Mind Over Matter: The Meditation Club

Can’t agree with you more.

 

From my friend with several years of meditation experience:
Negative emotions arise when meditation goes deeper. This is the first thing that happens when practitioner's awareness touches the unconscious mind where all the repressed emotions and memories are stored.
To heal all the wounds they need to be uncovered first so it is a good sign that if one experiences the negative emotions.

If one keeps meditating, then s/he will transcend those negative emotions and new dawn will begin.
So, in the long term, even Vipassana meditation should not be bad for normal person, but yes, in the short term, it can make one feel bad.

 

Dear Thyagarajan Sir,

There are 3 levels of mind in my humble view. Conscious, Subconscious and Unconscious Minds. In conscious mind, we think and interpret, in subconscious mind, we have embedded feelings, emotions, and affirmations which in my view is considered entering into a territory without knowing what is in store. Unconscious mind is what we have with every cell and every function of our organs. Our respirotary system, circulation of blood, functioning of all other organs happen here where the discriminative mind has no control except to experience changes, if any, happening at this level. For easy reference, I consider conscious mind as hardware, subconscious mind as application software and unconscious mind as system software/operating system. If we succeed in crossing the level of subconscious mind and reach unconscious mind, we may be able to function autonomously in all our decisions complying with the rules of the nature. This is the level where we live in the world but not of the world. Most people find it harder even to cross conscious mind, leave alone crossing subconscious mind. Subconscious mind is very powerful that has accumulation of all our experiences and has a strong defense mechanism to defend anything. That is why when we do affirmative suggestions to this level, it becomes a will power.

The above is my understanding Sir and I welcome if you have a diferent view Sir. Learning is a life-long exercise and it happens both at the level of conscious and subconscious mind.

 

Super feedback. I enjoyed this highly contemplative read.
Thanks and regards.

 

10 days Vipassana is meant for beginners also. Inside the course, beginners, ( those attending their first course) are taken care of, by the Assistant Teacher separately.

Those who attend their second, third and subsequent 10 days courses are are dealt separately.

Those who suffer from major psychiatric illnesses and on treatment for the same should avoid attending a Vipassana 10 days course.

People with serious mental illnesses do break down while in a course in solitude... you are right !

By solitude, it doesn't mean you will be locked up in a cell. All those attending their first course will do meditation in hall in a group, under the direct guidance of an assistant teacher. Of course one cannot interact verbally as well as by body language with another person sitting nearby. This is exactly the meaning of solitude.

During my second 10 days course in Hyderabad one person concealed the history of mental illness and on 4th day he broke down seriously

That is why on day one the assistant teacher interviews all participants personally at length to rule out whether they are in an acute stage of a major psychiatric illness.

Those who have suffered with major psychiatric illness in the past need to carry a certificate from their treating psychiatrist that they are cured and they are now fit enough to undergo rigorous meditation process. Some of them will be taking maintenance dose of their medication which will be allowed inside the course

Assuming that you are not suffering from any major psychiatric illness right now you are fit to attend a Vipassana 10 days course. Mere emotional upheavals do not make anyone unfit for Vipassana. Try joining a ten days course with an open mind.

 

Hi Vidhyalakshmidji, I'm curious about your sky meditation.

 

SKY meditation - Art of living teaches the SKY practice(Sudarshan Kriya) mainly focuses on pranayama and different variations. At the end of the breathing practices relaxation and meditation is done. If I do with the online group I follow the whole process. If I do it alone I do various meditations (which I learned in India long time back with Vethathiri Maharishi Kundalini Yoga).

 

Hello Meditators,

I’ve been reading the other thread with daily updates and found your observations useful. Didn’t want to derail it with a question so asking here:
How did you get back into the habit of sitting cross legged comfortably for long time? Any suggestions, tips or videos that helped you?

I ‘m just out of practice and more used to sitting in chairs because that’s the culture. I‘ve lost the habit and can’t seem to remember how I used to do it so easily. Any attempt to sit cross legged is uncomfortable and unsustainable. My knees point to the sky, crazy pressure on ankles, my ankles press into thighs, causing pain, numbness, tingling, goes to sleep. As a kiddo I could easily sit for long time. So if you have relearnt how to sit cross legged as an adult or after a gap please share what techniques helped you. Thanks!

 

@1Sandhya,

I used to sit on the ground with folded legs for a long time in spiritual meetings until 2010. As I got older, I started using chair and lost the habit of sitting on the ground with folded legs. My sitting on the ground is now only restricted to performing rituals for my parents and my father in law. For meditation, I am sitting on the ground with folded legs for the past few weeks for meditation and slowly, the numbness I used to feel in my legs is disappearing. I am using a backrest to be seated straight. It looks like it is more to do with practice. Other than that, I have no useful tips to offer to you.

 

I have done Sudarshan kriya. Didn't reliaze it's called SKY meditation. it's a different level of blissful state.
Want to start doing again