5 minute meditations?

Discussion of meditation in the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions.
Post Reply
illum
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2022 4:18 pm

5 minute meditations?

Post by illum »

I am very interested in meditation but find the practice difficult to initiate as a newcomer. I'm a very negative and agitated person, and also suffer from light/moderate tinnitus. Simply sitting down still seems like a daunting prospect let alone listening to a dreadful buzz in my head. This I usually drown out with some kind of background noise.

My best experiment so far has been a momentary attempt while listening to a dharma talk. This was not even the guided meditation part, simply the instructor outlining the meaning and technique of meditation before even beginning. I also held a warm class of tea. It was all active enough to consistently remind me that the objective was the focus on the body.

Meditation seems so intimidating too. Being left alone with my mind is like being put in a pit of snakes and lions. Of course the correct metaphor is that you would be running around an empty pit from said illusionary animals when there is nothing to worry about at all. It's interesting to me how difficult this is. So would continuing this practice of tiny meditations be a small enough baby step or is it too unambitious.
User avatar
Ayu
Global Moderator
Posts: 13256
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2012 8:25 am
Location: Europe

Re: 5 minute meditations?

Post by Ayu »

Baby steps are even better than starting with an overwhelming program.
Continuity is much more important than longish sitting as a beginner.

E. g. I started with 2 min meditation in the morning and in the evening every day.
Establishing a meditation habit is a process that could be celebrated with awareness.
User avatar
PadmaVonSamba
Posts: 9439
Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 1:41 am

Re: 5 minute meditations?

Post by PadmaVonSamba »

illum wrote: Mon Jan 09, 2023 2:22 pm I am very interested in meditation but find the practice difficult to initiate as a newcomer. I'm a very negative and agitated person, and also suffer from light/moderate tinnitus. Simply sitting down still seems like a daunting prospect let alone listening to a dreadful buzz in my head.
You can actually use tinnitus as the focus of your meditation, just as with using breath or looking at a candle. I’m also a very fidgety person. There are effective ways to work with that for meditation.
Last edited by PadmaVonSamba on Mon Jan 09, 2023 3:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
EMPTIFUL.
An inward outlook produces outward insight.
User avatar
PadmaVonSamba
Posts: 9439
Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 1:41 am

Re: 5 minute meditations?

Post by PadmaVonSamba »

illum wrote: Mon Jan 09, 2023 2:22 pm I am very interested in meditation but find the practice difficult to initiate as a newcomer.
Have you gotten any teaching or instruction specifically in Buddhist meditation, the proper way to sit, your posture, where to place your hands, etc and what to do with thoughts as they arise?
EMPTIFUL.
An inward outlook produces outward insight.
Soma999
Posts: 702
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2016 3:52 pm

Re: 5 minute meditations?

Post by Soma999 »

I can understand, when i started meditating, it was very difficult, so many thoughts came, but also painful thought. It generated a lot of tension.

One thing that really helped me is breathing techniques to « clean » the emotionnal field. As all the garbage was removed, it was much easier to meditate.

I found that meditating in group is helpful too.

The breathing exercice i practiced was :
- the breathing done by the art of living
- dr wright cleaning out technique

I would say now the Wim Hof breathing practice is very good also.

If i could learn to meditate, you certainly can. I was far from finding that easy.
User avatar
PadmaVonSamba
Posts: 9439
Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 1:41 am

Re: 5 minute meditations?

Post by PadmaVonSamba »

This meditation instruction is both fun and educational

EMPTIFUL.
An inward outlook produces outward insight.
User avatar
mnuuu
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2022 9:59 pm

Re: 5 minute meditations?

Post by mnuuu »

Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's instructions had the biggest impact on my sitting practice early on, his teaching of 'short time, many times' will hopefully appeal to you! As well as potentially the idea of 'zero meditation'.

Check out some of his short videos on youtube.

Take it easy, but take it!
illum
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2022 4:18 pm

Re: 5 minute meditations?

Post by illum »

PadmaVonSamba wrote: Mon Jan 09, 2023 3:15 pm Have you gotten any teaching or instruction specifically in Buddhist meditation, the proper way to sit, your posture, where to place your hands, etc and what to do with thoughts as they arise?
No, learning online through websites and tutorials. There aren't any places or centres here interested in meditation. There is a small hindu temple but someone like myself would look very out of place. I'm working with the instruction to just sit comfortably, and sit on my bed naturally in no particular posture. The Avikrita Vajra Rinpoche is quite helpful, thanks, I will try to follow this guidance.
Soma999 wrote: Mon Jan 09, 2023 3:30 pm I can understand, when i started meditating, it was very difficult, so many thoughts came, but also painful thought. It generated a lot of tension.

One thing that really helped me is breathing techniques to « clean » the emotionnal field. As all the garbage was removed, it was much easier to meditate.

I found that meditating in group is helpful too.

The breathing exercice i practiced was :
- the breathing done by the art of living
- dr wright cleaning out technique

I would say now the Wim Hof breathing practice is very good also.
Thank you Soma999. I will try to practice with some kind of timer, as it is incredibly hard to get frustrated with timing.

