Meditating for multiple hours at a time

[Aaron p]

On the topic of retreats and meditating for multiple hours at a time, it beckons one to become creative with prolonging their ability to literally sit and not move for as long as possible. If you've ever tried this it'll immediately become clear to you that the legs start to become extremely painful in this feat. I'm now beginning to explore the area of walking meditation and splitting up my "long-sits" with 15 mins walking meditation every 45 mins. This has been the only thing so far to enable me to continue without severe pain. I'm looking to find any suggestions about how to avoid/slow down/remove this phenomena. Perhaps any technical tips regarding posture, sitting style, pillow type etc. ?

Since this could be the difference between being able to do SDS's that last 2 hours and SDS's that last 7 hours...I see it as a valuable resource.

How long have your longest SDS's been? Do you use intervalad walking meditation (zazen) during retreats? How long can you yourself endure the pain? 

Edited April 6, 2020 by Aaron p

[Joker_Theory]

@Aaron p  Got the same problems. Legs go numb, shoulders, neck and back are killing me and i have tried sitting against wall and still get all the aches. To me there is a energy feel and focus that comes from sitting cross leg on the floor that i don't get from sitting on a chair so i just move very slowly if i have to and tried to be mindful of the movement.

Wow,  walking meditation that is very creative, nice thinking

[Aaron p]

@Joker_Theory There's a kind of "bean-cushion" with this stretchy material super super stretchy and soft. I'm gona get some of this shit. Maybe some soft mat for under the feet aswell

[electroBeam]

Yeah if you inquire 'whose feeling the pain?' and this sit is what You (not you) want to do, the suffering from the pain tends to dissolve, and the pain is what remains, along with bliss because you are doing what You want to do.

In my experience, inquire why you want to sit for this long, and that will likely give you a good answer as to how to move forward. If sitting is really worth it for You, You Will get through the 2 hours. Otherwise, walking or taking breaks or even meditating while doing the dishes might be just as effective, and your idea that you must sit for 2 hours to get results is spiritual/new age social conditioning. 

[Aaron p]

@electroBeam sds's are one of the most powerful tools bro. I think they're a really good connection technique since you can practice them with basically all other techniques. Combining two techniques into one...twice the power

Edited April 7, 2020 by Aaron p

[electroBeam]

5 minutes ago, Aaron p said:

@electroBeam but homes, the practices are the only thing that bring the results...

If you're pushing yourself to get results but getting resistance then, just for a few days, try the counter intuitive move and surrender your need to get results. Surrender your desires and wants from spirituality totally, just for a few days. Also surrender your egoic desires like having sex and watching TV, etc. Just literally go with the flow of consciousness. See where that leads you. 

EDIT: you think you've got big spiritual balls by meditating 2 hours in a row?  Nope. You've only got the big balls when you can let that need go  and the faith to KNOW the meditation process will happen without you needing it to happen. Who knows, maybe this will free you up to do what will actually get results, rather than what you think will get results. 

Edited April 7, 2020 by electroBeam

[March]

3 hours ago, electroBeam said:

Yeah if you inquire 'whose feeling the pain?' and this sit is what You (not you) want to do, the suffering from the pain tends to dissolve, and the pain is what remains, along with bliss because you are doing what You want to do.

In my experience, inquire why you want to sit for this long, and that will likely give you a good answer as to how to move forward. If sitting is really worth it for You, You Will get through the 2 hours. Otherwise, walking or taking breaks or even meditating while doing the dishes might be just as effective, and your idea that you must sit for 2 hours to get results is spiritual/new age social conditioning. 

I also have this problem with pain in long sits, but it's more that after sits longer than 30 minutes, I get lasting pain in joints that I feel are causing permanent damage, and it is more the thought of doing some stupid shit and breaking some joint (and having to do lots of physical therapy and rehab or surgery) that stops me.

[Red-White-Light]

@Aaron p That feel when your leg goes numb when meditating.

[Aaron p]

Maha mudra helps get the blood back down to the legs

[WhatAWondefulWorld]

I lay down and meditate

[James123]

On 4/6/2020 at 3:04 PM, Aaron p said:

How long have your longest SDS's been? Do you use intervalad walking meditation (zazen) during retreats? How long can you yourself endure the pain? 

I hit 3 hours straight (just drink 2 times water). My legs hurt when i get up. Pain is just a thought. Accept it and go with it.  And i have been doing mma for 13 years. Because of that I have to stretch all the time, thats a most common tools to use for the pain and long sittings. Additionally, you must aware that You are not in the body lol. During the retreat, entire retreat must be meditation. Not only sitting . For me, it should be dark and silence , and every second of the retreat, you must stay aware or analyze the thoughts without attaching to them. 

