All-night session

[Guy]

Tonight I'm going to try one of those all-night meditation session thingo's. I will alternate between sitting and walking until dawn. Anyone else tried it? What was your experience? Did you learn anything or did you find it to be a waste of time?

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Guy,

Never tried it, but let us know how you go!

Metta,
Retro.

[Ben]

All the best Guy!
Looking forward to your report on your experience.
kind regards

Ben

[Dan74]

No, but wishing you lots of strength and perseverance!!!

[tiltbillings]

Don't be shy about using bright lighting to help you stay awake, and don't be shy about doing more walking than sitting, and don't be shy about doing standing rather sitting meditaion to help you stay awake.

[Dan74]

To add to the above...

Some people like to bend forwards at the waist as far as they can in meditation to combat drowsiness (probably helps the blood to go to the head).

Also fresh air may help... Some have sat in the cold but it can be a bit extreme.

And standing meditation is an excellent suggestion!

[Khalil Bodhi]

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu! I admire your determination and effort. Even if nothing immediately perceptible comes out of it it will not have been in vain. Please let us know how it goes! Metta.

[David N. Snyder]

The Buddha did it, with very good results (to say the least).

I like it. I don't do it as much as I'd like, but find it very helpful. I have done it a few times. One episode many years ago is briefly mentioned at:

http://www.jhanas.com/

scroll down to 'Unique Experiences'

It can be sort of a 'mini-retreat' and break-throughs sometimes can occur at retreats or in this type of setting.

[Guy]

Thanks all for your encouragement and suggestions. Started to get very tired at about 1:30AM (normally I go to bed quite early) but I seem to have my second wind now, it's about 2:30AM. I haven't been just walking and sitting as I hoped. I have broken it up a little bit with a couple of dhamma talks. Also I didn't pick the best night to do this because my mum just bought a puppy today and it has been whining and since everyone was asleep I decided to keep it company for a little while. Oh well, I guess it is just an opportunity to cultivate some metta. Anyway...I'll report back in 4 hours.

[PeterB]

The only times I have done it were under rather different conditions Guy...i.e. in a shrine room. After around 1am I had it to myself until about 4.30am.

Walking a little certainly helps. As does a little quiet chanting.
Keep hydrated...

[mikenz66]

Hi Guy,

Great idea!

I did a few nights like that last year at our Wat, at the urging of a visiting Thai Ajahn. I think I did two nights one weekend and one night some other weekend. The interesting thing was that it induces the experiences that I've had before of being quite mindful, but other parts of the mind not working too well (which sometimes happens when I get up on a normal retreat).

I think it had some good effects, especially in making it clear that that a retreat doesn't have to have "perfect conditions".

To me it seems a little odd to go on "retreat" and continue to post on the internet, but perhaps I'm oldfashioned.

Keep up the good work!

Metta
Mike

[Guy]

Sun's up, fun's over.

Don't be shy about using bright lighting to help you stay awake, and don't be shy about doing more walking than sitting, and don't be shy about doing standing rather sitting meditaion to help you stay awake.

About 4:00AM onwards the sitting was not so good, much nodding, almost fell off my stool a couple of times. I didn't do any standing meditation, but I did a fair bit of walking. Had a bright light on all night.

Some people like to bend forwards at the waist as far as they can in meditation to combat drowsiness (probably helps the blood to go to the head).

I did this quite a bit throughout the night. I found it quite helpful, thanks!

Also fresh air may help... Some have sat in the cold but it can be a bit extreme.

I wasn't brave enough to try this, its almost winter where I live...maybe next time.

Walking a little certainly helps. As does a little quiet chanting.

Indeed, I chanted the Metta Sutta which gave me some energy.

I think I did two nights one weekend and one night some other weekend.

Two nights in a row?! Too ascetic for me!

To me it seems a little odd to go on "retreat" and continue to post on the internet, but perhaps I'm oldfashioned.

I wouldn't categorize it as a retreat, more like an experiment for the effects of sleep deprivation on meditation. I had to look after the puppy which took perhaps a couple of hours in total, sweet little thing, but rather needy. I would like to try this experiment again though within the context of a month long self-retreat, free of all those distractions.

