framu

@Galyna I am looking for a good retreat. @Evilwave Heddy Yes, that could be interesting. I am open for many different types though, as long as it works. @Toby Is there an internet site for that retreat? @Henri Thanks. I have asked them to contact me. It sounds very interesting.

Is the feeling body a part of the ego?

I am living at a Theravada monetary this weekend. I got some guidance from the main monk here. For the past two months my meditation practice haven't gone very well. I had an very intense experience around Christmas while meditating. The same day and day after I felt exceptionally great. Three weeks afterwards I got a chronic pressure in my forehead. While I had this pressure I was unable to concentrate properly. So I cut down on my practice to 30 minutes a day and started focusing on the breath instead of the thoughts (which I earlier learned in one of Leo's videos). I talked to this monk and he told me the following problems: - The experience I earlier had, made me want to get it back which was a hinderance in my practice. - I had the headpressure because I focused in my head. He told me the solution was: - Widen the focus on my meditation object. - Find a different meditation practice which didn't focus in the head. - Not force the concentration to much. - Not to expect anything of my meditation. So to my question, does anyone have a meditation practice they would recommend? (Have tried samatha. It worked a bit, but I want to try different styles) Have anybody experienced what I have, and how long before the problem subsides?

I have been meditating for over a year now. I first started 20 mins with insight vipassana meditation. I then took a break for a month. I started meditating again but this time I went up to one hour of meditation each day. When I studied for my exams, my meditation practice and schoolwork was pretty intense. After about 1 and 1/2 week I mentally collapsed and couldn't do shit. When I tried to concentrate in meditation or school it was impossible. Two days afterwards I was okay and I lived life like normal. Before christmas I had a meditation session that was very intense. I started to feel a pressure in my head during the meditation. I didn’t think about it afterwards, but over the course of the next 2-3 weeks my concentration gradually became diminished. In the end the pressure returned and was there constant 24/7. The self-actualization potential I saw in meditation disaapeared. I went to the doctor and all the different tests seemed fine. Okay, so I did my research on the phenomenon and I saw that this was a common problem for some meditators. The symptoms was the same, but the answers from the people who replied on the different forums was pretty diversified. Someone talked about "a&p" and "dark night of the soul" - steps in ones spiritual journey. Some others said it could be blockages in the "energy" ("qi") system (the feeling of energy that runs throught your body). I tried many of the different solutions that was discussed. Some of them worked, like focusing down into the body instead of watching my thoughts. But in the end it always went back square one and the pressure returned. Reading so much about it from different sources makes it hard to find a solution, because I do not know from which angle I should start taking action. I am going to a buddhist monetary next weekend to see if a monks have some perspectives on it. I was just wondering if anyone had experienced the same. And if someone could tell me about some very practical books on this topic.

Yeah, I will check the different mindfulness practices out. To be honest, it is kind of frustrating. My mood swings so much up and down these days. I have talked to many different people and when I get answers that dosent seem to fix my "problem" it makes me lose hope. It probably is like you said, a stage that I am going through. I hope I get some answers from the buddhist monks I am going to meet.

Yeah, I understand. I want to become enlightened. But that is a path in my joruney that is still far ahead of me right now. What you are saying here is probably right, but it is not very practical information for me right now. I have some deep emotional issues that needs to be resolved and for that to go as fast and smoothly as possible I need the benefits from meditation I earlier experienced.

Yeah. I understand the whole thing about not judging your meditation. I dont care about the progression and insights from meditation. I care about the fruits that come along with it. Basically the momentum (which is good for personal development) and flowing through life. I read many people experiencing the same thing as me. I have been living very healthy and had a steady meditation practice for 1 hour a day for a period over a year. Suddenly I cant meditate for more than half an hour a day, I get a pressure in my head and living in a state of unease. I know that I am judging my practice, but I think there is something that can be done. I just want things to go back to normal.

Is Sam Harris enlightened?

Is Teal Swan enlightened?