Dealing With Difficult Meditation Experiences

Mildly difficult experiences in meditation can be processed much like everything else, i.e. be curious and allow the experience to be what it is without resistance.

But some experiences may be so challenging or overwhelming that at least temporarily they cannot be dealt with by surrender.

The traditional advice is something like this:  switch to single-pointed concentration practice or loving-kindness practice, if you can.  This is often more calming.  If that isn't providing relief, then maybe stop meditating altogether.  Do some things to ground oneself:  maybe get out in some fresh air, walk around, eat some hearty food, watch a movie, etc.  Talk to people, talk to a psychologist.

Although the ideas are similar, Lost in Oblivion – An Exploration of Adverse Meditation Experiences goes into more depth, exploring many suggestions such as the following:

• Significantly reduce your practice time
• See a professional
• Focus on life goals and values
• Reduce self-focus
• Try some different meditative approaches
• Rotate between meditation and thinking
• Working with a blank mind
• Working with relaxation induced anxiety
• Movement can be incredibly powerful
• Practice Gratitude and other more ‘cognitive’ practices
• Reading novels and enjoyable literature, and engagement in enjoyable hobbies
• Join your community, and find connection
• Be kind to yourself, don’t just sit through emotional adversity
• Exposure and response prevention can be useful