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16-05-2022 07:00 PM
16-05-2022 07:00 PM
Mindfulness trouble
Hi,
I am opening this thread to talk about any disturbing experiences that may have arisen from a meditation/mindfulness/other spiritually founded practices. Particularly hope to hear what you may have done to navigate these.
Ever since I went to a silent retreat 12 years ago my life changed. I was more fearful or when I wasn't, too excited. I lost touch of the individual who I had gotten used to.
The meditation teachers encourage tranquillising and self compassion as a anecdote, but these only help temporarily.
Has anyone who have had similar experiences found anything helpful?
sammy3
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17-05-2022 07:29 AM
17-05-2022 07:29 AM
Re: Mindfulness trouble
Hi @Former-Member , I haven't had any bad experiences with mindfulness or meditation myself, but I have heard that if you dive in when you have a background of trauma, that trauma can rise to the surface suddenly.
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17-05-2022 10:54 AM - edited 17-05-2022 10:54 AM
17-05-2022 10:54 AM - edited 17-05-2022 10:54 AM
Re: Mindfulness trouble
Hi @Former-Member
I'm sorry this happened to you during what was meant to be an experience meant to be good for your wellbeing. As @NatureLover said trauma can rise to the surface during meditation/mindfulness. There is some good info about it around the internet. Can you relate to that possibility at all?
hanami 💮
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17-05-2022 06:06 PM - edited 17-05-2022 10:37 PM
17-05-2022 06:06 PM - edited 17-05-2022 10:37 PM
Re: Mindfulness trouble
Well the first thing I'm thinking is staying "grounded", as an old classic. A fundamental, really. A lot of people recommend having a snack and a bit of stretch/dance after practice sessions to put your self back in your body.
Cleansing and detoxing can also be good. For that I'm thinking herbal baths/teas. Maybe some sandlewood or some smudge sticking. If you can find a first nation elder doing smoke ceremonies I say jump at the chance.
Debriefing either with journals or other practitioners is a pretty solid way to go as well.
I'm personally a fan of saint, guides, totem systems as a way to dynamically regulate. For me, it also works to have a diverse team of archetypes. Sometimes I need healer archetypes, sometimes warrior archetypes and often a bit of both. Worth saying the same goes for people networks in the corporeal world.
I still reckon self-compassion is generally the answer but takes a lot of forms. Every new layer we discover eventually reveals a new way to love. The heart is the other third eye. (Maybe the first third eye, even. Fourth eye?) It's a sensory organ it's own little way, is what I'm saying.
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17-05-2022 07:20 PM
17-05-2022 07:20 PM
Re: Mindfulness trouble
I have done a few meditation weekends, in the early 1980s which went deep, but I managed to hang in there.
Mostly continued the practise in various ways since. Shifted and turned and read more and more and gained insight into it. I never attached to a community though. Too many other pressures, but in a way that was good as I just stuck with the basics and did not caught up with other beliefs or social issues.
About 10 years ago was thinking of doing a vipassana retreat, but it was not going to work with family, then shifted mode to doing actual music retreats from time to time. That has been great ... still a lot of mindfulness in it ... but maybe drumming ... or folk or stuff like that.
Sometimes I found people's insistence on impressing me with different unusual beliefs a problem. I think it is fine if people, stick to 'I statements' as in ... this happened to me ... or ask in a tentative manner ... but I got told about my previous lives and that put me off ... did not convince me ... sometimes I would read into things, but over the years I do not meditate in a mechanical time bound way ... somehow I have made it work for me ... I mix Christian and Buddhist and secular approaches ... and generally have a very meditative approach to daily life....
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17-05-2022 07:38 PM
17-05-2022 07:38 PM
Re: Mindfulness trouble
@Former-Member
I had a few scary experienced with meditation. I don't like the idea of 'emptying the mind' and some of spiritual practices they do.
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18-05-2022 09:45 PM
18-05-2022 09:45 PM
Re: Mindfulness trouble
@hanami ,
I have only come across benefits of mindfulness around the net except for an organisation called cheetah house. If there are more resources on this please let me know…
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06-06-2022 07:20 PM
06-06-2022 07:20 PM
What's every body up to tonight?
The new SANE home pages freaked me out. But it looks nice 😊
What is everyone up to tonight? I hope you are well.
I met a new person today who was very kind and sweet to me. She was a lovely lady.
I've just started reading Persuasion by Jane Austen, I finished Pride and Prejudice a few nights ago.
I think I'm going to light some candles and have a cosy night reading and drinking tea.
💖🫂 Hugs