Physical Factors of Mystery Work

[Aster Breo]

While the majority of our work on Mysteries is/will be non-physical, I think we still have to be aware of physical factorslike health issues, medication, intrusive noise, etc.

I have 2 major problems in this regard.  First, migraines and related concerns such as medications, which most of you have already read far too much about, so I'll spare the details here (unless they become relevant somehow).

Second, I have literally no privacy.  At the moment, there are 6 adults living in my house, plus 21 cats.  (Yes. Twenty. One. Cats.)  While the humans are happy to allow me whatever alone time I need, the cats are another story.  

Most of them orbit around me all the time -- probably because I hand-raised 2.5 litters of them, so they think I'm their mama.  As I write this, there are 6 cats on the bed with me (plus my husband ), and several others in the room.  Three are snuggled up against me.

It doesn't matter what time of day or night it is.  I'm literally never without multiple cats near me, unless I leave the house.  And those of you who live with cats know how annoying they can be about closed does, especially doors that are usually open.

I find it extremely difficult to get into the kind of altered consciousness necessary for journeying.

Anyone else with physical concerns?  Tips for handling them?

~ Aster

[spoOk]

While the majority of our work on Mysteries is/will be non-physical, I think we still have to be aware of physical factorslike health issues, medication, intrusive noise, etc.

I have 2 major problems in this regard.  First, migraines and related concerns such as medications, which most of you have already read far too much about, so I'll spare the details here (unless they become relevant somehow).

Second, I have literally no privacy.  At the moment, there are 6 adults living in my house, plus 21 cats.  (Yes. Twenty. One. Cats.)  While the humans are happy to allow me whatever alone time I need, the cats are another story.  

Most of them orbit around me all the time -- probably because I hand-raised 2.5 litters of them, so they think I'm their mama.  As I write this, there are 6 cats on the bed with me (plus my husband ), and several others in the room.  Three are snuggled up against me.

It doesn't matter what time of day or night it is.  I'm literally never without multiple cats near me, unless I leave the house.  And those of you who live with cats know how annoying they can be about closed does, especially doors that are usually open.

I find it extremely difficult to get into the kind of altered consciousness necessary for journeying.

Anyone else with physical concerns?  Tips for handling them?

~ Aster

 
I find it's either Murphy's law or my limitationsbut every time I get 'alone time' and lay down to try and meditate,the more quiet I am the more loud and obnoxious the world gets,and I can't seem to block it out,I have the same problem falling asleep too,even my own breath passing my nostrils in teeny tiny whispery wheezes bugs the heck out of me.

[Aster Breo]

the more quiet I am the more loud and obnoxious the world gets,and I can't seem to block it out.

Have you ever tried those squishy earplugs?  They're pretty effective at blocking noise.  The biggest drawback is that they block the alarm clock, too.

[spoOk]

Have you ever tried those squishy earplugs?  They're pretty effective at blocking noise.  The biggest drawback is that they block the alarm clock, too.

 
I've tried those for going to sleep and just end up hearing all my swallowing really loudly inside my head and the earplugs themselves...are like magnifiers if physically rubbing something....or whenever they shift in my ear or something. it was quite the trick for me to ignore them when I had to wear them when I worked construction.  I just end up having to lay in bed thinking of random things,till the sentences fall apart and stop making sense then I know I'm falling asleep.

[Darkhawk]

I find it's either Murphy's law or my limitationsbut every time I get 'alone time' and lay down to try and meditate,the more quiet I am the more loud and obnoxious the world gets,and I can't seem to block it out,I have the same problem falling asleep too,even my own breath passing my nostrils in teeny tiny whispery wheezes bugs the heck out of me.

 
I think trying to block it out is an unhealthy form of meditation created by the illusions the West has cultivated about Zen practice.  Yes, you are becoming more aware of what's around: that means it's working.  The trick is to accept that it's there, and to let it go, release it to do whatever it's doing without worrying about ascribing significance to it.

[spoOk]

I think trying to block it out is an unhealthy form of meditation created by the illusions the West has cultivated about Zen practice.  Yes, you are becoming more aware of what's around: that means it's working.  The trick is to accept that it's there, and to let it go, release it to do whatever it's doing without worrying about ascribing significance to it.

 
ah! thank you for perspective!

