Starting to Meditate As Someone that has ADHD

[Bridge to Infinity]

Introduction:

I've had the intention of meditating for 2 years now, and I would try it for a couple of days then stop and then go back again then stop, Its been this process of start and stop for the past 2 years but recently I was inspired by Actualized.org user @Raphael's meditation journal to do this.

I have ADHD and fuck that! I saw a bunch of studies on how mindfulness meditation transformed the livelihoods of ADHD children for the better.

Method:

I will be Focusing on the breath and when ever I get distracted by a thought, emotion, memory, sensation, craving, pain, itch make a note of it and identify what it is.

 

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Day 1

Time: 16 Mins

Summary:

I found that after 5 minutes of meditation you can get into the zone and be fully alert, still of course getting distracted.

10 minutes in I started to lose sense of where I was in the room, I lost all sense of the 3D space around me and I couldn't tell where my body was and wasn't. When ever my thoughts tried to look for my body my mind would identify it to be everywhere LEFT, RIGHT, UP, DOWN, INFRONT OF ME BUT NOT BEHIND ME. So then I opened my eyes just out of fear and curiosity to what was going on (I made a note of that) and I regained the sense of where I was but not immediately (after 30-40 seconds). It just felt quite weird, not enlightened or anything lol.. but this might be the beginning of that path. 

[Austin Actualizing]

I just started recently meditating 11 days ago for ADHD. Curious to see how this affects us over time @Bridge to Infinity

[Bridge to Infinity]

@Austin Actualizing yeah looking forward to the benefits!! I recommend you start a journal on this thread just like I did. 

[Zigzag Idiot]

I'm a self diagnosed Borderline Aspergers and have also tended towards hyperactivity. Cynthia Bourgeault gives a short description of Centering Prayer and how with a minimum of 2 twenty minute practices a day we can start affecting our neaural networks. This Im pretty sure allows the parasympathetic side of our nerves system to let up which results in things like having no startle response and experience some degree of peace. Not being reactive,,, seems there is a long gradient in this work for the vast majority who take it on.

Ive shared it this death and I still do because she expresses it all so effectively in 25 minuets for those who are interested.

 

 

 

[Raphael]

@Bridge to Infinity

Hey, it's nice to see that you started your journal. Keep it up and stay consistent, you can change a lot with meditation!

I also think that I have some sort of ADHD as I get easily distracted in my work. When I'm meditating my mind goes in a thousand different directions. Concentrating on the breath is probably better for that, I'm personally not focusing on a specific technique but most of the time just let go of everything.

I'm glad that I can inspire some people.

Edited November 9, 2019 by Raphael

[Bridge to Infinity]

@Raphael How has meditation changed your daily experience of life?

[Raphael]

9 hours ago, Bridge to Infinity said:

@Raphael How has meditation changed your daily experience of life?

I was depressed and anxious most of my life. I felt some relief when I did my first sessions 3 years ago (I was maybe 18 or 19), but this was temporary and the following two years were also quite depressing.

My first year of meditation killed some parts of my ego and my selfish dreams with it. I remember one specific day when I was looking at myself in the mirror and not feeling that the guy in the mirror was me. I lose a lot of identification that was causing me suffering.

I'm currently much more conscious of my ego, my manipulations, and selfishness so it's easier to correct them now. I'm also more able to understand why people behave the way they behave and if they are conscious or not.

I grow enormously by doing meditation and spending time in isolation and I'm only starting to see the results. Even last year at the same time I was very depressed and having panic attacks. If you look at the firsts post I did on this forum and compare them to the current ones you will see a huge evolution in only three years.

I currently feel happier than I ever been in my life

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Day 2

Time: 15 mins

Summary:

I was feeling very fatigued and was having an ego backlash so my meditation was me constantly getting lost in thought and the blur that was my mind would not still for the first 10 or so mins of the meditation.

But after 10 or so mins I started to achieve a sense of clarity and focus, despite me getting lost in thought still at times. Unfortunately I was disrupted by my neighbours fucking it out so I stopped at 15 mins!

[Bridge to Infinity]

@Raphael wow! that motivates me to go on persisting on this path of meditation!

[Bridge to Infinity]

Day 4

My meditations are not clear, I have a lot of brainfog during them a lot of add, can't focus, very bad quality meditation. it is definitely helping though