When you’re really dog tired, as I am today, is it better to get some sleep first before sitting? I really think I’ll just nod off on the zafu today if I sit: now, what kind of ZZZZZzzzzzzzzazen would that be?
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When you’re really dog tired, as I am today, is it better to get some sleep first before sitting? I really think I’ll just nod off on the zafu today if I sit: now, what kind of ZZZZZzzzzzzzzazen would that be?
Speaking of fatigue, here is a new one for me. A local Zendo had a sunrise sitting yesterday (which was really nice, by the way,) and featured two thirty minute periods of Zazen with ten minutes of Kinhin in between. I had a nice, firm Zafu, high enough that my legs were comfortable, but somehow in my left hip I was sitting right on my sciatic nerve.
A softer Zafu is generally too low, I don't like "stacking," and I never had this before, but it was quite painful. Any thoughts?
Hi Soen
Being alert and awake is important in sitting, is it not? Sitting at a set time day in and day out is important too, eh?
Which one would you sacrifice?
Personally I would sit at the right time and practice, including the sleepiness in it all.
One thing I have discovered is that even when very tired some of that tiredness is mental and lifts through/after meditation.
All the best
Rich
Hi Rich, thanks for that.
I always sit at 7am before work, before breakfast, even before my morning shower. However, a heavy work load of late has meant late evenings and early starts, so, I was working when I normally sit and gettting home late. I sat anyway, and as you suggested some of the tiredness lifted. However, at other times I was almost nodding off. It seems to me that it is best to sit when rested, but if that is not possible at times, well, just sit anyway! Accept that conditions are not perfect.
As for advice on painful sitting, some light yoga and pre-stretches are very helpful in advance of a long sit. But best of all is not to force your body to do what it doesn't want to do. Experiment with posture until you find the one right for you. And even then, sitting can be a little painful from time to time. Personally, yoga has helped me with that a lot ... only a few yoga positions, mind you, not a whole yoga programme to build into my already busy life!
Time for bed...
Gassho,
Soen
As for advice on painful sitting, some light yoga and pre-stretches are very helpful in advance of a long sit. But best of all is not to force your body to do what it doesn't want to do. Experiment with posture until you find the one right for you. And even then, sitting can be a little painful from time to time. Personally, yoga has helped me with that a lot ... only a few yoga positions, mind you, not a whole yoga programme to build into my already busy life!
That's the thing... I stretch and all- it wasn't like a cramp or anything. I was sitting on my sciatic nerve and no readjustment worked.
Hi,
I just posted something on this and repost it here ...
viewtopic.php?p=41974#p41974
I also posted something on when to move ... when to just sit and bear it ... with itchy noses, achy legs, spiders on one's arm, earthquakes and such.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jundo
viewtopic.php?p=41976#p41976
Also, some other comments and past threads on sleepy legs and such ...
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=2968
Several folks have reported positive results from a little light Yoga, as Soen recommends.
Maybe sleeping during zazen is sometimes not a big problem.
http://www.serve.com/cmtan/buddhism/Sto ... umber.html
/Rich
One of the few things that will cause me to abandon a zazen period in progress is falling asleep on the cushion.
That said, it has been valuable to sit while the bodymind is falling asleep. It is interesting to have an eye of awareness on what happens as the mind shifts from the waking to the sleeping state... the hypnagogic imagery, the strange irrational thoughts that start to pop up, the dreams that start happening before you're even asleep...
http://www.praxispath.co.uk/5-theory/pd8.html
I have dozed but never deep enough to fall off the cushion :) I suspect that daytime dreaming and thinking about your life is the same mechanism as sleep dreaming. I feel that I pay way too much attention to daydreaming and thinking and usually at inappropriate times. So practice is a lifetime affair with two steps forward and one step back.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephanie
/Rich
Hello friends,
My Kammathana teachers often talked about this; perhaps it was a problem among the Bhikkus.
One of the methods that they suggested (apart from vigorous kinhin) was to sit on a ledge, armed with the knowledge that a tumble would be rather unpleasant. (Naturally, I don't think this is always a good idea, but I have been known to commandeer our coffee table and sit on the edge.)
Much metta,
Perry
I have done zzzzzzzzzzazen a few times usually when I am ill or not taking good enough care of myself. need a sleepy smiliey -Gasho Andrea
I generally sit in the morning right after waking up, and before breakfast. To avoid simply dozing back off, I will do some rigorous stretching to get the blood pumping and to work the muscles. This also wakes me up. I then do some walking meditation before finally sitting for an hour or so.
This is a little more of a unorthodox method but it has produced (sometimes comical) results for fatigued Zazan. My girlfriend and I will sit back to back, while she is doing homework or on the computer, I will sit for meditation. As a dancer, she has amazing posture for sitting meditation so I do my best to keep my back aligned with hers. As soon as she notices that I start slouching forward, she delicately pulls my shoulders back up.
Wow, that's awfully nice of her. Asked my wife to watch my posture once 'cause I was a little sleepy, and she went and grabbed one of my bokken to use as a kyosaku. Decided not to sit that time because she seemed a little bit too enthusiastic standing there with a sword in her hand.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andao
:D
You could try "Dream Yoga".
http://www.upaya.org/dharma/tag/lucid-d ... ream-yoga/
Since I retired I try to go for the 6 a.m. Mon. thro. Fri. hour long sit at the Portland Zen Center. Being in public tends to put me on my best behavior, such as it is, and elicits my best effort...also such as it is. While I've had "noddy samadhi" at home, the Zendo lends focus for me. I don't know much about the dream-yogi mentioned above but it sounds like you can have your cake and eat it.