Experiences with meditation

[Sarabellum]

I would be interested in the Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, too.

 

As a side note, for those in the Louisville, KY area, the University of Louisville has an ongoing study involving CBT. It is free to volunteers.

 

You can read more about the research here: https://louisville.edu/depression/research

[GiaK]

I’m currently listening to a meditation audio program that Reginald Ray recorded with Sounds True: Your Breathing Body, Vol 1. and Vol. 2
 

I’ve known of Reggie Ray’s work and been curious to pursue it further for a while. I recently got around to buying and listening to the above program.  I’m feeling heavily zapped by them…my whole being a sponge at the moment, so I’m a bit overwhelmed and grateful both. I’ve actually started with Volume 2 and will be going back to Volume 1.
 

I'm finding it incredibly helpful to further heal the chaotic discord in my body caused by the iatrogenic injury from the psych meds. The agony of that condition made it very hard to want to be in the body. Still, I've always had a big somatic component in my intuitive healing process. I've somehow known I need to feel it all to heal.
 

Reginald Ray is a religious studies scholar and a historian. He has developed quite a detailed and compelling theory as to how humans as we evolved got disconnected from our bodies and nature. He also has developed a profound meditation practice with the intent to reconnect to the body.
 

The body connection is something I’m working on all the time. Yoga and dance have become very important to me. I’ve also been practicing various sorts of somatic meditation for a long time. Reginald Ray helps expand that for me.
 

I posted a brief Facebook status update that was inspired by what I’m learning in my body as I study with these audio files.
 

Healing is about remembering what it is to be human — that we are one with nature and all that is.

 

Then that primordial knowledge needs to be married with the modern experience. The synthesis of the two experiences is waking up.

 

 

Below is an intro from one of Reginald Ray’s books: Touching Enlightenment: Finding Realization in the Body

 

As we engage our somatic crisis, whatever it may be, we realize that embodied meditation is a very different and far more fruitful way to practice than the disembodied path we have been following. But this leaves us wondering just how to carry out our meditation in an embodied manner and inhabit our body in practice. Most fundamentally, meditating with the body involves paying attention to the body in a direct and non-conceptual way. This calls for very focused work and requires regularity, steadiness, and an ongoing commitment. In fact, I would say that once we “catch on” to what meditating with the body is all about, we enter a path that will unfold as long as there is life. At the same time, the experiential impact of the work is immediately felt, so there is confirmation of the rightness of what we are doing and as an evolving natural trust in the process that is beginning to unfold.

 

Meditating with the body involves learning, through a variety of practices, how to reside fully within our bodies. What we are doing is not quite learning a technique, not quite learning how to “do” something. Rather, we are readjusting the focal length, the direction, and the domain of our consciousness. Thus, we gradually arrive at an awareness that is actually in our bodies rather than in our heads. It’s not something you actually learn to do; it’s a way of learning how to be differently.

 

Forming the core of the training is a corpus of perhaps fifty “somatic protocols” that are arranged in several main groups. One set of practices has to do with learning how to begin developing a pattern of relaxation within the body. Another focuses on cultivating a relationship with the earth underneath. A third attends to discovering awareness of the interior of the body. A fourth concerns locating internal tension and learning how to release it. A fifth group involves cultivating a sense of the inner space or silence of the body. A sixth is oriented toward bring prana, or “inner breath,” down to the cellular level. And so on. The practices lead people through a rich and multifaceted process of relaxation, developing presence within the body, opening interior awareness, reading the information the body gives forth, learning how to let the body come more and more to life, and finally surrendering to the body as the guide of one’s life. All these aspects are treated in detail in the following pages. A brief summary of the protocols is given in the appendix.

 

As one enters the process of body work, it becomes critical to learn how to see in a new way. As an illustration, I would cite an example provided by 

Malidoma Some

. Malidoma had been away from his village for a long time. At the age of three, he had been kidnapped and brought up in a Catholic boarding school. When he escaped and returned to his home nearly twenty years later, he wanted to get the light going on night. In the West African village where he was born, though the people didn’t have electricity, they had ways of creating light at night if they wanted to. Still, at night they might say, “Let’s turn the lights off so that we can see.” When Malidoma wanted more light, he was told, “No, if we light the lamps, we won’t be able to see.” As the village elders explained it, you can’t see anything real in the daylight. The only thing you see in the daylight is what you want to see. When you turn the lights off in the night, you see what wants to be seen, which is a whole different story.

