Anxiety. ..

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
alan...
Posts: 824
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2012 9:37 pm

Re: Anxiety. ..

Post by alan... »

Beautiful Breath wrote:Hi all,

I have been practicing for some time now but I have to say in terms of any reduction in my personal anxieties they seem to be more accentuated rather than reduced. I can look back over the last year or so and despite all the signs being positive in terms of my sitting practice (so I'm reliably informed by an ordained friend) out of meditation I'm developing more insecurities as the weeks go by. I'm starting to conclude that I may have to change my practice altogether.

My main practice is Anapanasati.

Anyone else felt like they're experiencing anything similar. It feels a little like I'm going backwards rather than forwards.

_/\_ BB...

I guess I should have said that my attachments are getting worse....that's a bit more nearer the experience...
are you doing an all day practice or just sitting meditation?
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Alobha
Posts: 565
Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2011 8:27 pm
Location: Germany

Re: Anxiety. ..

Post by Alobha »

You might want to develop meditation objects other than mindfulness of the breath. The four Brahmaviharas and impermanence come to mind. Try to develop loving-kindness the whole time you're awake, not just during a formal sitting for some time.
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waterchan
Posts: 699
Joined: Fri May 07, 2010 7:17 pm
Location: Kamaloka

Re: Anxiety. ..

Post by waterchan »

cbonanno wrote: If you are meditating to get rid of anxiety you are only strengthening your anxieties. Just meditate for no reason.
Yes! The best way to meditate!
cbonanno wrote:Also, maybe your attachments are not getting worse, maybe you are just seeing them more clearly.
The OP describes their anxiety as becoming accentuated, but I would think that the more clearly one sees anxiety, the less accentuated it becomes?
quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur
(Anything in Latin sounds profound.)
makarasilapin
Posts: 62
Joined: Tue Nov 15, 2011 5:46 pm

Re: Anxiety. ..

Post by makarasilapin »

Beautiful Breath wrote:Thanks...sometimes it feels like a tatoo, there and will always be there...horrible and seemingly apart from my practice. I must be doing something wrong?
a healthy meditation practice is a combination of both vipassana and samatha. my advice would be to fabricate pleasurable states of mind to replace the anxiety.
Strive4Karuna
Posts: 318
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2012 9:38 am

Re: Anxiety. ..

Post by Strive4Karuna »

I dont know if this will work for you or whether it is in accordance with the Buddhas teachings, but what a good friend told me (he is Mahayana monk who has been ordained for 12 years) Is just to be "friends" with my anxiety, "play" with my anxiety. Show it love, compassion and be friendly with it. When you see that there is nothing wrong with being the way you are, being insecure, being anxious, those feelings just kind of fade away. You call it a "tattoo" in your pratice, why cant it be a beautiful tattoo?
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