A few things which I learned from the experience:

1) Even though I was hungry and tired I was quite happy and content thanks to my inner resources. This helps strengthen my faith in myself and in the Dhamma that I do not need to rely so much on physical needs being met to be happy. Obviously I am going to have a good meal and a nice rest now, but it is good to see that it doesn't matter so much if I go a few hours without. Actually I feel pretty good right now! (But of course that's impermanent)
2) Thinking too much increases the tiredness very rapidly. The less thoughts that came into my mind, the less I felt the need for sleep.
3) The urge to lie down and sleep came in waves. Before I began I thought that it might just get stronger and stronger, but it seemed like there is a definite build up of tiredness to a certain point, but if I stay mindful then energy starts to build up in the place of the tiredness.

Thanks all once again for your input and support.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Guy,

1) Even though I was hungry and tired I was quite happy and content thanks to my inner resources. This helps strengthen my faith in myself and in the Dhamma that I do not need to rely so much on physical needs being met to be happy. Obviously I am going to have a good meal and a nice rest now, but it is good to see that it doesn't matter so much if I go a few hours without. Actually I feel pretty good right now! (But of course that's impermanent)
2) Thinking too much increases the tiredness very rapidly. The less thoughts that came into my mind, the less I felt the need for sleep.
3) The urge to lie down and sleep came in waves. Before I began I thought that it might just get stronger and stronger, but it seemed like there is a definite build up of tiredness to a certain point, but if I stay mindful then energy starts to build up in the place of the tiredness.

Good stuff - well done.



Thanks for the report. It's the kind of thing I would like to try one night if the world would accommodate me... however, whatever day of the week, I'll have to get up at 7am either to go to work, or get bossed into making my son breakfast or playing Marble Works!

Metta,
Retro.

[Ben]

Wel done, Guy!

[Dan74]

WoW, Guy! You did it!!! Well done!!!!!!!!!

You are an inspiration, Chess Buddy!

(BTW, winter ? This is Perth, we are talking about??

_/|\_

Sun's up, fun's over.

Don't be shy about using bright lighting to help you stay awake, and don't be shy about doing more walking than sitting, and don't be shy about doing standing rather sitting meditaion to help you stay awake.

About 4:00AM onwards the sitting was not so good, much nodding, almost fell off my stool a couple of times. I didn't do any standing meditation, but I did a fair bit of walking. Had a bright light on all night.

Some people like to bend forwards at the waist as far as they can in meditation to combat drowsiness (probably helps the blood to go to the head).

I did this quite a bit throughout the night. I found it quite helpful, thanks!

Also fresh air may help... Some have sat in the cold but it can be a bit extreme.

I wasn't brave enough to try this, its almost winter where I live...maybe next time.

Walking a little certainly helps. As does a little quiet chanting.

Indeed, I chanted the Metta Sutta which gave me some energy.

I think I did two nights one weekend and one night some other weekend.

Two nights in a row?! Too ascetic for me!

To me it seems a little odd to go on "retreat" and continue to post on the internet, but perhaps I'm oldfashioned.

I wouldn't categorize it as a retreat, more like an experiment for the effects of sleep deprivation on meditation. I had to look after the puppy which took perhaps a couple of hours in total, sweet little thing, but rather needy. I would like to try this experiment again though within the context of a month long self-retreat, free of all those distractions.

A few things which I learned from the experience:

1) Even though I was hungry and tired I was quite happy and content thanks to my inner resources. This helps strengthen my faith in myself and in the Dhamma that I do not need to rely so much on physical needs being met to be happy. Obviously I am going to have a good meal and a nice rest now, but it is good to see that it doesn't matter so much if I go a few hours without. Actually I feel pretty good right now! (But of course that's impermanent)
2) Thinking too much increases the tiredness very rapidly. The less thoughts that came into my mind, the less I felt the need for sleep.
3) The urge to lie down and sleep came in waves. Before I began I thought that it might just get stronger and stronger, but it seemed like there is a definite build up of tiredness to a certain point, but if I stay mindful then energy starts to build up in the place of the tiredness.

Thanks all once again for your input and support.

[Tex]

Thanks for sharing, Guy, and congrats!

You've inspired me to try an all-night meditation session myself when I have an open weekend.