 

It is very much the same way with our body. We need to turn off the light of what we think, or our diurnal consciousness. We need to descend into the night, the darkness that is our own body. When we do so, we discover that it is not neutral or dead, nor is it a space that is just simply there for our consumption and our use. Within the deep shadows of the body, within its darkness, we begin to discover a world that exists in its own right, quite apart from anything we may consciously think, expect, or want. We begin to find that the body has its own wants–in a sense, it wants to be seen on its own terms and within its own frame of reference. This can be a rather surprising discovery for many of us who, as modern people, are so very alienated from the body. We can’t imagine the idea that the body might be a living force, a source of intelligence, wisdom, even something we might experience as possessing intention. We cannot conceive of the body as a subject. And yet, to carry out the body work, this is exactly what we need to do … 

Reginald Ray

 from

Touching Enlightenment: Finding Realization in the Body

 

 

More on Beyond Meds about healing our body/mind/spirit through becoming conscious of the body:

●  Befriending our bodies: accepting our minds/bodies as they are

●  Yoga for trauma: reclaiming your body

‎●  ”When you put the psyche in motion it heals itself.” (embodiment)

●  The disembodied mess we’re in

●  Trauma release exercises (works with simple tension too)

 

orginal post http://wp.me/p5nnb-aSX

[Petunia]

Similar topics merged.

[btdt]

If you have read this thread tried or not tried meditation and are interested in giving it a go... try this link

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/our-empathic-nature/201401/how-meditate-made-easy-mindfulness-meditation

  

It is a short "how to"  simple and easy to understand.  I for one need simple clear instruction just now and take special pleasure in passing on things that are simple but also useful ... this I feel is both. 

 

I started meditation or what I think is a form of meditation in a guided video on utube called " two honest guys blissful deep relaxation "  That is where I started with this it was a complete fluke I used it when my system had no regulation at all... I also used heat on my spine at the same time and laid down ... covered up. I needed the passiveness in the beginning.  I needed the comfort as my mind was going all over the place without the heat back pain would have had me moving as I personally found wd to be extremely painful.  So this is how I started with what I think was a form of medication.  It was also the first thing that brought me any sense of rest of positive change that I could actually say ... "hey something shifted toward the good" because of something I did. 

 

The next place I found meditation was in the book called the "power of now"  

Watching for the next thought stopped my brain from running rampant... doing whatever it chose including driving me mad and distracting me from what I needed or wanted to do. 

I found that when thoughts were hurting me.. in any way I could ...stop watch for wait for the next thought if one came I stopped again and went back to watching and waiting for the next thought... 

it was brilliant to get some control... really brilliant! 

 

I have been reading a book about how the brain heals itself.Brains way of healing... again meditation heals. I don't want to do too much on this book here now as there are so many things I do want to share from it in one place when I get around to reading it all and have sorted it in my own mind.  would love if others would buy it so we could discuss it.. well worth the money. 

 

Of track now by the all the new wonderful ways to heal in that book ... so for today I will add this link ... simple to read easy to do for those of use easily distracted. 

 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/our-empathic-nature/201401/how-meditate-made-easy-mindfulness-meditation

 

This is such an important part of my healing and I did not know till after the face just how important it was.  I found it all seemingly by accident... I wonder now if I had some help but that would be another story about God.  

 

I made a mistake in the above post but to edit confuses me so I am going to add a ps.

 

PS.

The first thing that helped me was a cd of the ocean not the guided meditation.  There are tons of utube videos with just wave sounds I will add one I think may work I used a cd I already had. I also used a heating pack I warmed in the microwave and pillows to hold my head and back on an angle.  This reduced back and gut pain kept the acid reflex under control. 

 

 

I added the video cause when I first started I would have been hard pressed to find one.... if your in this hurting place please try this.  Use it often as the more you use it the better it works. 

 

Lastly don't worry about rules this is not about how to become the best at meditation this is about survival and for me this worked. I don't give a hoot how you do it lay stand sit do what your body feel better doing. You have to start where you are.  I wish you peace.

 

In the early days any word I heard would repeat in my head so anything with words was out... as it just added to my torment... so the ocean above was the perfect place to start. Later when I was improved I found guided meditation helpful.  Again I will add the link as I know navigating the net is taxing. If you don't like it find one you do like there are many. peace

 

 

[Hangingon]

Hard to do when the shakes n anxiety make me want to flee the body.

Then there's the uncomfortable feeling of losing consciousness when I do relax.

[GiaK]

yes, you're right...timing is important...the program I refer to here is not something I could do for the first several years.

 

this is how I started when the screaming chaos in my system was all there was:  http://beyondmeds.com/2012/05/20/meditation-3/

 

I couldn't listen to audio tapes or do what would be considered formal meditation for several years...but I did practice in the way I mention in the linked article. 

[JanCarol]

Bump!  I think this somatic breathing, somatic awareness is right on my bleeding edge right now.  Thanks GiaK for taking the time to put the information here.  I am a little intimidated by a 10-CD set (I cannot fault the price for a 10 CD set!) - maybe I need a new, larger capacity MP3 player!  But It is now on my path to pursue.

[GiaK]

Jan, 

you certainly don't need to start with that program...there are lots of ways to start sort of "playing" with somatic healing...

