How to meditate - Stories relating to the practice of meditation.

Anybody have thoughts on this at all? Tbh, I find Sam to be a bit too pretentious my tastes. I appreciate how he tries to get you to see things through a different lens in his guided meditations, but I always just found them a bit too much. I did TM for a little over a year, then switched to mindfulness (15 minutes of breath awareness in the morning and five min of open awareness in afternoon).

Very eager to know everyone's meditation technique here.

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Hi all, Does anyone have recommendations for meditation music that isn't traditional New Age, with more organic instruments and base tunings of A = 432 or C = 528? Thanks in advance.

I have a non-dual awareness practice, and my recognition of awareness has become much stronger recently. Even in my workplace, I can often rest in it, feeling clear and undisturbed, with myself and myself alone.

When angry or fearful thoughts or emotions arise, I “snap back” to this -- like pulling trees aside to see the light beyond. And I know that light is me, and there is sense of completeness, wholeness, oneness, in that.

But I worry sometimes that this is just a fancy type of dissociation. And this makes me question whether I am bypassing something. I feel some truth in this, but at the same time, the recognition of myself, awareness, also feels like the truth. My practice is not stable enough yet to embrace it all.

It is fine on a day off work: I can observe that thoughts and perceptions are modulations of me, awareness, and I can play around with "becoming" the full reality of experience.

But in the workplace, too much conditioning is present to feel like I can "play around" at all.

I want to reach a point where the light is stable without having to "pull the trees aside." Without having to "go anywhere" I guess. But I am not there yet — though, like I said, it is stabilising, and I am optimistic of its progress.

Has anyone else faced this? Does awareness naturally deepen to include everything, or should I engage with emotions more directly?

I have an anxiety disorder , i tried meditation many times but it wasn't very helpful , because focusing on the breath or other irrelevant physical sensations didn't help me with anxiety during the day , so now i will try something else. Just focusing on the sensation on anxiety while meditating , nothing else , so wherever it happens to be in my body just focus on that point and notice any small changes and thoughts related to it , what do you guys think of this approach for reducing anxiety long term ?

Hello! I will be running my 2nd mental health workshop / life retreat next month. What are some meaningful activities we can do? Some details: half-day workshop, 20-30 participants, community-based, 25-40yo.

PS: Can't do sound baths, but can have short, guided meditation exercises.

Hello!

So I have finally developed a meditation practice.. for the past 3 weeks ive been meditating for 90 minutes.

I feel I've been entering states where I get so much information, clarity, insight.. so many times I'm like "oh yeah I need to journal that once I am out"... other times I enter into states where I feel something or something is having a conversation with me, and it's an inner resolution that feels really important. But then I instantly forget it.

My husband encouraged me that maybe it's not to important that I don't remember the details... maybe it's just apart of me now, and I don't need to remember with my conscious mind.

I assume this is because i am entering into really slow wave lengths, so I am in the deeper consciousness realms, kind of like a dream coming out? I know I am not sleeping though, as my awareness is there...

Any insight would be helpful! Thank you

Even if it's for 10 minutes. The thing is that rn I'm feeling like that but I don't want to let a day go without meditating (currently 10 pm here).

I've learned different meditation/visualization techniques for a while but something I've started to take an interest in is combining it with physical training, especially martial arts. I think I've experienced firsthand how the mind can enhance the body, and I feel like a lot of classic meditators or martial artists combined the two to perform exceptional physical or mental feats. Has anyone done this, or do you do this on the regular? What's it like?

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Hello, I want to do an 10 day meditation retreat. Where we dont talk, no cell phone, meditating all day. I have heard positive things of the Vipassana Center retreat and I am looking for alternatives. Any recommendations? I live in Ohio, but will travel anywhere in the USA.

Hello, I need your help, I am doing meditation since 2022 around 40 minutes. But suddenly last 20 days I feel like I lost interest or hyper to sit down and do meditation. It’s hard for me to convince my mind to sit down.

This is the first time it’s happening. I am wondering, if everyone pass this phase?

If you have any idea, please guide with your expertise! It would be helpful for my life. Thank you very much!

Good day fellow meditators!

I usually aim for 40 minutes to an hour per session. But almost every single time something shifts in my brain at around 20 minutes.

I don't get bored or agitated or like l've had enough. No, I can and usually do go on for another 20-30 minutes.

This subtle shift feels like something being switched off or on in my brain. And it's very precise time wise.

When I felt it today I even joked to myself "it's gonna be those 20 minutes isn't it, and then I go check my YouTube playing and it's at 19 minutes 50 seconds.

I gotta say - I dont always check, but every time I do - it is around those 20 minutes.

