About This Meditation Thing

Originally published on Blogspot Saturday, September 5, 2015

(Sorry. No picture this time)
Have you ever tried to meditate?
Were you successful?
I’ve tried it many times with many different sources over the years – starting with reading how-to books and following what they tell you to do, listening to tapes/CDs, participating in groups with a leader, or whatever.
It has never worked for me.
I don’t think I have a Type A overall personality, but apparently I have a Type A mind/brain. I can’t get it to shut off for more than about 15-20 seconds. It always goes to something that needs to be done … something I’m concerned about … something else I would like to do, etc.
If I am able to relax some, I’ll occasionally go to sleep, especially in the afternoon or any time if I haven’t had a good night’s sleep. Occasionally, but rarely, some good may come from this effort. I’ll get an idea for a story, a thought to include in my next project or email, or even an idea for this blog.
When I’m listening to a “leader” – whether in person, on the web, or on a CD, one thing really annoys and frustrates me.
It’s the breath cycle timing.
The leader gets you started by telling you when to breathe in and out. That’s okay.
But a problem appears after that.
He/she then goes off talking about something other than breathing in and out – the benefits of meditation, plant a suggestion, or something – while you are supposed to keep doing the breathe in and out thing.
When he/she comes back and resumes telling me to breathe in or breathe out, I’m almost always out of synch.
If he/she says “breath in” … well, I may have just finished breathing in and I can’t take any more air in. I need to breath out or my lungs feel like they will explode. Or he/she says “breath out” when I’ve just done that and need air. Am I supposed to breathe out more and begin coughing like the lung capacity tests make me do?
I thought meditation was supposed to be relaxing.
It’s amazing how often I come up out of sync with the leader. It totally destroys any “mood” I did have when that happens. I feel like I’ve just wasted my time thus far. I might as well start again from the beginning on my own, burn my 15-20 seconds, then forget about it.
Even if he/she stays with the breathe in and out cycle, it’s often in his/her or some other unknown timing. And that rhythm may not be my natural rhythm.
Not a very relaxing situation conducive to meditation you think? It’s really frustrating for me.

Anyone else have these same problems? Anyone know how to overcome this?
I’ve never seen this kind of thing discussed.

Please check out my website: http://www.jimstramler.com. Maybe there’s something non-meditative I can help you with?

Have a great Labor Day weekend.

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