Starting Meditation

[Apple]

I am interested in starting meditation as a way of dealing with sensory issues, OCD, anxiety, and depression, if that is possible... Does anyone have any experiences with overcoming these things through some kind of meditation? I work out every day, which helps, and I also do 20 minuets of deep breathing, but I am looking for a way to meditate that feels like it is actually being effective. My everyday experience is similar to an autistic person's, but my OT suggests the problem is, I am actually too sensitive to the feelings of people and things around me... I think this is the root of many of my issues. I always feel like I am allergic to life or that it is making me sick, and I am wondering if there are any meditation excersies aimed directly at overcoming these types of issues. Thanks!

[pearlswan]

I had and probably still have, depression though not that bad at all anymore. I used to meditate a lot on healing and calming with nature sounds or songs. You can find some on youtube, just try find one that you feel resonate to.

[redstone]

Hi Apple

it might be an idea to regulate your self emotionally first before doing any kind of meditation...in the sense of not having your feelings hijacked by thoughts which only amplify there intensity, if you have ocd and anxiety and depression then it's usually thoughts that resonate and generate with that feeling that will run away with you, so it would be prudent to get some control of this first before meditating.
meditation will open all those doors you try keep closed, and all that emotional energy if thwarted or ignored can and has exploded in to the awareness of the meditator and can cause more harm than good....just my pennys worth.

[Apple]

Originally Posted by redstone

Hi Apple

it might be an idea to regulate your self emotionally first before doing any kind of meditation...in the sense of not having your feelings hijacked by thoughts which only amplify there intensity, if you have ocd and anxiety and depression then it's usually thoughts that resonate and generate with that feeling that will run away with you, so it would be prudent to get some control of this first before meditating.
meditation will open all those doors you try keep closed, and all that emotional energy if thwarted or ignored can and has exploded in to the awareness of the meditator and can cause more harm than good....just my pennys worth.

Thank you to both of you very much for your thoughts... They are good suggestions and I'll be sure to be careful now not to begin before I can get those feelings under control.

[Rise and Shine]

Learning to meditate certainly helps the inner world. It takes time, and finding the right teacher for you.

Journaling is a very quick way to clear the mind, and open awareness of what is going on.

An exercise called the "morning pages" is very beneficial

Take a note pad and start to write - keep writing for 3 pages. Non stop - being directly honest about what you feel or are thinking about. Do this each day or several times per week and you will have a clear space within!

[Gem]

Originally Posted by Apple

I am interested in starting meditation as a way of dealing with sensory issues, OCD, anxiety, and depression, if that is possible... Does anyone have any experiences with overcoming these things through some kind of meditation? I work out every day, which helps, and I also do 20 minuets of deep breathing, but I am looking for a way to meditate that feels like it is actually being effective. My everyday experience is similar to an autistic person's, but my OT suggests the problem is, I am actually too sensitive to the feelings of people and things around me... I think this is the root of many of my issues. I always feel like I am allergic to life or that it is making me sick, and I am wondering if there are any meditation excersies aimed directly at overcoming these types of issues. Thanks!

Mindfulness meditation is usually used in the types of issues you mention. You could speak to the OT about that, and google 'OT mindfulness' to find out more.

[Divine Consciousness]

Well If you are depression patient suffering from anxiety and taking daily pills, you have not to drop pills and side by you do meditation. meditation will give you fastest recovery and in long run you will not need pills only after few days (20-30 days) of application. but its advised if you are taking help of doc keep your self in contact with doc too.
I have simple meditation technique.

[Divine Consciousness]

Benefits of meditation:
Person’s ability to perceive the matter or thing grows as his consciousness is raised to different level.
Meditator remains calm and clear-headed comparing to his earlier non meditating days.
There is growth of aura as aura too is vital human living force.
Meditation keeps one high blood pressure pills away, a day doing daily in long term. Meditation gets blood pressure at normal level.
There is said that meditation brings benefits to asthma patient, but did not went on search how this happen & when to do the meditation and did not go for details.
Depression patient, after instant relief by taking pills, can start meditation for fastest recovery.
And many more benefits of meditation which are normally unknown such as balance of mind keeping flood of thoughts away from human mind.
Here I mention easy method only. This one, one can do 40 minutes daily and get above mentioned benefits as regularity progresses.
Few basic tips how to get in meditation:
1) Meditation sitting shall be in happy and easy mode.
2) Take room spray or indoor apparel spray sprayed in room. Now inhale and exhale with aroma senses sensing the fragrance of spray. This type of inhale shall be in meditation trying to sense our breathe-in and breathe-out. Try to do it initially with spray for few minutes, the same we have to pay our entire attention and minds focus (not the focus of eyes) in the meditation. If any spray is not available, one can try this with aroma of cooking meal or cooking vegetable (not spicy one but sweet or suitable to our inner) on frying pan or boiling vessel while on fire. But while inhale and exhale not to use force for breathe in (not to inhale forcefully, be it natural way) and breathe out (not to exhale forcefully, be it natural way).
3) Eyelids are closed softly and not in tight mode. Closed eyelids or eyes must not blink or vibrate during entire session of meditation.
4) Eyes are when closed, locked in looking ahead in line of eyes in one line as if one road (broad enough by outer corner of eyes), in that line ahead goes and ends in distant horizon. In simple words our focal eyes be sure are locked on one dot in horizon in line of one line of our eyes.
5) While meditating in close eyes visuals (visuals, light area or lines of light or moving visuals) may be distracting. That’s why one has to ignore such visuals and his or her eyes shall be locked on road ends as focal point in the horizon. This is only the locked focal point and one shall not pay his attention or minds focus on this focal point. One shall pay his entire attention and minds focus on inhale & exhale.
6) Person shall inhale & exhale in.
7) Person shall inhale and exhale with both nostrils (left nostril is called Ida and right nostril is called Pingla). This is the easiest way to develop living force run through Sushumna. If any of or both nostrils are stuck due to cold, those will be cleared in few minutes while doing meditation in sitting position.
8) Mouth shall be shut gently and must not open during entire session of meditation. No movement shall be of tongue in mouth. If saliva has formed in mouth, person can intake the saliva so that not distracted from meditation.
9) Meditator can sit in simple folded leg position or half lotus folded legs not stretched but in very easy position prepared for long duration. Palms of hands kept on upper side of the fold of legs in ease (not putting pressure on knees or fold of legs), while fingers of his hands holding knees (on upper side of fold) in easy way. His hands shall be in easy position. Or you can follow Za Zen posture of sitting, too. Za Zen is very sincere technique.

