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Jeanine
USA
14 Posts |
 Posted - May 01 2013 : 12:37:16 AM
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Hi,
I've been doing deep meditation for about a month now. My initial experience with it was, well, to me it was like a miracle. My sleeping improved, stress level decreased, just about every area of my life felt positive effects.
For the past few days, I've developed discomfort with my breathing both during meditation and afterwards. I've read how the breath naturally slows, which mine does. At first, it felt like part of a deep relaxation, but the past few days, it's become so intense that I feel like I'm not getting enough air. The feeling is constant so I must continually return to favoring the mantra, which sometimes brings a fraction of a moment of relief but not always. After the meditation, I feel the constant urge to yawn, but often am unable too. For a few hours after meditating, I feel lightheaded as well.
I wonder if I'm forcing too much too soon. I know that my concentration has increased and often I will return to the mantra rapidly at the very start of a thought, and do this repeatedly one after another. I remind myself to do this gently, but the concentration still feels quite intense.
Anyone have any suggestions? |
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Victor
USA
910 Posts |
Posted - May 01 2013 : 03:09:04 AM
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| Three things come to my mind. One is are you sitting comfortably in a position that does not constrict your body in any way? Second is if in your enthusiasm you might be exceeding your comfort zone as far as timing of your sit, and the third thought is that if the other two are not an issue then it is just a phase, a layer as it were, and it will pass leading to new layers of interesting sensations all of which pass leading to other ... |
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bewell
1275 Posts |
Posted - May 01 2013 : 09:22:42 AM
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Hi Jeanine,
Welcome to the AYP practices and the support forum.
Do you take a rest period after meditation? If so, I suggest that during that period you notice your breath, without trying to control it, just notice it. As Victor pointed out, it may be 'just a phase', in other words, it may be that your conditioned pattern of breathing is in the process of adapting to your new practices, and that the pattern will change naturally. Nonjudgmental noticing during rest may assist in that transition.
Trust your body's natural process.
Be |
Edited by - bewell on May 01 2013 09:24:11 AM |
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Jeanine
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - May 01 2013 : 7:22:29 PM
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| Thank you for your responses, Victor and bewell. Yes, my sitting position is comfortable, and yes, I take a rest period after meditation. It went better today. I began the meditation with an easier feeling, rather than the forceful way I was approaching it. I think it was probably my enthusiasm exceeding my comfort zone, like Victor said. By relaxing at the start of the meditation, I was able to notice the moment the breathing discomfort would start, and then return to the mantra. I felt fine all day. Thank you for your ideas |
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boris
Norway
68 Posts |
Posted - May 01 2013 : 8:02:56 PM
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| you skouldnt force anything in DM.effortless is the key in this meditation |
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ak33
Canada
229 Posts |
Posted - May 01 2013 : 10:08:01 PM
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Agree with boris. The more you try to force the mantra, the more stressful your meditations/daily life become. Trust the process and relax  |
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AumNaturel
Canada
687 Posts |
Posted - May 02 2013 : 12:13:41 AM
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Welcome Jeanine to the forums.
The practices do have a measure of built-in self-correction, so if anything is a little off balance, it will sort itself out over time. Your sensations, intuition, and growing experience are constant companions, and if some small change needs to be made, it will, sometimes all on its own, and at other times as apparently-sudden insights on what to do.
At the risk of making things seem harder and more complicated or abstract than they need to be, I'll say that the following goes outside the easy and clear practices of the lessons, and comes from my own ongoing observations since when I first started prior to AYP. I'm only adding this for the discussion topic, and in case it may be of help:
You mention your concentration having increased. During the practices, concentration arises out of relaxation, which in turn is facilitated by the methods used. Fixating on breath, or anything else, has a tensing effect that restricts the natural interconnection between that part or function from the whole of the body-mind-spirit. It could also be a form of feedback which results in the same thing, tension. Give it time, and be easy about it along the way. Then, you will find yourself resting at ease along with the practices, with breathing and everything else falling into place at a natural pace.
That has been my experience when I first started with meditation and energy practices prior to AYP, and was forced to observe, compare, and experiment, having not much else to go on. What I wrote above isn't a complete or clear picture yet, but has served me well enough to adjust the subtleties of the approach with beneficial results. The reason for sharing this is because you mention those key terms: concentration, sensation of not getting enough air, and trying to yawn.
In addition to what Victor suggests, also look at your overall lifestyle. I am again not entirely sure here, but it could also be possible that it isn't meditation itself causing it more than helping reveal your state prior to your sitting. |
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apatride
New Caledonia
94 Posts |
Posted - May 02 2013 : 12:48:52 AM
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| I agree with AumNaturel in saying that in first place one might think that DM had provoked some unpleasant side-effects, only to notice later that these side-effects were already there before and DM just revealed them with such intensity that one could not ignore them anymore. |
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Jeanine
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - May 02 2013 : 01:17:34 AM
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Thank you for your comments and suggestions, boris, ak33, and AumNaturel.
AumNaturel, yes, I agree that I must give it time, and be easy through it. It is a process that I have decided to make a commitment to, and like you said, "sensations, intuition and growing experience are constant companions". It may take a little while to work through this current breathing thing (my second meditation today was challenging), and if need be, I will decrease the amount of time for awhile. This is an experimental period. Thank you for your comments. |
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Jeanine
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - May 03 2013 : 11:46:07 AM
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Thank you for you comment, apatride We cross posted before so I did not see your post.
