Best meditation technique if you have low consciousness desires?

[Illusory Self]

I have been doing concentration practices for 20 days now, 1 hour sessions. I notice my mind will constantly go off to thought forms such as 'going to pick up girls' or other low consciousness materialism that my ego craves. It will be spinning in all of these thought forms for a while before I realize & bring it back to the breath.

I used to be able to focus on my breath for longer but lately I have find these cravings of low consciousness activities really exciting to think about. I always set my intent to bring my attention back to the breath though, but it honestly does not last long at all. Is it even worth doing meditation while I have these cravings in my system or am I just wasting my time? or maybe it just may just take a lot of time... 

Maybe a different technique could be better? 

[mandyjw]

Write down what you want. No judgement. Journal out thoughts and feelings. Don't write a story of your life or your day, just spontaneously write. You can do stream of consciousness writing if you have a hard time writing freely. Use meditation to drop thoughts, connect with your breath, let go of tension and connect with your body. Don't force concentration. 

You do not fight every man you encounter in a crowd, you just weave through them finding the path of least resistance. Don't fight your thoughts. Don't label them low consciousness. 

[Raptorsin7]

@Illusory Self If they are authentic desires then go for it. 

Theres nothing wrong with going after what you genuinely want 

[gettoefl]

meditation is a different way of existing, it isn't a technique ... it is awareness rather than thought ... do nothing is the means to observe the observer ... every minute adds up in the long run ... you can't do too little, you can't do too much ... what happens is self slowly dissolves and you become nothing ... it ain't bad though it is god

[WelcometoReality]

4 hours ago, Illusory Self said:

I have been doing concentration practices for 20 days now, 1 hour sessions. I notice my mind will constantly go off to thought forms such as 'going to pick up girls' or other low consciousness materialism that my ego craves. It will be spinning in all of these thought forms for a while before I realize & bring it back to the breath.

I used to be able to focus on my breath for longer but lately I have find these cravings of low consciousness activities really exciting to think about. I always set my intent to bring my attention back to the breath though, but it honestly does not last long at all. Is it even worth doing meditation while I have these cravings in my system or am I just wasting my time? or maybe it just may just take a lot of time... 

Maybe a different technique could be better? 

You could try sitting with the feeling of desire in the body and feeling it fully. It will bring equanimity to it.

[Federico del pueblo]

5 hours ago, Illusory Self said:

I have been doing concentration practices for 20 days now, 1 hour sessions. I notice my mind will constantly go off to thought forms such as 'going to pick up girls' or other low consciousness materialism that my ego craves. It will be spinning in all of these thought forms for a while before I realize & bring it back to the breath.

I used to be able to focus on my breath for longer but lately I have find these cravings of low consciousness activities really exciting to think about. I always set my intent to bring my attention back to the breath though, but it honestly does not last long at all. Is it even worth doing meditation while I have these cravings in my system or am I just wasting my time? or maybe it just may just take a lot of time... 

Maybe a different technique could be better? 

You don't need to label these things as "low consciousness desires", they are completely normal desires and there's nothing wrong about them.

As I know from your other posts you are taking action in certain areas of life in which you probably were still inactive some time ago.

This leads to new experiences and a lot for the brain to process, it is exciting and stimulating and this is completely normal.

I don't think you need another technique, just be accepting of this thought activity, it would probably be like this independently of the type of meditation you do.

As time passes your activities in life probably won't stimulate as much thought activity in you anymore and you'll be able to focus better.

It is still worth to meditate, probably especially now. If you live in a monastery and can meditate all day long of course you'll have less mind activity, but the art is to develop a calm mind and focus in spite of having certain things going on in your life that are thought stimulating.

[peanutspathtotruth]

5 hours ago, Illusory Self said:

I have been doing concentration practices for 20 days now, 1 hour sessions. I notice my mind will constantly go off to thought forms such as 'going to pick up girls' or other low consciousness materialism that my ego craves. It will be spinning in all of these thought forms for a while before I realize & bring it back to the breath.

I used to be able to focus on my breath for longer but lately I have find these cravings of low consciousness activities really exciting to think about. I always set my intent to bring my attention back to the breath though, but it honestly does not last long at all. Is it even worth doing meditation while I have these cravings in my system or am I just wasting my time? or maybe it just may just take a lot of time... 

Maybe a different technique could be better? 

Try these:

 

[ardacigin]

7 hours ago, Illusory Self said:

I have been doing concentration practices for 20 days now, 1 hour sessions. I notice my mind will constantly go off to thought forms such as 'going to pick up girls' or other low consciousness materialism that my ego craves. It will be spinning in all of these thought forms for a while before I realize & bring it back to the breath.

I used to be able to focus on my breath for longer but lately I have find these cravings of low consciousness activities really exciting to think about. I always set my intent to bring my attention back to the breath though, but it honestly does not last long at all. Is it even worth doing meditation while I have these cravings in my system or am I just wasting my time? or maybe it just may just take a lot of time... 

Maybe a different technique could be better? 

Try Leigh Brasington's jhana instructions in his book - the right concentration.

In simple terms, just try generating pleasurable sensations in the mind and body and sustain attention on it until it amplifies. When lost, try again. 

I use smiling to reinforce this process but eventually, you won't have to move a single muscle and joy and pleasure will pervade your mind and body. Not initially, but after some proficiency and unification of mind is attained.

Start  today :))

 

[Sugarcoat]

@Illusory Self What you wrote reminds me a lot of my mindset a while back. For years I resisted and tried to get rid of desire. Never worked, at least for me.

What do you think the meditation will do to you? Do you think the desires will go away if you meditate long enough? 

What if you could do meditation, and also simultaneously pursue those "egoic desires"? If you desire to pick up girls, and it lingers in your mind, why not go and do that, pursue it, fully embrace the desire as you do it. What else is there to do with ones time? Is the desire just gonna go away on its own? 

Instead of trying to find the perfect meditation technique to get rid of the desire, perhaps isn´t the most direct approach to pursue and fully embrace the desire?

The distinction between "high consciousness" and "low consciousness" desires is questionable too. What is it based on? What if there aren´t specific things that are inherently high or low conscious. What is the most highest conscious thing for one person to do might be totally different from someone else. 

You don´t want those desires, so another desire is added - the desire to get rid of those desires. And resistance to those desires. Who has said desires are wrong and cause suffering? If so, how could the desire to get rid of them be the solution?

this resonates with me, just sharing in case it will resonate with you