Feeling Tired/exhausted After Meditation

[Xunzer]

Hi guys.

Just some questions here. Is it normal to feel tired or even exhausted after meditating?

I am relatively new to the practice (2 months) but why does it feel draining at times? 

And does this stop occuring once you have meditated for years/longer?

[Xunzer]

Perhaps it is not to do with meditation but my health/other circumstances?

[Svartsaft]

It means your doing it right ?

[Prabhaker]

1 hour ago, Xunzer said:

Is it normal to feel tired or even exhausted after meditating?

No, it is not possible to feel tired or even exhausted after meditating. All techniques and methods create space for meditation. Meditation is not a technique or method. Meditation is not a science, it is not an art, it is a knack - just that way. All that you need is a little patience. It is not a doing, it is a non-doing. you are simply rejoicing in rest. How can it be tiring?

 

[Dodo]

4 hours ago, Prabhaker said:

No, it is not possible to feel tired or even exhausted after meditating. All techniques and methods create space for meditation. Meditation is not a technique or method. Meditation is not a science, it is not an art, it is a knack - just that way. All that you need is a little patience. It is not a doing, it is a non-doing. you are simply rejoicing in rest. How can it be tiring?

 

Because you are not lying down and have to keep a good posture? 

[Prabhaker]

1 hour ago, Dodoster said:

Because you are not lying down and have to keep a good posture? 

The lotus posture was chosen for many reasons. If one can manage it without torturing himself, then it is the best, but it is not a necessity. It is better to follow the body and its wisdom: use a chair. The whole thing is you should be comfortable so that the body does not draw your attention. 

If you are accustomed to sitting on a chair, you can find a way, a posture, a chair made in a certain way that helps your body to relax all its tensions. It does not matter whether you are sitting in the chair or in the lotus posture or lying down on the bed. Sitting is preferable because it will prevent you from falling asleep.

[Xunzer]

Yeah i guess since im accustomed to sitting on a chair, switching to sitting cross-legged with a forced posture may be/is building tension hence feeling tired. 

Gonna stick with it though.. Discipline is important right?

Cheers.

Edited September 24, 2016 by Xunzer

[Capethaz]

@Xunzer what technique are you using?

[Xunzer]

@capethaz Just sitting cross legged with back straight (thats not me but u get the idea).

Edited September 24, 2016 by Xunzer

[Xunzer]

@Prabhaker I'm usually not feeling not much resistance or difficulty from 0-20minutes in a 30 minute cycle cross legged but would you suggest keeping comfortable rather than trying to sit positioned more ideally?

[Raquel]

@Xunzer

That happened with me as well. The best advices I got from it:

Sleep better or take a nap if you can during the day;

Don't eat before meditation but also don't meditate if you are too hungry; 

Meditate less time and gradually increase it as you get less tired;

Choose a time to meditate that you feel you are fresh and have more energy, for example for me works great around 9am and 5pm but thats according with my present life routine. 

Sometimes I take a cold shower before meditation, really helps me. 

[Prabhaker]

2 hours ago, Xunzer said:

would you suggest keeping comfortable rather than trying to sit positioned more ideally?

A posture should be such that you can forget your body. If a you cannot sit on the floor straight, comfortably, and you force yourself, and it becomes uncomfortable and painful, then it is better to sit straight on a chair and the whole body relaxed -- as if the whole body is hanging on the backbone.  But let the back of the chair be straight.