Does anyone experiences the same? I would love to know your thoughts. Thank you! 🙏

Hello everyone,

I’ve been meditating for about five years, but only recently have I started experiencing much deeper states during both meditation and dreams. I meditate every night as I go to sleep, and some fascinating and perplexing things have been happening that I’d love to understand better.

Lately, I consistently reach a place where I no longer see just darkness—colors, shapes, figures, and even entities emerge. It’s almost like a screen appears in front of me, showing something akin to outer space, with tiny specks of light that resemble stars. Sometimes, it feels like I’m flying through them in a way that reminds me of hyperspace travel in Star Wars, though without the long streaking lines—just moving dots.

Often, this "screen" plays images or videos, similar to a TV but much less defined than real life. However, there are moments when the clarity is so sharp that it feels as vivid as waking reality. Unlike a lucid dream, where I often lose awareness of my body, in these states, I remain fully conscious that I am lying in bed.

What’s particularly intriguing (and at times unsettling) is the range of visions I experience. I sometimes see demonic, frightening imagery—gore, shadowy figures—alongside encounters with what I perceive as angelic beings. Additionally, I interact with glowing entities made of blue or white light, usually appearing as silhouettes. These beings often respond to my questions with simple gestures like nodding, shaking their heads, or giving a thumbs-up or thumbs-down. However, they don’t always acknowledge my questions, and I’ve noticed that some of their answers contradict each other, which adds to my confusion.

When this first started and still tothis day i can focus on my Chakras and see the color corespoding with each and will fill my entire CEV.

I want to deepen my meditation practice and gain a clearer understanding of what I’m experiencing. Have any of you had similar encounters? Do you have any insights into what these visions might be or how I can navigate them more effectively? Any advice or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated!

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. 🙏 I have not included alot of infomation for reading purposes feel free to ask anything and Ill answer.

Hi! So I've been meditating for 2 - 3 days with solfieggo frequencies, aka tuning forks! :)

So far, in my experience during those days were fine actually! I felt at peace, I felt happy, grateful even during when I was meditating, and even after that and continuing about my day, I felt happy and energized in a way. And during that state, I started seeing purple lights, I was in deep meditation, my third eye area started buzzing or vibrating, while also keeping the intention to just have a positive experience while at it.

Now, please note that I meditate while laying down since I find it more comfortable than sitting down with legs crossed. 😅

So, on the fourth day, I went to meditate again, setting my intention for it to be a wonderful experience for me, and I felt at peace, happy again, safe and comforted, I had this feeling where I didn't need to be scared during that time. I started seeing purple lights which I didn't mind since it made me feel at ease, however, nearing the end of meditation, I started seeing faces, scary kind of faces, like grotesque kind of like a ghost mask or something.

I felt uneasy, maybe a little frightened at first but was trying to keep the experience light hearted and telling them that this is my safe space, please leave, and I just seek a wonderful experience. Kept appearing, but I was getting to the point to just, face it. Even if I felt a little uncomfortable, but I still got a little spooked after. My alarm later woke me up from that state, and later continue on my day, which I still felt okay and happy, which my sister noticed. Though I wasn't able to sleep tonight for some reason, since maybe just closing my eyes I'd see it again. Hence, me writing this, hopefully I can get good sleep later on.

Now I'm not sure whether to continue meditating or not, to take a break, or to just face it, I honestly just seek peace and to be at a place where I feel safe and benefit from doing meditation. That's all. Not encountering something like that 😅

But, anywho, I don't mind if you have any tips for me or any advice, any would help :)

Have a good day or night, sending good vibes, thanks!

Pretty much the title. Its something that literally only happens to me during meditation and im wondering is this normal? Or if there us a remedy

This is so annoying , it feels like it’s the best pose to meditate but it’s impossible to sit in it for longer than 15 min. My legs go numb, even if I sit on 3 cushions, nothing helps. How do you guys do it? Do I have a special blood circulation system that other people don’t have ? 😂

I've never meditated, I've sat in silence with my thoughts, but have never tried TM. I was inspired to give it a try after seeing David Lynch's advocation. I didnt read anything about it or what was supposed to happen. I only read some instructions. I started with a random phrase that popped into my head and I went with it. Within 30 seconds of it, something incredible happened. All the sudden, I felt that my mind was my sole body and navigator, in a vast darkness. Or a void. It was shocking. Then something unimagineable to me happened, I heard someone say, very slowly, "we're just trying to have a good time". This was at 3 AM, and no one was with me. The meditation was very intermittent in intervals of up to 20 seconds, as I had trouble keeping my eyes closed, and was also deeply excited by this new state I found in myself. At times I thought my eyes had opened, but I was actually seeing things, something like white ginger flailing around, not to mention patterns and movements in the darkness. I think I am going to keep going with this. Does anybody know what happened to me or if its normal?

