I just sit down try to relax and focus on my breath.
If we are not supposed to control the mind or train it but just observe it, my observation is that it just does its own thing regardless what my desire is.
I invested lots of hope and lots of time to rid myself from emotional pain and become more tranquil.
I don't have any ritual. I just sit down try to relax and focus on my breath. It does not take long before I am lost in my thoughts. My attention comes back in few minutes and then is lost again. I don't force anything. I just try to observe my breath or focus on sensations in my body.
As for the time of the day, I think morning is the best time of the day because my mind is most relaxed and rested. I also have full time job and it would be very hard for me to carve out an hour from my busy daily schedule.
thank you all for responding to me.
I read on and off this forum and I get an impression that lots of the people with time get more peaceful, can focus on breath longer and feel better in general. Also I read few books about meditation recommended on this forum and outside of the forum and watched some YouTube presentations of meditation teachers. I have been very committed to meditate at least the beginning.
I know I should not compare myself to anybody else. I also know that we are not to expect the progress but just watch "what is".
I am 8 months after Vipassana retreat, I meditate almost every day at least 45 min in the morning. But my mind is out of control like a run away train. I can focus on the breath maybe 5 sec at most before my mind goes somewhere and hardly comes back after maybe 10 min to stay focused for another 5 sec. and to go away again.
If we are not supposed to control the mind or train it but just observe it, my observation is that it just does its own thing regardless what my desire is. I invested lots of hope and lots of time to rid myself from emotional pain and become more tranquil. But nothing really changed since I started. It would be very hard for me to quit but I consider myself being no different than 8 months ago.
Maybe I a not a meditating type. During retreat I met people that shared with me how much meditation changed their lives and made them much happier people. I was hoping to feel the same way after some time. I am more and more reluctant to sit on the cushion because it does not do anything positive for me. Maybe it does, but I am not aware of it.
I am hoping that other members of this forum have some suggestions that help me stay on course.
Its very frustrating to feel like you're not getting anywhere.
I invested lots of hope and lots of time to rid myself from emotional pain and become more tranquil. But nothing really changed since I started. It would be very hard for me to quit but I consider myself being no different than 8 months ago.
5. As for my emotions I made extreme progress. I do not react to negative emotions. I stopped being sarcastic and mean to other people or myself in response to my anger, resentment, fear and other emotions. I just endure it and wait it to pass. Also I get lots of serenity from meditations.How do these two add up? To me, they seem contradictory.
I do not react to provocations, arguments, do not gossip and criticize people, do not provoke people myself, or react with anger, and restrain myself from hurting people emotionally. That is on conscious level. To achieve it I strongly control myself.The italics are mine.
I guess I need to train my mind to better sense my body.I support that.
That evaporated after a while when I was not making much progress.
I read on and off this forum and I get an impression that lots of the people with time get more peaceful, can focus on breath longer and feel better in general. Also I read few books about meditation recommended on this forum and outside of the forum and watched some YouTube presentations of meditation teachers. I have been very committed to meditate at least the beginning.
I know I should not compare myself to anybody else. I also know that we are not to expect the progress but just watch "what is".
I am 8 months after Vipassana retreat, I meditate almost every day at least 45 min in the morning. But my mind is out of control like a run away train. I can focus on the breath maybe 5 sec at most before my mind goes somewhere and hardly comes back after maybe 10 min to stay focused for another 5 sec. and to go away again.
If we are not supposed to control the mind or train it but just observe it, my observation is that it just does its own thing regardless what my desire is. I invested lots of hope and lots of time to rid myself from emotional pain and become more tranquil. But nothing really changed since I started. It would be very hard for me to quit but I consider myself being no different than 8 months ago.
Maybe I a not a meditating type. During retreat I met people that shared with me how much meditation changed their lives and made them much happier people. I was hoping to feel the same way after some time. I am more and more reluctant to sit on the cushion because it does not do anything positive for me. Maybe it does, but I am not aware of it.
I am hoping that other members of this forum have some suggestions that help me stay on course.
Wow this is almost a carbon copy of a post I just wrote. This is exactly how I feel after nearly 3 years. Its very frustrating to feel like you're not getting anywhere.
After three years of getting nowhere I would ask if the instructions offered had value.
You confused me with Luscious. For me it is only 8 months.After three years of getting nowhere I would ask if the instructions offered had value.
May I ask you what you mean by that statement?
Why does he believe that Goenka method is not good? What else would you recommend?
I feel much better than when I started this thread.