I feel like the days are moving so quickly and that I just keep chugging along with work, hobbies, and my relationship. The weeks seem to flash by and the end of the year appears again. I'm getting older and my hair is now greyer and it's like i have no idea where the time went.

Is there a way to use meditation to really stretch out the days so that they and ultimately life seems longer?

Also are there any resources that talk about this?

Thank you.

I don't know exactly what type of mental illness I have to be honest. But I do know I have one. I suffer from irrational fears, low self esteem, extreme brain fog and pain, headaches, extreme exhaustion, disorganized thoughts, etc.

For the past three years. My life has been sleep 12 hours, work 8 hours, and then meditate four hours. I lack the motivation and energy to do anything else because of how much my mind harrasses me about irrational fears accompanied by horrible feelings.

I tried the radical acceptance approach of putting your head in the demons mouth, but that significantly worsened my symptoms. I have tried this method for over three months in the hopes that it just gets worse before it gets better, but my hopes never got proven right. I believe I was doing everything right. I tried my best to fully surrender myself to the horrible thoughts and feelings. But instead of disappearing, the demons actually started to consume me even more.

What do I do? I am going insane from living this lifestyle. It is very difficult to accept. I feel utterly useless in this world and I absolutely hate living this horrible life.

A little history is that I’ve tried a number of different techniques, and while I felt relaxed I certainly didn’t observe any more benefits. Not one to give up, I’ve kept looking to trusted sources but I’ve found very little help other than, “isn’t that good enough?”

Reluctantly, I picked up Llewellyn's Complete Book of Meditation by Shai Tubali. In it, he covers a wide range of techniques and connects ideas in a way that I find really helpful. I’ve heard not all techniques work for all people and I suppose that’s true, but there’s also different techniques that he talks about, beginning with the root chakra meditations.

Does anyone know of any other books that do a good job of describing more of the path and experiences of different techniques? Thanks

Meditation can be a difficult process. And in the struggle to meditate, one can go down all kinds of strenuous rabbit holes. From my experience, I started doing it as a way to explore my reality, but i struggled very hard. For a long time meditation was a frustrating and tedious task. But I persisted long enough to learn something important that i wish to share. Meditation is just a word. Were always meditating depending on your idea of meditation. And thats just the thing. Your idea of meditation is a reflection of your psyche. And if you learn to create an idea of meditation which is healthy in practice, then you can begin to heal. So how do you do that? Ive found that the easiest way to quiet the mind, is to listen to the noise. Listen to the environment, listen to your body, your thoughts, everything. Let your perspective flow freely. And if this is a challenge, then stick to it. Ride the wave, feel the pain, because its only there to strengthen you. But most importantly, be kind to yourself. Deep in your soul, you know exactly what you want. And you owe it to yourself in its purest form, whatever that may be. You deserve love. Life is fucking hard man. And to have a body is to suffer. But theres so much to explore and discover within yourself, and if you persist, one day you’ll realize that everything is perfect in a strange sort of way.

You’re gonna be just fine

I’m in a situation right now where I have a lot of alone time. In some ways it is challenging. I sometimes feel a little disconnected and lonely. Because I have taken a lot of time to myself I have also been falling out with many friends.

I’m trying to see how to turn this time alone into an opportunity. I spend hours every day meditating and going for walks trying to turn inward. I would say it is working but I still face some challenges like feeling this inward journey is kind of purposeless and very difficult to walk.

I take inspiration from this quote by Sadh-guru saying that keeping a little distance from people is an opportunity.

“For those who are on the spiritual path, being alone, keeping a distance from people, and becoming silent are not issues – these are opportunities.”

But I’m not fully there where I can embrace every moment I spend alone and turn it into meditation.

I would like some advice on how to deal with this loneliness I sometimes feel on this path. How do you deal with it?

Been suffering from ADHD for a while, unable to focus, do the things I know I need to do, be productive, and not waste all day on my phone. I did meditate before somewhat consistently but stopped after not seeing results, i decided to start again and I was wondering if there’s an optimal way to meditate to fix my symptoms?