[Tana]

The trick is to accept that it's there, and to let it go, release it to do whatever it's doing without worrying about ascribing significance to it.

My Qi Gong teacher told us, that we shall work on achieving a state in which: you will hear a needle drop, but a clap of thunder won't startle you.

[SatAset]

I think trying to block it out is an unhealthy form of meditation created by the illusions the West has cultivated about Zen practice.  Yes, you are becoming more aware of what's around: that means it's working.  The trick is to accept that it's there, and to let it go, release it to do whatever it's doing without worrying about ascribing significance to it.

This reminds me of a writer's silence.  It's inner stillness that you can cultivate so you can write anywhere, no matter what stimuli are around you.

[Annie Roonie]

Anyone else with physical concerns?  Tips for handling them?

~ Aster

I live alone with only 3 cats, so I have it easier, but there are some physical concerns. In the past I have planned for them. Got all the shopping done, have every essential item for living handy. Premade foods or foods like fruits. And a ton of water.

I only have a few people intrusions directly. All I can suggest for that if you cannot leave, is to let the people around you know that you are not going to be yourself they way they're used to and not to be scared, but to let you alone as much as possible.

As far as blocking things out, for me it is more a matter of getting to the space where it is not necessary and typically I will use a form of self hypnosis and breathing exercises to do this. (I was taught them by a dentist believe it or not. Couldn't have any type of painkillers and needed some intense drilling of roots. Acupuncture didn't work, so we tried hypnosis which also didn't work, but self hypnosis did work.)

Here is the method. Dim any harsh lights. Try to get as comfortable as possible. If temperature is a problem, take a shower first and use a fan etc. Get prone with upper body raised some so that I will not have to force my eyes shut (the muscles, when relaxed, keep them open some and a slight tilt allows gravity to close them enough to keep them moist through the rest).

I focus on a comfortable spot on a wall. Inhale as deeply as I can and exhale as deeply as possible five times working the abdomen to push out all the air and the same for the muscles to inhale as much as possible each time. If interrupted, I start over.

Once that's done I begin a visualization. Mine was to imagine a beach and the sun overhead but it changes. I imagine it's rays meeting me gradually. From toes up. Each little segment of my body at a time. As the rays hit each section, I let my muscles relax to jelly but not put to sleep. Once at the head it becomes harder for me because each piece of the face, those small muscles, needs to relax.

After I'm fully relaxed but not tired, I get up and proceed through the day in a mediative state. I usually feel much lighter. It's easier to wipe away things that come and go. I live on a very busy intersection in a loud neighborhood, so at least in this much, I have to be able to wipe away like second nature.

The cats have tended to strangely already be in the headspace I'm in and only rub up against for brief lovins. Feeling their fur, making them a part of the meditation, has been cool for me.

[Maps]

Anyone else with physical concerns?  Tips for handling them?

~ Aster

 
It's not nearly as much of a concern for me anymore, but back when I had roommates it was the noise. (There literally was not an hour of the day or night where someone was not awake.)

But another issue that started getting bad a couple years ago was this sensory hypersensitivity, which is most noticeable with noise. Lots of loud noise or music sets me on edge, and even any music "invading" my space will irritate me or make me anxious. I also have a lot of bizarre anxiety/panic issues with certain situations involving music, but that's only tangentially related. But like I said, I live with my grandmother now, so noise pollution isn't nearly as much of an issue, and I hope to take advantage of that.

[DancesWithHorses]

I think trying to block it out is an unhealthy form of meditation created by the illusions the West has cultivated about Zen practice.  Yes, you are becoming more aware of what's around: that means it's working.  The trick is to accept that it's there, and to let it go, release it to do whatever it's doing without worrying about ascribing significance to it.

I like Darkhawk's take. I don't function well in true silence. I always have some sort of “noise” in the background. This could be music (personally prefer country), or the outdoors. I usually sleep with the window open and the radio on. The other night I couldn't sleep because the window in that room won't open and there was no radio.

This is my personal take but I find any place that I'm comfortable enough to sleep is usually also reasonable to work with.