Why can't I mediate?

I meditate, as in sit in the dark and do some focus and breathing exercises. It puts me in almost a trance-like state, it's very relaxing and I feel like it helps me in many ways.
Problem is that lately, I can't do it. Like, I go through the motions but I just can't hit that trance spot. If that makes sense.
It sucks, it feels like I'm being cut off from whatever part of myself I tap into when I do it.
I literally am doing nothing different.
Any tips? I'm not particularly spiritual about it, myself, but I certainly won't disregard that type of advice.

Have you been meditating for a long time? Sometimes when you haven't been meditating for a long enough time, you can reach that Sophomore slump.

Check your title... thought you were looking for advice on how to mediate

reply to post by igloo


Lol. Kind of threw me off, too...until I saw a picture of the health-conscious lady trying to meditate.

reply to post by Mr Headshot


I've had the same problem. The longer it takes to find the "sweet spot" the more you think about getting there, which makes it harder since you are thinking. Then, later, when you try again you have a preconditioned mindset, that voice in the back of your head saying what if I can't get there like last time. Each time you try the more frustrated and impatient you get and the harder it becomes.

Here's a method to get back there; stop trying. Serious, just stop. Take a vacation from it and let your mind re-set. After a little while the negative impulses will fade. Then, when the idea to meditate pops in your head, let it sit there. Don't do it right away. It's like a courtship, savor and prolong the moments. Play with the idea for a few days, plan your options. When you feel the time is right appeal to your subconcious. Take a warm bath with the lights low. Go to a special place and play some meditative music. Do not try to meditate. Just enjoy the moment. Allow the energy, the anticipation build in your abdomen. Let it rise up to your chest until you feel the pressure in your head. Then sit and be still. Pick one recuring thought like you just plucked it out of the air. Look at it for a moment and realize that thought is of no use at that moment. Then pull that thought back in and secure it so it does not pop up again. Continue until the thoughts are gone. Then relax and drift.

Try this meditation. Remember try not to think. Just let go. A teacher told me once if a thought enters your mind, place it on a lilly pad floating down a stream and watch it float away. Also try with a lamp or something on. and Just remember one of the best ways to find god is from within.
www.youtube.com...

Sometimes, when you have an experience during meditation, your eager to have that experience again. The eagerness and expectation of that feeling will mean your not meditating and hence won't experience it again.

reply to post by Mr Headshot


Maybe test something else for a while? Singing, Astral Projection videos or anything else that spiritually fits you?

These are good replies guys, I think I can use several suggestions here. The posts about expectations causing impatience sound dead on to me.

Well sometimes you get a disconnect feeling, and its as if you feel shallow, unable to go deeper. I would suggest not worrying, for one. And doing dishes, having a bath, connecting with water. Switching gears in the meditation by: instead of going zenmind, ask questions of your subconscious, soul, Higher Self, or Source.

2 other things have also helped. One was that I felt this restlessness, stirring, as if an inner message came, now you've had time to fill up your tank, so go out and "do". Put into practice in real life. Real life being the most important part.

The other gift that occurred, was during a period of dryness, realized afterwards that i must have been mildly depressed from dealing with things around me. And when you are pulled down, into this greyer feeling plain, ideas don't come readily. Akin to having surgery, walking to the washroom or lounge, not feeling good, shaking inside, mind foggy, you're bogged down.

Well what worked was, stepping outside the "box"/house and letting some light/sun in. Choosing to think happy thoughts, picture dreams and goals again, trying to generate a loving feeling for all around, remembering their past, good thoughts. Choosing happy thoughts and letting the sun in. Lifted and cleared that right away.

Things like anger, lack of nightly sleep, illness, depression, worries, anxiety, being anxious...all can have an effect on your success.

Of course...its a fine line between them all, because those very things are sometimes the reason we are TRYING to meditate to relax and go-inward.

But any one of them...or in combination with each other....can sometimes have the exact opposite effect by keeping you FROM being able to meditate successfully.

