Help with Meditation

[MrSoloDolo]

I've been practicing meditation for about a year now. I use to be able to reach deep meditative states pretty easily. I used to feel a rising sensation while meditating and I would see flashing lights when I closed my eyes. Lately I've been having some problems.I simply cant reach any meditative state. I either fall asleep or end up just lying there without feeling much of anything; I meditate lying down.

The deep meditative states that I use to be able to reach coincided with a time when I was isolating myself from people. I wasn't socializing with anyone. I sort of was "falling away from reality" and getting lost in my own mind. It's hard to explain. At the time I was also having some mystical type experiences. But as I started to socialize with people and stopped getting lost in my mind, and fell back into reality, the meditative states that I reached kept getting weaker. Eventually I couldn't reach any meditative state.

I want to know if anyone has any tips on reaching deep meditative states, or tips on just meditating. I also would like to know if you have to isolate yourself and "fall away from reality" in order to reach deep meditative states.

[pollyanna]

Originally Posted by MrSoloDolo

I've been practicing meditation for about a year now. I use to be able to reach deep meditative states pretty easily. I used to feel a rising sensation while meditating and I would see flashing lights when I closed my eyes. Lately I've been having some problems.I simply cant reach any meditative state. I either fall asleep or end up just lying there without feeling much of anything; I meditate lying down.

The deep meditative states that I use to be able to reach coincided with a time when I was isolating myself from people. I wasn't socializing with anyone. I sort of was "falling away from reality" and getting lost in my own mind. It's hard to explain. At the time I was also having some mystical type experiences. But as I started to socialize with people and stopped getting lost in my mind, and fell back into reality, the meditative states that I reached kept getting weaker. Eventually I couldn't reach any meditative state.

I want to know if anyone has any tips on reaching deep meditative states, or tips on just meditating. I also would like to know if you have to isolate yourself and "fall away from reality" in order to reach deep meditative states.

Welcome to the community

You definately don't need to isolate yourself and "fall away from reality" Resting in the conscious states of meditation for a few minutes a day helps you to be more aware of your own and others perspectives and belief systems.

Here's a really informative thread. It is rather long but well worth reading:-

Principles of Meditation & Entrainment

Hope this helps and I wish you much peace and joy

[ConsciousnessJunkie]

Originally Posted by MrSoloDolo

I've been practicing meditation for about a year now. I use to be able to reach deep meditative states pretty easily. I used to feel a rising sensation while meditating and I would see flashing lights when I closed my eyes. Lately I've been having some problems.I simply cant reach any meditative state. I either fall asleep or end up just lying there without feeling much of anything; I meditate lying down.

The deep meditative states that I use to be able to reach coincided with a time when I was isolating myself from people. I wasn't socializing with anyone. I sort of was "falling away from reality" and getting lost in my own mind. It's hard to explain. At the time I was also having some mystical type experiences. But as I started to socialize with people and stopped getting lost in my mind, and fell back into reality, the meditative states that I reached kept getting weaker. Eventually I couldn't reach any meditative state.

I want to know if anyone has any tips on reaching deep meditative states, or tips on just meditating. I also would like to know if you have to isolate yourself and "fall away from reality" in order to reach deep meditative states.

It is important to distinguish between experiences, sensations and "states" from meditation itself.

Meditation in simplest terms is being fully present and observing everything that happens.

Whether it is "nothing" happening, thoughts, bliss, or the arising of what the mind might label a mystical experience, they are all arisings within consciousness.

Do not get attached to any particular state or phenomenon with doing meditation "correctly" -- that is a big attachment that can throw many people off. Simply being present with whatever is happening and allowing it to be there, whatever it is, is meditation -- and that can take you as deeply as you allow it to.

[MrSoloDolo]

Originally Posted by pollyanna

Welcome to the community

You definately don't need to isolate yourself and "fall away from reality" Resting in the conscious states of meditation for a few minutes a day helps you to be more aware of your own and others perspectives and belief systems.

Here's a really informative thread. It is rather long but well worth reading:-

Principles of Meditation & Entrainment

Hope this helps and I wish you much peace and joy

Thanks for the help and the link, but do you know of any concrete tips on how to reach meditative states? Like how do you know if you're meditating properly? I focus on the breath when meditating and I'm having some trouble with that technique.

[pollyanna]

Quite a number of people struggle with focusing on their breathing. Perhaps you could try the "Discover Meditation" course from the top left of the community. It's free and very easy.

