Kind of a general question on this topic. How does TM relate to AV? Does anyone here practice both, or practice TM alongside self inquiry or neti neti? Thanks!
I'm looking for good quality guided meditations specifically in the Advaita Vedanta technique.
I know there are tons of slick apps geared to secular / Buddhist meditation, but I am not finding much for Advaita Vedanta.
Any suggestions?
Dear friends, although i was raised as a conservative Christian, for the last several years I've been practicing Buddhism and meditation. Overall it has been quite helpful, but I've always hit a "wall" I could never get through. It has helped me to become more mindful and aware of many aspects of my experience - but an underlying fear and anxiety has always persisted. Several months ago I realized that all my effort and striving in meditation was not helping. I felt that the instruction I was getting said to stop being so effortful, but this seemed impossible for me in the framework I was given to practice. The emphasis on "no self" also felt destabilizing for me, there was nowhere to truly rest and just be.
I want to say, I understand this is not the case for many Buddhist practitioners, who truly do find rest and peace in their practice. Perhaps "no self", for them, is a place of letting go and true surrender. But it did not instill that quality of experience in me.
Thus, I started exploring styles of meditation the emphasized letting go of effort. This eventually brought me to exploring Hindu practices, and more recently Advaita Vedanta philosophy and practice. I still have much to learn, but the starting point of awareness and true self, the inclusive acceptance of all that arises in consciousness, is bringing greater inner harmony and peace. And what is interesting is that all my Buddhist training, the ability to really notice the various layers of experience in body and mind, is not lost. Those skills and sensibilities are intact, it is just now I am doing this practice in an overall place of wholeness and safety, and more precisely, Love. There is nothing to be afraid of or fight.
I am excited to keep going and learning. Thank you all for your work and practice.
Hello friends. I am fairly new to Advaita Vedanta and would love to meet, meditate and learn with others. Does anyone know if these types of online groups exist and how I could find them?
I understand the usual instruction for meditation is not to control the breath, but lately I've been experimenting with rythmic/paced breathing (time intervals for inhale, retain, exhale, retain).
I find it a helpful practice just on its own, like a simple physiological hack to calm the body and mind, activate the parasympathetic nervous system with very little mental effort.
I find that after about 15-20 minutes of doing certain rythms my mind feels more relaxed and dream like. The thoughts that appear seem deeper, less reactive, more like meaningful concepts, themes and memories that don't regularly appear on the surface. And they aren't sticky, they seem to flow and can be put down and let go of more easily than usual. Eventually stopping the rythms and going back to natural breathing is the most "trippy" part, like I'm in a new world, peacefully finding my footing. I've also noticed that afterward I sometimes feel a bit vulnerable and weepy, like I've dropped some mental armour.
Does anyone else have experiences and/or insight on this practice and how it can interface with meditation?
I hope this is okay to post here! I am planning to go to the Vedanta Society of Toronto retreat in September by myself. Before this it would be nice to meet / chat with some friendly people in the community. I see the centre is closed for the summer so I thought i would see if there are any locals here. I am 48 / male / gay (if that matters). I grew up as a fundamentalist Christian but left that scene in my 20s. Since then my spiritual journey and seeking has continued. I've been interested in mysticism and practiced Buddhism and meditation. In the past year I've come across Advaita Vedanta, and from the little I know I believe it points to profound truths and reality and has something to offer in my own journey and formation. Thank you.
Something has happened in the last few months that I feel is personally meaningful, maybe somewhat ironic.
Basically, I came to a point of feeling sick and tried of all the effort and striving that I bring to meditation. I've come to the point of saying "F*** this, I've had enough. I don't need this. I am okay as I am."
I get the irony that I had this insight because of the meditation I was cursing! I get that it's not the meditation itself, it's what I bring to it. So in a sense the meditation really has brought me to this place.
That being said - I think it's also true that the type of meditation I've been doing - and the culture around it - is probably not the best suited for me. I have been part of a sangha for a couple years, and although it's been awesome in a lot of ways (amazing dharma talks) but when it comes to meditation practice there is sometimes a lot of emphasis on effort, posture, merit-making, amping up your meditation schedule etc. etc. This might be great for some people but I just don't think it's right for me and what I bring.
