No patience for meditation?

[Calmforlife]

I try to sit down and meditate and it's really difficult for me, my mind races and my body doesn't like to sit still. Is there anything i can do to help myself have more patience when meditating.

[slowsnake]

Hello,
I meditate laying on my bed,you don't have to sit,just have a reasonably straight spine.
Most people sit because they are usually watching a teacher and you can't do that on your back!

Kind Regards Billy.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Calmforlife

I try to sit down and meditate and it's really difficult for me, my mind races and my body doesn't like to sit still. Is there anything i can do to help myself have more patience when meditating.

You might enjoy a walking Meditation. There are many different ways to Meditate you don't have to sit or lie down.

You can practise Mindfulness Meditation in your daily life, washing dishes,eating, bathing etc: find a practise that suits you and see where it leads you

[peacelovejoy]

I find that reflecting or writing out my thoughts beforehand helps to ease myself into it and reduces the urge to think (sort of like how after exercising, you feel more inclined to rest).

When I sit or lay down, I might focus on breathing - counting my inhalations (4 sec), the pause (3), and then the exhalations (5). Or I might imagine a single flame from a candle, or relaxing under a blue sky while on the beach. And when the thoughts come, I observe them as if I was an outsider looking into my mind. I gently accept them, and then let them go.

Listening to relaxing music also (there's heaps on Youtube) helps to quiet my mind beforehand. Meditation - or having a still mind - can be done during many activities, such as while walking, enjoying a cup of tea or a piece of fruit, gazing at the night/day sky, and even doing chores like doing the dishes. Meditating in these ways can be considered practice, making it easier for you to have a still mind while being completely still. Remember that it takes time and try to be relaxed, patient and compassionate with yourself. :)

[Awaleiya]

I came suggest walking meditation as well, like sky123 already have.

There is different kind of ways to meditate, you don't need to sit still. Maybe at first if there's too much thoughts racing in your mind it would best just try to focus on the task you are doing at that moment. Whatever it is, for example washing dishes, focus on feeling and doing.

And focusing on your breathing is also a good way to silence your mind. And if your thoughts bother you, just accept that thoughts came and don't get stuck to those and focus on your breathing again.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Calmforlife

I try to sit down and meditate and it's really difficult for me, my mind races and my body doesn't like to sit still.
Is there anything i can do to help myself have more patience when meditating.

i just made post with you in mind in:
New thread! Let's get rid of the word meditation and it's concepts
Last one #95

[iamthat]

So your mind races and your body doesn't like to sit still. You sound like a typical human being. We find that we have almost no control over the mind, and trying to sit still often becomes very uncomfortable. We would rather do anything else than sit in meditation. This is the challenge most of us face when we first begin to meditate.

Much depends on your motivation for meditating. Do you try to meditate simply to relax? Or is there a deeper spiritual impulse which makes you want to meditate? The stronger our motivation the easier it is to persist.

Perhaps a good way to start would be to buy a guided meditation CD - there seem to be plenty available. Then lie on your bed and listen to it. That will be physically more comfortable and help keep your mind occupied. As you get used to being still and going within, it may become easier to try other sitting forms of meditation.

Meditation is a long journey and most of us struggle to begin with. But the rewards are worth all the difficulty. When I first began meditation nearly 40 years ago I went through all sorts of physical and mental struggles. Now for me, meditation is like coming home. It is the opportunity to sit and be, with very few external distractions and far fewer mental distractions. Meditation is the best thing I have done with my life.

Peace.

[kundalinikid]

Originally Posted by sky123

You might enjoy a walking Meditation. There are many different ways to Meditate you don't have to sit or lie down.

You can practise Mindfulness Meditation in your daily life, washing dishes,eating, bathing etc: find a practise that suits you and see where it leads you

This. You need mindfulness, not sitting around like a clown chanting ohm.

[Wanderer]

Another thing I would add that hasn't been mentioned yet is to practice. Start with short meditation sessions (however you feel like doing it), focus on your breathing, your task, just become present with whatever you are doing (if you are sitting or laying down, you can concentrate on breathing).

