collapse

* Recent Posts

"Christ Is King" by Altair
[Today at 01:09:34 am]


Re: Cill Shift Schedule by SunflowerP
[Yesterday at 11:04:57 pm]


Re: Stellar Bling: The Good, the Bad, the OMG! by SunflowerP
[March 21, 2024, 11:21:37 pm]


Re: Spring Has Sprung! 2024 Edition by SunflowerP
[March 21, 2024, 10:24:10 pm]


Stellar Bling: The Good, the Bad, the OMG! by Altair
[March 21, 2024, 02:52:34 pm]

Author Topic: Alternatives to meditation  (Read 2093 times)

EclecticWheel

  • Staff
  • *
  • Join Date: Jul 2013
  • Location: Texas
  • Posts: 763
  • Country: us
  • Total likes: 193
    • View Profile
  • Religion: Christo-Eclectic
  • Preferred Pronouns: he/him/his
Alternatives to meditation
« on: November 06, 2016, 11:35:38 pm »
I've found that sitting meditation or mindfulness triggers too much anxiety and depression, and I cannot say most mantras without ill effect.  When I can say them, I must write them myself carefully and also be careful with rhythm and speed.

There are a few repetitive prayers I can say just fine if they are combined with active meditation, and when I am inclined to and within the right environment I can sit for hours in devotional (emotion-contemplation based) prayer without issue.

But some forms of meditation that we often hear reduce stress are simply not compatible with me.

To work with less subtly altered states and more powerful emotions I have found hands on ritual written by myself to be effective and safe.  My mind knows when the closing words are said that it's time to "normalize."

Have you struggled with any adverse effects of certain forms of meditation?  What sorts of alternatives have been better?  Do you work with your emotions or altered states?
My personal moral code:

Love wisely, and do what thou wilt.

Dusk

  • Apprentice
  • ***
  • Join Date: Jul 2015
  • Posts: 40
  • Total likes: 0
    • View Profile
Re: Alternatives to meditation
« Reply #1 on: November 07, 2016, 10:25:58 am »
Quote from: EclecticWheel;198775
I've found that sitting meditation or mindfulness triggers too much anxiety and depression, and I cannot say most mantras without ill effect.  When I can say them, I must write them myself carefully and also be careful with rhythm and speed.

There are a few repetitive prayers I can say just fine if they are combined with active meditation, and when I am inclined to and within the right environment I can sit for hours in devotional (emotion-contemplation based) prayer without issue.

But some forms of meditation that we often hear reduce stress are simply not compatible with me.

To work with less subtly altered states and more powerful emotions I have found hands on ritual written by myself to be effective and safe.  My mind knows when the closing words are said that it's time to "normalize."

Have you struggled with any adverse effects of certain forms of meditation?  What sorts of alternatives have been better?  Do you work with your emotions or altered states?

 
Do you know what about meditation causes you to feel anxious and depressed? I have an ex who was never able to do mindfulness successfully because it made them too aware of being in their own body, which brought up a lot of anxiety issues.

Things like going for walks in nature, spending some time immersed in soothing music, just practicing deep breathing without the mental aspect, or doing ritualized tasks (like tending an altar) would probably be my first inclinations if I wasn't able to meditate, but I think it will depend to some extent on what is triggering your anxiety/depression. If it is putting too much attention on your own thoughts, repetitious thoughts, getting stuck in a certain mindset, feeling connected to your body/surroundings, not feeling connected enough to your body/surroundings, etc.

The other question would be what are you seeking in meditation or an alternative? Are you trying to relieve stress, calm your mind, enhance focus, connect to divinity, something else entirely? There will be different alternatives for each of these goals.
Shadows of Dusk - My tumblr with bits and musings related to my path.

EclecticWheel

  • Staff
  • *
  • Join Date: Jul 2013
  • Location: Texas
  • Posts: 763
  • Country: us
  • Total likes: 193
    • View Profile
  • Religion: Christo-Eclectic
  • Preferred Pronouns: he/him/his
Re: Alternatives to meditation
« Reply #2 on: November 07, 2016, 01:02:44 pm »
Quote from: Dusk;198787
Do you know what about meditation causes you to feel anxious and depressed? I have an ex who was never able to do mindfulness successfully because it made them too aware of being in their own body, which brought up a lot of anxiety issues.

