather have a number of bad sessions in the hope to get more used to the position?

Thank you for your time.

Cheers

Peter

[olmate]

Hello PeterNZ - welcome to the forum.

There are fantastic resources available on this site including a free course in meditation which is excellent. I highly recommend it.

In regard to your posture the good news is that a Lotus position is not a prerequisite to meditation. Nor are orange robes, shaved heads, begging bowls, retreats to mountain tops, etc, etc.

The key issue is find a comfortable position that works for you. As you will note on this forum, some sit and some lie down. The only "rule" is do what works for you.

Your questions and contributions are always welcome in this special place. I look forward to seeing your progress.

Nothing but the best,

Olmate

[Edwin]

Originally Posted by PeterNZ

I find it hard. Not as much to achieve relaxation and mindfulness and keep my thoughts more or less under control but I find the physical side quite hard.

The advice about posture from Olmate is excellent.

However I noticed that you mentioned trying to "keep your thoughts more or less under control".
My advice would be to stop trying alltogether.
You are not responsible for your thoughts. They are formed in your subconscious, and pop up in your conscious world. You might also have noticed this in your meditation sessions, where thoughts pop up by themselves.

In the excellent meditation course of this site, Michael uses the analogy of thoughts being like clouds, they come up, they go by, and they disappear.
If you don't focus on the thoughts coming up, but rather experience them as something that don't directly have anything to do with you, they won't be followed by the next thought.
Even in a meditation session where you seem to be bombarded with thoughts, as long as you simply observe them without trying to interfere with them, your meditation session will have been a very good one.

Just like Olmate, I recommend you try the free course. You will love it !