The gratitude exercise recommended on C.D.2 of this course is invaluable in itself.

Hope this helps and wish you much peace and joy

[MeditationLifeSkills]

When you invest in the stock market or work out at a gym, you expect results — and you keep checking the quotes or the scale to tell you how well you’re doing. If you bring the same attitude to meditation, however, you’re defeating the purpose — which is to let go of your thoughts altogether and just be present in the here and now. One of the great paradoxes of meditation is that you can’t reap the benefits until you drop all your expectations and accept things the way they are. Then the benefits come back to you a thousandfold.

In the beginning, of course, you’re going to keep wondering whether you’re doing it right. But don’t worry, there’s no wrong way to meditate — except perhaps sitting and trying to measure how well you’re doing! One day you may feel like you’re on top of the world — you’re full of energy, your mind is clear, and you can follow your breath with relative ease. “Wow, now I’m getting the hang of it,” you think. The next day you’re so overwhelmed by thoughts or emotions that you sit for 20 minutes without even noticing your breath. Welcome to the practice of meditation!

The point is not to do it right, but just to do it — again and again.

You can compare meditation to walking in the fog on a warm summer day: Though you may not pay attention to what’s happening, pretty soon you’re drenched in dew.

Don

[MrSoloDolo]

Originally Posted by MeditationLifeSkills

When you invest in the stock market or work out at a gym, you expect results — and you keep checking the quotes or the scale to tell you how well you’re doing. If you bring the same attitude to meditation, however, you’re defeating the purpose — which is to let go of your thoughts altogether and just be present in the here and now. One of the great paradoxes of meditation is that you can’t reap the benefits until you drop all your expectations and accept things the way they are. Then the benefits come back to you a thousandfold.

In the beginning, of course, you’re going to keep wondering whether you’re doing it right. But don’t worry, there’s no wrong way to meditate — except perhaps sitting and trying to measure how well you’re doing! One day you may feel like you’re on top of the world — you’re full of energy, your mind is clear, and you can follow your breath with relative ease. “Wow, now I’m getting the hang of it,” you think. The next day you’re so overwhelmed by thoughts or emotions that you sit for 20 minutes without even noticing your breath. Welcome to the practice of meditation!

The point is not to do it right, but just to do it — again and again.

You can compare meditation to walking in the fog on a warm summer day: Though you may not pay attention to what’s happening, pretty soon you’re drenched in dew.

Don

But how do you let go of your thoughts and remain present? I also don't see how I can let go of my expectations.

[Mr Monkey]

I'm no authority on meditation but from what I've picked up over the last couple of years:

Originally Posted by MrSoloDolo

But how do you let go of your thoughts and remain present?

When people say "Let go of your thoughts" its a slight swerve ball. Its simply a case of observing your thought(s) and not reacting to them, ie not getting absorbed in a train of thought from an initial thought. Think about it, YOU are what your thoughts appear in, so whenever you are not absorbed/focused in a thought your are present. Your mind can be racing, throwing all sorts up, but if your truly present you'll be calmly observing it rather than being absorbed in it.

Originally Posted by MrSoloDolo

I also don't see how I can let go of my expectations.

Don't "let go" of them, observe them without judgement - the irony being when you observe your expectations without judgement your letting go of them, but don't create an expectation around this

I personally still find it difficult to stay present for long, but I guess that's a monkey mind for you

[Michael David]

Author Will Johnson suggests sitting as tall as you can and being as relaxed as you can at the same time. Also, to focus attention on the sensations that arise rather than the thoughts. Start by noticing sensaton and when you realize that your mind has drifted to a thought start over with more sensation. Like picking up a pencil and puting it down somewhere else. When you realize or notice that your mind has started to think thoughts, rather than to be aware of sensation, just pick up the next sensation and focus on that. It is not necessary to do anthing with the thoughts or try to change them. Just pick up a sensation for as long as it lasts and repeat the process etc.

Imagine each time you return to sensation it is like climbing the stairs of a light house. Gradually one stair at a time you move upward; and when you reach the top and can rest and look out, you find that the thoughts may still be there but you are no longer attached or bothered by them. You feel that open free feeling that goes along with a view from the top of the light house.

Michael

[GilesC]

Originally Posted by Mr Monkey

I'm no authority on meditation but from what I've picked up over the last couple of years:


When people say "Let go of your thoughts" its a slight swerve ball.

Agreed, it would perhaps be better worded "Let go of the attachments to thoughts" but then we'd have to explain what is meant by attachments. hehe! can't win either way.