I did a meditation journey recently, and this was the message I received. I’m trying to understand what it means and how to do it…

I have an introvert contemplating personality (a software engineer with a high tendency to analysis). This means without purposefully meditating, I used to sit around many long minutes throughout my life, and I even experienced a lot to be in a state that I didn't actually mind wandering (I wasn'tcalling it meditation because I didn't even know what is meditation, I was regarding it as a religious term). Sitting with doing almost nothing ,just breathing and knowing that I live. I also have to say that I am pretty familiar with psychedelics (not quantity, but more of a quality)

However, I recently heard the term non-directive meditation and how it is about observing thoughts. The second I heard it, it clicked in my head, as if it was what I was always looking for. Without knowing much about it, I tried a few times. I just closed my eyes, sitting cross legged on my work chair, and tried to "observe" my thought, as if they are passing through and I get to see them without judgement or attachments to any of them. The first time, I did it, after a few minutes I heard a music, which kinda freaked me out and I opened my eyes. I tried multiple times after it, and it never happened again. Now, everytime I try, it doesn't happen. Most of my sessions end with me either fall sleep or feeling so dizzy of the urge to sleep. I tried reading a book and learn meditation properly (I started the Mind illuminated) but after the third chapter I already feel like it might be some other meditation and not non-directive because it was talking about focusing on an object, and as far as learned non-directive is about not directing any thing! I think I'm kinda lost between different terminologies in the field. All I know is that I like to practice non-directive meditation so that I can freely observe my thoughts. To be honest the fact that I heard a music from my within the first time I treid it, made me so motivated to see what's next , however it never happened again (I have never experienced such clear illlusion, even on psychedelics)

What recommendations do you have for me to learn non-directive meditation in a way that I don't fall sleep or feel dizzy or be discouraged? Thanks

Greetings everyone,

Q1- I wish to know that what is the hoghest level of power (i.e: intuition) that a person could attain with years of meditation.

Q2- Is meditation really worth it if you wish to gain control of your sub-concious mind

Q3- Is the sub-concious mind really capable of doing anything?

I feel like meditation is much more challenging for me because of my ADD and how my mind works and the thoughts it rapidly creates, I want to get into meditation but my entire life I’ve always done anything I could to get away from the situation where I have nothing to do but think because it’s honestly somewhat painful

As busy people who don’t always have extra time for sitting, what helps you stay committed to meditation or mindfulness practice?

I have found mindfulness to be extremely helpful by bringing the essence of meditation into the flow of my busy day to day life. It supports my sitting practice because even on days where I don’t sit, I still feel like I’m committed to myself.

What helps you?

Any Libby (public library books/audiobooks app) users on here that can recommend good audiobooks on the topic of meditation? I love using the app and would love to see if there are any meditation books I should check out. Audiobooks preferably, as I tend to drive a lot. TIA 🙏

Pls, no 'extend the times', optimism etc. I mean mentally, how did u convince yourself to just sit through the feeling of boredom or wanting to get up?

For ppl who actually do more than 1.5hrs, how did you manage this and what were your feelings like? Meaning, we're you frustrated and just sat through or did you feel despondent like meditation will never work etc.

Just putting this here for anyone who might benefit from it who does not like sitting so much, or finds it uncomfortable to sit for for extended periods as I do. Sometimes its fine but sometimes it does my ankles in and leaves them sore for weeks.

I found recently that I can get just as good of a meditation by sitting on a stool / bench. Found this out as I was in a park and the only thing to sit on was a sort of low no backed bench. I think the height should be just right so you can keep your back really straight but not bend your knees so much. I've also tried it on a step, which was very uncomfortable.

I've started doing it at home by putting my stool on my square cushion I use for meditation and I'm finding it to be very comfortable. Hope this can help !

Hello everyone. Sorry if this is a stupid question. I am new to meditating. For the last 2 months i have been practising mindfulness meditation. I am focusing / trying be aware of my breath,as advised. My problem is that, when i am trying to observe my breath, i start breathing manually. I realised that when i don't try to focus on my breath and just sit down with my mind cleared and not focusing on anything, i feel a lot better and relaxed. But without a focal point,is it still mindfulness? Is this a wrong or inbeneficial way of meditating?

hi there! so, as the title states I’ve started recently meditating again…for reference when I used to meditate it would maybe only be for a minute or so. but, I wanted to start taking it more seriously. well, as I’m meditating it starts off as just..nothingness and then it starts to look as if I’m looking into a kaleidoscope if that makes any sort of sense? it’s genuinely as if I’m looking into so many colours and shapes and then u start getting images..only for a split second or so but it’s completely random. I wrote some down but it would be a face or an owl..etc. just really random things…and I have a feeling of being observed..not in a creepy way but it’s pretty comforting.