Meditating with a nasty cough

[Ytrog]

I have a questions that is very relevant for my current situation: how do you handle meditation with a nasty cough? I try to be mindful of the reflex coming up, but it is hard to do and the cough really breaks my concentration in the end. As a consequence I have trouble sitting through my meditation for 30 minutes, which is quite a contrast with that 30 minutes felt like just getting started with my 60 minute sitting.

What are your experiences with this?

For the sake of curiosity, but not relevant for my current situation: what to do when meditating in a group in such a condition? Avoiding group meditations altogether and meditating by yourself?

EDIT

Might be relevant or not in my case: I'm running a fever and are dizzy all the time.

[beeblebrox]

In case of bad cough, I'd show consideration by avoiding group meditation. During it, I'd just cough quietly as possible. I'd keep on meditating alone, just to keep the habit. Keep the mindfulness and practice equanimity.

[Ytrog]

In case of bad cough, I'd show consideration by avoiding group meditation. During it, I'd just cough quietly as possible. I'd keep on meditating alone, just to keep the habit. Keep the mindfulness and practice equanimity.

I would avoid that as well. But my more topical question was: are you familiar with the problem and how do you deal with it in solitary meditation?

[Sam Vara]

I have tried solitary sitting with a really bad cough, and found it to be a frustrating and difficult experience. I know what you mean about watching the reflex coming up, but the actual cough just seems to shatter any calmness.

Personally, I have used the experience as an opportunity to give up on the "up close" awareness that I normally try to develop. (I normally watch the breath, which gets subtler and subtler and gives greater feelings of ease.) I just gave up on trying to get this, and reconciled myself to a "wider view" of the body sitting, the coughing, and my frustrated reactions. I have, for what it's worth, done the same when I have had physical pain, a lot of worry, or too much coffee. I didn't really get any calmer, but at least I was watching, and I tell myself that the discipline involved in not getting up and doing something else might pay off later.

[daverupa]

Coughing might count as a "short breath" for purposes of the first tetrad in anapanasati, in this case. So you can compare this cough-breathing, paying attention to how coughing agitates the body, makes the blood rush and there's that tinge in the lungs and the back of the throat can be a little raw... vs. long breathing, which calms the body and makes the blood flow a little better and the lungs... hmm, is that a fear of coughing again? Or maybe not... in any case, this is an example of how I've done it.

One can still watch the whole thing via the context of the first tetrad, and in fact if you like you might notice the quickly-changing nature of the body in this condition, how it can't be controlled and how it's still susceptible to illness and, perhaps, this will result in dispassion. Perhaps this becomes a fourth tetrad practice?

---
It's my impression that the "wider view" Sam Vega is talking about encompasses the instructions to 'experience all bodies', and that the "up close" approach (which one finds very difficult when sick or coughing or whatever) is in fact not appropriate to anapanasati (but then, I gather I'm something of a heretic when it comes to my understanding of anapanasati, so be forewarned).

[Sam Vara]

daverupa

It's my impression that the "wider view" Sam Vega is talking about encompasses the instructions to 'experience all bodies', and that the "up close" approach (which one finds very difficult when sick or coughing or whatever) is in fact not appropriate to anapanasati (but then, I gather I'm something of a heretic when it comes to my understanding of anapanasati, so be forewarned).

Three separate points:

1) Yes, D., that is a fair way of putting it.

2) Could you point me in the direction of your heretical views, please? I would be interested as I find your posts clear and helpful.

3) To Ytrog. Sorry, I forgot the most important bit!! If you are still coughing, Get well soon! I'll send you some Metta.

[Goofaholix]

I have a questions that is very relevant for my current situation: how do you handle meditation with a nasty cough? I try to be mindful of the reflex coming up, but it is hard to do and the cough really breaks my concentration in the end.

Don't try to do concentration practise, it seems pretty pointless in this situation.

Instead do Insight practise, observe the bodily sensations arising and passing away, the aversions and frustrations, observe cause and affect in the end to end process. When conditionality gives you lemons make lemonade.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Ytrog,

Brahma-vihara cultivation may be a productive endeavour.

Metta,
Retro.

[Ben]

Hi Ytrog,

Don't forget to take your medicine!
kind regards,

Ben

[Ytrog]

Thanks for the answers. I do take my medicines, both physical ones and mental ones

[tiltbillings]

I have a questions that is very relevant for my current situation: how do you handle meditation with a nasty cough? I try to be mindful of the reflex coming up, but it is hard to do and the cough really breaks my concentration in the end. As a consequence I have trouble sitting through my meditation for 30 minutes, which is quite a contrast with that 30 minutes felt like just getting started with my 60 minute sitting.