Yes, it may be caused by things that were already there, or it could be sensitivity to the process itself, I don't know. I don't want to analyse it much in that way, however, because it will be a distraction from the simplicity of the practice. I'm being very gentle in meditation now, not forcing the mantra, and it is better. |
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bewell
1275 Posts |
Posted - May 04 2013 : 8:04:34 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by AumNaturel
Fixating on breath, or anything else, has a tensing effect that restricts the natural interconnection between that part or function from the whole of the body-mind-spirit. It could also be a form of feedback which results in the same thing, tension. Give it time, and be easy about it along the way. Then, you will find yourself resting at ease along with the practices, with breathing and everything else falling into place at a natural pace.
...The reason for sharing this is because you mention those key terms: concentration, sensation of not getting enough air, and trying to yawn.
This is well considered, well explained advice offered by AumNatural. I would like to respond in consideration of my earlier suggestion of "noticing the breath" during rest. That suggestion of "noticing the breath" during the rest period comes from my (Bihar School) yoga experience prior to AYP, and as I was sharing it on this forum, I found myself wondering whether it fits with AYP. I had my doubts that it does, and AumNatural's advice underlined those doubts. I agree that attention can create a kind of tension; but, I do not see such tension as necessarily a problem. In my experience, simple, non-judgmental attention to breath during rest, in respiratory situations that seem odd (like not getting enough air, or needing to yawn) facilitates a transition to a new normal during shifts in functioning. I'm not sure how this practice I've been using, and enjoying, relates to written AYP teaching or Yogani's point of view (and I would like to know). |
Edited by - bewell on May 04 2013 8:20:15 PM |
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Jeanine
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2013 : 12:02:11 AM
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Hi bewell,
Your suggestion to notice the breath during the rest period seems fine to me. The thing is that the breathing distress can get so intense that it consumes my attention throughout the meditation as well as during the rest period, so noticing the breath is a given. It can be a real struggle to favor the mantra because the mantra seems to put me deeper, and the deeper I go, the more the distress. At times, it is impossible for me to ignore.
However, I am finding that each meditation is different and the distress can be intense one time and much less at another. So, I'm feeling that it is part of the purification process. I do my best not to force things, and to be easy and gentle. That seems to help. And there are some subtle changes happening related to the breathing, very subtle, but something. Like AumNaturel, and you, and Yogani say, it takes time, and be easy about it.
This truly is the best practice I've ever encountered, distress and all. The difference in my life is extraordinary. I've read hundreds of books, but Yogani's are the first that have got me comitted to practice. I'm prepared for the ups and downs and plateaus.
Thank you |
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AumNaturel
Canada
687 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2013 : 11:33:26 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by bewell
I'm not sure how this practice I've been using, and enjoying, relates to written AYP teaching or Yogani's point of view (and I would like to know).
A principle that's in AYP did come to mind, which is in lesson 372, especially: "Witnessing may be somewhat problematic before we have some inner silence present, because before then all attention tends to cling (identify with the objects of perception). But as inner silence comes to abide, the process of witnessing gradually takes over and imbalances and obstructions dissolve much more easily, simply by allowing our awareness to be with them." Could be at least part of the picture.
I have no doubt there are many underlying inner dynamics to yet uncover. A direct example would be finding an appropriate application of the whole-body interconnectedness sensation in physical exertion; more specifically, whether it can be employed and strengthened much the same way as the physical body is conditioned. The Secrets of Wilder kind of hints at that with John's record-breaking running.
In the overall picture, I can't help but agree that it is best to stick with the core of practice in a way that's holistic, and not risk being side-tracked into 'micro-management,' while having faith in inner sensuality (pratyahara) and 'inner seeing' to uncover everything else that is relevant along the way. |
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bewell
1275 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2013 : 7:43:59 PM
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| That is a magnanimous offering of research into the principles of AYP as related to our topic, and your current insight. Thank you so much! |
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AumNaturel
Canada
687 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2013 : 10:53:17 PM
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| Namaste wonderful learning in such company.. |
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Jeanine
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - May 29 2013 : 02:00:30 AM
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I just thought I would post an update.
The breathing problem that I had been experiencing is gone  What fixed it was pranayama. I had not tried pranayama because I was new to Deep Meditation and wanted to stabilize that practice first. But the breathing problem was so intense, I decided to try pranayama right before going into Deep Meditation. After about 3 meditations, the breathing problem was gone, and it remains gone.
I am very happy about this because Deep Meditation has helped me so much. I didn't want to have to stop, but I was almost to that point. I realize that other obstacles may emerge in the future, but this experience is helpful, to know that with a little patience and trying things, what seemed to be a difficult problem, was not.
Thank you all for your comments and suggestions |
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jonesboy
USA
594 Posts |
Posted - Jun 04 2013 : 7:19:50 PM
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| That is truly fantastic. I am always amazed at the life lessons yoga teaches right from the start :) |
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bewell
1275 Posts |
Posted - Jun 05 2013 : 4:03:54 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Jeanine
The breathing problem that I had been experiencing is gone What fixed it was pranayama.
I love it. The AYP system fits together so well in sequence. Thanks for reporting on what is working! |
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New meditator looking for advice
