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atena
113 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 13 2007 : 09:10:47 AM
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How do you deal with drowsiness at morning practice?
The deep meditation is very hard because of it.
I'm doing asana starter kit from Yogani's book, then spinal breathing
and after that the deep meditation at mornings.
One solution might be changing the asana starter kit to be a bit more activating?
Anyone have tried that? |
Edited by - atena on Aug 13 2007 09:11:34 AM |
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weaver
832 Posts |
Posted - Aug 13 2007 : 09:31:58 AM
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Hi Atena,
Drowsiness during meditation is very common and is a natural effect of purification. The way we deal with it during the meditation itself is to just come back to the mantra once we become aware that we are not doing the mantra. If we become aware that we involuntarily have been off somewhere, conscious or not, that's no problem, that's part of meditation.
If you feel that the body is not awake enough before morning practice maybe you could try taking a walk if you have time. However, aerobic exercises are not recommended right before practice because a charged up body tends to interfere with inner silence.
You can read more here:
http://www.aypsite.org/17.html
http://www.aypsite.org/251.html |
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gray
United Kingdom
28 Posts |
Posted - Aug 13 2007 : 10:05:20 AM
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Let's also not forget that drowsiness in meditation can just be because you're not getting enough sleep. :-) If I have a late night there is a huge impact on my mediation practise the following day.
I had a lot of drowsiness in meditation at the start. I experimented and gradually went to bed earlier and earlier. What I found is that the amount of sleep I thought I needed (for years) was not actually enough for me. I found that if I went to bed at an earlier time not only was my meditation practise crystal clear but I also had noticeably more energy throughout the day. I guess I had just gotten used to not sleeping enough.
Sorry if this is stating the obvious. |
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Manipura
USA
870 Posts |
Posted - Aug 13 2007 : 10:47:18 AM
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| I absolutely, positively, adamantly cannot do my morning meditation until I've been up for an hour or so. A cup of tea (non-caffeinated) will help to wake me up; a shower will also help. But to go from sleep directly to meditation is pointless, and the quality of the med. is very low, as I'm too engaged in warding off sleep. A walk would be great, but I'm too sleepy for that, too. |
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kvelan
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
Posted - Jan 09 2008 : 08:24:00 AM
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Hi guys, I am new here. Recently I wrote to yogani and thought this is a good place to post it. This is with regard to my problem with morning meditations in which I get too restless... Yogani's reply is pasted below.
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Dear Yogani,
I thank you sincerely for your selfless service in teaching simple and yet effective yoga for folks like me, who are unable to engage in extensive retreats or sadhanas.
I would like to write about my experiences/progress, and would like to hear if you have any comments, when possible.
I have been meditating since 12 (I am 28 now), although not of the same form that you have taught. Mostly it involves concentrating on the ajna chakra while imagining some light source, for 20-30 mins.
I have been following AYPs methods of spinal breathing and deep meditation for about 3 months now. Recently I find myself losing awareness during meditation. I could have been asleep for that matter--I am not sure. However on the mark of 25-30 mins, awareness returns automatically and I end the session. There is nothing fancy or distinctly grand about the experience, but I sense subtle quietness which is welcoming. With the spinal breathing practices, I feel a rush of some pulse/flow from the root to the eyebrow centre, which is usually controllable, and sometimes lasts several seconds and leaves me shivering---not too unpleasant. I have a noticeable sensation of some point between the eyebrows and the root, simultaneously.
After some experiments on stabilising, I find that sitting in the siddhasana position (with heel pressure below the perineum) does not help very much. In fact I find myself restless and losing the mantra frequently with too much of distractions. The simpler cross-legged sitting does much better for me.
Also, with your advice on twice-daily practice, I have scheduled to meditate in mornings and evenings before meal. I find that morning sessions are consistently unfavourable for me-- my mind is extremely restless, and I simply sit there waiting for the session to finish. The evening sessions are far more welcoming and I look forward to them daily. Would you suppose I might do better with rescheduling the morning session?
I understand from your writings that perseverance and persistent practices bring results--And I completely agree. But some bonuses and glimpses along the way would surely enhance my determination. I hope you can shed some light.
love.
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Hi:
Thank you for your kind note and sharing. Glad to hear you are finding the AYP writings helpful.
Keep in mind that experiences will change over time, and it is best to keep a steady routine of practice. An exception would be to scale back on practice time temporarily if symptoms of purification and opening become too uncomfortable. This is "self-pacing," which we discuss a lot in AYP. Your morning restlessness is most likely about purification, and will pass in time. Just easily favor the practice over the experiences that come up, and self-pace as necessary. You may also like to check the lesson on restlessness in meditation (#15).
Some light asanas and spinal breathing before deep meditation can help settle the nervous system down, as discussed in the lessons. While the AYP asana routine is not currently in the online lessons, it can be found in either the AYP Easy Lessons book or Asanas, Mudras and Bandhas book.
You have the right idea about it being a long term journey. Steady daily practice (like clockwork) is the key. There will be many ups and downs in experiences, while inner silence and ecstatic conductivity/radiance are steadily building underneath all the while. Then, one day, we realize how far we have come. We notice who is noticing -- pure bliss conscousness, which is us! :-)
It would be appreciated if you bring your questions to the AYP Support Forums where many can help and benefit from the discussion. I am there too. You will find many there going through similar experiences, and you can get a good idea about where you are and where you are headed with your practices.
Wishing you all the best on your path. Enjoy!
The guru is in you.
Yogani
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Drowsiness and Morning practice
