Restlessness and mental clock watching

[adamposey]

Last night I was trying to follow Goldstein's Vipassana guided meditation and about 45 minutes into it I found myself getting just terribly restless and pondering the amount of time left, etc., It was almost like being bored, but being anxious at the same time. Any advice for dealing?

[Sekha]

so was I the first time.

keep going

[Sanghamitta]

Seconded.Keep going. Keep at it. It will get easier, but it takes time.

[Collective]

Focus on the restlessness?

It helps me to think to myself 'Well what else would you be doing that's so interesting Mr. Hero? Rescuing women from 30' tall gorillas on skyscrapers? Fighting Nazis off the trail of the Lost Ark? Got a date with the American president? Nahh...didn't think so'.

Then I start to settle with an attitude of 'it can wait - 20/30/45/60 (whatever) minutes ain't that long in a 24 hour day. In light of the long term benefits I'll get, I can spare that'.

[meindzai]

I don't know how long you've been practicing, but 45 minutes can be a long time if you're either new or haven't practiced in awhile.

-M

[Cittasanto]

Hi Adam & Collective,
remember there is appropriate attention, here is a list of sutta's & essays, cut & pasted from Access to insight on the topic. it is at the bottom of the general index page.

Yoniso manasikara (appropriate attention; wise reflection). See also the first six of the Ten Recollections; Questions.
What things should one attend to with ~?: SN 22.122
A remedy for a mind consumed by unskillful thoughts: SN 9.11
As a condition for right view: AN 2.125-126
As the key to abandoning greed, hatred, delusion: AN 3.68
As an important quality to develop: Iti 16
As a means to ending the asava: MN 2
"The Seven Factors for Awakening" in The Wings to Awakening (Thanissaro)
"Untangling the Present: The Role of Appropriate Attention" (Thanissaro)

[Goofaholix]

Last night I was trying to follow Goldstein's Vipassana guided meditation and about 45 minutes into it I found myself getting just terribly restless and pondering the amount of time left, etc., It was almost like being bored, but being anxious at the same time. Any advice for dealing?

This is normal, this is what it's all about. This restlessness is what drives you a lot of the time causing a lot of your suffering and you aren't aware of it, meditation is your chance to be aware of it and gain freedom from it.

Just notice it, don't fight it but don't give into it either, carry on with your meditation.

In time you will gain freedom from it.

[adamposey]

I want to thank you all this has been very helpful.