When that happens, stop for a bit, and try later...and good luck!

Mr Headshot
I literally am doing nothing different.
Any tips? I'm not particularly spiritual about it, myself, but I certainly won't disregard that type of advice.

That's your problem, you're bored. Silence is for beginners, make some noise. Meditation is not a procedure, it's an art.

Whats your diet like?

reply to post by sparrowstail


Diet is relatively healthy. I'm not uptight about it or anything, but I usually eat well enough. Mostly home cooked stuff with lots of veggies. Cut down the fried foods a good deal too. Very little soda.

reply to post by CretumOrbis


I feel odd making noise, I also feel awkward singing even by myself. I prefer to have a constant sound to focus on and internalize, let the noise become me, in a sense.

reply to post by Unity_99


This makes a lot of sense to me, as well as other things people have said.
I like to ask things of myself to get to the spot. Like, I'll focus on breathing and relaxing, then I'll slow down my brain by focusing on a sound until it drowns thought, then I try to focus less on that and start asking myself to do things. Just general stuff like "have stronger will" or "become more wise", just as examples. Then I try to hit the zen state where I am just absorbed into whatever that is. It's like a prayer should be, I guess.

Mr Headshot
I meditate, as in sit in the dark and do some focus and breathing exercises. It puts me in almost a trance-like state, it's very relaxing and I feel like it helps me in many ways.
Problem is that lately, I can't do it. Like, I go through the motions but I just can't hit that trance spot. If that makes sense.
It sucks, it feels like I'm being cut off from whatever part of myself I tap into when I do it.
I literally am doing nothing different.
Any tips? I'm not particularly spiritual about it, myself, but I certainly won't disregard that type of advice.

I get bored with sitting still and focusing on nothing. My meditation is smoking cigarettes and analysing conscious thoughts.
I have fully ascended/descended the matrix of illusion without doing the breathing techniques although I focus on my heart and breathing all the time anyway when going into thoughts or emotions. Perhaps that is why it was easy for me as I do not get distracted with kundalini hallucinations. Not much anyway lol, there were still some crazy things once the brain started activating. Scary at the time but I can look back and go lol, so that's how you/it works.

This is just my opinion, ascended/descended is whatever, nothing more than a nice label for wow pretty much everyone is insane.[

reply to post by UltraverseMaximus


I don't get into the chakra thing either, I just feel like I need to disconnect from everything I can while I'm doing this. The idea being that if I can shut down most external input it leaves room for internal exploration.

Mr Headshot
reply to post by UltraverseMaximus

 

I don't get into the chakra thing either, I just feel like I need to disconnect from everything I can while I'm doing this. The idea being that if I can shut down most external input it leaves room for internal exploration.

I think that sleep is good for solving the internal turmoils within, without much sensory input. Honestly being able to disconnect while fully connected, that is work on thoughts while conscious has much more value to me.
Can I offer a suggestion relating to shutting down thoughts. Don't try to it doesn't work lol. Just assume two unique identities in your mind. Neither good or bad nor you, just two points of reference to bounce thoughts, then criticize and discuss things internally until they have been resolved. It sounds easy and can be if you get good at assimilating data without the ego fighting it. Eventually everything you need to know becomes known to you in your own way and then your thoughts will be smooth and less destructive to your nervous system.
Another thing I do while smoking is stargaze blank at the smoke and the surrounding environment and just focus on my hearing. All the sounds of the birds, bugs and other noises. It creates a silent mind for me to received pure thoughts without distortions. Perhaps I drool sometimes too lol

UltraverseMaximus

Another thing I do while smoking is stargaze blank at the smoke and the surrounding environment and just focus on my hearing. All the sounds of the birds, bugs and other noises. It creates a silent mind for me to received pure thoughts without distortions. Perhaps I drool sometimes too lol

I have done this exact thing actually. I smoke out of a pipe from time to time, and it's so easy to just get away from myself sometimes.