Trouble with Meditation

[Thaylove]

Hello everyone!

Well the subject basically says it all. I have tried meditation countless or times, I forget the exact number, and for some reason I have never been successful. I am one who always has a million things running through my head and when I attempt meditation one always manages to pop into my head.

My worry is that if I try too hard, I'll just end up falling asleep, which obviously isn't meditating at all. I wanted to know if anyone has ever had a problem like this and what you did to help solve it?  :smt017

[Prof. Akers]

There are countless ways of stilling the mind but none will work without application.
Try a different way - try flooding your senses. Put a picture you like in front of you, float a candle in a bowl of water, find a mandala and let yourself look into them.
Put your ipod/stereo on and listen to calming music, ethnic stuff/gregorian chants/ambient sounds.
Have a low expectation of your starting point - be content with 30 secs or 1 minute - don't expect to dive in for 20/30 minutes.
Join a tai chi class, movement is fine - you don't have to sit still, my best/most enjoyable times are going inside whilst doing a karate kata/tai chi form.

[Horus]

Lifting heavy weights also works wonders for stilling the mind.

[ssrbt]

pls, can  anybody help me starting meditation? i m totally new to this practice

[Prof. Akers]

ssrbt there are loads of posts from me and others about starting meditation just type it in the search engine at the top and off you go, most of the posters will answer genuine questions if you send a pm.

[jigyasu]

just do one thing. that could be watching a cloud. a candle flame. the trick is to catch ur mind and pin point the moment when it gets distracted. bring it back.

[rustytree]

Try to watch your breath, but more than that EXPERIENCE it...FEEL it as you inhale, hold it, and feel all the sensations as you exhale.

Thoughts will come and go, but the mind will become quiet when you begin to experience and not describe feelings.

And when a thought comes in, say" Ah, another thought"...then take a breath, and say "I wonder what my NEXT thought will be?"

There will be silence in between, and the gap will widen with time.

best wishes
Rusty