So since this experience I've been doing my own "hybrid" style practice which breaks the rules I've been given 😄 I start by repeating to myself "I am loving loving awareness" (uh oh Buddhist sin, making an identity!) followed by intentionally giving permission for my mind to do whatever. I sit in the seat of the observer (uh oh I'm a dualist now, bad me!) and then I observe and intentionally love whatever may come. I am only concerned about my posture in-so-much as it effects my ability to stay awake, sufficiently alert and relatively comfortable. Often (but not always) the "loving awareness" mantra and "observer" seat fade away and I'm just kind of hanging out with whatever is. This approach feels much closer to home.
Thank you for tolerating my sarcasm and snarky commentary (apparently I'm still working through this.)
(In related news, I have a used Zafu Meditation cushion and 2 cork Yoga blocks available at a discount price!)
I took the standard dose for a while and would have watery stools followed by a feeling of "incomplete evacuation". I was still constipated! I thought it must not work for me or maybe I need more. Actually, I needed less. I dropped to half a dose and it works well.
I've found this technique to be very calming and helpful for anxiety. I'm calling it my "let it all hang out" or "let the mind unwind" technique.
Basically, I am repeating a mantra lightly while explicitly giving my mind permission to be anxious, or worried, or say whatever it wants. The mantra is like a flotation device or tether that keeps me going forward and not drown in my thoughts. It's like it gives distance from that worrying part of my mind, so I'm not as identified with it. My worrying mind is doing it's thing and I'm increasingly observing it rather than being it.
I think the reason it works so well for me is that I'm not trying to suppress or control the anxiety, which in my experience just makes things worse. I'm not trying to "be a good meditator" because it's a no-fail situation. Whatever happens, happens.
What I want to know is what established technique does this align with? I'm asking because I'm sure there is much more I can learn and perhaps grow in my practice.
I've been on 10mg for about five months and it helps a lot with depression and overall stability.
However I sometimes have difficulties that really suck:
I feel like all of these are somehow related... like there's a wall keeping me from connecting with something.
Can anyone relate? I want to stay on the drug and am hoping going down in dose might help.
I have recently been experimenting with a mantra technique similar to Trancendental Meditation. I find it quite interesting and surprisingly therapeutic, like stuff is coming up and I'm releasing it. It's also very different than the Buddhist oriented mindfulness approaches that I've practiced. There's a huge emphasis on effortlessness and explicit instruction to not try and concentrate.
My hunch is that it could help relax me and de-stress, but I don't think it will help me grow in insight, wisdom, compassion.
What I'm wondering is if it's a bad idea to be practicing both types of meditation. Or perhaps both could have their place?
Looking for wisdom from the sangha :-)
I'm a licensed psychotherapist in Canada. I prefer having a small part-time therapy practice (20 hrs or less per week). I'd love to find another flexible, part-time position where I can leverage my skills / credentials without actually providing therapy. It could be related to therapy or not. I've even though of recruiting as I think there is some overlap (not sure though!). What other roles might a recruiter/agency consider me for?
I've seen a few posts on this topic that assume U.S. residency, so I'm hoping to broaden the topic.
Basically, I am very happy with my mid-career, part-time therapy practice. I find 15 clients is a great number for me (to stay enthusiastic and prevent burnout) and I don't wish to expand beyond that. However, that leaves me with about 20 hours per week to help pay the bills and keep myself productive. If I could find a remote position that somehow leverages my existing qualifications/experience that would be great. I'm also open to completely non-therapy related endeavors that might suit someone with therapy skills. One thing I've considering is freelance recruiting, for example.
Additionally - obviously the American/International job market is massively larger than the Canadian market. I'm curious about companies in other countries that are open to contracts with Canadian citizens.
I welcome any feedback, experiences, insights or thoughts you might have, regardless of your nationality.
For my last few practice sessions I've been experiencing what feels like intense heat mostly from my head. My upper body, neck, shoulders, chest are also quite warm. It comes on suddenly and then stops after meditation. Kind of like having a short "fever", but just the heat and no other symptoms.
So I'm wondering why this is happening and the possibilities of what it might indicate.