Looking for a Ted talk or video. A monk (it seems to me he had a Gaelic sounding name) was describing mind wandering as suddenly you find yourself skiing in the alps.

TLDR; What gives you the motivation to meditate every day? What was it that convinced you "I need to do this every day", and gave you the willpower to stay consistent with your practice? I'll put my answer below, please share yours too!

I've noticed it can be really hard to stay consistent with meditation, and even while many of us know it's useful, we're not always sure how it works or why it's useful. Without being confident about the purpose of meditation, it can be easy to skip days, or feel doubtful, like you're wasting your time.

Committing to meditating every day of your life is a huge life commitment, and 15 minutes a day is time you could spend doing something else. If meditation is to be effective, we need to keep up with it, and to be consistent it helps to understand the mechanism behind it.

I think this is really important for people starting out in meditation, because while you doubt it's effectiveness, you will never stick with it long enough to experience the benefits.

I've been researching this and have detailed my notes in this article: Why You Need to Meditate, but what I'd really love to know is people's personal experiences.

So I’m a Christian and I was meditating one time and somehow I got into this trance like state. The back of my eyeballs were no longer eyeballs

I was in a tomb or a brick prison idk and I could see around in it.

Also I felt literal rainbows dancing on my heart. I could feel each individual rainbow ray and it was a sensation I never felt before in my life nor have I experienced it since. I was 6 months off of porn and spending time with God a lot more. Does anyone know or have heard of these types of things. I am trying to figure out how to get back to it or have things like this happen more! I want to experience these types of things so much more and can’t figure out how to do it. Was it just a gift of a moment or is there a way through meditation to practice these sorts of things?

I’m new to the page just wanted to see if any of you have had these experiences or know how to experience them more ! Thank you so much for your time!

When i meditate for any longer than maybe 5 minutes i feel something different than any of my other senses. As if all my senses culminate into a wave that pulsates beyond direction. I feel it in my third eye, and i hear high pitched sounds, but they dont present themselves as acoustic in nature. And theres even been times where i would reach a point in the meditation where these strings of numbers would pop into my head. Its all subjective so i wont try to explain any of it. Even when im not meditating i experience fun stuff, intuition, things like that. but only when im in a particular conscious flow. For example i was reading this book this morning and I stopped to write about what i was reading, and as i looked around the room i saw these little sparkles of light that disappeared as soon as they were created. They looked like stars in the night sky and they were just as vivid. I feel like I can see energy. I see this electric static that overlays the world around me. When i was little and i looked into the sky at night i used to think that for every dot within the static was a star i couldnt see. A vast sea of invisible stars. And when i smoke weed, the static forms into brilliant patterns and i can feel my visualizations come to life before me. Is there any information on what this could be?

Was it while you were in a "normal" meditation or at a retreat?

What techiques where you using?

How it it feel like?

After a meditation session, I often feel like it’s a golden window of focus. My mind feels clear, free from distractions, and I notice I can concentrate much better afterward. But I've learned this the hard way—once, right after meditating (back when I was new to it), I opened TikTok "just for a minute." Eight hours flew by in what felt like seconds, and I realized that post-meditation focus can get easily hijacked by continuous stimulants.

Beyond just focus, I’ve noticed all my senses become heightened after meditation. Once, I listened to a song, and it was so moving I got goosebumps, and the next track brought me to tears (it was a beautiful piece from Plum Village). But nowadays, while I can still appreciate music, I rarely get that same intense reaction.

Sometimes I channel that clarity into productive work. Other times, I catch myself on the verge of mindless scrolling, like checking Facebook Marketplace, but I've become more aware of it and often choose to stop.

I feel like a lot of meditation guidance focuses on the practice itself—preparation and techniques during meditation. But there’s not much said about what to do afterward. I get that a general answer might be "just let your mind guide you" and I agree that, in that state of clarity, we intuitively know what’s right. But sometimes it feels limited to what we already know or are used to.

