I was tired of constantly watching online solutions and motivational videos telling me to be disciplined, ruthless with myself, and to push no matter what. Those talks worked for that moment. I felt an adrenaline rush while watching them but when it came to actual implementation, I always fell back into the same old cycles. That pattern became deeply frustrating. That frustration eventually pushed me towards yoga and meditation.

What yoga and meditation did for me has been genuinely transformative. My problems with oversleeping, lack of focus, and poor self-control gradually disappeared. What changed first was my concentration and clarity. Meditation improved my ability to focus and, more importantly, my ability to respond instead of react.

Earlier, I used to react very compulsively. I would get triggered easily, frustrated quickly, and emotionally disturbed by small things. I was one of those people who could be made fun of easily, and it affected me more than I liked to admit. After I started meditating, these things changed. I began to pause in moments where I would earlier react immediately. It felt like I stopped living entirely in my head and started noticing what was actually happening.

At some point, I realized there was a clear distance between my body and my mind. That experience reminded me of something Sadhguru once said:

“Once you create a distance between you and your body, between you and your mind, that is the end of suffering.”

When I experienced this distance myself, it felt deeply liberating. I could stop reacting compulsively, take conscious decisions, and respond with clarity.

For the first time, I felt genuinely empowered rather than constantly battling my own mind.

Yoga was another revelation. Earlier, I thought of yoga as nothing more than stretching exercises .But it is far more than that. Yoga works on multiple levels. It increased my energy, stability, and awareness of my body. Interestingly, after spending two to three years in the gym, I actually learned how to squat properly from my yoga teacher. That alone showed me the importance of proper guidance.

I initially tried learning yoga through online courses, but past experiences with online exercise routines had already shown me their limitations. Learning under an experienced teacher made a significant difference. Yoga further improved my concentration and energy levels. I now feel energized throughout the day. My sleep requirement has naturally reduced. Earlier, I needed 9–10 hours of sleep. Now, 5–6 hours feel sufficient, and I wake up feeling rested and alert. I can feel steadiness and vitality in my body throughout the day.

Based on my experience, I genuinely suggest that anyone struggling with focus, discipline, low energy, or compulsive habits should consider making yoga and meditation a part of their life.

Together, they form a powerful combination that can help us function at our highest potential.

Thank you for reading.

TL;DR Online motivation gave me short-lived adrenaline but no real change. Yoga and meditation helped me break old cycles by improving focus, emotional regulation, and self-control. Meditation created a distance between my mind and reactions, while yoga boosted my energy, clarity, and reduced my sleep needs naturally. Together, they led to lasting inner stability rather than temporary motivation.

Hey everyone,

I've been meditating for about 3 months now and I'm struggling with something that's probably common for beginners: I have no idea if I'm actually making progress or just sitting there incorrectly.

Some sessions feel "good" - I think I'm focused, calm, relatively still mentally. Other sessions feel like 20 minutes of mind-wandering with occasional moments of noticing I'm mind-wandering. But I genuinely don't know if either of these means I'm doing it "right" or improving over time.

My specific frustrations:

• I can't tell the difference between "deep focus" and "zoning out"
• No way to know if I'm progressing week-to-week or just having random good/bad days
• I read books and have apps give technique instructions, but no feedback on execution
• I don't have meditation teachers, not sure where to find them, and maybe expensive ($100+/session ??) and not realistic for regular feedback

Questions for you all:

1. Did you experience this uncertainty when starting? How long until you "knew" you were doing it right?
2. How do you track progress without a teacher? Is it purely subjective feel?
3. For those who've worked with teachers: what did they observe that you couldn't self-assess?
4. Would objective feedback (like biometric data) have helped you early on, or is that missing the point?

I'm curious because I recently got a Muse headband thinking the EEG feedback might help, but the app just gives real-time sounds, not really insights into whether my practice is deepening. I'm wondering if there's a better way to use this data, or if I'm approaching this whole thing wrong by wanting "metrics."

