Ok, time to medita --- zZzZzZz

I fall asleep every time I try to meditate. I'm serious.

I clear my mind of all thoughts, and I wind up falling asleep. Is it because my brain gets bored and decides to sleep, or what?

I also find it very hard to clear my mind. I would desperately attempt to ignore the song that's been stuck in my head, but me thinking about ending the song would lead to another thought, and that leads to another one. When I finally clear my head, I end up falling asleep.

This is really starting to get annoying. Does anyone have any tips? Suggestions? Heavy metal music?

I know exactly where u are coming from, I do the same but i'm sure its because I lie down to meditate. I've tried sitting up but back probs don't let me do that for too long.

Here's a thought. I don't know if it's right or wrong or whatever, but I just thought of it and it's interesting and I want to rant about it:

'Meditation' only as a 'separate activity' is wrong wrong wrong.

Think about it. Going though your daily life, blah blah, in the mundane world, then, suddenly deciding, "ok now I'm going to clear my mind and try for enlightenment".

Seems a rather silly dichotomy. Especially if the goal is to bring some of the peace and insight achieved into your 'regular' existence.

Why build walls that aren't necessary? Try 'meditating' when walking the sidewalk, in the shower, while on a break at work. Notice the times you're definitely not in a 'meditative state' -- stress, anxiety, narrow viewpoint -- that's where the results of the practice of meditation would be applied eventually, so why not start there, instead of sitting cross-legged in some darkened room, waiting for a 'breakthrough''?

Not to belittle such practice. I'm sure it has its place -- deep states of awareness, detached from body. And to talk about that, I'd say make sure you separate the 'body cues' from that of preparing to sleep -- don't lie down, if that's a problem, or darken the room, or whatever else you'd do when going to sleep, simply search for a quiet peaceful environment and relax in a different 'mode'.

Are you waiting until late at night to meditate? This could be the problem.

I used to have exactly the same problem as you because my favorite meditation position is lying down on my back. However, to solve this problem of falling asleep, I found it was best to meditate in the mornings after I had already gotten a good nights sleep, that way it keeps me from falling asleep because I am not tired.

As far as clearing your mind, try to focus on your breathing...in and out....in and out... Unfortunately, this is something that just takes practice. Don't worry, you will get it sooner or later. Keep trying. You are going in the right direction just by attempting.

Another thing, try not to have a preconceived outcome of what is "supposed" to happen. Just go with the flow and meditate "in the now."

Sit with your back straight.


Do not seat so comfortably that in 5 minutes you either fall assleep, or your posture makes your body ache.

Now, go back to meditate and enjoy.

Ah, and you can count down to concentrate on your counting, and the other thoughts will have no place.

Enjoy.

My experience:
I meditate first thing when i wake up before i start my day, before breakfast, before shower, before I do any thing.
And I have find that it is “my” best time of the day for self contemplation.
It is hard to eliminate all thoughts process from your brain but I thing you shouldn’t fight them but embrace them, observe them and let each one die the same way they appear. In doing so I tried to survey my self with detaching from it.
But again this is only my experience.

kacou

Meditate in another room then where you sleep will help too if you have that problem. when you lie down in your bed your brain get's the routine of 'lying down is sleeping, weeeeee! Goodnight!' So try it in another room and sitting in a chair or in a lotus position. Something a little bit uncomfortable, not to much ofcourse.

Hyzera...here are a couple of things you might try...try guided meditations where you actually have a story or journey to follow, instead of breathwork, or letting your mind wander. Also, if you use essential oils, try a couple of drops of peppermint or spearmint oil in a burner while you meditate, and it's guaranteed to sharpen you up...peppermint especially is a stimulant, and will make it easier to stay awake, so maybe not at bedtime!

Hope this helps..

Cait

You don't have to sit still with your eyes closed to achieve meditation. I think this is but one way to be successful in meditation.. You can try making dance a meditation - or running. Awareness is the key.
There's all these different techniques you can try to help with this - to help make you more fully aware of your existence as it is at the present - to be 100% present. Meditation is the art of gathering all our enegy, all our thoughts, and all our attention and focusing in the present moment.

Search for a technique that works for you. You could try hatha yoga or tai-chi where breathing practices are combined with physical exercises. There are also certain powerful techniques, such as those that use mantras and yantras, make use of sound and its wavelengths or sight and the deep symbolism of certain forms... For some of these, it's important that they be learned under the supervision of someone who thoroughly understands how they work.

And as for practicing these techniques, some are specific to a time of day or place; others can be practiced anywhere at any time, creating in every moment a possibility for meditation. I personally love these techniques the best just because they're simple and help me personally with my own awareness, plus i find it difficult to put aside time each day to especially focus my energy..
I have read that these little techniques are drawn from the Vigyan Bhairava and Sochanda Tantras which were written about four thousand years ago in India. Basically these techniques are the answer that the Hindu god Shiva gave to a girl when she asks him to explain the nature of her existence. These techniques will help to move your attention away from your mind::

Try looking lovingly at an object and find beauty within it. Do not stray. Enjoy the beauty and be still.

Focus on the pulsing of your heart.

Close all the openings of your head - eyes, ears, nose, mouth - with your hands. Conciousness that is continuously flowing outward will turn in.

Watch your mind carefully as it moves between opposites. Look for a moment in which it is still.

There are also these "stop techniques" that can be very powerful. They provide an opportunity to move quickly from the outer to the inner::

Roam around or dance until exhausted, then drop to the ground and feel wholeness.

Just as you have the impulse to reach for something, stop. Enter the moment.

When you desire something, watch the desire, consider it, and then quit it.

At the start of sneezing, during fright, in anxiety, in extreme curiosityu, at the beginnning of hunger, at the end of hunger, be uninterruptedly aware.

I agree with the other poster that stated that meditation only as a separate activity is wrong, in a sense. We should incorporate it into everyday routine and events. And these simple experiments can be practiced in practically anything you're doing throughout the day or night.

It comes down to awakening to your presence, to your very existence. Meditation helps transform the sleeping soul. And it's much like learning to play music - it must be practiced. And, just like music, meditation happens when we stop trying.

P.S. There are many meditation and chakra meditation CDs you can buy that are specifically created for dance meditation.

[edit on 27/6/08 by pretty_vacant]

Yea, I have been trying to meditating lying down. It is a lot more comfortable than sitting in the lotus position.

reply to post by pretty_vacant

make you more fully aware of your existence as it is at the present - to be 100% present. Meditation is the art of gathering all our enegy, all our thoughts, and all our attention and focusing in the present moment.

I've heard that a lot, just being phrased differently and used in different contexts.