agitated and upset after meditating
 

i am having a hard time with meditating i seem to get very agitated and upset after and i dont know why unsure why i am like this but i have PTSD can that cause problems to someone who has that

It's stored energy that's releasing itself from your body, allow it to flow out

The basic process is, when the surface of the mind quiets down the deeper contents of the psyche start coming up, which is the healing process.

It is difficult as the traumas which are held in are no longer held down by the hard noise of the surface mind. As you become agitated like you describe, there is resistance to the deeper issues that need to come through - and we all become sensitive in this way when dealing with the 'inner storms'.

The key is being consciously aware of the angst without being pulled into it. You remain the one aware, like a light keeper is aware of the storm.

It's because your energy is blocked at the awareness of what makes you agitated and upset.

Meditation is bringing pain that you are feeling to your present moment awareness. Part of you doesn't want to deal with the pain, so the awareness of what is causing you pain and agitation is blocked. Another part of you wants relief and so it is bringing the pain up so it can be dealt with.

Great post, really well put!

Yeah, having these feelings come to the surface is a part of the healing process, so it's actually a good thing - it just doesn't feel great when it's happening!

What you come to realise after a while is that these feelings do eventually pass, so take care of your needs in the moment when you're experiencing anxiety, restlessness, low mood, etc., do whatever you need to do in the moment - whether that's simply sitting with the feelings, taking a few slow, deep breaths, doing body-work (I experienced a lot of anxiety in the first half of last year and yoga was a life-saver, mindfully stretching your body is a great way to relieve tension), going for a walk, listening to music, etc. And just, as I say, have faith that whatever you're feeling will pass in time :smile:

In the yoga of the sutra of Patanjali, the attainment of the meditation stage follows the progression of the Yama and Niyamas (observance of the precepts, the sacrifice and service), the asanas, pranayama, and then the meditation step. Then, when you have completed your previous stressful, anxious, wandering mind before the meditation , the pain in the body will disappear and a long meditation for many hours will arise by itself. Simultaneously with this, your surrounding life will improve. Because internal problems bring discomfort to the outside world and to the inside. Therefore, if people begin to practice meditation without preparation of practice, they are almost always defeated

Yes, PTSD can be the cause of unpleasant meditation.
Meditation does not only bring stuck energy and memories of your current incarnation to the surface, but also that of former lifetimes.

You could try to meditate less formal with eyes open and some calm music on.

Eventually, when issues are dissolved to a certain degree, meditation should become more pleasant.

Hello Dark Asylum,

We all do have our life challenges, don’t we?

Meditation being an effortless inward shift of our attention should not cause you to be upset or agitated unless...the PTSD is so dominant that it manifests involuntarily as soon as you exit meditation. I’d say the first option is to continue to follow the medical advice of your doctor instead of self guessing the cure.

Opinions vary and each speaks from their own insights and experiences but in my view, we cannot attribute post meditation anxiety to meditation. It’s akin to saying that we go to a beach, watch a sunset and after that our memory presents an unpleasant thought to us. They are clearly unrelated, unless you meditate solely to escape the anxiety, in which case you have yourself formed an association between meditation and your worries in your mind. If that is so, you can simply choose to delink the association.

Hope this helps. Further hope you are alright now... I didn’t realise that the thread is a few months old now.