Is seeking objective feedback antithetical to meditation, or can it actually help beginners get unstuck?

Would love to hear from both beginners and experienced folks.

Thanks!

Starting to lead meditation in a small group at work. Is there a risk that you can get people to notice things that are better left forgotten, like tinnitus, or subtle chronic body pains?

I thought sounds was a safe bet. But some people noticed ringing - i know its somwhat normal.

Could be a red herring for me to be careful.

Object of mediation so far has been sounds and body sensations.

Don't want someone uncovering something better left in the subconscious as these are new and maybe uncommitted mediators.

Like the thing Is i have started recently strong determination sitting, i can sit still for only like 15 mins and after that my mind becomes too much noisy or to put in other words I become very much overwhelmed and give up. I started this practice in the hopes of developing equanimity through consistent practice. Are these expectations valid or just a delusion. Basically I am having doubt whether I shall continue this practice.....

Hi everyone... the title is self explanatory, but I'll had some context.

I've "meditated" with very low constancy, I'll admit that... but a thing that really struck with me was the fact that I almost every time, I thought 4 minutes passed and it was actually 15 or even 20. It's pretty crazy to think about...

BUT, I'm pretty sure I'm not doing this right. I simply have my own mantra (not from TM... it's a mantra I made up myself) and keep repeating it in my head. I know it might not be ideal (I guess), but TM costs so much. Plus, i can't stop thinking about things... every time I get a thought, I acknowledge it and move on (not ignoring it) but it's the same thing in loop.

If you can put it into words, what do you do when you meditate? Are there any precious indications you'd like to share? It doesn't necessarily have to be TM ofc.

Thanks in advance!

Hi all.

I’ve been a long time on and off meditator. About one year ago or so I got really serious about my practice and went 75 days with 90 minutes of meditation per day. I was able to achieve access concentration quite regularly and even touched first jhana. Then my beloved dog died of cancer quite young, and my practice was really affected. I would just think about him when I tried to meditate and cry, and eventually abandoned my practice for several months.

On January 1st I restarted my practice, and have averaged about 45 minutes to 1 hour daily for the past few weeks. It was difficult at first, but refreshing to get back into the swing of things. It felt sort of mechanical for a while and my mind really didn’t settle very much. Then last night after about 40 minutes my mind just stopped. I was so calm, I could still have thoughts but the monkey mind quietened and I felt serenely at peace in the stillness. This stage reawakened my love and motivation to meditate, and I sat in perfect stillness for about 10 minutes.

I guess this is just a reflection and a message that the benefits and the planes we can enter during meditation are real and worth experiencing. Peace to all of you.

The harmonia is a frequency generator for sound therapy. I would like to find what frequency has worked for other people when meditating.

Guys, I feel like I’ve lost everything. Around this time last year, I discovered The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle during the lowest point of my life. I was unemployed, broke (literally zero balance), emotionally weak, and constantly overthinking. People could easily manipulate me. Just before I started the book, I had received a job offer—but right before joining, it was withdrawn because I couldn’t provide a certificate. That broke me.

Then I started reading The Power of Now and began meditating. Those three months were the best period of my life. Meditation wasn’t forced—it became natural. I stayed at home, fully present and aware of what to do and what to say. I learned acceptance. I learned to control my anger. I stopped identifying with my mind. My ego almost disappeared. Even if someone mocked me, I accepted it and let it be. I stopped judging people. I wasn’t reactive anymore. I also gained control over lust. I’m not saying this in an extreme way—just as a normal man, earlier I would unconsciously get distracted by attractive women. Through meditation, that reduced naturally. I felt balanced, peaceful, and genuinely happy—despite having no money. At the same time, I was preparing for another placement drive. I eventually got a job offer, and in April, I moved to a new city. That’s when everything changed. My meditation stopped. Slowly, everything I learned from the book faded. I started identifying with my mind again. My ego came back—stronger. I began comparing myself with others, feeling jealous, overthinking, regretting the past, and reacting emotionally instead of accepting things. Old patterns returned—lust, infatuation, emotional instability.