10) Person shall sit straight in ease that his trunk, neck and head are aligned in one line. One should assume before taking this sitting position that his spine and head shall be in one scale line. His head shall be kept in position in ease that in long duration his neck and head does not get stress & strain. Coz in entire meditation person cannot move his body parts single or many times. If any person gets blood circulation blocked in his legs or getting pain in legs, can stretch his legs straight forward for few minutes till his pain go or blood circulation gained again (but not ejecting from meditation). This problem is common in fat persons or persons who do not sit in folded leg position much. Few minutes later, again person should fold legs when his legs are normal.
11) Yama or Ascetism: In entire session of meditation, person shall forget his all body or bodily senses but his entire concentration, attention & focus on breathe. Oh! Sometimes person has to scrub his itches to get this Ascetism.
12) Asana or Seat: In early times, persons had to use 2 to 2.5 inches layer of Kusha grass and leather (tiger, deer or antelope skin) on that layer grass and used to put cloth on it as cover to sit on this asana. Now a day’s method is changed as modernity and getting animal skin is crime. One can use 2 to 2.5 thick, 3 feet width (for proper sitting) & 3.5 feet length (to stretch legs properly, if needed) cotton filled cotton cloth seat with cotton cover is on. If one have cotton bed, can do his meditation on the bed too. Foam or spring seats cause inconvenience in the meditation.
Set of exercise:
1) Lay the seat or asana in comfort zone of room (or any place of comfort may it be under the tree shadow as Lord Buddha did it under Bodhisattva tree).
2) Sit on it in half lotus folded legs position or simple folded legs with ease and happiness flooded in. Or follow Zazen posture.
3) Be our trunk, neck and head aligned in one line in ease.
4) Eyes are closed gently and focal is locked on point in line of eyes in one line ahead to fixed in horizon (for becoming conversant to horizon one may go to beach to look horizon or may go to terrace of building or any higher place and see where earth and sky meets at the point).
5) Starts breathe serene and pause less that waves of thought shall not stuck the course of breathe.
6) Put entire attention, minds focus and concentration on breathe shall be taken in and out in the manner tried with spray, but in ease and happy mode.
Technicality:
1) Asana or seat: Tightly cotton filled cotton cloth seat (with cotton cover on), helps in longing the duration of meditation. This prevents from bone faults, aches and bone aches due to sitting for long period say 40 minutes to many hours or whole day. If such facility is not available, one can do it on carpet or any asana or on plain ground or on tiles floor. But foam and spring leather seats are not preferable.
2) Trunk, neck and head alignment: Sitting in folded legs makes person sincere and alignment of trunk, neck and head gets all seven main chakras aligned and grow strongly.
3) What are Chakras? Chakras are plexus or radiating complex or radiating network of nerves, vessels & glands. Chakras are source of mainly gray aura.
4) Aura? Aura is type of energy in human body. Mainly there are two types of aura in our body. One is Gray Aura which is produced by existing Chakras. Other is White Aura which is derived from dead cells exist in our body. There are billions of cells of our body dies in every hour. And billions of cells takes birth and live every hour. White Aura derived from dead cells.
5) Happiness & entire attention on breathe: entire attention & focus paid on breathe in entire session, happiness stops or prevent thoughts which stuck breathe or pause breathe. Happiness along with entire attention and minds focus on breathe takes person to new levels of consciousness or gets his subtle more awaken.
At last my teacher’s saying, “How birds rises & fly forward in the sky unconsciously on their target or aim. There is still stillness is beneath their rising or flying wings. This still stillness is abode of meditator.” Meditation may bring meditator this still stillness and immense happiness.
Amen!