Again sadly there are no meditation groups here. However my plan is to move into a new city soon and there are meditation groups. So I understand the importance of being in a group.

What do you mean by cleaning the emotional field? Do you mean working through emotions as a kind of pre-meditation exercise?
DharmaJunior
Posts: 580
Joined: Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:12 pm

Re: 5 minute meditations?

Post by DharmaJunior »

If your lungs are in good condition you can try counting breath. If you are really fit one whole in and out can last a good minute and before you know it quite a big chunk of time has passed.

Also, you know, if you stop and think about it: 'I am this' and 'I am that' suffering arises. When you engage with an activity, self disappears. It's been said quite a lot of times, perhaps not as I would. Of course I'm still invited to my own pity party with a a kick me sign on the back, where I go: 'hmm, I am feeling miserable today' but -afaik- what's important is to forget the self by engaging in wholesome activity. I can sometimes do indulgences, which then leads to the agitation or a vicious cycle, but if there's nothing to do then sit down and observe is better than thinking about ones own gloominess.

Hope that wasn't too much information, because it might have no bearing on the few tidbits you threw out there about your agitation, but I think you know what to do and it will definitely help. Each time it pops up you go: 'Right! now is time for practice not thinking about self.'
User avatar
Ayu
Global Moderator
Posts: 13256
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2012 8:25 am
Location: Europe

Re: 5 minute meditations?

Post by Ayu »

I agree.
Short version: "No self - no problem". (Source unknown to me)
Soma999
Posts: 702
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2016 3:52 pm

Re: 5 minute meditations?

Post by Soma999 »

Soma999 wrote: Mon Jan 09, 2023 3:30 pm I can understand, when i started meditating, it was very difficult, so many thoughts came, but also painful thought. It generated a lot of tension.

One thing that really helped me is breathing techniques to « clean » the emotionnal field. As all the garbage was removed, it was much easier to meditate.

I found that meditating in group is helpful too.

The breathing exercice i practiced was :
- the breathing done by the art of living
- dr wright cleaning out technique

I would say now the Wim Hof breathing practice is very good also.


Thank you Soma999. I will try to practice with some kind of timer, as it is incredibly hard to get frustrated with timing.

Again sadly there are no meditation groups here. However my plan is to move into a new city soon and there are meditation groups. So I understand the importance of being in a group.

What do you mean by cleaning the emotional field? Do you mean working through emotions as a kind of pre-meditation exercise?
Hi,

By cleansing the emotionnal field, i mean cleansing anger, sadness, shame, frustration, fear… all those poisons that may linger inside.

Some breathing practice are very efficient to purge all those negativity, and make space inside.

Then, it is much more easy to meditate. You find also more peace, and your interactions with other people and the world are much more harmonious.

Maybe find remote meditation group you can join by internet. I have not searched for them but i am quiet sure there are many.
User avatar
Nosta
Posts: 930
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2010 10:28 pm

Re: 5 minute meditations?

Post by Nosta »

illum wrote: Mon Jan 09, 2023 2:22 pm I am very interested in meditation but find the practice difficult to initiate as a newcomer. I'm a very negative and agitated person, and also suffer from light/moderate tinnitus. Simply sitting down still seems like a daunting prospect let alone listening to a dreadful buzz in my head. This I usually drown out with some kind of background noise.
I have tinnitus but its like I dont have any at all. To deal with tinnitus, the best technique/idea is to dont give a damn to it. Relax. Your tinnitus is bothering you because you give to much attention to it. I used to do the same....all day and night, that nightmare wouldnt go away. Until one day a doctor said to me "relax!" and said to not give importance to tinnitus. It toke some time, but some weeks later I was not obsessed with listening to that sound. Soon enough I forgot I have it. In this right moment I am listening to it (even so, almost not hearing it) just because you talked about it.

Relax! It will go away the sound.

By the way, you can try this very helpful book for meditation:
master of puppets
Posts: 1648
Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2020 9:52 pm

Re: 5 minute meditations?

Post by master of puppets »

Nosta wrote: Wed Feb 15, 2023 10:20 pm
illum wrote: Mon Jan 09, 2023 2:22 pm I am very interested in meditation but find the practice difficult to initiate as a newcomer. I'm a very negative and agitated person, and also suffer from light/moderate tinnitus. Simply sitting down still seems like a daunting prospect let alone listening to a dreadful buzz in my head. This I usually drown out with some kind of background noise.
I have tinnitus but its like I dont have any at all. To deal with tinnitus, the best technique/idea is to dont give a damn to it. Relax. Your tinnitus is bothering you because you give to much attention to it. I used to do the same....all day and night, that nightmare wouldnt go away. Until one day a doctor said to me "relax!" and said to not give importance to tinnitus. It toke some time, but some weeks later I was not obsessed with listening to that sound. Soon enough I forgot I have it. In this right moment I am listening to it (even so, almost not hearing it) just because you talked about it.

Relax! It will go away the sound.

By the way, you can try this very helpful book for meditation:

exactly. may be the thing we are pondering on is not that much important. what profit a man looks for who understand emptines.

:shrug:
Post Reply

Return to “Meditation”