Meditating with a cold/allergies

[adamposey]

I was trying to get through this morning's meditations, but my chest was tight, my breath was forced because of a runny nose, etc.,

How do you meditate with a cold or do you just focus on getting well and return to your meditation after?

[Khalil Bodhi]

You could try a different theme that has nothing to do with the breath such as metta bhavana or kayagatasati. Or you could use the sensations of discomfort as your object and look for the sign of impermanence. Metta.

[PeterB]

Good suggestions.
Something else you could try is sweeping awareness slowly up and down the body taking in all sensations that arise from feet to crown and back.

[catmoon]

I'm in the same boat. Since I smoke, and the flu causes me to reduce my smoking, I actually breathe better in some ways. I look forward to losing a few pounds. The discomfort seems small compared to all the mental suffering I used to generate around such things. It is also a good time to practice tonglen. Finally, think that carrying suffering with grace will prevent you from accumulating bad karma, in a very concrete sense.

Meditation is a little more difficult and perhaps briefer. That's fine. It's all practice.

[shjohnk]

On a similar theme, I have a chronically blocked nose (Rhinitis or something it's called). Therefore, I breathe predominantly through my mouth. This doesn't seem to affect my meditation: I'm still breathing and focussing on it.

[Ben]

In the past I have used a pseudo-ephedrine-based cold & flu medication which has alleviated the symptoms of blocked & runny nose. I could get on with my meditation and get on with the vast majority of my day-to-day activities.
metta

Ben

[bodom]

I suffer from allergies and also have problems with breathing. I do a lot of walking meditation.