[RedLine]

SDS is not actually SDS, since you start 90 degrees and unconsciously slowly your head back down, so you need to readjust your position every 45 minutes or so, unless you want to end up with back and neck pain. This is my experience with SDS.

Edited May 20, 2020 by RedLine

[Javfly33]

I just change between sitting in half lotus and sitting just on a chair.

I think the only solution is really to develop flexibility enough so you can do full lotus with your spine straight. If you have enough flexibility the legs and spine will be relaxed so there will be no problem.

[Aaron p]

@Javfly33 when meditating for like 11 hours a day, do you not find that you need to do back stretches? I've found that the legs are not the main problem. My legs get painful after about an hour and a half of meditation without movement, in my regular sits I do kriya yoga (still the mind) then an extra round of Maha mudra before half an hour of self enquiry to reset the legs pain clock. 

I'm going to get good at smoking 5meo (going to have to smoke 35-40 mg for breakthrough) and get good at meditating consistently during a retreat. 5meo is just so fucken expensive, and I can't plug it so I need to take a shitton of it to get the same results as someone who can plug. I'm gonna try to plug dpt, and gonna try to get some cheap darknet vendors from abroad. Germany and neatherlands will be much cheaper.

[Javfly33]

38 minutes ago, Aaron p said:

@Javfly33 when meditating for like 11 hours a day, do you not find that you need to do back stretches? I've found that the legs are not the main problem. My legs get painful after about an hour and a half of meditation without movement, in my regular sits I do kriya yoga (still the mind) then an extra round of Maha mudra before half an hour of self enquiry to reset the legs pain clock. 

I'm going to get good at smoking 5meo (going to have to smoke 35-40 mg for breakthrough) and get good at meditating consistently during a retreat. 5meo is just so fucken expensive, and I can't plug it so I need to take a shitton of it to get the same results as someone who can plug. I'm gonna try to plug dpt, and gonna try to get some cheap darknet vendors from abroad. Germany and neatherlands will be much cheaper.

@Aaron p

You should try to alternate between meditation or Kriya Yoga with some Kundalini Yoga. In Kundalini Yoga there are plenty of kriyas which move the body enough, and trust me I have tried this kriyas myself and they can be as powerful as Pranayamas. At this point meditation for me is far from being as powerful as some kriyas of Kundalini Yoga. (Pranayamas too, but for that you have Kriya Yoga I guess). 

But of course you can't be doing yoga for 6 hours because it's inviable for the body so meditation is still important 

Edited May 25, 2020 by Javfly33

[Aaron p]

Is Kundalini yoga really good? What practices in particular are the most powerful?@Javfly33

[Javfly33]

8 hours ago, Aaron p said:

Is Kundalini yoga really good? What practices in particular are the most powerful?@Javfly33

It is good. No doubt. I had reached level of consicousness for some seconds during some kriyas that I thought they were possible only on psychedelics. 

Ime, Here are the most powerful Kriyas I´ve discovered:

http://www.pinklotus.org/- KY Kriya Pituitary Gland Series.htm

http://www.pinklotus.org/- KY Kriya Foundation for Infinity.htm

http://www.pinklotus.org/- KY Kriya for Elevation.htm

http://www.pinklotus.org/- KY Kriya for flexibility and the spine fp.htm

http://www.pinklotus.org/- KY Kriya Nabhi Kriya for Prana-Apana.htm

http://www.pinklotus.org/- KY Kriya Electromagnetic Field and Heart Center fp.htm

This last three are shorter, and I reccomend it do them as a warm up for meditation:

http://www.pinklotus.org/- KY Kriya nabhi kriya english.htm

http://www.pinklotus.org/- KY Kriya for strengthening the aura.htm

http://www.pinklotus.org/- KY Kriya for waking up.htm

DO This one always after you finish meditation: 

http://www.pinklotus.org/- KY Kriya for disease resistance and heart helper.htm

 

You can explore pretty much all of Kundalini Series here: http://www.pinklotus.org/- Kundalini Yoga kriyas english.htm But those ones above ime are has proven the most effective after trying all sorts after 1 month and a half of 3 hours daily of Kundalini. It is a hell of difference when you start vs when you really master the exercises. So you might want to practice first and master some really well before incorporating them in your retreat. If not you are just going to get more tired and frustrated. Master some until you can do them effortlessly. 

Edited May 26, 2020 by Javfly33

[John Doe]

9 hours ago, Aaron p said:

Is Kundalini yoga really good? What practices in particular are the most powerful?

I'm not sure if learning Kundalini invocation without the guidance of a master is a good idea. I've read that it can be dangerous. You can try Kriya Yoga instead - very powerful and can be done by anybody.

I personally follow Ryan Kurczak's playlist:

 

[Aaron p]

@Javfly33 @John Doe thank you 

[Aaron p]

@Javfly33 @John Doe thank you