Things like going for walks in nature, spending some time immersed in soothing music, just practicing deep breathing without the mental aspect, or doing ritualized tasks (like tending an altar) would probably be my first inclinations if I wasn't able to meditate, but I think it will depend to some extent on what is triggering your anxiety/depression. If it is putting too much attention on your own thoughts, repetitious thoughts, getting stuck in a certain mindset, feeling connected to your body/surroundings, not feeling connected enough to your body/surroundings, etc.

The other question would be what are you seeking in meditation or an alternative? Are you trying to relieve stress, calm your mind, enhance focus, connect to divinity, something else entirely? There will be different alternatives for each of these goals.


Well I have a history of depression and chronic anxiety among many other things that probably make certain forms of meditation and prayer a bad fit for me.  I am not aware of anything in the methods themselves that is unpleasant to me.  I avoid most (but not all) repetitive prayers in general as these cause mental noise once I am done.  There are some articles out there on possible adverse effects of meditation, but they don't get as much attention.

I have explored meditation in the past as a way to attain insight into the nature of myself.

In most other prayers and rituals my focus is devotional.  In some cases I am working through emotions across the spectrum including venting.  But mostly it is devotional without any other particular goal and I end up receiving insights and communications from aspects of my psyche as an unintended effect.

I've never had problems with this, not even when my consciousness had in some cases become very different than normal - I'd say they were always beneficial in this context.

Buf I have had trouble with my morning prayers being too repetitive and causing noise in my head.  I wrote them myself to address that issue by carefully monitoring the rhythm and that *did* help, but there is still a residual problem with that but no other benefit.  I persisted a long time to see if I might just be working through something, but honestly I think I am wasting my time on that.

I think more active and less repetitive prayer forms are better for me (with one exception).  I regularly say memorized prayers, but if it doesn't involve one thing repeated continuously there is no problem at all, it is relaxing.

I am thinking of arranging some of my favorite morning prayers into a structure incorporating moments of silence, lovingkindness intentions, and spontaneous devotions (including perhaps writing) since with my temperament that is more beneficial and helps build positive emotions that will help my general disposition.

Walking meditation doesn't do a lot for me, but I think a flexible structure as described could do a lot -- I'd just be combining things I know work better for me into one morning session.  I am pretty excited about experimenting with incorporating writing into a mindful state like that.

For a while due to my Buddhist influence and other influences too I thought at least one of my practices should follow a traditional form (none of my practices are entirely traditional) to attain the clearest perspective, enlightenment, etc.

Wow, what a load of BS.  I just can't do anything without changing it and it's not inability or refusal to learn from tradition: I just have a differently wired brain.

So I am curious what others may be doing or experimenting with in terms of prayer, meditation etc. or whether anyone else had trouble similar to mine.
My personal moral code:

Love wisely, and do what thou wilt.

EclecticWheel

  • Staff
  • *
  • Join Date: Jul 2013
  • Location: Texas
  • Posts: 763
  • Country: us
  • Total likes: 193
    • View Profile
  • Religion: Christo-Eclectic
  • Preferred Pronouns: he/him/his
Re: Alternatives to meditation
« Reply #3 on: November 07, 2016, 01:17:03 pm »
Quote from: EclecticWheel;198797
Well I have a history of depression and chronic anxiety among many other things that probably make certain forms of meditation and prayer a bad fit for me.  I am not aware of anything in the methods themselves that is unpleasant to me.  I avoid most (but not all) repetitive prayers in general as these cause mental noise once I am done.  There are some articles out there on possible adverse effects of meditation, but they don't get as much attention.

I have explored meditation in the past as a way to attain insight into the nature of myself.

In most other prayers and rituals my focus is devotional.  In some cases I am working through emotions across the spectrum including venting.  But mostly it is devotional without any other particular goal and I end up receiving insights and communications from aspects of my psyche as an unintended effect.

I've never had problems with this, not even when my consciousness had in some cases become very different than normal - I'd say they were always beneficial in this context.

Buf I have had trouble with my morning prayers being too repetitive and causing noise in my head.  I wrote them myself to address that issue by carefully monitoring the rhythm and that *did* help, but there is still a residual problem with that but no other benefit.  I persisted a long time to see if I might just be working through something, but honestly I think I am wasting my time on that.

I think more active and less repetitive prayer forms are better for me (with one exception).  I regularly say memorized prayers, but if it doesn't involve one thing repeated continuously there is no problem at all, it is relaxing.

I am thinking of arranging some of my favorite morning prayers into a structure incorporating moments of silence, lovingkindness intentions, and spontaneous devotions (including perhaps writing) since with my temperament that is more beneficial and helps build positive emotions that will help my general disposition.

