When to meditate and when not.

[z00se]

Whenever I try to meditate I have trouble. I have looked at a ton of advice and find that some times I simply can not do anything but sit there and fidget. Are there certain conditions that you feel hinder meditation?

 

Do the 6 healing sounds. Then you can move while getting meditative results

[Gerard]

Thanks Gerard.

Walking meditation is often overlooked as a practice in favour of sitting. This is unfortunate, as many have attained realization, solely through walking meditation.

 

Like this:

 

 

Hard on the body-mind, hard on karma, hard on anything, but purifies EVERYTHING.

 

[Cameron]

I would say hiking also.

 

Probably the hardest thing I did in my life was a 15 hour non stop intense hike of Seorak Mountain in Korea on my birthday. We started at 3 am and finished the next day at 6 pm. A huge Buddha statue sitting in lotus is waiting for you at the bottom.

 

Then you go drinking lol

[Cameron]

Hua Shan is no slouch either.

 

Try losing your awareness climbing up hundreds of feet on a sharp angle holding on to a chain for support. Not possible unless you are interested in death or serious injury.

[Zalfel]

Firstly, this is normal.

 

This is why it is necessary to start with body control when you are first starting meditation. Body control is a practice where you simply sit, and watch your body, keeping it completely still. Start with only a minute if you can only do as much, and work up to at least a half hour. Your body will revolt. It will start to itch, twitch, burn, become uncomfortable, etc. Do not move even a little bit, do not scratch any itches, do not move until you have completed the meditation. If you practice this every day, you will find soon enough that one day, all these discomforts simply vanished, and your body is no longer a hindrance.

 

You can also practice thought observation, or the kind of meditation you are most comfortable with while practicing body observation. It will only help it. During body observation, remember to keep your attention on your body, and that is it. Let the sensations come and go. Stay aware of what your mind is doing too.

 

This practice is necessary, and invaluable to your progress. The body is the first to be conquered, so that you can give all of your energy and attention to subtler things- your mind. Once you get past your body, a peace and general feeling of lightness and bliss comes which will further fuel your meditations and give more motivation. This is the start of pratyahara, or the withdrawal of the senses. This is known as epistrophe in the Grecian mysteries. When you get past your body, and start to withdrawal, you may feel your body get very large, very small, feel your spinning, or floating, or very light, very heavy etc. This is your identity getting detached from your physical body, and attached to your astral body. These sensations are good sign posts.

 

So start with body observation. And do thought observation as a separate practice after thought observation. You will make good progress if you do this consistently.

 

Thank you. That is very good advise. I will try it out right away.