[denSmumbSes]

I posted something about this over at newbuddhist mainly because I was using my phone and its a better site for mobile devices but it happened again and I thought I'd see what folks thought here. Being Schizophrenic (I don't hear voices though) my monkey mind is probably a lot more chaotic and worrisome than person without a diagnosed mental health problem. Since I've been practicing I keep experiencing spontaneous moments where my internal dialogue slows to a trickle or even ceases entirely and my concentration becomes very focused, this is something psychiatry has never been able to do for me. It comes on out of nowhere and can last for several hours this time its been going on for about five hours. Its obviously a result of practice as I never experienced this before meditating. I haven't sat very much over the past week due to having a bad cold, but my ethical practice has been a lot stronger. Your thoughts and input on the subject are, as always appreciated.

[Seeseeskeva]

Since I've been practicing I keep experiencing spontaneous moments where my internal dialogue slows to a trickle or even ceases entirely and my concentration becomes very focused, this is something psychiatry has never been able to do for me. It comes on out of nowhere and can last for several hours this time its been going on for about five hours. Its obviously a result of practice as I never experienced this before meditating. Hi LT,

It can be a natural outcome in post-meditation for this to start happening gradually, if your meditation sessions have been beneficial.

It's best not to have too many expectations about it though and just keep practising regularly.

Its really good to hear things are going well for you at the moment.

with kind wishes,

A-D

[stuck_in_WA]

That's GREAT, LT. I have had similar results as well. Like lifting a great burden off your shoulders, isn't it?

[pBiRXp8u]

Yes Stuka, its a great relief from the usual chaos of my mind, I know Aloka said not to have to many expectations about it but it does give me some respite from my mental ill health.

[valiumcheapll]

I'll get back to sitting regularly once I've shifted this cold Aloka, its hard to focus on the breath when you've got a seriously runny nose and your coughing a lot . I was grabbing a few twenty to thirty minute sessions throughout the day before it came on as I had a lot of time on my hands.

[dr-eavealer]

I'm very glad to hear about your results, LT. Sounds like you're on a good path!

[Kneefrenolf]

its hard to focus on the breath when you've got a seriously runny nose and your coughing a lot Hope it clears up soon LT - there seem to be a lot of summer colds and chest infections around here at the moment too.

[NanoGordeno]

Ok Daz, I know you said not to focus on it too much, but its been going on for over 24 hours now, I suspect that the internal dialogue I'm experiencing may be that of a person without a mental health problem, but I've been pretty crazy since childhood in one way or another so I don't have anything to compare it to. My mind keeps wanting to spin out into "Schizo" mode its usual riot of emotional instability, fear and anxiety but it just won't happen, its slipped there once or twice but its come back. Normally I'm very ill after waking up but it didn't happen this morning. My cold has nearly gone so with some luck I will be able to get back on the cushion in the next couple of days.

[hereiamguy]

It is a good thing that meditation has brought you that kind of peace, but you have to learn how to balance though. Remember that you could even get attached to meditation, and all attachments are sources of suffering. The important thing now is the follow up, are you practicing the other 7 paths of the eight-fold path?, how about your five precepts? how well do you follow them?. Hopefully with right understanding, your emotional stability, fears and anxiety will pass... it is all matter of viewing things as they really are and remember the three universal characteristics: impermanence, suffering and selflessness...

May you find peace and true happiness my friend.

[Suvaxal]

Thank you for your kind words and advice Mike,

I'm getting better at following the precepts and my compassion is strengthening, some of my old obsessions and addictions are falling away, I'm beginning to see how the parts of the path reinforce each other. I still need a lot of work though! When I get home tommorrow I'm going to get into studying Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness by Bhante Gunaratana its a guide to the Eight Fold path and how to apply it to daily life.

[KlaraNovikoffa]

I thought I'd elaborate on my above post, I realise I'd been focusing on meditation be the reason for the calming of my mind, I had a realisation that I'd made a bit more effort to live by the precepts and ethics over the past week or so and as I said above it has begun to make me realise how the aspects of the eight fold path reinforce each other. I'd read this in books but to paraphrase what Buddha said - don't believe it until your experience directly demonstrates it to you.

[EvaQWmrm]

HI Lonely traveller.
Re inner chatter etc. I did T.M for a short while and experienced some small degree of "everything is fine" sensations occasionally.
I gave up T.M. so it can't have been all that impressive.
What is of more interest to me is a non meditational experience. I was reading Daniel Dennett ( he is very materialistic and into a strict neuro / brain thingy). He was attempting to describe issues relating to imagination and gave the example of imagining a purple cow. Every evening I play a tape or C.D. and that evening, by a strange coincidence I randomly pulled out a very old tape by Doris Day which was all about a purple cow.
This has since been fobbed off as coincidental. Hmmmm! ~~~~Cheers Murchovski.

[fluoxet]

My mind keeps wanting to spin out into "Schizo" mode its usual riot of emotional instability, fear and anxiety but it just won't happen, its slipped there once or twice but its come back.

That is a fantastic result LT. I mean, that you are able to see what your mind is actually doing. Most times people are completely unaware of these mood shifts, they are just the passive recipients of whatever the mind churns up and buy into it unconditionally.