Nobody is good at something their first try, so start with short sessions (5 minutes), and once you can calm your mind down in that time, extend the session. Research different methods, try whatever "resonates" with you.

[PJLondon]

I can absolutely empathise with your frustrations!
And when you can't seem to get a grasp on something that so many people appear to find so soothing, easy and beneficial "frustrating" truly is the best word to sum it up.

Personally I struggled to get a grip on meditation for at least ten years, trying everything from guided CDs to books, YouTube videos ad podcasts. When my own issues came to a head last year however I had this strong intuition that as well as openly talking about my troubles or concerns with a trusted listener (a colossal and greatly underrated step in working towards inner-calmness) I also felt that meditation was something I should make one final attempt to understand. So, knowing how much frustration it had caused me in the past I set myself one simple challenge - to simply sit through a guided meditation every morning and every evening, every day. Whether I felt the benefits or not I would commit to doing the next session. Whether my mind raced with a billion thoughts the entire time I was required to sit there with my eyes closed, I would commit to the next session. Many months later I'm genuinely happy to say that not only was it the best thing I ever took the time to do for myself, I'm happier, calmer and more in-tune with myself than I've ever been in my 31 years alive.

A few tips I'd like to offer from my own experience...
- Our brains really are thought machines. They always will be no matter what we're doing - whether that's standing in a loud rock venue, shopping, having sex or meditating. They're capable of bombarding us all day every day. But meditation isn't about stopping that noise. It's about managing it. Taking control of it. And this mainly comes with time, commitment and practice. So don't feel bad that you're not doing it right because you're not experiencing complete mental peace like everyone else. We're all experiencing the same noise - but it's all about how you handle it.

- One great exercise to try over and over to get you started is to sit on your bed with your back straight, close your eyes then breathe in and out calmly through your nose counting - 1 (in) - 2 (out) - 3 (in) - 4 (out) and so on - up to 10. Then begin again at 1. Thoughts will come. But don't chastise yourself. It's the thought machine doing what it was naturally made to do. Simply notice that your attention came away from your breath and gently bring your attention back to your calm breathing and counting. When it happens again (which it will), gently let the thoughts go and bring your attention back. No need to punish yourself. Just notice you're doing it and gently bring yourself back to your breath. If you get distracted 100 times, bring your attention back 100 times. The "letting go" of thoughts may sound overly-simple but some people like to visualise it - like letting the thoughts drift away like a cloud in the sky or a leaf on a stream. Being the prize-plum that I am my mind instinctively seems to visualise it as David Bowie in Labyrinth letting his bubble-crystals float off and away into the air but everyone is different, that works for me.

- Some people find it difficult to practice where there's noise (traffic outside, phones ringing, people talking unimportant nonsense). This can sometimes make it difficult to sit and try for even a minute. But if you simply acknowledge that the sound is there without spending another moment trying to label what the sound is, where it's coming from or how long it's likely to last it's amazing how quickly your mind will tune it out. Yes it's still there, but you're allowing your mind to perceive it differently. Sticking with this over time you'll eventually notice that you're not so irritated by the screaming kids in the shopping centre, the beeping cars outside your window or your neighbour playing Harry Style's new album through the walls because he thinks nobody can hear him (it's not bad you know). Because you've stopped allowing external feelings to influence your feelings inside. You've disconnected the two. So once you get comfortable doing that the fun begins, because you'll then start to do the same with unwanted emotions and anxieties - tuning them out in a similar way.

- And one final tip (before this post turns into an eBook) use guides if they help. If you find a particular podcast or youtube video that makes you feel comfortable or relaxed use it as something you'll look forward to hearing at the beginning or end of your day. I'm not much for endorsing things but one popular smart-device app called Headspace is quite popular. Personally I found the visual-animatiom exercises and monthly subscription fee a little too distracting for something I was hoping to use to calm my anxieties. But I did find a good free alternative called Smiling Mind which allows you to listen to well-produced audio guides, gradually building you up to your own hour-long sessions without the use of the app. The app itself is a little confusing at first but simply choose the Adult program, select whichever exercise is 'Up Next' each morning or evening and stick with it every day.

You will master this. But like everything it will just take practice.

Very best wishes and good luck!