Nowhere Meditation
Meditative Pitfalls
Question: When there are so many different resources available to facilitate meditation, why bother with the hassle of scheduling time with another human being to practice with or dialogue about the process? After all, there are plenty of apps, videos, books, and articles out there.
I practiced on my own for many years, consulting all of the above resources. There's nothing wrong with doing your own thing, on your own time, with the means you can acquire easily--this is how many people begin with meditation. The internet has gifted us a vast candy-store of information. However, as one's practice progresses and matures, they might start to run into certain pitfalls along the way during their practice. Any one of these can put us into a kind of meditative cul-de-sac where it may be tricky to find our way out. Having someone who has navigated meditation for some time to assist in moving past these sticky spots can be helpful.
Below are some of the pitfalls I've encountered in my own practice over the years. I've listed sticking points in categories as they relate to the amount of time one has meditated (though this is not a linear process-- any of these can happen earlier or later, and sometimes repeat) . It's not an exhaustive list, and these aren't all guaranteed to happen to every practitioner. However, if you have experienced any of them, this may provide a good reference point.
Some Beginning Cul-de-sacs
-Restlessness
-Boredom
-Only meditating when things are difficult/stressful ("medication meditation")
-Resisting thoughts
-Resisting emotions
-Resisting bodily and external sensations/perceptions
-Feeling a lack of safety
-Getting stuck in expectations of results
-Requiring a specific environment/set of circumstances to meditate (quiet, dark, away from others, etc.)
Some Midpoint Cul-de-sacs
-Becoming stuck in thoughts/insights
-Becoming stuck in trance
-Becoming stuck in bliss
-Becoming stuck in emptiness
-Becoming stuck in emotions
-Becoming stuck in bodily and external sensations/perceptions
-Feelings of intense fear/helplessness
-Development of "spiritual ego" structure
Later-stage pitfalls tend to be more nuanced and subtle than those that have come before and vary quite a bit from person-to-person, so I haven't included a list here. However, when/if they happen, they generally tend to deal with the nature, perception, and experience of reality itself, as well as a practitioner's experience of their own identity.
As is evident here, there are a fair number of sticking points that can arise throughout meditative practice. I certainly reached a point where I needed a mentor because of some of the above issues. Although it is ultimately up to the individual practitioner to see through these pitfalls themselves, having someone present along the way to be a mirror and occasional support for us can be helpful.
I practiced on my own for many years, consulting all of the above resources. There's nothing wrong with doing your own thing, on your own time, with the means you can acquire easily--this is how many people begin with meditation. The internet has gifted us a vast candy-store of information. However, as one's practice progresses and matures, they might start to run into certain pitfalls along the way during their practice. Any one of these can put us into a kind of meditative cul-de-sac where it may be tricky to find our way out. Having someone who has navigated meditation for some time to assist in moving past these sticky spots can be helpful.
Below are some of the pitfalls I've encountered in my own practice over the years. I've listed sticking points in categories as they relate to the amount of time one has meditated (though this is not a linear process-- any of these can happen earlier or later, and sometimes repeat) . It's not an exhaustive list, and these aren't all guaranteed to happen to every practitioner. However, if you have experienced any of them, this may provide a good reference point.
Some Beginning Cul-de-sacs
-Restlessness
-Boredom
-Only meditating when things are difficult/stressful ("medication meditation")
-Resisting thoughts
-Resisting emotions
-Resisting bodily and external sensations/perceptions
-Feeling a lack of safety
-Getting stuck in expectations of results
-Requiring a specific environment/set of circumstances to meditate (quiet, dark, away from others, etc.)
Some Midpoint Cul-de-sacs
-Becoming stuck in thoughts/insights
-Becoming stuck in trance
-Becoming stuck in bliss
-Becoming stuck in emptiness
-Becoming stuck in emotions
-Becoming stuck in bodily and external sensations/perceptions
-Feelings of intense fear/helplessness
-Development of "spiritual ego" structure
Later-stage pitfalls tend to be more nuanced and subtle than those that have come before and vary quite a bit from person-to-person, so I haven't included a list here. However, when/if they happen, they generally tend to deal with the nature, perception, and experience of reality itself, as well as a practitioner's experience of their own identity.
As is evident here, there are a fair number of sticking points that can arise throughout meditative practice. I certainly reached a point where I needed a mentor because of some of the above issues. Although it is ultimately up to the individual practitioner to see through these pitfalls themselves, having someone present along the way to be a mirror and occasional support for us can be helpful.
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