How to Do Basic Troubleshooting for Meditation
Consider what the thoughts and mental tension is about., Focus on and let go of what you are wanting., Relax and change the focus., Practice quality over quantity and be selective when and where you meditate.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Consider what the thoughts and mental tension is about.
Is it about a topic, such as a nagging feeling you haven't finished something? You may also be feeling about an experience or memory that keeps running through your mind.
It is very important to be able to find out whether there is a central topic to your thoughts and feelings as you can then start to consider that topic in ways to resolve it creatively, or to let it go.
A chattering mind can be a number of things.
It might also be a result of pain the body is feeling as the mind is essentially distracting itself using thought chains like a pacifier.
Alternatively, you may be bored, frightened or unfamiliar with meditation and the mind is looking for distraction into something more familiar.
There is a number of different causes, so the best method overall is to find out the cause of the problem.
If your meditation is like the below image, then you should stop meditation to be able to find out what is going on. -
Step 2: Focus on and let go of what you are wanting.
Your mind might be wanting something to go away (pain or thoughts), or something to happen (deep concentration, lovely feelings, a magic pill to make all the problems go away) etc.
Consider your relationship to the experience, is the experience causing your tension, or is it your relationship to the experience and the tension that is causing more problems? , Ideally you should be meditating on a subject, such as the breath.
If your mind is capable, return your focus to your breathing and spend a few seconds relaxing and letting go.
If your mind refuses to settle, change the focus subtly to relaxing using the breath as a medium, or any muscle relaxation exercises you may know.
Alternatively, focus on compassion or kindness to yourself, counting or a word or mantra that helps you relax.
For beginners
- if it is unbearable, get up and walk around and take some space.
Avoid forcing the mind if you are a complete beginner, the odds are not stacked in your favour as you don't have as much familiarity and awareness
- thoughts and feelings can be like phantoms in the night, but you need to shine a light of awareness on them so you can see that they are all things that, with experience, you can handle for the best outcome. , Meditating in a noisy area will distract and annoy all but the most experienced meditators, but for optimum results, a quiet peaceful place is the best.
Meditating after work or school can be good for relaxation, but not ideal for focusing as the mind can be too tired
- the early hours of the morning can be a good time, providing that you normally get up early anyway and so won't be falling asleep.
A pleasant 10 minutes a day is better than half an hour where you end up fighting a war with yourself.
Aim to find out what makes quality and what ruins quality. -
Step 3: Relax and change the focus.
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Step 4: Practice quality over quantity and be selective when and where you meditate.
Detailed Guide
Is it about a topic, such as a nagging feeling you haven't finished something? You may also be feeling about an experience or memory that keeps running through your mind.
It is very important to be able to find out whether there is a central topic to your thoughts and feelings as you can then start to consider that topic in ways to resolve it creatively, or to let it go.
A chattering mind can be a number of things.
It might also be a result of pain the body is feeling as the mind is essentially distracting itself using thought chains like a pacifier.
Alternatively, you may be bored, frightened or unfamiliar with meditation and the mind is looking for distraction into something more familiar.
There is a number of different causes, so the best method overall is to find out the cause of the problem.
If your meditation is like the below image, then you should stop meditation to be able to find out what is going on.
Your mind might be wanting something to go away (pain or thoughts), or something to happen (deep concentration, lovely feelings, a magic pill to make all the problems go away) etc.
Consider your relationship to the experience, is the experience causing your tension, or is it your relationship to the experience and the tension that is causing more problems? , Ideally you should be meditating on a subject, such as the breath.
If your mind is capable, return your focus to your breathing and spend a few seconds relaxing and letting go.
If your mind refuses to settle, change the focus subtly to relaxing using the breath as a medium, or any muscle relaxation exercises you may know.
Alternatively, focus on compassion or kindness to yourself, counting or a word or mantra that helps you relax.
For beginners
- if it is unbearable, get up and walk around and take some space.
Avoid forcing the mind if you are a complete beginner, the odds are not stacked in your favour as you don't have as much familiarity and awareness
- thoughts and feelings can be like phantoms in the night, but you need to shine a light of awareness on them so you can see that they are all things that, with experience, you can handle for the best outcome. , Meditating in a noisy area will distract and annoy all but the most experienced meditators, but for optimum results, a quiet peaceful place is the best.
Meditating after work or school can be good for relaxation, but not ideal for focusing as the mind can be too tired
- the early hours of the morning can be a good time, providing that you normally get up early anyway and so won't be falling asleep.
A pleasant 10 minutes a day is better than half an hour where you end up fighting a war with yourself.
Aim to find out what makes quality and what ruins quality.
About the Author
Matthew Johnson
Writer and educator with a focus on practical practical skills knowledge.
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