FPIAFW - Week 5: Turning Towards Difficulties

[piedwagtail91]

yeh, i would do, theres no harm in a bit of extra practice, especially week 5.
mick

[overcomingms]

I did the turning towards difficulty last week. I think I will also repeat the week in the near future or redo the whole course. as someone who has been anxious for most of his 37 years I fully realise this aint gonna change overnight. However, things are slowly changing!

Take Care

Phil

[Gareth]

Good for you Phil, do keep us posted of your progress.

[FeeHutch]

It's so uplifting to hear how much you are getting from your practice Phil

[Peanut]

Hello I am in a bit of a pickle. I am unsure whether I should move onto week six or repeat week five again (the thought of which fills me with dread )

I have done week five twice but once I only managed three times in a week and then last week I managed it five times so I never achieved the six that was specified.
I just feel like I am doing it wrong. I know I shouldn't be evaluating my experience and there isn't a wrong way to do it but to be honest most of the sittings were consumed by thinking. Thinking completely unrelated to what I was supposed to be doing. I was just off in the past, or the unknown future. When I became aware of it I would try turn back to my breath or thoughts but it was odd. It was like I was thinking about thinking. Does anyone else experience this? From reading peoples experiences I feel that I should be somewhere which I am not.
When it came to turning towards my difficulties I often went numb and could not feel any sensations in my body. It was like I was blank and after a few moments of trying to concentrate on the horrible thought I was off thinking about something else. Lots of people experienced this in the book but then Williams went on to describe their 'break through moments" of which I have not had.

Does anyone have any advice? Should I just move on to week six or try and do week five again? It is like I have built it up and my thoughts around it sound a little like "you can't do it right" "this won't work for you" etc.

[JonW]

If you don't notice any sensations, that's fine. At that stage of the meditation, if nothing shows up, just return to your breath as anchor.
Cheers, Jon

[Happyogababe]

I've really benefited by the guidance and tips in FPIAFW. Week four was done before I had a chance to comment on it. It went well. Week five, however, has made me realise how much I miss body scan. For me (because I experience a lot of pain) it makes a big difference throughout the day, I am more aware of my body and any tensions or 'guarding' that's going on in the muscles. I find that I am better off doing the (week 5) meditations on my own (without guidance) for this week and that way I flow into a short body scan at the end and a period of 'just watching' what happens (which is happening of it's own accord and 'pulling' me in that direction).

I've not had a problem with turning towards difficulties, but I've done a lot of that over the years so that will have helped. Years ago I'd have run for the hills rather than face my difficulties

[MiM]

As a general note, I think it is rarely a good or necessary thing to stay hitting your head against a wall, especially not when you are grounding yourself in something new. So I would go forward with the program, look what I find there and make a mental note to get back to the difficult stuff at a later stage, when more ready for it.

[Peter]

Hi Happy,
I see no reason why you couldn't also do your beloved body scan during the course. The course is 'just' a quick introduction to some different types of meditation (very short ones). One can get a taste of some possibilities. Some you like, others not so much. Some you will probably continue to do, others not so much, or maybe later. At least you know what's there. After the course, I've hardly ever done another 'befriending' meditation. I think you're instinctively handling it great again, Happy! If you like to do it without guidance, that's fine too.
Peter

[Happyogababe]

Thanks for your input I do appreciate it.

A good idea to not force anything, MiM, and know that if and when the time is right I can return to see what happens.

Thanks Peter, I feel much better now. I have been aware of a strong 'instinct' to include body scan and do the meditations without guidance and I followed it. I noticed that I became more 'aware' and 'quiet' when I did it without the guidance, though I appreciate the guidance as and when it is needed. I like the way you summed up the course and how it is an introduction of things that you can 'sample' and see what appeals to you (and what doesn't). It makes sense. I'm interested to see what I think of the befriending meditation which begins (for me) tomorrow.

I am very much benefiting by doing this course. I am learning a lot about myself and becoming much more aware of my intuition and instinct. I am seeing how my mind works (new for me) and becoming much calmer throughout the day. For me this practice has produced changes fast, I'm pleasantly surprised.

Of course, a lot of credit goes to you guys on the forum too (thanks very much).