Meditation and internal sensations.

[Le****]

Hi, I'm new to the forum but not to meditation. I found peace of mind in my teens with Yoga although I didn't consciously meditate. In my thirties I started going to a Tai Chi class which taught me a lot about mindfulness, although it wasn't called that at the time. Tai chi is a form of meditation in itself even though it is practiced moving. I got 'into' Tai Chi so much that when a friend asked me to take over teaching a class, I took it on and over the last twenty plus years I have developed that and run a few regular classes every week. To be more precise, just over five years ago I found a Qigong teacher and have gradually changed my practice and teaching to that discipline. For those of you who don't know what Qigong is, it's the precursor of Tai Chi and goes back centuries. My Qigong teacher is very knowledgeable and also practices Shiatsu and has run both Tai Chi and martial arts classes. However, he does not meditate as such, although the way he practices Qigong is very profound and internal. 

 

Six years ago I had a mild heart attack, and have suffered from palpitations for as long as I can remember. This means that I find it uncomfortable using internal cues such as the heartbeat in meditation. Whenever I feel anxious and have a high heart rate, I find that listening to my heartbeat or breath  is not soothing, and often only magnifies my discomfort. I find daydreaming most effective in calming and lowering my heart rates - imagining a relaxing scenario or 'telling myself a story'. 

 

My question is this - is there a way to overcome my discomfort with internal sensations, or alternatively is there something similar to daydreaming that I can harness or duplicate as a meditation? I'd be interested to hear any suggestions.

[tx****]

Hi Lesley, how cool about Qigong and Tai Chi. My parents used to do Tai Chi but I have never tried. It always looked very magical though. Sorry to hear about the heart attack. 

 

I also don't like focusing on my heartbeat because it makes me feel like I'm just making it beat faster. Some people like to focus on their breath. I sometimes like to just focus on a good feeling, usually I feel it in my solar plexus or stomach region. You could pick a feeling that your daydreams give you that you like and just hold that feeling for your meditation. Sometimes I will focus on a sound in the room - AC, heater, rain outside, etc. This is great for when you aren't in the quietest of places and still want to get a meditation in

 

Daydreaming is a fine process as well! One of the points of meditation is to feel better and to relax, so if that gives you those feelings, then you are achieving a large part of what meditation gifts us. You could alternatively start with a daydream and let them play and pass as thoughts, like mindfulness meditations. 

 

 

[Se****]

You should use special music. Like this:

 

 

[Pe****]

Hi, in my view, the purpose of meditation is to enjoy inner feelings like love and contentment, rather than physical sensations like heartbeats and breaths. From personal experience, I believe that these sensations are meditation triggers, that can be replaced. Personally, when I meditate on an inner feling, my brain starts to care less about sensory input like bodily sensations. For me, listening to music that triggers the desired feeling, often makes it easier for me to enter the meditation state. All the best!

[jo****]

Meditation can be a powerful tool for developing awareness and understanding of internal sensations. By cultivating a practice of mindfulness, we can learn to observe and accept our bodily sensations without judgment, which can help to reduce stress, anxiety, and other negative emotions.

During meditation, we can focus our attention on our breath, body, or other sensations to help anchor our awareness in the present moment. By focusing on our breath, for example, we can become more aware of the physical sensations of breathing, such as the rise and fall of the chest or the feeling of air moving in and out of the nostrils.

As we become more attuned to our bodily sensations, we may start to notice areas of tension or discomfort that we were previously unaware of. By acknowledging these sensations and observing them with curiosity and compassion, we can begin to release physical and emotional tension and gain a deeper understanding of ourselves.

It's important to remember that everyone experiences sensations differently, and there is no "right" or "wrong" way to meditate. The key is to approach meditation with an open and curious mindset, and to allow yourself to fully experience whatever sensations arise during your practice. With time and consistent effort, meditation can become a powerful tool for cultivating awareness, insight, and inner peace.