Meditation advice needed...

[Rich1]

Hi everyone,

I know meditation is extremely important in self development

I tend to over analyze everything. I meditate regularly, but i find it extremely difficult to go beyond 10 minutes...(been meditating a while)

General thoughts I have: ok watch thoughts, ok focus on breathing, ok clear mind, ok focus on feeling and just try to be aware of thoughts

but i seem to always stop, and give into the mind.

Should their be a goal in meditation? 

Im extremely analytical, and my thoughts are wild, I have a hard time being present, and when i have glimpses its pure bliss. I just want to increase the presence and focus in my life on daily task, but my mind influences me in crazy ways. 

 

Any insight and criticism is welcome...

[PsiloPutty]

We have to be careful about making meditation too goal-oriented, because it just won't work if you're reaching for something every time you sit down to meditate. Wanting relaxation, wanting peace, wanting to focus on your breath without any distractions, wanting to quiet our minds. Those things and more may very well happen when we sit to meditate, but they shouldn't be reached for.

I will say that I think it's hard to gain a whole lot from meditation by just doing 10 minutes a day. It's far better than not doing it at all, but if you can double that to 20 minutes, then I think you will start to see the potential of it more clearly, thus making it less of a chore and more like something that you look forward to. That won't happen right away of course, but give it a few weeks.

[Rich1]

@PsiloPutty

Just now, PsiloPutty said:

We have to be careful about making meditation too goal-oriented, because it just won't work if you're reaching for something every time you sit down to meditate. Wanting relaxation, wanting peace, wanting to focus on your breath without any distractions, wanting to quiet our minds. Those things and more may very well happen when we sit to meditate, but they shouldn't be reached for.

I will say that I think it's hard to gain a whole lot from meditation by just doing 10 minutes a day. It's far better than not doing it at all, but if you can double that to 20 minutes, then I think you will start to see the potential of it more clearly, thus making it less of a chore and more like something that you look forward to. That won't happen right away of course, but give it a few weeks.

Thank you for your detailed reply!

Do you have any recommendation for how to keep going when the mind and body, are so persuasive and make me stop?

[PsiloPutty]

It's hard, brother, and it takes time. Maybe just add 2 minutes per week and force yourself to sit until the timer dings, but you have to commit to doing this every day. Like anything, the things we do everyday become habits, but they don't work that way without consistency. When you get the habit established, 20 minutes won't seem like very long at all, and you can extend it out to 30 minutes, which is a very good daily meditation period. 

If you have headphones and haven't tried this already, maybe put on some binaural beats or soft meditation sounds like gurgling water, and listen to that while you're meditating. Nothing too noisy or lively, just soft sounds. 

If you always meditate in the evenings and it becomes tiresome, maybe try it when you first get up in the morning and see if that brain state changes how you feel about it.

[Haumea2018]

Play sports. 

[Girzo]

Take a Vipassana retreat. All your questions about how to meditate will be answered and you will learn a proper technique.

[Nahm]

@Rich1 Maybe in attempting to be aware of the throats, you are getting sucked in to analyzing them? If so, just stay focused (and return to) stomach breathing. Total detachment from thoughts, and realizing some focus. Down the road be aware of the thoughts as they pass. 

[here-now]

5 hours ago, Rich1 said:

but i seem to always stop, and give into the mind.

5 hours ago, Rich1 said:

Im extremely analytical, and my thoughts are wild

When you notice your thoughts are going wild, just let them go wild... but don't go wild with them. 

The Mind-Train metaphor in this video has been very helpful for me. It may be helpful for you too? (starting at 6m36s) :

 

( Sorry to keep posting this same video on different threads... but it's such a good one!  )