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Cato
Germany
239 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 29 2023 : 12:06:02 PM
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Hi everybody,
how often do you (have to) adjust your practices (in terms of practice time, practice kind etc.). For me as a practice sensitive person, it would be especially interesting to know how often you have need to cut back (and perhaps why). The recent months were fairly smooth and I did not change anything in my practice. Nevertheless, I seem to be in a slight overload regime right now. My practice still is 5 cycles of SBP, 15 minutes DM, 5 minutes rest. |
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Mats
Germany
51 Posts |
Posted - Oct 30 2023 : 3:02:26 PM
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| I would think there are times when you have to cut back on practice or skip it alltogether for some days, even though nothing in your routine has changed. But I'm not the right one to ask, really. |
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SeySorciere
Seychelles
1571 Posts |
Posted - Oct 31 2023 : 06:01:12 AM
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Dear Cato,
All the time! I will attempt to do my twice daily sittings at 5 p.m. / 5 a.m. This will work fine for like 2 - 4 weeks before it gets too much; then I cut back on SBP & DM times, it is generally not enough, so I stop the 5 p.m. /5 a.m routine and do only one at 8 p.m. until I settle, then I sneak back to 5 p.m. /5 a.m.
'Too much' for me is when I break out in irrational fear at night. Every little sound is felt keenly and painfully.
Sey 
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dcame
Canada
11 Posts |
Posted - Oct 31 2023 : 10:51:32 AM
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quote:
'Too much' for me is when I break out in irrational fear at night.
That's an informative description. One of the criticisms of meditation is that it actually makes some people feel worse. [1] Now I see why. Probably 2 x 15 minutes is just too high a dose for certain people. In a controlled study, they're not allowed to self-pace. If they were allowed to cut back to, say, 1 x 5 minutes, they might be fine.
Note
[1] Leon S. Otis, "Adverse Effects of Transcendental Meditation," in Meditation: Classic and Contemporary Perspectives, ed. Deane H. Shapiro and Roger N. Walsh (New York: Aldine Publishing, 1984), pp. 201-208. |
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Cato
Germany
239 Posts |
Posted - Oct 31 2023 : 1:48:04 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by SeySorciere
All the time! I will attempt to do my twice daily sittings at 5 p.m. / 5 a.m. This will work fine for like 2 - 4 weeks before it gets too much; then I cut back on SBP & DM times, it is generally not enough, so I stop the 5 p.m. /5 a.m routine and do only one at 8 p.m. until I settle, then I sneak back to 5 p.m. /5 a.m.
Thanks, Sey. I expected a stable state once a stable and balanced routine is found and followed for a prolonged period. Obviously, this would be too easy. 
So basically, one has to adjust all the time.
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Edited by - Cato on Oct 31 2023 5:18:04 PM |
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Dogboy
USA
2294 Posts |
Posted - Nov 01 2023 : 03:06:31 AM
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| Ten years into AYP, currently in a very stable and conductive stretch, my routine is no longer as regimented as the first five years. I still do twice daily sittings but in a fluid way that blends into my schedule. I am finding yoga practices can be present in any moment, if one is open to that. |
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Cato
Germany
239 Posts |
Posted - Nov 01 2023 : 11:29:59 AM
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| When experiencing overload syptoms, I look for what should be improved. Often the practice itself, also grounding, diet etc. It puzzled me that not much had changed and overload came nevertheless. |
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Christi
United Kingdom
4514 Posts |
Posted - Nov 01 2023 : 4:46:55 PM
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Hi Cato,
The practices will release blockages in the subtle neurobiology, the system of chakras and nadis. When these blockages are released it can cause more energy to flow through the system, resulting in symptoms of energetic overload. Energetic overload will be experienced if the channels and energetic centres are not able to handle the flows of prana that are being released.
This means that someone may need to self-pace their practice downwards at any time, regardless of whether they have recently changed their practices or not. |
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interpaul
USA
551 Posts |
Posted - Nov 02 2023 : 5:22:34 PM
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| Cato, I'm in my 5th year of AYP. I experienced some overload in the first year as I slowly added practices and adjusted to this new way of life. In the last couple years I've remained on a relatively stable regimen without any need to self pace. I do notice increasing energy at times and find my body/mind tolerates this energy if I pay attention. I am not saying I don't have times when I experience strain in life, I just don't experience it as directly linked with my practice. As everyone has shared, it is an individual experience so we all need to tune into our inner guru. |
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Cato
Germany
239 Posts |
Posted - Nov 03 2023 : 1:02:18 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Christi
This means that someone may need to self-pace their practice downwards at any time, regardless of whether they have recently changed their practices or not.
That is an important point, thank you. It makes it (even more) tricky to see possible links between practice and overload or rather the ups and downs of life as interpaul points out.
