Another Meditation Question

Mindfulness Meditation
#1

As I mentioned in another thread I started meditating regularly in August so I am still fairly new.

My question is now that I have been sitting in silence at regular times for a while. I notice that I am thinking of things I haven’t thought of in forever and some old hurts and anger have come up that I thought I was over it.

Is this a by product of the mediation, of sitting in silence? Is it my ego getting irritated? I’m just wondering why is this stuff coming up?

I’m just wondering if anyone else has experienced this and what are your opinions about it.

Thanks in advance.

#2

Yes La Luz the ego is allways finding ways to feel hurt., when there is no control over the mind etc.If the suffering is part of the past understand that the past is gone .Understand to that we all have sad and bad memories so everybody is in the same position here.You just need training and yoga can provide it so you learn how to detach and diferenciate between the now and the past between you and your memories or your real you and your emotions.that way they cant get you.

#3

Yes this happens,
You may be processing things that you’ve not dealt with and kind of pushed aside. The best way to deal with it in my opinion, would be to look at it with detachment. Observe your feelings, put a bubble around it and realize that this is in the past now and you’ve grown as a person.
Hope that helps.

#4

I think its sort of refocusing of our attention and as newbieyoga said getting in touch with repressed things. We have dozens of defensive mechanisms allowing us not to face difficult emotional things/memories. I guess during meditation those mechanisms relax (sort of fall asleep?) and unexpected things may pop up and draw our attention.

But its not only difficult stuff that is surfacing. Sometimes I have powerful flashbacks from childhood - when I was at school, walking in forest, or during xmas sitting by the xmas tree. They are extremely vivid and emotionally charged and I can’t reproduce their vividness in normal state (just recalling past). So I guess during meditation those things are somehow amplified. Probably because our mind gets quiet and then even “silent” things become “loud”.

#5

[QUOTE=LaLuz;42696]My question is now that I have been sitting in silence at regular times for a while. I notice that I am thinking of things I haven't thought of in forever and some old hurts and anger have come up that I thought I was over it.[/QUOTE]Your thoughts are coming from your Ego and Superego. Try to put your hand on the forehead and say manra ?HAM-KSHAM? until thoughts are gone.
Than keep you attention above your head without thinking.

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#6

[QUOTE=LaLuz;42696]As I mentioned in another thread I started meditating regularly in August so I am still fairly new.

My question is now that I have been sitting in silence at regular times for a while. I notice that I am thinking of things I haven’t thought of in forever and some old hurts and anger have come up that I thought I was over it.

Is this a by product of the mediation, of sitting in silence? Is it my ego getting irritated? I’m just wondering why is this stuff coming up?

I’m just wondering if anyone else has experienced this and what are your opinions about it.

Thanks in advance.[/QUOTE]

Yes, I’ve experienced these kinds of things. This is what I think about it.

First, I think it’s a positive development because it means you’ve moved out of the realm of mind and thinking and into the realm of feeling. These things come up not from any conscious effort on our part, and I think it means that you still have some things to deal with.

You mentioned two categories of feelings: 1, hurt, and 2, anger. So how are we supposed to deal with them? In my case, I usually think of category #1 as remorse rather than hurt. For these types of things I do a purification practice. I have a mantra that I use. For feelings of anger, I’ve found recently that getting into warrior pose also seems to help.

#7

No this is VERY GOOD. This means that much purification is occuring. Whenever you lose yourself that is also very good. In fact a signifcant shift has often occured.

Stuff coming up might be purging of the unconscious’subconscious realms. Thoughts could be not used to siting with silence.De-conditioning.

*****Depends what technique/method you might be using.

Things might opo into your head you wonder how they ended up there,quite unrelated or obscure. out of context etc

#8

I used to experience this…

Coming from a Hindu background and with very ‘traditional’ teachers, it was explained to me thus:

When we set out upon the path of self actualisation/realisation, material nature (Maya) gets very jealous, because she wants to keep us in a state of ignorance for her own sadistic pleasure…

Therefore, she begins to tempt us with evil thoughts, emotions and feelings whenever we sit to meditate to try and distract us from our goal…

We should not get angry and fight with her, because that is what she wants…we should just feel whatever needs to be felt, watch whatever thoughts pass by in our minds and then, just let it all go with peace, love and acceptance.

Sorta say: ‘thank you so much for that and now I can truly understand, but could we please move this along?’ lol

See if that helps.

#9

As an addendum to my last post, Buddhists use the term ‘The Monkey Mind’ to describe what you are experiencing. Yoga teachers have also adopted this phrase.

‘The Monkey Mind’ is by no means meant to be a derogatory term. It’s an aphorism used to describe thoughts that are in a constant state of unrest.

As a monkey jumps from tree to tree, so thoughts jump from topic to topic and from one period of time to another, often causing mischief and distress.

We have to learn to tame that little monkey and not let it control us. Our thoughts do not control us, we control them.
When you can understand that, you are already half way there.

Another way to look at it, is to view your mind like a spoiled, bratty child. As soon as you stop to entertain it, the child will just continue on with its silly antics because it is receiving attention.

If you say: ‘that’s very nice, dear but I am really busy at the moment’, the child will continue to pester you for some time before eventually giving up when it realises you are no longer paying them any attention.

The mind is [I]exactly[/I] the same.

What you are going through, dear OP is normal and natural and yes, it means that you are improving.

Just don’t let yourself get stuck and become a ‘captive audience’ to your own thoughts, or like the child, it will continue to perform and like the monkey, it will just keep on rattling its cage.

See it for what it is and then move on.

