13
votes
Unpleasant side effects of meditation
My local Buddhist temple's resident teacher Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo has this beautiful metaphor of the "poop soup", highly relevant to yours (and the rest of ours) situation.
In this metaphor ...
- 58.3k
11
votes
Accepted
My short story with anxiety problems - could meditation be the cause?
Pleased to meet you Robert.
It is very difficult to answer your question precisely however it is certainly likely/probable that practicing the meditation & the accompanying mental solitude is ...
- 40.5k
7
votes
Accepted
Can Buddhism help me find my passion?
The "passion" you talk about sounds like a craving for something which you haven't defined. Your question seems to be asking, "I crave something (I crave something to feel passionate about), but I don'...
- 46.3k
6
votes
Why does my mind feel slow to think nearly half day after my meditation?
Re: mind feeling "very slow", "very slow to think of anything" -- when someone tells you something, can you reply immediately without thinking? That's a sign of good meditation.
If your "very slow to ...
- 58.3k
6
votes
Accepted
What are the broad categories of the different types of meditation?
THE BROADER CATEGORIES ARE MENTIONED WITHIN SOME OF THE TYPES OF MEDITATIONS LISTED BELOW, and ALSO IS LISTED HERE:
Reflective meditation
There are a series of meditations that can put you in the ...
- 9,695
6
votes
Unpleasant side effects of meditation
A couple of days is not enough time for your 10 minute meditation to have resulted in any change in your mood, feelings, or anything else. Were those panic attacks accompanied by difficulty breathing? ...
- 2,451
5
votes
How to cultivate sexual energy with Meditation?
Mr/ Mrs Jyo Soudagar - Ajay should not cultivate it, if he/she meditates, but should abandon it, when ever such comes along. Listen to or read, Mr/Mrs Jyo Soudagar - Ajay, what was said in the ...
- 436
5
votes
Why does my mind feel slow to think nearly half day after my meditation?
If "slow to think of anything" means less distracted thoughts then that's good. But if that means your overall awareness/mindfulness decreases instead of increases then you might want to check your ...
- 9,707
5
votes
Accepted
Why is my head going all Poltergeist on me
The experience you describe is not a common experience but meditators do get very uncommon experiences due to sudden outburst of past Karma / Snakhara. When you have stopped creating new Karma though ...
5
votes
Accepted
What happens to my body when I breathe out?
There are a few mental cultivation techniques which involve breathing. E.g. there is Paranayama which pre-dates Buddhism. Here you do try to regulate the breath.
In Anapana there is no regulation of ...
5
votes
Reasons against practicing insight meditation as a main (sitting) practice for medical or other recondite-subject majoring students?
I did my first longer vipassana retreat while I was a postdoc researcher (applied math and numerics), and did many more since then. I found it beneficial to have days/weeks dedicated for intense ...
- 951
4
votes
My thinking mind as subject of my meditation stops my thinking
Mindfulness of mind is one of the four Satipathanna, that is, foundations of mindfulness. This is the basis of meditation that the Buddha taught. Generally speaking, as far as I know, meditation based ...
- 814
4
votes
Is there awareness of impermanence during the formless meditations
If you choose to see things as they are or investigate the Dhamma. Since in the 8th Jhana there is a residue of Perception and Feeling hence you should direct your observation to understand the ...
4
votes
Is it possible to use meditation to gain Self control?
Self control of gained through mastery over the mind, i.e., developing Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration in the Noble Eightfold Path.
The lack of mastery over the mind would ...
4
votes
Is it possible to use meditation to gain Self control?
No. Don't expect anything from meditation. The moment you start expecting some results like self control or universe control, you're lost. You will keep thinking of result that you desire (that is ...
- 2,234
4
votes
Are there meditation practices that improve logical problem solving skills?
I am not aware of any meditation practices that improve logical problem solving skills. However (although I am not an academic), I have found, in my experience, the more clear & calm the mind is, ...
- 40.5k
4
votes
Are there meditation practices that improve logical problem solving skills?
I've heard that when you sleep on a problem, you're mind thinks of a solution during the rest. That's kind of how meditation works, a sort of self-induced slumber (though its important not to fall ...
- 1,333
4
votes
Awake mind after meditation
But when I try to concentrate more during meditation, my mind becomes charged...
If what you are describing here is concentrate with more effort (rather than meditating for a longer duration) then ...
- 40.5k
4
votes
Accepted
Retaining courage during mediation
The fear is instinctual (due to the ego fading/dissolving/melting somewhat). This instinctual fear can only be endured with composure & with the full acknowledgment it will pass. After the mind ...
- 40.5k
4
votes
Accepted
Why is focusing on the breath more difficult than focusing on Mantras, and how important is it before vipassana?
When reciting a mantra you have vitakka and vicāra which helps you get close to the 1st Jhana. But this is also accumulation of Fabrications (more particularly Verbal Fabrications) which should be ...
4
votes
Is there a 'dead zone' in meditation effort?
Yes, it has been pointed out in texts:
During the K'ai Yuan era (713-741) an ascetic Mazu was dwelling in the Ch'uan Fa Temple. All day he sat meditating. Zen Master Huairang knew that he was a ...
- 58.3k
4
votes
Accepted
Inauthentic Compassion and Friendship
One should associate with true friends and disassociate with false friends.
One should associate with those are:
(1) He is pleasant [loving]. piyo ca hoti
(2) He is agreeable. manāpo ca
(...
4
votes
Unpleasant side effects of meditation
Kimattha Sutta explains the purpose of skillful virtues or sila, and shows its effects on the mind and on meditation.
When you have problems with meditation, it's a sign that you should take a step ...
- 37.4k
3
votes
Is attachment to the word "Meditation" a problem?
Here is the thing about attachment...
New Buddhists learn how bad attachment is and they immediately thing\k all attachments are bad. Any ironically no one care to ask "Are all the attachments bad?". ...
- 3,953
3
votes
What is the goal of Meditation- is it increasing the gap?
Source: Anapanasati
If you see step 4 above it says "Tranquilise the bodily activities". In this stage you do calm the breath, i.e., increase the gap, but you do not manipulate the breath directly.
...
3
votes
Is there awareness of impermanence during the formless meditations
In summary, to perceive the following:
Taste: Tongue
Sound: Ears
Sight: Eyes
Object: Touch
(cant remember the 5th sense.. need some sleep.. will add later )
That which is formless & beyond all ...
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