Hi Folks
Does anyone else notice that the quality of their meditation goes through phases? For perhaps 3 or 4 days, for instance, I will find that my meditation might be quite deep, relaxed and centred. Following that, I find that I might be quite distracted and continuously have to drag my attention back to my anchor. Yet again, another phase might pop up whereby I can concentrate fairly well but I notice a bubbling of tension and anxiety rather than relaxation.
I am not making a complaint, of course, as I know it is all just part of the practice. I was just curious if anyone has made similar observations in their own practice?
I guess it is a reflexive response to the ongoings in your day/week, however I also like to think of it as the mind slowly having a good clear out. It's like practice is slowly unclogging the backed-up drain that is my mind
quality of meditation
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Hi Cheesus.
I think of it more like "checking in with myself" than "having a good clear out".
Also, I think of my meditations as being different from day to day rather than assessing their quality, which might lead one into judgmental thoughts ("Hmm. That meditation wasn't so good today.")
I never know how it's going to go until I sit. There are times when I feel quite calm. Then I sit and I realise that my mind is all over the place. Other times I feel tense. Then I sit and enjoy a very relaxed meditation.
It's all OK because it's all what is happening to me at that particular time, that particular moment.
There might be good jazz (most stuff up to 1969) and there might be bad jazz (most stuff after '69 although Miles did some good things in the 70s). But there's no such thing as a good meditation and a bad meditation. There's just meditation. No goal to reach. No judgements to make. Just what is.
Whereas, in jazz, fusion is just a terrible din.
I think of it more like "checking in with myself" than "having a good clear out".
Also, I think of my meditations as being different from day to day rather than assessing their quality, which might lead one into judgmental thoughts ("Hmm. That meditation wasn't so good today.")
I never know how it's going to go until I sit. There are times when I feel quite calm. Then I sit and I realise that my mind is all over the place. Other times I feel tense. Then I sit and enjoy a very relaxed meditation.
It's all OK because it's all what is happening to me at that particular time, that particular moment.
There might be good jazz (most stuff up to 1969) and there might be bad jazz (most stuff after '69 although Miles did some good things in the 70s). But there's no such thing as a good meditation and a bad meditation. There's just meditation. No goal to reach. No judgements to make. Just what is.
Whereas, in jazz, fusion is just a terrible din.
Jon leads the Everyday Mindfulness group meditation on Zoom every Monday/Friday, 6pm London-time. FREE.
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Haha, as a young whipper-snapper I'll have to take your word on the state of post-1969 Jazz
I didn't mean quality as in 'this one is good, this one is bad'. I meant quality as in the qualities it possesses. I tend to notice a pattern occurring over time to the certain qualities. No meditation is just like the last, but these two are likely to be more similar than to a couple I did last week. Do you get my meaning?
I didn't mean quality as in 'this one is good, this one is bad'. I meant quality as in the qualities it possesses. I tend to notice a pattern occurring over time to the certain qualities. No meditation is just like the last, but these two are likely to be more similar than to a couple I did last week. Do you get my meaning?
God himself culminates in the present moment, and will never be more divine in the lapse of all the ages - Henry David Thoreau, Walden: or, Life in the Woods
Jon, you made me think of this
Nice
I have got to a point in my practice where I feel more at ease with the fact that in the same way no moment is ever repeated neither is any meditation. I struggled for a while after finishing the initial 8 week course because I felt like I wasn't focusing as 'easily' or 'well' as I had done. This experience was valuable because over time I could see that I was striving and that was making me anxious and unhappy.
I also realised that sometimes the quality of the meditations I thought were somehow unsuccessful was just the opposite. I was actually aware very vividly of what I was feeling and experiencing. When I was experiencing calm the meditation felt calm but if I was anxious, angry or sad I was experiencing and paying attention to those feelings.
Nice
I have got to a point in my practice where I feel more at ease with the fact that in the same way no moment is ever repeated neither is any meditation. I struggled for a while after finishing the initial 8 week course because I felt like I wasn't focusing as 'easily' or 'well' as I had done. This experience was valuable because over time I could see that I was striving and that was making me anxious and unhappy.
I also realised that sometimes the quality of the meditations I thought were somehow unsuccessful was just the opposite. I was actually aware very vividly of what I was feeling and experiencing. When I was experiencing calm the meditation felt calm but if I was anxious, angry or sad I was experiencing and paying attention to those feelings.
