Before we begin our meditation sessions, let’s discuss some of the common challenges that beginners encounter and how you can deal with them.
Restlessness and distractions
At times, during a meditation session, the mind is very restless and our attention is continually distracted by other things. These can include external objects like sounds, but also internal distractions such as memories of the past, fantasies about the future, or incessant chatter about what’s happening in the present. Such thoughts are often accompanied by disturbing emotions such as anger, fear, doubt, jealousy, or sadness. Normally we just let the mind run like this without trying to control it, so mental wandering has become a deeply ingrained habit.
There are a number of ways for counteracting this mental excitement, as it’s called sometimes. One is to focus firmly on breath and let the mind become as calm as the natural rhythm of your breathing. This method is generally best suited for a beginner. Every time your attention wanders, bring it back to the breath. Observe whatever thoughts and feelings arise without getting involved in them; recall that they are just waves of your mind, rising and falling.
An effective method from the Tibetan tradition for calming the mind is known as the Nine-Round Breathing Practice. This can be used at the beginning of a meditation session, or in the middle of a session, if your mind gets distracted.
- For the first three breaths, breathe in through the right nostril and out through the left. You can use your forefinger to close one nostril at a time.
- For the next three breaths, breathe in through the left nostril and out through the right.
- For the last three breaths, breathe in through both nostrils and out through both as well.
Sleepiness or dullness
The very opposite of excitement is sleepiness. This can vary from a dull, listless state of mind to near-unconsciousness. It is related to another one of our habits: usually, when we close our eyes and relax our mind and body, it’s time to go to sleep!
First, make sure that your back is straight and your head is not bent forward too far. Open your eyes half-way and meditate with your gaze directed at the floor in front of you. Increasing the amount of light in the room should also help you to stay alert.
It is possible that sleepiness during meditation is symptomatic of underlying depression, in which case experimenting with some of the antidotes to depression (as we will learn in subsequent sessions) might help.
If your mind is still dull and sleepy after having tried these remedies, it would be best to take a break — you can splash cold water on your face, get some fresh air, or do some stretching — or stop the meditation altogether and try again later.
Physical discomfort
Your meditations will flow smoothly if your body is relaxed and comfortable. However, it can be difficult to get it into that state. Much of our physical tension is mind related, arising from unresolved problems, fears, worries, stress, etc. The most effective solution is to recognise these problems and settle them in meditation. A short-term method for easing physical tension is to sweep the body with your attention. Start at the top of the head and travel downwards through the body. Concentrate briefly on each part and consciously let it relax. Imagine that the tension simply dissolves.
Another method is to breathe deeply and slowly, and with much concentration imagine that the tension or the pain leaves your body with each exhalation.
If sitting causes discomfort or pain, it is all right to change to a more comfortable position. As meditation is an activity of the mind, not the body, it is more important to keep the mind clear and comfortable. However, at times it is useful just to observe the pain, which is a conscious experience, a mental perception, and try to overcome the usual fearful reaction to it. Instead of giving it the label “pain”, see it as just a sensation.
Noise
Although it is best to meditate in a quiet place, it’s not always possible to find one. It’s hard to escape the world of noise. However, the problem is not so much of the noise itself, but rather how our mind reacts to it. If a sound is pleasant, such as music we like, we feel attracted and want to pay more attention to it. If a sound is unpleasant, we feel irritation or aversion. Either way, we get stuck to it and it can be difficult to let go of. Our mind starts making commentary about the noise: what it is, who’s making it, thinking to stop it, and so on. It’s these thoughts and feelings that are the problem.
The best way to deal with this situation is to recognise what is happening in your mind and learn to be aware of the noise without reacting and making commentary on it. Let it be. Focus on your mind, your reactions, and try to bring calm. Another useful way is to make mental notes such as “noise” or “music” or “bird”, then let go of them and bring your awareness back to your object of meditation.
Strange images and sensations
Meditators sometimes experience unusual images appearing in the mind, or sensations such as the body expanding or shrinking, or the mind floating outside the body. These are normal reactions as the mind adjusts itself to a new activity and there is nothing to worry about. Remind yourself to not get attached to these experiences. Simply observe whatever images or feelings arise without clinging to or rejecting them, and let them disappear of their own accord. If this does not stop, you should consult a meditation teacher.
Discouragement
We often hear people complain, “I cannot meditate; I have tried but it does not work,” or “I have been meditating for so long but nothing is happening.” The problem is usually that they are expecting too much too quickly.
We need to be realistic. Most of us have never in our lives tried to understand our mind or control our thoughts. Old habits are not easy to break. Even the results of daily meditation take a long time to appear. Positive changes take time. They develop slowly, gradually, little by little every day. So be patient with yourself.
Kalampedia 