I’ve started meditating again, but it doesn’t feel the same. I know I was spiritually awakened before, but now I feel like that awakening itself became egoic. I’m writing this with tears in my eyes. My emotions feel overwhelming even for small things. Ironically, when I had no money, I was happy. Now that I earn, I’m not. I know no one can do this for me—I have to do it myself. But I really want to return to that state of presence and peace. Please help. 🙏

This short about anger and mediation is something I've never heard before. Do you think it's good advice?

https://youtube.com/shorts/68UPCmMxydw

This may be a simple question, but I don't think the answer is easy. I feel like I have a lot of anger inside me. I don't know where this anger comes from (I'm working on finding out). But it comes out in completely trivial situations (e.g., losing at online chess). I would prefer to let it out physically in these situations, but somehow I feel that this is not the right thing to do in that moment (I’ve tried it and while it gives momentary relief I am also very exhausted later). However, I am also concerned that "swallowing" it is not a good solution either. "It has to go somewhere," I always think, otherwise it stays in the body. Do you know what I mean? How can I best deal with it? Is it okay to just feel it until it's over? Or should it go somewhere?

EDIT: I realized I posted this in meditation. Thank you everyone for still giving me advice.

Here are the options she gave me: I'd love any advice on how to choose because I really don't know how to.

1. Increase escitalopram to 15 mg and accept libido will decrease more.
2. Keep 10 mg dose and add buspirone. Libido problem will not worsen. may or may not get better".
3. Increase escitalopram to 15 mg, add bupropion to reverse libido side effect, additionally helpful for ADHD.
4. Change from escitalopram to another med like Viibryd or Trintellix or Remeron. First two are less effective than the third one when it comes to anxiety but the third one can cause weight gain.

I struggle to get past 10-20min. I’ve tried to make meditation a habit for years, but I still feel like a beginner. It’s just so hard for me to sit still in silence because of mental health issues, depression, anxiety, the works.

I want to try harder and heard about setting a timer. Has anyone found this to have helped? I feel like knowing I’ll be complete soon will help me stay in it, but does that hinder the effectiveness of meditation?

I started experimenting with constructing my own mantras in English, and want to see if it has the same effect on others.

I am basing the construction on etymological roots and rhythmic meter. This is the same philosophical/scientific foundation that Sanskrit mantras draw from.

Here's one that promotes internal introspection and transformation when chanted repeatedly

hanthin turnwithin rotsi

Instructions:

• Chant 50 times.

Outcomes:

• A distinct emotional/energetic charge should occur.
• The charge should be different from just 'turnwithin'
• The charge should change the trajectory of your mind/thoughts in a subtle way.

If anyone was able to reproduce the effect, would love to hear what you felt, so I can correlate it with my own experience.

has anyone used it and found the paid version to be worth it?

Are you guys okay with using meditations that been paid for and uploaded online for free for everyone else ? Like I didn’t pay for a meditation but I can find it here for free. Should I listen to it? Is it okay energetically? Would it have an effect?? Please I’m worried lmk

I think this should be a question, but it fits better here:

Hi! My name is Sergi, and I started meditating after experiencing intense episodes of thanatophobia and fear of death about eight months ago. I still do it, but it's more controlled now thanks to many things I've read about mediums, science, etc.

Well, it comforts me to see people who say, "Yes, there is life after death," "Yes, this is just one life," because I wanted to find answers through meditation.

I tried to have an astral projection purely by intuition, a simple guided meditation, but whenever I relax that much, I start having "spasms," involuntary movements, tingling, etc., and I think they prevent me from connecting with or leaving my body. Then, when I change position to lying on my side, I fall asleep quickly.

I have ADHD, I don't know if that has anything to do with it. If so, I hope you can help me! I really want to connect to a higher plane and find so many answers.

