Meditating with the Flu

by **Khalil Bodhi** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:35 pm

Hello All,

It appears I've come down with the flu and anapanasati is down right impossible with clogged nasal passages. Anyone have any suggestions for a different technique until i can return to the breath?

by **thecap** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 2:38 pm

Hi Khalil Bodhi

Besides breath, I meditate on ponding raindrops when the occasion arises, or a flickering candle. Breath is not a necessity for meditation but basically just a concentration anchor. Sometimes, I simply recollect the last meditation until the same tranquility establishes. Also check out these 39 meditation objects other than breath. Get well soon!

by **GrahamR** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 3:00 pm

Khalil Bodhi wrote:Hello All,

It appears I've come down with the flu and anapanasati is down right impossible with clogged nasal passages. Anyone have any suggestions for a different technique until i can return to the breath?

Hi
I've tried using a spot on the wall, it's just another object to use to clear your mind of other things. Not tried a flickering candle, but anything like that could be used I'm sure.
Good luck and get well soon.
with metta :bow:

Graham

by **Jechbi** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 4:56 pm

Hi Khalil,

Do you have access to a teacher who has been instructing you? If so, the best idea would be to ask that person.

Otherwise, you might also consider watching the breath through some other tactile evidence of it, such as the rising and falling of the chest, or the sensation of wind moving through the throat. Fortunately, you're still breathing. As long as you have breath, it can continue to be your object.

What everyone else said is good, too.

:meditate:

by **Khalil Bodhi** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 5:42 pm

Hello Jechbi,

I do have a teacher that I work with regularly and I will put the question to him if I remember the next time I see him. You are right, of course, about the breath. Regardless, of where I feel it, it will be there. I suppose it was just a lack of energy and a desire to find an "easier" object that led me to pose the question. Thanks for all the replies.

Metta

by **tiltbillings** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:57 pm

It appears I've come down with the flu and anapanasati is down right impossible with clogged nasal passages. Anyone have any suggestions for a different technique until i can return to the breath?

Don't get locked into technique. Pay attention to the rise and fall of the discomfort and what goes with it. At first it is hard to do, but it can be done.

by **Khalil Bodhi** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 12:28 am

Tiltbillings,

Excellent advice! I will definitely give it a try.

by **retrofuturist** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 12:56 am

Greetings,

Yes, tilt's advice is good. In fact that's what I've been doing over the last 30 or hours after my little punk kid gave me his germs.

Metta,
Retro.

by **Khalil Bodhi** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 1:29 pm

Retro,

Yeah, it seems I caught the bug from my own rug rat as well. Hope you're feeling better!

Metta,

Mike

by **retrofuturist** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 8:38 pm

Greetings Mike,

Well not quite yet, but slowly getting better over the last 24 hours or so. :smile:

Metta,
Retro.

by **green** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:53 am

AHA!

So there is a weakness to singularly practicing anapansati compared to the themed meditation -- my favorite is Buddha anusati...it is perfect for any time of illness.

When I had the flu -- I generally stopped breath focusing when sick-- it is painful since your lungs are directly affected, besides the sinus --

When I had the flu last, I was just starting out with Buddhism, I was almost about to pass out in the bathroom with weakness (I hardly ate anything for days) -- I did Buddha anusati and regained consciousness and strength after only 1 repetition -- and just walked out and lay down without losing consciousness.

I also recovered later much quicker from colds -- the triple gem recollections seems to bring about a balance to the system.

Meditation on the Triple Gem recollections alongside anapanasati and learning these recollections by heart should certainly be worth the time for any Buddhist.

(I hope you are feeling much better now by the way! Flus suck!)

by **jcsuperstar** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 4:17 am

rise and fall of the abdomen...

sometimes i do anapana open mouthed... the breath is still going in and out..

by **PeterB** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 2:40 pm

It is also possible to direct bare attention to body sensations as they arise. The tongue on the palate, the pressure of the bottom on the seat, or back , bottom and back of legs when lying down etc. The attention can go from head to toe..

:namaste:

by **PeterB** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 5:35 pm

Thought it might be worth bumping this thread in view of all of the swine flu sufferers currently sneezing and sweating in the UK. :group:

by **Khalil Bodhi** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:59 pm

The Swine Flu came and went here in NYC but all the advice given will be useful when the flu season makes it's return this winter. Sabbe sattaa sabba dukkha pamuccantu!

Mike :anjali:

by **PeterB** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:06 pm

Try to get the jab if you can. My wife works in the Acute sector and she says that they are gearing up for swine flu to come roaring back in early winter. The jab should be available in the uk within a few weeks..

by **Khalil Bodhi** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:11 pm

Good advice, will do as soon as possible. It's definitely the second round that's got me nervous especially for those of us with kids. Keep us posted on the UK situation and I'll do the same here in NYC. Be well.

Mike

by **PeterB** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:26 pm

And you

, so far there is no reason to suppose it will turn really nasty, but I wont be take any chances, as soon as the jab is available I intend availing myself of it, and I would advise all of you who have not had swine flu to do the same.

by **cooran** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:19 pm

PeterB said: so far there is no reason to suppose it will turn really nasty

Hello PeterB,

I went to a forum a couple of weeks ago for Health staff at the hospital. The Director of Infectious Diseases gave a long, full of medical jargon, presentation about the Swine flu (H1N1 please) and about several pandemics since the renowned pandemic in 1918. There has been only one really truly serious one since then, with over a million dead (in the sixties if I recall correctly), but there were several other pandemics without high death rates. What they found is there is always a "second spike" often when it comes back in the summer. I think this is the fear behind the swine flu - it is changing all the time. Additionally, they are fearing, sooner or later, this year, this decade or sometime in the future, that there will be a repeat of 1918.

metta
Chris

by **PeterB** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 10:40 am

Yes Chris, thats the fear. My wife had about 10 meetings at the end of the working day over a two week period where they put into place their " worst case scenario " response to the second wave. As I say, if and when anyone gets the chance for the jab, think its well worth availing oneself of it.