meditation/trance difficulty

my waking consciousness has a death-grip on my brain, and it ain't relaxing it, not for all the chocolate cookies in the world.

i've tried: breath-counting, guided imagery, drumming, shamanic trance, zen-based awareness counselling, progressive muscle exercises, sleep deprivation, over-sleeping, sex, celibacy, diet...i often find one glass of red wine will relax me enough to meditate, but i do not want to become dependent upon a substance to relax my mind. i have been trying for many years, only recently have i realized that the problem is my daily consciousness is so hyped up that it doesn't want to let go when it's time to set it aside for other things.

it makes it difficult to meditate, trance, enter ritual awareness, freewrite, sketch, relax, sleep... the last time i had surgery it was even difficult to anesthestize (sp) me. what is up with this heightened every day awareness, and how can i still it?

 

Heightened everyday awareness is very often the purpose of meditation - a trance state involves a heightened awareness, just of other things.


Work with it, not against it.

Blessings

Sebbi

 

How about exercising for an hour before stepping into your home for dinner and meditation?

Otherwise, like Zen, you're going to have to meditate all the time. Just become aware a moment at a time, then add a moment to it every now and then, until you are meditating a minute here, a minute there... Before you know it you'll be neditating for minutes at a time, until you have an hour... then two... then while sleeping...

I take it you need a vacation. If so, where are you going this weekend? Somewhere quiet away from the crowds? What kind of job do you have that demands total concentration all the time? Bus Driver? Computer Programmer? It definitely doesn't sound like manure shoveller or trash pickup or pizza maker. So is the job the problem? Is there a one hour one way commute? (Join a car pool so that you can sleep in the back seat).

Is there a flowing river near you where you can sit down and just watch it go by? Is there a mountain you can climb near you? Can you sit in a playground and just swing on a swing? Is there a pool near you you can visit for an hourly swim? Do you like Tai Chi? Judo? Karate? Football? Baseball? Do you watch too much TV or listen to too much music?

 

Do something physically exhausting before you meditate.


Play soccer, do yoga, dance!

Remember : the body follows the mind, the mind follows the breath