And what are you going to do when it is a cough or other crappy feeling that is not going to ever go away barring death? When you are sick, it is a really good time for practice and a really good time to realize that meditation is not about getting into some sort of groovy, blissed out state, but rather it is being with what is as it is. A cough, interestingly, does not have to break up your concentration, but it takes work to simply be with the cough as it is happening, and don't get caught up in expectations of what a meditation session should "feel" like or be.

[Ytrog]

I have a questions that is very relevant for my current situation: how do you handle meditation with a nasty cough? I try to be mindful of the reflex coming up, but it is hard to do and the cough really breaks my concentration in the end. As a consequence I have trouble sitting through my meditation for 30 minutes, which is quite a contrast with that 30 minutes felt like just getting started with my 60 minute sitting.

And what are you going to do when it is a cough or other crappy feeling that is not going to ever go away barring death? When you are sick, it is a really good time for practice and a really good time to realize that meditation is not about getting into some sort of groovy, blissed out state, but rather it is being with what is as it is. A cough, interestingly, does not have to break up your concentration, but it takes work to simply be with the cough as it is happening, and don't get caught up in expectations of what a meditation session should "feel" like or be.

Thank you. I didn't realize I was focusing too hard on trying to do samadhi meditation. Usually I try to focus on the breath and only try to be aware of anything else when they distract me from the breath until it subsides after which I try to bring my attention back to the breath. This wasn't really working out for me the last few days. Today I tried to just be aware of every feeling and sensation that arises and it worked wonderfully. I even had quite a good concentration as a bonus.

I know you have three kinds of meditators and I'm guessing that I'm the "concentration through mindfulness" type and not the other way around as I was trying (I'm also reading "Beyond mindfulness in plain English").

[Cittasanto]

Try licorice drops, I know some use it as it helps them with coughs.

[tiltbillings]

Thank you. I didn't realize I was focusing too hard on trying to do samadhi meditation. Usually I try to focus on the breath and only try to be aware of anything else when they distract me from the breath until it subsides after which I try to bring my attention back to the breath. This wasn't really working out for me the last few days. Today I tried to just be aware of every feeling and sensation that arises and it worked wonderfully. I even had quite a good concentration as a bonus.

I know you have three kinds of meditators and I'm guessing that I'm the "concentration through mindfulness" type and not the other way around as I was trying (I'm also reading "Beyond mindfulness in plain English").

There are always ways of dividing up things, which can also sometimes get in the way.

When I had ordained as a novice in Thailand in late 1974, I got to spend some time with Ajahn Sumedho. It was not a lot of time, but we talked on a one-to-one at length several times during the week I spent at Wat Ba Pong. One of the things he talked about was meditating while sick, particularly while having active malaria. It is something said among the forest monks is that until you can sit through malaria your meditation is not mature. This has to do with is preparation for dying.

From that time forward the meditation practice I do has been centered around that idea of preparation for dying. When I am sick or dealing with pain, that is a good time to meditate, because there very well may come a time when things are not going to get better, and it drives home anicca, dukkha and anatta in a very personal way.

[Ben]

Thank you. I didn't realize I was focusing too hard on trying to do samadhi meditation. Usually I try to focus on the breath and only try to be aware of anything else when they distract me from the breath until it subsides after which I try to bring my attention back to the breath. This wasn't really working out for me the last few days. Today I tried to just be aware of every feeling and sensation that arises and it worked wonderfully. I even had quite a good concentration as a bonus.

I know you have three kinds of meditators and I'm guessing that I'm the "concentration through mindfulness" type and not the other way around as I was trying (I'm also reading "Beyond mindfulness in plain English").

There are always ways of dividing up things, which can also sometimes get in the way.

When I had ordained as a novice in Thailand in late 1974, I got to spend some time with Ajahn Sumedho. It was not a lot of time, but we talked on a one-to-one at length several times during the week I spent at Wat Ba Pong. One of the things he talked about was meditating while sick, particularly while having active malaria. It is something said among the forest monks is that until you can sit through malaria your meditation is not mature. This has to do with is preparation for dying.

From that time forward the meditation practice I do has been centered around that idea of preparation for dying. When I am sick or dealing with pain, that is a good time to meditate, because there very well may come a time when things are not going to get better, and it drives home anicca, dukkha and anatta in a very personal way.

Excellent advice!

[Ytrog]

Thank you Tilt.