 

Scroll down once you go to this link: http://beyondmeds.com/?s=somatic

 

there are lots of posts where I talk about somatic practices...start small. 

[Muddles]

I've was told to try meditation by my friend....why do I find every meditation video scary?

[btdt]

I was like this for a time too Muddles I did not trust them not to cause a bad reaction and went to an old cd I had for years of the ocean I knew there was nothing on it but the ocean.  Do you have something old and soothing if so try it.  

peace

[RipVanWinkle]

I am new to this forum and the first thing I searched for was "meditation".  I have read your posts with interest and am keen to learn from other experiences.  Posts by spectio, btdt and nadia, especially resonate for me.  I would love to hear back from spectio if s/he is still around.   I will also report back on how I am going with my meditation practice and whether it is helping my withdrawal from Cymbalta.

 

My depression came on during a period when my meditation practice had stopped.  Marriage breakdown, kids sick, lots of things went off the rails, not just my meditation practice.  But I have not been able to get any proper continuous practice back for the 25 months I have been on Cymbalta.  Like Spectio, I sometimes wonder whether this drug has made it harder for me to meditate.  (Perhaps it's all in my mind .)  Anyway, I am now tapering off Cymbalta and trying to re-establish my meditation practice which was a very practical and effective tool in so many aspects of my life.

 

For anyone interested there is a free download of a very good book, beautifully written, called "Mindfulness in Plain English".  I don't attach a link as I don't know the protocol on this forum, but it is easy to find and it is free.  I have no affiliation with the publisher but I can attest to the humble and generous simplicity of the book and the effectiveness of the practice.  In fact it is not an overstatement to say that this book changed my life.

 

Thank you for the collective efforts of everyone on this forum, a terrific resource.  Very grateful to be able to borrow your thoughts and experiences to help myself.

[Thorin]

Hi @Altostrata

 

I think I’ll give this a try. Can you give me any instruction. I do breathwork multiple times a day but find it’s efficacy varies. It does help bring me down a notch though.

 

thanks!

[Altostrata]

See 

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

 

Easing your way into meditation for a stressed-out nervous system

 

Music for self-care: calms hyperalertness, anxiety, aids relaxation and sleep

 

Ways to cope with daily anxiety

 

[Thorin]

I’ve started a meditation whereby I choose something external to focus on and keep bringing my mind back to that object when my kind wanders. Hoping it will help with my focus/concentration. I also do external scanning, a sort of external mindfulness. Where am I? What’s present? Am I safe?

[Dragoon909]

Mindfulness really does work. I recently started using it: I'll tell myself: "you're here in the present (say date and day), safe and sound in this vortex of calmness."

 

Or, I'll say other positive and soothing words integrated with my spirituality in Christ. 

 

Of course, everyone's beliefs defer, but that's just my technique. 

 

Ppl use mindfulness meditations for different circumstances and mental illnesses, but I'm using it for depersonalization and anxiety. 

 

It definitely centers one with enough practice and breathing. 

 

I've used it for insomnia as well: hmmm, it somewhat works for it. 

 

Definitely recommend mindfulness. 🌷 🌴 💗 

 

Dragoon

 

[Dragoon909]

3 hours ago, Thorin said:

I’ve started a meditation whereby I choose something external to focus on and keep bringing my mind back to that object when my kind wanders. Hoping it will help with my focus/concentration. I also do external scanning, a sort of external mindfulness. Where am I? What’s present? Am I safe?

 

That's not a bad idea, Thorin.

 

I kinda do the same with some personal item or picture. 

 

All these ways to cope are so necessary when we feel unsafe or overwhelmed.  

 

😊 

 

 

[Thorin]

15 minutes ago, Dragoon909 said:

All these ways to cope are so necessary when we feel unsafe or overwhelmed

I agree. I guess many people are taught to naturally feel safe? But it turns out many of us aren’t and I assume that contributes to many people going on meds for anxiety.

[Dragoon909]

6 minutes ago, Thorin said:

I agree. I guess many people are taught to naturally feel safe? But it turns out many of us aren’t and I assume that contributes to many people going on meds for anxiety.

 

When we're thinking right and have clarity, it's natural. 

It's hard to feel safe dealing with derealization: makes the world seem so disjointed and hard to feel goodness beneath the smog. 

I was completely healed until I took a supplement (silly me), and here comes the derealization and anxiety out of nowhere. 

 

And I'm not taking any medicines. Absolutely not. So, we have to learn to cope. 

 

We'll heal. It's just finding wholesome ways to cope in order to get there. 

 

[Thorin]

But because it passed before you can have confidence that it will pass again

[FeralCatman]

I found this YouTube channel with tons of guided meditations that are free. The author is a woman from Lithuania named Pura Rasa. I find her voice to be very soothing and calming which is very rare for me. I've been on this planet over 50 years and I've only encountered one other person whose voice I found to be calming. It's not my mother. There is something there for pretty much everyone.

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/organicheart