As already mentioned, I experience overload as being agitated and uneasy, sensitive to noise, easy to anger, socially insecure. I try to be mindful of those symptoms. I did not link them to my recent episode of overload since my practice (and exercise, diet, grounding) did not change. Good to know there may be need to self-pace nevertheless.
quote:
Originally posted by Christi
The practices will release blockages in the subtle neurobiology, the system of chakras and nadis. When these blockages are released it can cause more energy to flow through the system, resulting in symptoms of energetic overload.
It is a sweeping question, but how long may those purifications and subsequent symptoms of energetic overload last on average (when nothing else has changed)? How often do they coccur? I think I know the answer, it probably is highly individual. Just trying to get a feeling for it. I would expect it passes sooner than overload coming from too much practice. |
Edited by - Cato on Nov 03 2023 1:28:11 PM |
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Christi
United Kingdom
4514 Posts |
Posted - Nov 03 2023 : 2:51:59 PM
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quote:
It is a sweeping question, but how long may those purifications and subsequent symptoms of energetic overload last on average (when nothing else has changed)? How often do they coccur? I think I know the answer, it probably is highly individual. Just trying to get a feeling for it. I would expect it passes sooner than overload coming from too much practice.
Hi Cato,
You are right, it is highly individual. But in general, the process of blockages being released in the subtle nervous system, and symptoms being experienced as a result of that, sometimes needing practice adjustments, will go on for decades. In my case, it has been four decades so far, and counting...
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Cato
Germany
239 Posts |
Posted - Nov 03 2023 : 3:18:16 PM
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Hi Christi,
thanks for your answer. My question was unclear. What I had in mind was: How long may those symptoms of energetic overload last on average (when nothing else has changed) before they smooth out and practice can be resumed. A week or two? |
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Christi
United Kingdom
4514 Posts |
Posted - Nov 03 2023 : 3:33:17 PM
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Hi Cato,
Again, it completely depends on the individual and on the circumstances. There are deep-rooted mental tendencies that lie dormant in the subtle nervous system. People can be practicing for years, before these are released. In Sanskrit, these are called samskaras. When they are released, it can be necessary to self-pace downwards for months, or years, whilst everything is being cleared and stabilised. It is not really an area where it is useful to talk about averages, as it could create expectations in the mind. |
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Cato
Germany
239 Posts |
Posted - Nov 03 2023 : 4:22:15 PM
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Yes, I see. Many variables involved in our spiritual journey. I am glad AYP is such a simple approach, the rest of the journey is tricky enough. I wonder how all this can be done with less simple approaches. :)
I would like to ask one more thing: What are your guys symptoms that indicate to cut back in practices or start self-pacing for a while?
[edit to add the question] |
Edited by - Cato on Nov 03 2023 6:52:07 PM |
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Cato
Germany
239 Posts |
Posted - Nov 11 2023 : 4:47:55 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Cato
I would like to ask one more thing: What are your guys symptoms that indicate to cut back in practices or start self-pacing for a while?
The reason I'm asking is, it is difficult to assess when practices need to be cut back. For example, one sign of overload might be beeing sensitive to noise. Should you self-pace the moment you realize you are more sensitive to noise than usual? Often I wonder whether being sensitive to noise (or being agitated etc.) should be ascribed to an overload or just to some common up-and-down in life. I usually tend to the latter. Not every aspect of life can reasonably be lead back to the practice, right? |
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Christi
United Kingdom
4514 Posts |
Posted - Nov 12 2023 : 05:38:48 AM
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Hi Cato,
Self-pacing our practice downwards is necessary if the practices are producing effects in our life that are uncomfortable, or painful. Is something is happening that is not uncomfortable, or painful, then there is no need to self-pace.
As for knowing what is being caused by our practices, or not, usually, if something is being caused by our spiritual practices, then self-pacing our practice downwards and increasing grounding practices will reduce the symptoms.
Of course, it is a tricky business, because we don't know if something would have gone away anyway. If we get a headache one day, that is not related to our practices, but we suspect it might be, and we cut back on practices as a result, the headache may go away. But, it could have gone away even if we had not made any adjustments. So, there is a certain amount of guesswork involved, and trial-and-error, especially in the early stages of the path. Later on, we become much more sensitive to changes in our body and mind, and changes in the practices, and it becomes much clearer as to how cause and effect are working.
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Cato
Germany
239 Posts |
Posted - Nov 13 2023 : 7:28:54 PM
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Thanks and yes, it indeed is a tricky business. For me as a practice-sensitive person, it is one of the most difficult parts of the journey. I often wonder whether some issue is practice-related or not. Too cautious, and you pace your practice too premature; too adventurous, and you end up in overload. Don't know which one is better ;)
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Practice adjustments