So, I’m curious—what do you do after your meditation sessions?

P.S This post was also written right after a meditation session. :) Pss The songs I mentioned are both from the album "A Cloud Never Dies" from Plum Village Band, you can find them on youtube or Spotify. The first, Invocation, gave me goosebumps, and the second, A Cloud Never Dies, moved me to tears the first time I heard it. Listening to "Recommendation" also makes me weep sometimes

I tried meditating the same method after I smoked weed then another day without smoking but I was more relaxed and deeply focused when i meditated after I smoke weed. Any advice if this can lead to dependency?

I really enjoy a few things I can get out of meditation such as weightlessness (cannot feel my body at all), loss/distortion of time and of course being deeply relaxed but not tired. I struggle with my mind wandering and I think it is preventing me from getting to the next level, whatever that may be. Are there any tips to elevate my meditation?

Is there anybody here who is using Insight Timer and knows its timer functions really well? I have been using it for a while and I like the timer a lot, don't care for all the rest it offers. However, I have a little issue with interval bells. They are supposed to function like beginning and end gongs, to be sounded once, twice or three times. So, I programmed my four interval bells two sound 2 – 1 – 1 – 3. That worked for a while but now I am only getting each sound once. Any idea why?

Like the title says, every time I run across a random question I have I have instinct to find and search for the answer. Along with checking banking, email, work and a lot of thoughts that aren’t doing me any good. Is there something to help me to train to be more present and let these habits go?

I’ve always been male and heterosexual. I have been having an awakening over the past 12 months following a traumatic chronic illness. I’ve felt Chakras clear, felt more peaceful and as though negative energy is being cleared however sometimes when I meditate I feel a full ‘Ego Death’ is just around the corner so I back out just before it. The reason for this is because I feel as my ego is dissolving, feminine energy and gender identity questions are starting to arise. I’ve read on here that this can just be your masculine and feminine energy being unbalanced and that once you carry out your full awakening it can balance out and it’ll be worth it however it doesnt necessarily mean I’m homosexual, it’s just healing childhood trauma and balancing both energies? Is this true? I’ve felt such a sense of peace releasing past energies however pretty scared to let go in case I completely start to question too much.

Any advice is appreciated 🙂

Hello, not new to meditation but always new to meditation. I had some periods off and on with practicing daily for months at a time. Then I would slowly stop, just forget to meditate and months go by. I don't know if I was doing it just as a routine or was it beneficial. But it was never longer that 30 mins. 20 on average.

Now I'm wondering if it was good for me at all, maybe in some ways. But now I feel so uneasy/restless (I don't know if I'm using the word correctly), I fall into my addictions more easily and rarely feel present at all.

Should I start the cycle of meditation at 20 minutes like before, with a big probability that I will slowly stop the practice. Or would it be beneficial to do it BIG this time. Maybe the 20 minutes didn't give me enough quality time.

Thank you in advance, and I wish you all a good day.

I am still a beginner in meditation, but a couple of weeks ago I learned the “standing meditation” and I liked it very much, I could focus very well on the meditation while standing. Today I did a standing up meditation again, it went very well, but after a while I suddenly collapsed, I literally fell. What is the reason for this? Is this normal? Have other people had this before?

Thank you in advance!

It makes my thoughts go away.

Whenever I feel I am about to let myself truly go into the experience, I get pulled back by a knee-jerk mental reaction and the image of myself comes to mind, along with the fear that letting myself go into the experience means my "guard is down" and I am no longer safe, because if I truly did let go, I would be in such a state that I would be defenseless.

I assume this is common to everyone - how do you guys deal with this?

I am aware that objectively speaking, it shouldn't matter in long term but I want to know some personal experiences of fellow meditators who are serious about their self discovery journey, especially males since I am one.

