Meditating Through Pain, Sleepiness and Boredom

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- Ch: 08 of Mindfulness, A Guidebook to the Present Moment -

‘When you pay attention to boredom, it becomes unbelievably interesting.’ – Jon Kabat-Zin

Some of the most common questions about meditation relate to posture. ‘How should I sit? Should I open or close my eyes? What do I do with my hands? Can I use a chair and a cushion? What if I don’t have the flexibility?’ Depending on the tradition of your instructor, you will receive different answers to these questions, some of which will be contradictory, all of which will seem very convincing.

I am a pragmatist. I suggest that you, at least initially, practice mindfulness in whatever posture you like, provided that it is comfortable enough that you can maintain it without moving for the duration of the session, but not so comfortable that it causes you excess drowsiness or results in you falling asleep. For some people, this will mean that they are laying down in bed, others will need to meditate standing up. Some will use a chair, while others will prefer the floor or the aid of a small cushion. The eyes can remain open or closed, and the hands can be placed comfortably beside or on the body. The goal here is to reduce as many barriers to entry to the beginning practitioner as possible, they are simply encouraged to engage with the breath mindfully, in the easiest way possible for them.

That said, I do notice a distinct benefit to my formal meditation sessions when I place myself in a more traditional posture. I think it is a matter of repeated priming; when I sit in the following way, my mind and body know that it is ‘meditation time’ and my meditation sessions feel more beneficial.

Glimpse:   Traditional Meditation Posture*

1: Sit on the ground with your legs crossed (full lotus is preferable, but half or regular is fine if flexibility is limited).
2: Gently straighten your back. Imagine that there is a rope softly pulling the crown of your head upwards.
3: Subtly tilt your pelvis forward. This will further assist in aligning your back.
4: Relax the mouth and jaw.
5: Place your hands together on your lap. Left inside of right, with your thumbs touching. Alternatively, place your hands gently on your legs, connecting your pointer finger and thumb together.
6: Gently close your eyes.

*This is an amalgamation of the common features of many different traditions. Purists will be quick to note the differences between the above instructions and their practice. Particularly in terms of hand positions and the eyes. Zen for example, is practiced with eyes open looking at a blank wall. Some styles prefer to use a ‘middle gaze’ focusing on the space between them and the wall, whereas others will insist on a ‘half open, half closed’. Dzogchen and other systems will alternate, depending on the practice they are employing at the time.

Pain

Regardless of how you choose to sit, there will be times when you experience some level of physical pain, discomfort, or annoyance. Muscle cramps and itches can be particularly distracting.

When this first occurs, treat the phenomena like you would all other distractions. That is, take a moment to label them as ‘physical sensation’ and then gently return your focus back to the meditation object. Often those sensations will simply disappear of their own accord. If, however they are increasing in intensity, will not go away, of you find yourself ‘losing it’ you could try the following:

1: Turn the pain or discomfort into the focus of your meditation. Take some time to really feel it out. Lean into the sensation and attempt to notice it from a detached perspective. What does pain actually feel like? How big is it? Where is it specifically located? Are there associated mental phenomena arising with the pain? Can you simply sit with it, and explore it as you would the breath or any other meditation object?

2: If it becomes so intense or distracting that you simply must move, do so mindfully. Take a moment to acknowledge your intention to move, the act of moving, and the results of the move. Then, once the pain has subsided, return your focus back to your meditation object.

Sleepiness and Boredom

Just as pain can be disruptive to your practice, so to can sleepiness and boredom. If you notice that you are feeling tired, or are repeatedly nodding off, you may wish to mindfully change your position. Perhaps to one that is standing or walking. If you can only meditate lying down, you could choose to do so with one hand extended upwards. That way, if you do start to fall asleep, it will fall and wake you.

Advanced practitioners may choose to investigate the feelings of sleepiness and boredom in a similar way to how we investigated pain above. What does boredom actually feel like? How intense is the feeling? Does it move or change? Does the act of turning attention towards it, alter it in some way? Does it come with other thoughts, emotions, or physical sensations?

This approach of turning and facing pain, sleepiness and boredom can be applied to all phenomena, both internal and external. In fact, doing so will provide tremendous insights into the true nature of reality, leading to healing, wisdom, and growth. This concept will be explored in depth in the section ‘Turn and Face’.