ADHD and Meditation

General discussion of issues related to Theravada Meditation, e.g. meditation postures, developing a regular sitting practice, skillfully relating to difficulties and hindrances, etc.
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ddeck
Posts: 18
Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2021 12:26 am

ADHD and Meditation

Post by ddeck »

To clarify, I am not looking to “cure” my ADHD with Buddhism. In fact, I’m posting this on here because nearly every google search result is about that instead of advice for those with ADHD seeking the ultimate goal.

My best approximation of what my personal condition (that western medicine likes to categorize as ADHD), is simply a specific combination of defilements such that I struggle with uddhacca (restlessness), doubt, and excessive mental proliferation. As such, I know different personality types call for different meditation strategies, and I suspect that what the Abhidhamma refers to as “Vitakka-Carita” may be what we today know as ADHD. Please correct me if I’m wrong here as information on the Caritas is very scarce (and presumably not mentioned by the Buddha?). In this case, Ajahn Lee says that those of the Vitakka characteristic have a slow path to enlightenment carved out by diligence in mindfulness of breathing.

I’m wondering if others that have been categorized as “ADHD” by western medicine with more meditation experience than I can either verify or reject my above theory, or just provide some personal recolletion on what has and has not been useful on your path towards awakening.

Metta.
DiamondNgXZ
Posts: 390
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2021 5:40 am

Re: ADHD and Meditation

Post by DiamondNgXZ »

ddeck wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 5:04 pm To clarify, I am not looking to “cure” my ADHD with Buddhism. In fact, I’m posting this on here because nearly every google search result is about that instead of advice for those with ADHD seeking the ultimate goal.

My best approximation of what my personal condition (that western medicine likes to categorize as ADHD), is simply a specific combination of defilements such that I struggle with uddhacca (restlessness), doubt, and excessive mental proliferation. As such, I know different personality types call for different meditation strategies, and I suspect that what the Abhidhamma refers to as “Vitakka-Carita” may be what we today know as ADHD. Please correct me if I’m wrong here as information on the Caritas is very scarce (and presumably not mentioned by the Buddha?). In this case, Ajahn Lee says that those of the Vitakka characteristic have a slow path to enlightenment carved out by diligence in mindfulness of breathing.

I’m wondering if others that have been categorized as “ADHD” by western medicine with more meditation experience than I can either verify or reject my above theory, or just provide some personal recolletion on what has and has not been useful on your path towards awakening.

Metta.
I am not ADHD, but I like to think and proliferate, like on Physics and Buddhism.

One meditation which really calms my mind is needing to label. Walking meditation label: lifting, raising, pushing, dropping, touching, shifting (weight), repeat. The walking is super slow to be able to clearly see the label as it happens. The mind is super occupied with the movement of the legs that it's just changing objects all the time, has no time to think of other stuffs.

Then if the mind is stilled from there, can proceed to sitting, using Ajahn Brahm's style, youtube Ajahn Brahm meditation retreat.

Sometimes, when I sit (on a chair), it takes 1 hour or so for the mind to finally shut up and be still. I don't have any aversion towards the mind as it thinks and wanders, I don't have any cravings for the mind to be still. Like a glass of water put on a table, it becomes still when not being stirred by craving or aversion.
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