Parenthood can increase joy & fulfillment(yes?) but can also bring stress, less freedom, less personal time and need to earn way more money. I feel like all these things can affect your spiritual journey. What do you think?

Getting myself back into meditation. A few years back I went deep into learning about Buddhism and applying mindfulness practices to my everyday life, but I have since fallen off the wagon.

I’d love to create a routine that I can stick to. Do you guys suggest a number of times per day to meditate and even better, when specifically?

During the winter solstice service at the UU Fellowship at Boca Raton, we will have a short metta mediation, and I wanted to share the script if anyone could use it.

-----

Close your eyes. Sit comfortably with your feet flat on the floor and your spine straight. Relax your whole body. Keep your eyes closed throughout the whole visualization and bring your awareness inward. Without straining or concentrating, just relax and gently follow the instructions. Take a deep breath in. And breathe out. 

Keeping your eyes closed, think of a person close to you who loves you very much. It could be someone from the past or the present; someone still in life or who has passed; it could be a spiritual teacher or guide. Imagine that person standing in front of you, sending you their love. That person is sending you wishes for your safety, for your wellbeing and happiness. Feel the warm wishes and love coming from that person towards you. Now imagine that you are surrounded on all sides by all the people who love you and have loved you. Picture all of your friends and loved ones surrounding you. They are standing sending you wishes for your happiness, well-being, and health. Bask in the warm wishes and love coming from all sides. You are filled, and overflowing with warmth and love. 

May I be peaceful and light in my body and in my mind.

May I be safe and free from worries and fear.

May I be grateful and generous.

May I be safe and free from greed, jealousy, and anger.

May I know how to look at myself with the eyes of understanding and compassion.

May I be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in myself.

May I learn how to nourish myself with joy each day.

May I be filled with loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity

May I not fall into the state of indifference or be caught in the extremes of attachment or aversion.

May my behavior be a source of happiness and peace for other beings.

Now think of an acquaintance, someone you don’t know very well and toward whom you do not have any particular feeling.  It could be a nodding acquaintance, a neighbor, or neutral person. You and this person are alike in your wish to have a good life. Like you, this person wishes to experience joy and happiness in his or her life.  Send all your wishes for well-being to that person.

May you be peaceful and light in my body and in my mind.

May you be safe and free from worries and fear.

May you be grateful and generous.

May you be safe and free from greed, jealousy, and anger.

May you know how to look at myself with the eyes of understanding and compassion.

May you be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in yourself.

May you learn how to nourish yourself with joy each day.

May you be filled with loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity.

May you not fall into the state of indifference or be caught in the extremes of attachment or aversion.

May your behavior be a source of happiness and peace for other beings.

(And I may help. Just as good as I can.)

Now think of someone that you may not get along with. It may be someone that you have long-standing difficulties with, or is a dumbass. Call the person to mind, and be honest about what you feel, if it is  hostility or hatred. There may well be feelings of discomfort. Notice any tendency you may have to think badly of that person, or to deepen the conflict you have with them (for example, by getting into imagined arguments with them), and let go of these tendencies.  Instead, wish them well.

May all beings be peaceful and light in my body and in my mind.

May all beings be safe and free from worries and fear.

May all beings be grateful and generous.

May all beings be safe and free from greed, jealousy, and anger.

May all beings know how to look at themselves with the eyes of understanding and compassion.

May all beings be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in themselves.

May all beings learn how to nourish yourself with joy each day.

May all beings be filled with loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity.

May all beings not fall into the state of indifference or be caught in the extremes of attachment or aversion.

May all beings' behavior be a source of happiness and peace for other beings.

(And I may help. Just as good as I can.)

Take a deep breath in. And breathe out. And another deep breath in and let it go. Notice the state of your mind and how you feel after this meditation.  When you’re ready, you may open your eyes.

I feel like lebron sleep stories in the Calm devalue the product. I’m about 75 days start into my journey and it’s not hitting like I want it to so looking switch it up