 | Meditation Madness |
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Oh dear, this is harder than I thought, starting a thread asking for help instead of just wondering aimlessly. Right-o then... My main problem is my meditation, or lack of. I just can't manage to... concentrate properly. They recommend lying down or sitting down, but i either manage to fall asleep or get my limbs and bottom numb. As a writer, my imagination is well-developed (does that sound like I'm bragging?) and if I concentrate on the scene I want to write, I can see it unfold in front of me like a panorama, with clouds and birds and wind. But it's only for a second. I have to keep thinking of new things, concentrate on a corner or something to get the fine details in. The closest thing I've come to meditation is when I was trying to imagine my astral home. I was at work in the restaurant, standing up, trying to see what kind of place I'd feel comfortable enough to do magic in. I saw it, fuzzily, and to anchor it, I started to draw. I've never drawn so well in my life. I am a horrible artist, but I did the detail well enough (for me) that when I close my eyes, I see it as I want it. But the point of making one is to actually go to it during a meditative state, and I find myself dropping of to sleep so quickly, and I keep second-guessing myself. I suppose the problem could be called suspension of belief. If I meditated to find my spirit guide, for example, how would I know if it was the real McCoy? My imagination is just that vivid. This is just one of my many, many problems when it comes to paganism and witchcraft. I just hope that I can make a good start at last. |
| Re: Meditation Madness |
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Have you tried doing moving meditation? Something like a labyrinth might work better for you. |
 | Re: Meditation Madness |
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That's a brilliant idea, Jennifer! if there's no labyrinth around, there's always just walking or jogging or something where if you want to concentrate on something rather than sitting still and doing nothing there's the counting of footstpes until your mind goes blank or wanders to things you may need to contemplate. |
| Re: Meditation Madness |
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From what Kyan said in chat, I doubt there's a labyrinth, but there might be something similar... Hrm. I don't know enough about the Philippines. Should fix that. |
| Re: Meditation Madness |
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True - but they can be found sometimes in the oddest of places so you never know.  Also - rather than actually walking a labyrinth there are finger labyrinths that can be made from wood or clay (or even made in the sand) or a paper labyrinth where the image is drawn and you use your finger to trace around and around the pattern. There's one that can be printed out HERE and HERE is one with a bit of history on labyrinths and how to make one from polymer clay and HERE is another that gives step-by-step instructions on how to draw one. |
| Re: Meditation Madness |
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One of the suggestions I've been given for meditation and the whole "I fall asleep" syndrome is to attempt meditation at a time when you're less likely to fall asleep - like midday or a few hours after you've gotten a full night's rest. Also, make sure you're not going to have any outside interruptions such as a phone ringing. I tend to have that problem so I turn off my phone for a bit if I want to try it. Heck, I can't even seem to get 10 minutes of yoga in unless I turn off all ringers and things. |