Discussion Help for the brain: Meditation?

[color_me_gone]

Still, no one has yet answered the question, what does it feel like?

Sorry, if the question was posted earlier, I didn't see it.

Everybody feels different, but for me:

I feel extremely relaxed, calm, and almost like in a trance or hypnotized state.
Quite unaware of my surroundings. My body feels good.
Unaware of time. Very enjoyable. HAPPY!

You are just starting out, you need to deeply relax.
If you are dizzy, you are trying too hard. Probably also too long.
The fact that you felt sleepy does indicate you were relaxed, which is good.
Intense meditation is not something you get in a day.
Keep your sessions to 5 minutes or less. You can do many sessions per day as you like.
Put on some soft music that you enjoy (if you have some). Very calming music.
Forget about repeating any phrases, that will come later.
Highly concentrate on trying to make your body feel numb.
Keep working toward that end. Try not to think about anything else.
Just focus on trying to make your body feel numb.
This is developing your power of concentration, which is what meditation is all about.
It will take about a week to develop your concentration, do that first.
Try that for now and let me know how it goes.

 

[DeepSleep]

I feel extremely relaxed, calm, and almost like in a trance or hypnotized state.
Quite unaware of my surroundings. My body feels good.
Unaware of time. Very enjoyable. HAPPY!

Ah, thats already something :)
Does it feel differently from our good old conventional mind-wandering? How?

 

[color_me_gone]

Does it feel differently from our good old conventional mind-wandering? How?

Yes, it is very much the same as mind wandering feeling, but when you get good at meditation, it is much more intense.
And it stays with you even after you end your session.
Does that make any sense?

 

[waived]

It has never worked for me and I think it's because I'm trying to use something (brain) that isn't working to begin with to do something that is beyond basic function anyways.

 

[color_me_gone]

It has never worked for me

It does not work for everybody, and has nothing to do with you. That is a fact.

 

[waived]

and has nothing to do with you.

Oh, what do you mean?

 

[color_me_gone]

Oh, what do you mean?

I mean that a lot of people have a problem successfully connecting to meditation.
Just because you can't meditate, that does not indicate that something is wrong with your brain.

 

[waived]

I mean that a lot of people have a problem successfully connecting to meditation.
Just because you can't meditate, that does not indicate that something is wrong with your brain.

Oh, I know that. I meant that my brain doesn't function correctly to begin with so trying to use it in a way beyond a basic functioning (which it doesn't) doesn't work.

 

[Alastor]

Sorry, if the question was posted earlier, I didn't see it.

Everybody feels different, but for me:

I feel extremely relaxed, calm, and almost like in a trance or hypnotized state.
Quite unaware of my surroundings. My body feels good.
Unaware of time. Very enjoyable. HAPPY!

You are just starting out, you need to deeply relax.
If you are dizzy, you are trying too hard. Probably also too long.
The fact that you felt sleepy does indicate you were relaxed, which is good.
Intense meditation is not something you get in a day.
Keep your sessions to 5 minutes or less. You can do many sessions per day as you like.
Put on some soft music that you enjoy (if you have some). Very calming music.
Forget about repeating any phrases, that will come later.
Highly concentrate on trying to make your body feel numb.
Keep working toward that end. Try not to think about anything else.
Just focus on trying to make your body feel numb.
This is developing your power of concentration, which is what meditation is all about.
It will take about a week to develop your concentration, do that first.
Try that for now and let me know how it goes.

I can absolutely relate to every single word of this. Meditation and yoga used to help me out for some time. I really felt much better.
The thing is, then depression hit me really hard and I couldn't even find the motivation to meditate. I know that sounds ridiculous but if my mind gets negative there is nothing I can possibly do.

However, I believe that meditation can be incredibly helpful but only if you don't try to force anything. In my opinion can be better than any antidepressant if you do it right

 

[color_me_gone]

I can absolutely relate to every single word of this.

Thanks for the reinforcement Alastor!

While I have suffered depression for 61 years with up and downs, I really fell into a severe slump after I retired 4 yrs ago.
Outside of work, I really had no social life, no social interaction, nor am I good at social interaction.
I learned about meditation as a relief for depression and decided to pursue it, especially since I have the time.
I will not say I'm cured, but I feel a huge load has been taken off my shoulders.
So, for me, I was able to get relief, even while depressed.
I still feel sad, still consider ctb, but life is easier. That is all I can say.

And yes, you can't force it, you just kind of have to find it. Luckily, I was able.
And also true, much better than any antidepressant.