Hitting a wall

General discussion of issues related to Theravada Meditation, e.g. meditation postures, developing a regular sitting practice, skillfully relating to difficulties and hindrances, etc.
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Guy
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Location: Perth, Western Australia

Hitting a wall

Post by Guy »

Hi Everyone,

I have been "hitting a wall" lately in meditation. So far, every time a powerful nimitta comes up in my meditation I start to get excited and think something along the lines of "Here comes 1st jhana!" - which of course leads me to bounce right back from the nimitta. I know what the problem is - my excitement and anticipation, and I know the reason the nimittas arise in the first place is because of letting go of desire and craving at least temporarily.

The meditation seems to go something like this - settling into present moment, settling into silence, watching the breath, getting calmer, more mindful of the breath, calmer, more mindful, very calm, nimitta, WOOHOO!, agitation, loss of mindfulness, reminding myself to be calm, mindfulness of the breath returns, etc.

So how can I lessen the excitement, will it just be a matter of time and practice until the same habitual reactions get boring and they cease? Or is there something more to it?

Thanks,

Guy
Four types of letting go:

1) Giving; expecting nothing back in return
2) Throwing things away
3) Contentment; wanting to be here, not wanting to be anywhere else
4) "Teflon Mind"; having a mind which doesn't accumulate things

- Ajahn Brahm
nathan
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Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 3:11 am

Re: Hitting a wall

Post by nathan »

Guy wrote:Hi Everyone,
...will it just be a matter of time and practice until the same habitual reactions get boring and they cease? Or is there something more to it?

Thanks,

Guy
Yes this what you will have to do. You're beginning to see various forms of the truth of how the untrained mind is wandering and agitated. Relax and continue to observe.

That is all that there ever is to do. Watch and learn.

metta & upekkha
:anjali:
But whoever walking, standing, sitting, or lying down overcomes thought, delighting in the stilling of thought: he's capable, a monk like this, of touching superlative self-awakening. § 110. {Iti 4.11; Iti 115}
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Guy
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Location: Perth, Western Australia

Re: Hitting a wall

Post by Guy »

Hi Nathan,
nathan wrote:That is all that there ever is to do. Watch and learn.
Thanks, that is very good advice. I guess I was just looking for some reassurance that I was on the right track.

With Metta,

Guy
Four types of letting go:

1) Giving; expecting nothing back in return
2) Throwing things away
3) Contentment; wanting to be here, not wanting to be anywhere else
4) "Teflon Mind"; having a mind which doesn't accumulate things

- Ajahn Brahm
nathan
Posts: 692
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 3:11 am

Re: Hitting a wall

Post by nathan »

Guy wrote:Hi Nathan,
nathan wrote:That is all that there ever is to do. Watch and learn.
Thanks, that is very good advice. I guess I was just looking for some reassurance that I was on the right track.

With Metta,

Guy
If you just keep simply relaxing, watching and learning
then you can know that you are on the right track.

The mind will show you the whole universe before you can get it to just stop for a second. It really needs to relax and calm down so just try to do that and be observant. The rest looks after itself.

:anjali:
But whoever walking, standing, sitting, or lying down overcomes thought, delighting in the stilling of thought: he's capable, a monk like this, of touching superlative self-awakening. § 110. {Iti 4.11; Iti 115}
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genkaku
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Re: Hitting a wall

Post by genkaku »

Whether excitement or despair, I don't know any other approach: Keep on practicing.

Not that it's any consolation, but everyone goes through this stuff. It will make you stronger in the long run. Just keep on practicing.
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Spiny O'Norman
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Location: Suffolk, England

Re: Hitting a wall

Post by Spiny O'Norman »

Guy[/quote] Watch and learn.
[/quote]

That's really good advice! :clap:

Rick
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Guy
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Location: Perth, Western Australia

Re: Hitting a wall

Post by Guy »

Thank you all very much for your encouragement. :bow:
Four types of letting go:

1) Giving; expecting nothing back in return
2) Throwing things away
3) Contentment; wanting to be here, not wanting to be anywhere else
4) "Teflon Mind"; having a mind which doesn't accumulate things

- Ajahn Brahm
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Jechbi
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Re: Hitting a wall

Post by Jechbi »

Hi Guy,
Guy wrote:I have been "hitting a wall" lately in meditation.
That's great! The wall is there for a reason. The wall is anicca, anatta, dukkha. Don't ignore the wall. Sometimes people get walls and they don't know what to do with them. So consider yourself lucky.

Metta
Rain soddens what is kept wrapped up,
But never soddens what is open;
Uncover, then, what is concealed,
Lest it be soddened by the rain.
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