Meditation Causing Headache

[thespiritual1]

I have this subtle headache that won't go away. It is always there. When I meditate it becomes more and more clear. It increases if I meditate for long (10 mins). I don't meditate a lot. My meditation is to just be aware. Aware of my breath, my body, my surroundings, etc. I usually do this for a few seconds and than move on to indulge in some work, but sometimes, when I am lying on a bed or sitting on a sofa, I sit still and meditate for a little longer, but then I get this annoying headache. My meditation can not get any easier. I usually meditate on awareness or relaxing. Relaxing meditation, I do it at night. There is no headache at night, but nor am I.
I think I had this headache since forever. What causes it? I don't have a fever or anything, and even ifI do have a fever the headache is very slight.

Can I fix this headache? How can I fix it?

[Unseeking Seeker]

***

If the headache is permanent, obviously meditation isn’t causing it, being, as you say, an ‘activity’ you do for only 10 minutes.

Perhaps you should see a doctor. Get a scan. The reason may be medical.

Look within at consciousness contracting thoughts arising, manifesting as patterns of fears and/or desires, rooted in attachment. Don’t fight it. Simply identify and look at it. Laugh at it even! Laughter is good!

***

[Fatimasque]

Yes, could be medical and you definitely have to check that out.

other considerations:
Do you have an over active mind, by any chance?
do you think you think too much or think too fast?
or worry about things you shouldn't worry about (even if you think you should)

if so... we take it from there then..
Salam,
F

[Beratinho]

I had the same issue for a while like 2 months took a brake for few weeks didnt meditate that should be a gathered energy make sure you are sitting on the ground when you meditate avoid couch chairs stuff like that yoy can sit on a pillow or totally on the ground which is my recommendation to you most important thing try to hear your breath when you exhale i also did a brain scan when i had the issue just to make sure its not a medical issue

[LadyMay]

I've had chronic migraines for ten years. I was on high prescription painkillers for it.

I started with my third psychotherapist who takes a somatic experiencing approach, I have Complex PTSD you see and Dissociation.

She took me through some meditations and feeling out my body I realised the migraines were radiating from pain and tension in the back of my neck. I learned about something called myofascial pain syndrome which is when you have extremely tense knots in your muscles which cuts off the bloodflow and causes inflammation and chronic pain. I also have sciatica.

I started working with this knowledge especially with the use of a shiatsu massager, relaxing the muscles and releasing the emotional tension I've been habitually holding within, along with more meditation and yin yoga focused on relaxing the muscles deeply, and I haven't had a migraine or sciatic flare for two months now, I haven't taken pain killers since.

Meditation tends to highlight whatever's already there. By all means, take painkillers if you need to, but your situation may be something like mine.

[thespiritual1]

Originally Posted by thespiritual1

I have this subtle headache that won't go away. It is always there. When I meditate it becomes more and more clear. It increases if I meditate for long (10 mins). I don't meditate a lot.

Its been over an year but this problem still persists. I have improved a lot over this year, e.g. i practiced positive thinking, improved my health by eating with awareness, havent had a fever, flu or cough for more than one year. Despite all these improvements, i still have that mild headache. It is not a medical problem, It is an excess of energy in my head. To describe it better, it feels like i am wearing an invisible helmet over my head. This invisible helmet prevents me from feeling fresh or clear headed. A few things that help me feel better are: pouring water over my head, distracting myself with something like a movie, reading books, etc. I know that energy work might fix this problem, but i dont want to do that because it is too complicated. Plz suggest me something easy that can help me free my head from excessive heavy energy and allow me to be clear headed.

[thespiritual1]

Originally Posted by Unseeking Seeker

***

Look within at consciousness contracting thoughts arising, manifesting as patterns of fears and/or desires, rooted in attachment. Don’t fight it. Simply identify and look at it. Laugh at it even! Laughter is good!

***

This is difficult. Suggestion like "watch the thoughts come and go" or "observe your breath rise and fall without interfering" are easier said than done. Plz suggest something easier.

[Unseeking Seeker]

Originally Posted by thespiritual1

This is difficult. Suggestion like "watch the thoughts come and go" or "observe your breath rise and fall without interfering" are easier said than done. Plz suggest something easier.

I wish I could offer an option but I don’t know of any. It’s just that in early days, we are not aware of how our thoughts and emotions rise and subside. However, if we begin to write them down at periodic intervals of time, we become focused, like a witness observing the mind-body combine. We become centred, tranquil, calm. Oscillations will arise but the ‘consciousness stabilisation time’ reduces. In time, silence becomes our active ‘default or reflex orientation’

There may be other ways … possibly music … I haven’t tried it. Ultimately, just letting go off patterns that bind and confine. Thought rested stillness. Moment to moment to moment.

Edit: I’m not into visualisation since it tends to interfere with appearance of natural truth but yet, if you wish, liken this waking state to awaking from one dream into another. Seems real but is a lucid dream. If so, we will awake from the dream one day, one moment … don’t know when. Laugh at the ludicrousness of the play underway! That way, subject (dreamer) and object (mind-body) … both us, align and we see the truth of oneness mirrorlessly.

Double edit: if nothing works, try hypnotherapy. Consult an advanced medium.

[FallingLeaves]

Originally Posted by thespiritual1

This is difficult. Suggestion like "watch the thoughts come and go" or "observe your breath rise and fall without interfering" are easier said than done. Plz suggest something easier.

unseeking seeker is right, at the beginning you don't know enough to know what to look for so you've gotta just be gathering data until you have enough to start seeing patterns. It is like studying a subject in school, in the beginning you don't know anything about the subject but as the days go by you progressively start getting a sense of it.

That said, I don't agree that not interfering is the only path through this. You can also gather a lot of data about what is going on by trying to force your breath. Or your lack thereof... that though is a path for only the foolish as pretty much everyone agrees it is a bad idea.

But whatever you do, and this is the real trick, nothing happens fast. And we all want immediate results...

[LYACMT]

Hi, thespiritual1

As you described, "It is not a medical problem. It is an excess of energy in my head", "it feels like i am wearing an invisible helmet over my head." Yes it is, you already figured out the root cause of your headache.

The Energy you mentioned that gathered in your head is what we called Qi in China.

I dont exactly know what kind of meditation you were doing, but I believe it involves mind concentration on the head, or you just did it while you didnt aware of it. That is the most probably reason that they gathered there.

Given that the movement of Qi within meridians of your body has its direction. They gathered together from one direction, lets say upstream, but they didnt go away following the downstream, because there are blockages in the downstream meridians.

What I suggest to clear your headache in a quick way is: you go to some acupuncture clinic, told them about your headache and what you have figured out that you have energy stick in your head. They will acupuncture on your body at corresponding points and made those stuck energy evacuated, then your headache will be gone. It may take only one time or several times according to the seriousness of the blockages.

Please just be kindly reminded that do not concentrate the mind on the head any more.

Hope the above could be of help to you.


liuyiacmt