Struggling in calm abiding meditation

[ramelec]

When under medication and meditation, if we get body chills or head freeze at certain point, what should we do?  Do we just recognize and let go?

[Morning Dew]

In such case I put on my warm cardigan and cover the head too so it gets warmer. Yes warm your self up and notice and let go by going back to calming the body 

Che

[ramelec]

Unfortunately it is not the cold..it's the medication 

[Quardamon]

ramelec,

I know little about you. Do you know the exercise of feeling an egg around you?
In other words: can you feel the space of your body and half a meter around the body?
And if you can feel that egg, can you feel how this space is full with your personal energy?
Or could you fill this space with light of the sun?
Please, give an answer. Also if the answer is "Sometimes I can, at other times I do not understand your question".

Wishing you well,

Quardamon

[ramelec]

ramelec,

I know little about you. Do you know the exercise of feeling an egg around you?
In other words: can you feel the space of your body and half a meter around the body?
And if you can feel that egg, can you feel how this space is full with your personal energy?
Or could you fill this space with light of the sun?
Please, give an answer. Also if the answer is "Sometimes I can, at other times I do not understand your question".

Wishing you well


Quardamon

The issue is I am too tense up that I become fearful even not in meditation. I humbly apologise if I don't write appropriately. Sometimes I got up at night and write. By the way I don't quite understand your question.   

Mod edit: Posting within quotes can be quite confusing to readers. Just cleared that.

[Quardamon]

O.K. That is clear then. Thank you for your reaction.
What is your age?

Kindly,

Quardamon

[ramelec]

Mid 30s... but not english educated (half of my life)

[Andrew]

hi ramelec,

While we are asking questions, what is your religious background? From you location and response to what you hoped to get out of sitting (you said calm your 'ego self') I'm assuming Buddhist? of course I had you pinned as being from eastern europe and in you late 40's! So much for my assuming

love

andy

[ramelec]

I am Asian and I consider myself Buddhist but not a full knowledge about the practises.

[Andrew]

Hmmm. Some here may feel you are already on the right track with that (Buddhism that is!!), but I would say you need to come up with your own answers to the question;

What do you want to get out of life? You are interested in Jhana, so are we all, but as we have established that doesn't respond to 'want'!

Try to see beyond what is the 'correct' answer and tell us, in more than one sentence what you want. Even put it in your native language and make us use google translator if that makes it easier!


The reason I say this is if you have an idea of 'no self' which you don't believe, it is just getting in the way. Put all that thinking to one side and start from where you are. I think people make to much of the 'ego self' talk, especially as in english the word generally is used to mean 'proud and arrogant'. Very soon people become proud of how they are being not proud!!! Be yourself and tell us what you feel you want.


love

andy

[Stefan]

When under medication and meditation, if we get body chills or head freeze at certain point, what should we do?  Do we just recognize and let go?

Yes, that's the first answer to most questions. And usually it is the right answer.

Metta!

[ramelec]

Jeffrey,

Just let everything be. Force nothing away, draw nothing to you, just let it all be. At this stage you just want to learn to sit and breathe and relax. If the sadness is there let it be there, right now if you try letting it go you may end up forcing it away, a form of hypnosis and very unhealthy way to start being with what is.

Warmly,

Matthew

Dear Matthew or forummers,
I do get a lot of empty sadness, I don't quite understand the part that if try let go you may end up forcing it away...a form of hypnosis.?.since I have been meditating for one month. Thanks.

[Morning Dew]

Let the sadness be dont force it away, only try to move a little bit away from it and observe it from the In and Out breath position Through being aware of your breathing observe the sadness. Try not to BE the sadness totaly. Only sadness not good. Sadness observed while being AWARE of the In and Out breath good OK

Che

[Stefan]

Jeffrey,

Just let everything be. Force nothing away, draw nothing to you, just let it all be. At this stage you just want to learn to sit and breathe and relax. If the sadness is there let it be there, right now if you try letting it go you may end up forcing it away, a form of hypnosis and very unhealthy way to start being with what is.

Warmly,

Matthew

Dear Matthew or forummers,
I do get a lot of empty sadness, I don't quite understand the part that if try let go you may end up forcing it away...a form of hypnosis.?.since I have been meditating for one month. Thanks.

It only sounds complicated. If you try to let go, that is an activity born out of craving for a change in your situatuion. This will cause tension in body and mind. Letting go is not an activity but comes to you naturally if you simply keep up your practice without craving for any success. That's the trick. Sadness arising? Let it arise, why not? It is there anyway, so you just stay equanimous, observe it, go on with your meditation, that's all. Don't give it too much importance, it will go away again.

Well, you could force it away all right, but that's the "self-hypnosis" Matthew is talking about. Because in reality you cannot force it away, you only can enter the unhealthy state of not seeing what is actually there.

The empty sadness you experience now, that is the sadness you stashed away your whole life. Now you meditate. Especially in the beginning meditation often is not bliss, but dirty work. It's like you shoved your garbage under your bed for a long time so you don't see it. But it's there, it smells, you decide to do something about it. You meditate.
What happens when you clean up under the bed? Right, you have to touch all that garbage again you shoved away a long time ago. You stirr it up so it smells even worse (for a short period only). That's the sadness you experience now, it is not a sadness that originates from your present situation, but it is "long-time-gone"-sadness you are getting rid of right now. So, no need for any reaction ...  ... let it happen, it is healthy.
Springtime, clean up your sadness!    Just go on with your practice.

Metta, Stefan

[ramelec]

Dear Stefan and Che,

Thank you. Now it makes sense. It's like acknowledging it and then let it go by itself and come back to the calm abiding samatha. Same as all emotions, thoughts, and everything. Hope I am right I have been doing that for 1 month....

May all humans be free of sufferings.

[Stefan]

You're welcome!

It's like acknowledging it and then let it go by itself and come back to the calm abiding samatha. Same as all emotions, thoughts, and everything.

  Yes!