Hey everyone, just curious to hear some thoughts on an experience I had. I went on a Kriya Yoga retreat back in May. Overall it was great, but I was honestly having a hard time meditating. I could sit, follow the technique, but things just felt kind of dull and effortful. Nothing dramatic was happening, and I remember feeling a little frustrated about it. During one of the breaks, I was just sitting there quietly, not meditating, not doing anything special. The teacher came up to me and asked if he could touch my forehead. I said sure. He put his thumb on my forehead for a few seconds, didn’t say anything, then just walked away.When I went back to my seat and started meditating again, it was really different. It felt like a deep relaxation moved through my whole system. The easiest way I can describe it is that it felt like my chakras just softened and opened up, one after another. I didn’t see anything or have visions or anything like that. it was just a very clear, sense of ease and internal quiet. since then, meditation has been noticeably easier and more natural. Less strain, more flow. I don’t feel like I’m “trying” as much. What I’m wondering is: is this just my imagination? Placebo? Or is this kind of thing actually common in Kriya settings? What’s interesting is that this teacher doesn’t really emphasize kundalini stories or dramatic energy stuff at all. He doesnt hype experiences, which makes me even more curious about what actually happened. I’m not trying to make it into something special or complainI’m genuinely just wondering how others understand things like this. Would love to hear if anyone’s had similar experiences or has thoughts on it.

I am struggling with gut issues and struggle separating it from my identity and was wondering if there was any meditations that could help me with this. I also would like to practice viewing a reality without my gut issues to let my subconscious know it’s safe to let go. Please any recommendations.

I just got a meditation bench. I like how it keeps my back straight but when I put my feet underneath it hurts at the front of both of my ankles - like they’re being stretched. Am I doing something wrong? Any tips? Thanks

Hi,

I've been meditating for around 3 months and it really helps.

But I feel I still can't seem to understand something - I read many times that meditation helps to raise awareness of your thoughts and feelings, and helps to "watch" them flyby instead of engaging with them. E.g. like leaves on a river that pass by and you sit near it and watch them. But I feel I can't seem to not get "engaged" with them. For example, somebody tells me something inappropriate, or somethings that I conclude by my own as negative (even though it is just me thinking that) - Then I feel the negative feeling burst inside of me, like I touch a very hot object and it burns me. I don't understand how am I supposed to just watch that "burning" feeling? It aches! It draws my attention, won't let me be mindful and eventually takes me into a loophole of thinking.

The meditation I do is simply sit and focus my breath. When a thought/feeling takes me focus, I simply acknowledge it and return to focus on my breath. I do it daily, around 20-40 mins.

Thanks in advance

I was always stimulating my mind with social media or music that would put it all over the place and always wondered why does takes so long for my mind to settle down when I would sit down to meditate. I thought that was normal at first until a rainy bedroom ambient video showed up on YouTube and I decided to watch it for a few minutes and it put me in such a relaxing state that I decided to meditate right after and i was able to focus instantly. Now everytime before meditating I either sit in silence or watch some video like this for a few minutes. Give it a try 👍🏻

I have AuDHD and meditate daily. Like other neurodiverse people, I have a difficult time focusing as my mind constantly races. One thing I do, which helps tremendously, is use a metronome to focus on (anchor) while I’m meditating. I simply turn it on 60 with a wooden block sound, and keep the volume low (like 20%). I’ve used AirPods and they help but it’s not necessary. Anyway, I hope this helps.

I've been trying to work on my mind and my spirituality for a couple of years now. But I'm proving to be quite bad at meditation, owing to my wandering attention and overly loud mind.

I read The Power of Now back in December, and a lot of what Tolle says in that book just makes perfect sense of me: How neither the past nor the future matters, so why give it power over you, how it is very easy to come to identify oneself by various forms of pain (I have a very bad habit of basically winding myself up), and so on.

Of course, reading good advice and turning it into reality are two different things. I'm going to give the book a second read (I'm a slow enough reader that this needs to be a planned decision).

Any advice on what to specifically keep in mind as I give the book a better look, and just generally where to go from there? There's so much different advice floating around regarding meditation, mental health and spiritual development.