“Being mindful means that we take in the present moment as it is rather than as we would like it to be.”
Mark Williams
http://adlibbed.blogspot.co.uk/p/mindfulness-me-enjoy-silence.html
Find me on twitter - @feehutch
Mark Williams
http://adlibbed.blogspot.co.uk/p/mindfulness-me-enjoy-silence.html
Find me on twitter - @feehutch
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- Team Member
- Posts: 2897
- Practice Mindfulness Since: 08 Dec 2012
- Location: In a field, somewhere
Avoid pretty much any jazz after '69. Miles' In A Silent Way is, for my money, the last truly great jazz album. Very meditative, as it happens.
Thanks for the pic of John Thompson, Fee!
I do get your meaning, Cheesus. Every meditation seems to have its own "qualities". I guess I was reflecting on some posts that have appeared in the beginners section where some people have struggled at first with the idea that, say, Monday's meditation was more like a tranquil pond and Tuesday's would be a cause for the lifeboat men to be drafted in.
As Ed Halliwell discusses in my interview with him (see main forum), Kabat-Zinn recommends 45 minutes per day during the 8-week course as he feels it's important for people to stick with a meditation when boredom, frustration or plain physical pain kick in. There's something particularly satisfying about a meditation that starts off all choppy and relaxes into itself so that, by the end, the anxiety is all but forgotten.
I'm heading off to Detroit this week so I'm going to attempt to meditate on a plane for the first time. I'll let you know how I get on.
Have a lovely Sunday,
Cheers, Jon
Thanks for the pic of John Thompson, Fee!
I do get your meaning, Cheesus. Every meditation seems to have its own "qualities". I guess I was reflecting on some posts that have appeared in the beginners section where some people have struggled at first with the idea that, say, Monday's meditation was more like a tranquil pond and Tuesday's would be a cause for the lifeboat men to be drafted in.
As Ed Halliwell discusses in my interview with him (see main forum), Kabat-Zinn recommends 45 minutes per day during the 8-week course as he feels it's important for people to stick with a meditation when boredom, frustration or plain physical pain kick in. There's something particularly satisfying about a meditation that starts off all choppy and relaxes into itself so that, by the end, the anxiety is all but forgotten.
I'm heading off to Detroit this week so I'm going to attempt to meditate on a plane for the first time. I'll let you know how I get on.
Have a lovely Sunday,
Cheers, Jon
Jon leads the Everyday Mindfulness group meditation on Zoom every Monday/Friday, 6pm London-time. FREE.
Follow this link to join the WhatsApp group and receive notifications: https://chat.whatsapp.com/K5j5deTvIHVD7z71H3RIIk
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Safe travels Jon
“Being mindful means that we take in the present moment as it is rather than as we would like it to be.”
Mark Williams
http://adlibbed.blogspot.co.uk/p/mindfulness-me-enjoy-silence.html
Find me on twitter - @feehutch
Mark Williams
http://adlibbed.blogspot.co.uk/p/mindfulness-me-enjoy-silence.html
Find me on twitter - @feehutch
The universe is forever changing. The moment you have right now is already in the past. Did you see that? Gone in a flash!
Things will come and go that will affect "you" all the time. If it happens (and you notice it's not quite what you had in mind) then oh well.
The fact that you "know yourself" is the important part.
Things will come and go that will affect "you" all the time. If it happens (and you notice it's not quite what you had in mind) then oh well.
The fact that you "know yourself" is the important part.
Twitter @rarafeed
Cheesus wrote: No meditation is just like the last, but these two are likely to be more similar than to a couple I did last week. Do you get my meaning?
Oh, and why compare to the last? Whatever happened in the past is irrelevant. If you focus on the past, all you have is expectations for the future. And if you don't meet those expectations, you'll feel disappointment.
Twitter @rarafeed
JonW wrote:I'm heading off to Detroit this week so I'm going to attempt to meditate on a plane for the first time. I'll let you know how I get on.
Have a lovely Sunday,
Cheers, Jon
Last time I went on a plane, I did this on take off. I visualised actually being outside the plane and watching it from there. My "fear" of heights wasn't there that day, funnily enough
Twitter @rarafeed
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