#10

A pointer I use from the Nisargadatta/Jnana camp is…

When conscious of thought, a sensation, anything at all…

Say to yourself I am conscious of thought…

Then just try to be conscious, eliminate the of…

Search for that which is conscious of the thought… and stay with it “abide as that which is conscious”

After all anything which can be perceived CANNOT be you. Search for the perceiver anytime, anything comes up in meditation.

#11

What great information. Thank you all!

#12

[QUOTE=LaLuz;42696]As I mentioned in another thread I started meditating regularly in August so I am still fairly new.

My question is now that I have been sitting in silence at regular times for a while. I notice that I am thinking of things I haven’t thought of in forever and some old hurts and anger have come up that I thought I was over it.

Is this a by product of the mediation, of sitting in silence? Is it my ego getting irritated? I’m just wondering why is this stuff coming up?

I’m just wondering if anyone else has experienced this and what are your opinions about it.

Thanks in advance.[/QUOTE]

This is well known.

I can write about it, but it is better to send you to a very competent source:
the book “Power of Thought” by Swami Sivananda.

http://www.dlshq.org/download/thought_power.htm

You should know the laws of thought and how to apply them.

#13

I imagine “stuff” comes up for everyone and it can be difficult to work through.
Sometimes, a refreshing alternative for me is to just quit “WORKING” so hard and take a breather with some Nidra Yoga or guided verbal meditation that gives your mind a place to focus on. It’s easy, refreshing and alleviates the hazard of taking myself and my meditation too seriously so as to defeat the purpose, which for me is to develop a calmer acceptance of myself and where I am at, to relax and release my tension and to generally hope that this release leads to a sense of well being.
Good luck and don’t forget to have fun!

#14

Dear Laluz,

My dear friend, thank you very much for posting your query here.

First I like to tell you one thing very clear that to you,

Meditation only helps us digging deep to deepest into anything.

Right?

For example: Suddenly your business is facing a huge downturn in getting customers.
So, the first thing you will do- or must do to know “why this has exactly happened”?

Then by digging deeper you will definitely find the reasons why your customers got reduced… What I have said…Digging deeper and that’s what also called [B]“MEDITATION”.[/B]

You got my point, friend.

[B]Now the technique you should follow.[/B]

First, get the picture clear Why you have taken the option of [I]Meditation[/I].

If you are adopting Meditation for your mental peace…Wait!

Then you have to follow or try to take the route of KINDNESS! Sounds tricky.
But for mental peace [B]KINDNESS[/B] to others is must. MUST and MUST.

So formula No. 1 is : Do good to others and forget it.
Formula No. 2 is : Forget about them whao have done wrong with you.
Formula No. 3 is: Have faith in GOD.
Formula No. 4 is : Believe that GOD is the only truth.:smile:

If you follow this formula and then try to sit for atleast 15 minutes then you are far ahead from others.

First after sitting : Let your mind goes where it wants to go.
Then : Just watch your mind what it does but do not oppose it.
Then : Now can you imagine your chosen Idol or meditate upon
him.
For example, if you are christan then can you imagine
Jesus is nursing a sheep who is suffering from some
diseases. Just try to imagine it and you know what you
have already passed 15 minutes. That’s the
time you should target first.

[B]Caution:[/B] If you still think that yes Manidip I have followed you and still some bad thimking is coming to my minds when I try to meditate. It is absolutely fine Laluz.

It means you are creating a barrier between the Good and Bad and forcing it to eliminate from your mind which your mind at first does not like because it is used to think ill matters the worldly matters with full of desires.

I think you got my point.

Hope this helps you.

Thanks

Kindest to you,

Manidip Chakraborty

#15

[QUOTE=manidip;44147]Dear Laluz,

My dear friend, thank you very much for posting your query here.

First I like to tell you one thing very clear that to you,

Meditation only helps us digging deep to deepest into anything.

Right?

For example: Suddenly your business is facing a huge downturn in getting customers.
So, the first thing you will do- or must do to know “why this has exactly happened”?

Then by digging deeper you will definitely find the reasons why your customers got reduced… What I have said…Digging deeper and that’s what also called [B]“MEDITATION”.[/B]

You got my point, friend.

[B]Now the technique you should follow.[/B]

First, get the picture clear Why you have taken the option of [I]Meditation[/I].

If you are adopting Meditation for your mental peace…Wait!

Then you have to follow or try to take the route of KINDNESS! Sounds tricky.
But for mental peace [B]KINDNESS[/B] to others is must. MUST and MUST.

So formula No. 1 is : Do good to others and forget it.
Formula No. 2 is : Forget about them whao have done wrong with you.
Formula No. 3 is: Have faith in GOD.
Formula No. 4 is : Believe that GOD is the only truth.:smile:

If you follow this formula and then try to sit for atleast 15 minutes then you are far ahead from others.

First after sitting : Let your mind goes where it wants to go.
Then : Just watch your mind what it does but do not oppose it.
Then : Now can you imagine your chosen Idol or meditate upon
him.
For example, if you are christan then can you imagine
Jesus is nursing a sheep who is suffering from some
diseases. Just try to imagine it and you know what you
have already passed 15 minutes. That’s the
time you should target first.

[B]Caution:[/B] If you still think that yes Manidip I have followed you and still some bad thimking is coming to my minds when I try to meditate. It is absolutely fine Laluz.

It means you are creating a barrier between the Good and Bad and forcing it to eliminate from your mind which your mind at first does not like because it is used to think ill matters the worldly matters with full of desires.

I think you got my point.

Hope this helps you.

Thanks

Kindest to you,

Manidip Chakraborty[/QUOTE]

Thank you~