r/TheMindIlluminated • u/EladGorni • 11d ago
How to deal with a strong impulse to move?
hii, im in stage 2 and for a long time my main challange is that i have a strong urge to move during the meditation and to reach the moment when ill just hear the bell and seesion will be over.
any tips on how to deal with that?
thank you very much
2
u/kaytss 11d ago
It sounds like you are suffering through it and are bored and restless. I know it's a bit of a grind in the beginning, and some of it is just being patient through the process before it gets more interesting.
But having some enjoyment of meditation is pretty important to progressing, and especially as you progress I would argue it gets even more important.
So, if you can, try to make it funner. One way is to try to notice how you are feeling as you are doing it - do you feel calmer? Is it nice having your brain just relax and slow down? Notice it as you are doing it. If there are other positive things, really make a point to notice them. Then, after the sit, see if there are other positives - do you now feel calmer having done the sit? Make a point to see how you feel immediately after.
You don't have to delude yourself to feel a certain way - but seriously, if you make a point to try to find what feels nice I bet you will find at least some things.
Then, next sit, before the sit reinforce these feelings by telling yourself that you are looking forward to the nice peace, relaxation, whatever it is you like about the sit. And that you will feel so nice after in X ways.
Finally, controversial opinion, if you are especially not feeling it that day just get up and stop the sit. Don't create an aversion to it, don't make it something that sucks in your mind. Some days you just feel restless, just accept it...try to take the long view. Some days you need to push past the restlessness and it will go away, and some days it won't.
And if you are sitting too long, then try to cut back the length and then slowly increase it by like 5 mins or something each week. Your stamina will improve, but give it time to naturally increase. So if at the 25 min mark, you feel like you're crawling out of your skin to move, then the next day, set the timer to 20 or 25 mins. Then try for 30 a week or two later, and see how you feel.
1
u/xpingu69 11d ago
I have the same and the only thing that helps is to be aware of the urge and let it arise and pass
5
u/abhayakara Teacher 11d ago
You have a lot of options. One is to decide to move on the next in-breath or next out-breath. This is to forestall just moving automatically which you don't want to do.
Another is to really struggle with it. Notice when in meditation this tends to happen and set a timer for maybe five minutes longer than that. When it starts to happen, force yourself to sit and remind yourself that it's only five more minutes.
Third thing you can do is get curious about where this is coming from and why. Watch your mind wanting to move, in other words. If you decide to move, watch what your mind does when you move, and what happens after that.
I'm sure there are other options as well. :)