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Jerry Murphy
Ireland
3 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 05 2014 : 7:18:27 PM
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Hi,
A bit of background first. I began doing asanas about 3 years ago and within a few few weeks started having very unpleasant sensations in my heart and stomach area afterwards. Which stopped when I stopped doing yoga for a few days and started immediately afterwards.I was doing about 10 minutes meditation as well after the asanas. I got some advice over at the dharmaoverground.org to rest my attention in the unpleasant sensations and see what would happen and they seemed to dissolve.
I was delighted but similar sensations came back the next week and they have been a part of my meditation ever since. I've become much better at dissolving these 'blockages' overtime and my concentration has improved slowly as well, but it would be nice just to have one day of pleasant sensations!!I do about 5 hours of asanas a week and about 10 hours of breath meditaiton
So finally I started doing spinal breath meditation yesterday and phew!! I got lots of shaking and cold energy sensations immediately. I did it for 5 minutes and then some meditation and the same that night and again this morning.This morning during the SBP i s started sobbing but without tears and my body was shuddering before that. The crying I think is a good thing the first time in so many years I can't remember the last time but it was strange that there was no tears. Also during the last few years of meditating I've had all kinds of spontainous movements etc so I'm not worried about them.
Ok so finally to my questions! I don't know am I doing too much or too little. I'm not sure I understand overload. After meditation I feel better even if its always kinda unpleasant during it. If I stop for a few days I notice that I'm starting to get more easily stressed ect. which is not good because I have bad anxiety as it is. I suppose reading these forums has got me confused because in other traditions the advice is to push though whatever is coming up and here it's the opposite...feeling confused on how to move forward,
any advice welcome:)
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Aug 05 2014 : 11:57:29 PM
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The main thing when it comes to pain and discomfort is to apply self-pacing. That is, if the residual effect of the practices is too strong, you can back off a little (take 5 minutes off meditation, for instance). Another important aspect is easily favoring. So if your mind is drawn to blockages, that is OK, but trying to fight obstructions with a hard focus (forcefully) is not the best way to dissolve them. The best way to dissolve them is by easily favoring. Like massaging or sweeping, our sublime awareness is delicate and full of finesse. The power is in the gradual descent into stillness, so you have to think long-term, rather than instantaneous.
If you put your comfort and stability first, the practices and pacing will follow your mental goal. The mind is the ultimate tool for enlightenment, with the body being its trusty counterpart.
Best of luck, and take her easy.  |
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jonesboy
USA
594 Posts |
Posted - Aug 06 2014 : 12:10:23 PM
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Welcome Jerry,
There are a few different types of overloading. For many it is different but with some common symptoms as Yogani discusses.
The most common overload for me is an overreaction to stress, to negative things. Anxiety really, another form of overload is an internal sunburn. Pushing pranayama to fast leaves a feeling of being sunburned internally. I have also experience the light headed/ air head feeling from pushing things to fast.
The main thing is to know that it is not a race. Being consistant is the key. You will know when you overload. Over time you will become sensitive to it and know to cut back at the first sign. We are always trying to push ourselves.
So no worries just keep practicing. If you overload you overload if not just keep on but give yourself time each time you add something new. Sometimes you will not notice anything for weeks or even months and then it hits.
I have found much happiness with just DM,SBP and Samyama.
Welcome  |
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Ecdyonurus
Switzerland
479 Posts |
Posted - Aug 06 2014 : 1:25:24 PM
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Hi Jerry, welcome!
I am not an expert (10 months of AYP), can only tell you that I found sel-pacing very effective. In my case, the overload symptoms happen in daily activity and never during practices. My symptoms are anxiety and also become introverted. Practices are always pleasant for me, so it was hard to reduce practices! After some trial and error I currently just do 10' DM followed by 5' rest, and 3-4 asana sessions a week. It is a very reduced practice compard to what I used to do but I feel better than ever. I begin to understand what my asana teacher always said: in yoga, less is more; pushing too hard not only does not bring results but even creates new problems. |
Edited by - Ecdyonurus on Aug 06 2014 1:40:47 PM |
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maheswari
Lebanon
2520 Posts |
Posted - Aug 07 2014 : 02:30:29 AM
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quote:
my asana teacher always said: in yoga, less is more;
very good teacher...very few teachers say so ..most of them are not even aware that sometimes less is more |
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Ecdyonurus
Switzerland
479 Posts |
Posted - Aug 07 2014 : 05:40:36 AM
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Hi Maheswari
Yes, I am lucky that such a good teacher is in my area. But I feel that only personal experience (trial and error) through practice leads you to understanding such a short but meaningfull statement. |
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BlueRaincoat
United Kingdom
1734 Posts |
Posted - Aug 10 2014 : 1:37:13 PM
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Hello everyone and welcome to the AYP forum Jerry!
I subscribe to all the words of advice said so far. If you are feeling uncomfortable, consider cutting back to find a level at which you feel balanced.
You say 10 hours of breadth meditation a week - that's 85 minutes a day if I'm calculating correctly. According to Yogani's teaching, 40 minutes a day split into two sittings is about the right amount of meditation for most people. Could it be that your meditations are too long and bringing up too much purification/discomfort?
I hope you will soon find the right routine for you. Let us know how you get on  |
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maheswari
Lebanon
2520 Posts |
Posted - Aug 11 2014 : 02:18:53 AM
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quote:
Yes, I am lucky that such a good teacher is in my area. But I feel that only personal experience (trial and error) through practice leads you to understanding such a short but meaningfull statement.
oh yes definitely  |
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Jerry Murphy
Ireland
3 Posts |
Posted - Dec 23 2014 : 3:14:18 PM
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Hey, thanks for all the advice and sorry for the very late reply!
I dialled my practice hours back a good bit and that seemed to help..I stopped doing pranayama completely as well and just stuck to the meditation. Still have all these blockages but I seem to be able to sense more of them simultaneously and I've been getting more pleasant 'chills' as they break up. I'm finding it hard to self pace to be honest as soon as any negative side effects that are bleeding into everyday life subside I ramp up the meditation again, usually without really realising I have until things start to get intense again!
Gonna start doing 5 mins spinal pranayamma again and I'll see how that effects me this time.
Things have improved in general though and my anxiety seems to be decreasing over the long term, even though sometimes its worse after I meditate.
Thanks again for the advice :) |
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Ecdyonurus
Switzerland
479 Posts |
Posted - Dec 24 2014 : 04:21:26 AM
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Sounds good - happy to read that!  |
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kumar ul islam
United Kingdom
791 Posts |
Posted - Dec 24 2014 : 7:09:54 PM
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| i find small sips quench the thirst of the desire to know more . |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Dec 26 2014 : 9:37:09 PM
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Dear Jerry,
You've already received lots of good advice and it sounds like you are on the right track. What you have described are symptoms of purification, which is a GOOD thing, but too much all at once can be uncomfortable, as you discovered. Self pacing is a balancing act between consistency to obtain the benefits, and avoiding overdoing it. |
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First post- Lots of questions!