Walking meditation doesn't do a lot for me, but I think a flexible structure as described could do a lot -- I'd just be combining things I know work better for me into one morning session.  I am pretty excited about experimenting with incorporating writing into a mindful state like that.

For a while due to my Buddhist influence and other influences too I thought at least one of my practices should follow a traditional form (none of my practices are entirely traditional) to attain the clearest perspective, enlightenment, etc.

Wow, what a load of BS.  I just can't do anything without changing it and it's not inability or refusal to learn from tradition: I just have a differently wired brain.

So I am curious what others may be doing or experimenting with in terms of prayer, meditation etc. or whether anyone else had trouble similar to mine.

 
To more specifically answer the question as to my goal, while some prayers focus in on a certain intent -- say, venting or meditating on a particular topic -- I generally pray for serenity and comfort and insight into myself and the relation of that self to the rest of reality.

My long term goal is to retain more of those characteristics of serenity and insight from moment to moment every day, let go of bad thoughts and habits, to actualize my best qualities.

Sitting meditation and mindfulness was just focused on insight, but that's just not going to do for me.
My personal moral code:

Love wisely, and do what thou wilt.

AsraiDouglas

  • Apprentice
  • ***
  • Join Date: Nov 2016
  • Posts: 40
  • Country: 00
  • Total likes: 0
    • View Profile
Re: Alternatives to meditation
« Reply #4 on: November 07, 2016, 06:46:44 pm »
Quote from: EclecticWheel;198798
To more specifically answer the question as to my goal, while some prayers focus in on a certain intent -- say, venting or meditating on a particular topic -- I generally pray for serenity and comfort and insight into myself and the relation of that self to the rest of reality.

My long term goal is to retain more of those characteristics of serenity and insight from moment to moment every day, let go of bad thoughts and habits, to actualize my best qualities.

Sitting meditation and mindfulness was just focused on insight, but that's just not going to do for me.

 
I have a hard time balancing my anxiety and restlessness with the need to be still, calm, and serene sometimes to do whatever work or devotion I need to.  Mantras and prayers get all wrapped up in my head, and sitting still sometimes becomes extremely uncomfortable very quickly.

I've found that dance or some other physical practice has been a way better alternative for me.  I spin poi, and I find that I can achieve a state of calm through the flowing rhythmic motion.  If I'm dancing, I focus on counting out the beat and the numbers become their own easy mantra.

Sometimes this is enough to even get me unwound and relaxed enough to do traditional "mind-clearing" meditation.

Tags:
 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
13 Replies
2518 Views
Last post December 31, 2012, 04:18:41 pm
by Forest Lady
17 Replies
5136 Views
Last post October 22, 2014, 11:49:32 pm
by beachglass
19 Replies
4645 Views
Last post December 26, 2015, 09:28:58 pm
by Sri Icetusk
24 Replies
5237 Views
Last post March 13, 2018, 10:43:00 am
by Jenett
6 Replies
1506 Views
Last post February 07, 2021, 01:58:30 pm
by Haptalaon

* Who's Online

  • Dot Guests: 172
  • Dot Hidden: 0
  • Dot Users: 1
  • Dot Users Online:

* Please Donate!

The Cauldron's server is expensive and requires monthly payments. Please become a Bronze, Silver or Gold Donor if you can. Donations are needed every month. Without member support, we can't afford the server.

* Shop & Support TC

The links below are affiliate links. When you click on one of these links you will go to the listed shopping site with The Cauldron's affiliate code. Any purchases you make during your visit will earn TC a tiny percentage of your purchase price at no extra cost to you.

* In Memoriam

Chavi (2006)
Elspeth (2010)
Marilyn (2013)

* Cauldron Staff

Host:
Sunflower

Message Board Staff
Board Coordinator:
Darkhawk

Assistant Board Coordinator:
Aster Breo

Senior Staff:
Aisling, Allaya, Jenett, Sefiru

Staff:
Ashmire, EclecticWheel, HarpingHawke, Kylara, PerditaPickle, rocquelaire

Discord Chat Staff
Chat Coordinator:
Morag

'Up All Night' Coordinator:
Altair

Cauldron Council:
Bob, Catja, Chatelaine, Emma-Eldritch, Fausta, Jubes, Kelly, LyricFox, Phouka, Sperran, Star, Steve, Tana

Site Administrator:
Randall

SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal