Hi Returning to meditation question on disturbing thoughts!!

Hi

I am coming back to meditation after a couple of years - basically feel anxious with work, and generally negative and want to turn this around,

Do you think the guided meditations are good or should i just carry on without them?

I already feel anxious about meditating, as in the past i have had some disturbing thoughts when meditating and that can really spoil it for me - im a really normal guy so dont understand why it sometimes happens?

anyone else know the best way to deal with those?

Thanks
Andy

 

Not sure what those "disturbing thoughts" are, and there's no need to air them here, but I would bet that's stuff you really need to deal with. Whether the thoughts are coming through literally or symbolically is something you will have to decide for yourself, but I bet it's your psyche poking you with a stick saying "Hey, deal with this stuff over here!".

As for guided or not... whichever works best for you. I wouldn't choose guided just to stay away from the above if that proves to be what's going on for you.

 

I think this video is incredibly helpful for helping to realize how good things can be if and when you let go of neuroses. Listening to this before meditating has always felt really good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHBkyrcDE5U"]Sam Harris: The Happiness Experiment - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpaVLLObU80"]Mr. Sam Harris on happiness and spiritual experience. - YouTube

 

It would probably help if you could tell us what thoughts they are
So we could know what's up.
What type of feelings do you have when you experience these
Thoughts?......anger?...fear?
In order to know how we can help you should tell us what
Feelings accompany the thoughts.
To tell you the truth if I don't feel good from being sick, angry etc I dont meditate.

 

One of the misnomers of meditation is that we have to try to stop the thought process, but the main emphasis with meditation is to relax and let all thoughts be as they are. Do not try to add to, change, get rid of, or do anything else with these thoughts as they arise. Just notice them.
If you notice that you are emphasizing your story, let that thought come to rest. Notice the space that is left as the thought comes to rest. Take a moment and rest as that space... and so on
When a thought arises, notice that it appears and disappears within this same spacious awareness.
Once a meditator realizes that thoughts are not a threat to the stillness, there is no reason to push anything away, as everything is allowed to arise and fall and nothing is seen to harm the deep peace.

Peace

 

this

 

A perfect response Marina! Just acknowledge the thought and then let it wander away.....

AJ.

 

As my teacher quipped, "Don't get lost in thought. Let thought get lost in you."