[stefano]

Hello everybody
after hearing for a long time stories about people coping with their disorders through meditation, I gave it a try myself, but seems like I am totally unsuitable for it, because my mind wanders off continuously and I can't stay focused on breathing. I know, I know, I am supposed to just accept that and let the thought faint. But what happens is that I sit/lay there, and after a few tens of seconds I realize I've been just thinking about my own problems! So I "let it go", focus back on breathing... for 5 or 6 seconds, and then I am distracted again, and again, and again!

I have tried simple sitting meditation, body scan, guided relaxation, meditation music and bells!

Hints? Tips?

Thanks

[Rapunzel]

Meditation is not about getting it right, it is about making the effort. The key is to get better at noticing when your mind wanders, and gently bring it back to where you have chosen to focus, wherever that is. As long as you are making the effort, you are meditating. If you get distracted 1000 times, just notice and bring yourself back, and you are doing it. It will get easier the more you practice, and you will realize more benefit from it.

[Perna]

I did some combining with something I wanted (lower blood pressure :-) and did some trials of before and after very short (10 minutes) of trying to meditate/just rest my mind; and I also did a self-touch of my knee test (blood pressure went down!) where I just gripped my knee lightly and concentrated on the feeling of being "held"/cared about. Sometimes when I'm taking my blood pressure (my monitor takes 3 readings in a row and averages them, 30 seconds apart from each other) I'll notice my shoulders are hunched and work at relaxing and usually have to do that over and over again, just as you say! But concentrating on a short bout for a specific purpose instead of looking forward to when I can "meditate" helps me.

Practicing "mindfulness" instead of meditation has helped me later do medication, too.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/mindfulness

Meditation is a practice. Everyones mind wanders even the greatest monks will find themselves wandering and have to pull their mind back. The trick is to keep trying, being aware. When you notice " hey I've been thinking about the dirt under my fridge for the last five minutes" just pull your mind back and re focus on your breath. It's completely normal.

Mindfulness is great like Perna mentioned, and you can do this while you do other things. Jon Kabot Zinn has some excellent videos on you tube.

Don't give up, there is no perfection in meditation, it's just practice.

[stefano]

Thank you all. Yes, I thought I had to just be patient and keep trying, but I've already been trying for quite long... Well, I think I'll just go on and resist frustration.

Thank you fro the encouragement

Excellent!! That's the spirit! Just keep with it, it will get easier. And remember that it will likely happen to some extent from time to time no matter how long you are at it. It's the nature of the human mind. I have bipolar and when I am manic, with the racing thoughts it's almost near impossible to do, but near impossible isn't the same a completely impossible.

I hope you keep going and don't be too hard on yourself. You will still reap the benefits that meditation has to offer you.

[bohogypsy]

I agree with the above (re mindfulness and meditation). Just keep at it! Another option available is moving meditations like yoga.

[Fuzzybear]

I struggle with this too. Maybe it sometimes helps, somewhat

[bpcyclist]

Even the great Thich Nhat Hanh has said his mind wanders sometimes when he meditates. So, no more self-judging. It's not a competition. Just acknowledge the thought and bring yourself back. After you do this for awhile, you will actually get better at it. It will become a skill.

[Sara C]

mindfulness is something i need to know how but kept delaying it.

[Buffy01]

Originally Posted by stefano

Hello everybody
after hearing for a long time stories about people coping with their disorders through meditation, I gave it a try myself, but seems like I am totally unsuitable for it, because my mind wanders off continuously and I can't stay focused on breathing. I know, I know, I am supposed to just accept that and let the thought faint. But what happens is that I sit/lay there, and after a few tens of seconds I realize I've been just thinking about my own problems! So I "let it go", focus back on breathing... for 5 or 6 seconds, and then I am distracted again, and again, and again!

I have tried simple sitting meditation, body scan, guided relaxation, meditation music and bells!

Hints?

Thanks

it takes time to practices. This is normal. Sometimes my mind wonder As well.