Wandering mind help!!

[Luminite]

For the last few months my mind has been quickly distracted when meditating - I seem to drop in and out of medative state and of course this leads to frustration and then a failed session - I just can't seem to stay focussed :( anyone else had this?

[cress]

One simple method is put your tongue on top of your (inside) mouth. It a little bit help mind wandering.

I personally use music, a kind to help focus and go deeper, to help.

Above all else, try to stop thinking about your mind wandering. But I am not an expert either

[Miss Hepburn]

I was told by an eastern teacher, bald, in saffron robes, ha
...maybe 1974ish...(hear it in that very cool Indian accent)...
"When you meditate, if you must think...Think this...
Where are You....I know You are there...Why do You keep Yourself from me...
You can not keep Yourself from me ...I will wait...I will sit here and wait for You....Lord, show Yourself to me..."
And so on.
Think 'these' things.
Works every time...set your heart on the Lord...the Divine that dwells inside you.
And yes, tongue on the roof of your mouth...and stop your eyeballs from any movement...
put earplugs in your ears...listen to the Inner Sound Current, the Music of the Spheres
that permeates all creation...
Focus in the center of your skull (or forehead is enough)....be serious about this ...as
serious as if your girlfriend is coming for a visit, you haven't seen her in a month....
prepare a place for this visit.
Be clean...meditation is sacred...a sacred meeting place...The Secret Place of Psalm 91.
To stop the mind...you must have something stronger than the mind.

[Silver]

Originally Posted by Luminite

For the last few months my mind has been quickly distracted when meditating - I seem to drop in and out of medative state and of course this leads to frustration and then a failed session - I just can't seem to stay focussed :( anyone else had this?

Who told you it was 'a failed session'?

[ianalexanderr]

Focus is the stable base that enables your mind to reside in meditation, that perfect sweet spot in-between sleep and wakefulness.

If your focus is particularly undisciplined and weak, as you sink into meditation you will lose the balance and drift into an undercurrent of the unconscious. It's almost like sleeping; fleeting images and scenerios occupy the mind in it's trance until you wake up and realize for some time you have been day dreaming.

Dropping in and out is a symptom of a lack of focus.
Don't worry, through practice you will build focus.

Imagine every single time you stop your mind from a distracting thought and re-orient your attention back on the object of focus you are making a deposit - if you will. After a while your deposits will build up a reserve great enough to break through deficit, and you will begin to notice progress regarding being able to emerge into meditation with sustained focus.
You don't even have to "meditate" in the official sense of sitting down and closing your eyes. You can make deposits simply by stopping your stray thoughts while driving or conducting work.

Now this is regarding "meditation" with sustained focus on something. There is also a different type of meditation (Still point I guess you can call it) where you diffuse your focus and sink into meditation naturally. However for the focus deficient, this is not a productive practice and can lead to mental "grogginess" or being "spaced-out" - also if you are focus deficient finding your way into meditation through this method is hard because the brain would lack the prerequisite of focus and other things necessary for true meditation. Best start step by step like you would any other process. Build up focus through focus meditation. Then When you are ready engage in Still point meditation.

Reason I bring it up, is a lot of people confuse the two. Do it out of order, or both at times and so the focus is never fully developed. And focus is the big factor when it comes to meditation.

[peteyzen]

here is a simple technique to help
for it to be meditation you must be focusing on one thing,ie. breath, picture, candle..etc.,
start to focus on whatever the object of your meditation is. As soon as your mind `moves away` for whatever reason (a thought, a sound daydreaming whatever),and you actually notice. Internally, firstly,Thank yourself for noticing the test, smile inwardly, then immediatly return to the object of the meditation. Do not get angry, do not start to think about why its happening, simply thank yourself for noticing the test and return to the meditation.Even if this distraction or mind movement happens 5 times in a minute, do exactly the same thing. Eventually the mind will capitulate.
The analogy I always use is this; its like Supernanny and her naughty step. when the kids are mis behaving she puts them on the naughty step, and says nothing, each time the kid gets up, she simply picks the child up again and sits them back on the step, it doesnt matter how much they scream and cry, she doesnt react, she just picks them up and puts thme on the step and walks away. Eventually the child settles, calms down and sits still. This is what will happen to you mind too.

[Rah nam]

From the times I meditated, some years now, and still now when I do energy work, I let my thought wander if they want to, and gently go back where I was. Be gentle with yourself, or that part of yourself that needs distraction.

[IFeelFree]

Originally Posted by Luminite

For the last few months my mind has been quickly distracted when meditating - I seem to drop in and out of medative state and of course this leads to frustration and then a failed session - I just can't seem to stay focussed :( anyone else had this?

There are two phases to meditation -- outward and inward -- depending upon the state of the nervous system at a given time. When we are in an inward phase, meditation seems to come very easy. You close the eyes and dive deep within. When in the outward phase, the mind is active, thoughts keep coming up, a lot of purification is happening and so it seems as if the mind just won't settle down.

In either case, just be with whatever is happening, neither trying to hold onto or avoid any thoughts. Allow everything to be exactly as it is. When you become aware that you are lost in thoughts, then very easily bring your attention to the object of meditation. No effort should be used. Meditation is a simple, natural, effortless process.

[Belle]

Originally Posted by Rah nam

From the times I meditated, some years now, and still now when I do energy work, I let my thought wander if they want to, and gently go back where I was. Be gentle with yourself, or that part of yourself that needs distraction.

Yes, the gentle is so important. Our minds do wander and we need to look at that with love and compassion and go "hey the mind wandered, let's gently go back to meditation". I find the more permission I have with meditation to have a wandering mind, the less it needs to. Whereas if I settle down with the intention to have no wandering mind, it will do whatever it can to be distracted.

I'm obtuse tho. You might be more obedient!

NB: when I say "Permission to wander" I don't settle down with the intention of daydreaming. I settle down with the knowledge that if my mind wanders, it's ok.