Why Meditation Feels Like From Chaos To Greater Chaos.... in the beginning

Questions and Answers
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Don’t we all with all the gusto make sometime escaping from everyone and everything that has only one motive and it is thwart our plans to mediate on that day and finally we accomplish the mission impossible! And then what!
The first thing we confront is,

> "I’m unable to keep myself from getting distracted, the mind wanders away after some time. "

The mind wander the streets of memories like the parched-hungry-thirsty-stray-dog in the scorching heat of summer.

A problem reported by someone as mighty as Arjuna himself

चञ्चलं हि मन: कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम् |
तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम् || SBG 6.34||

The mind is very restless, turbulent, strong and obstinate, O Krishna. It appears to me that it is more difficult to control than the wind.

So to someone who reported the same issue, here is what all the genuine Masters have shared,

The beauty of meditation is that it gives us a first hand experience of the truth.
And congrats on realising the 1st truth there ever is, which is, the [untrained] mind is restless… As reported even by Arjuna who could shoot with the same precision even in the dark… and as mighty as to single handedly conquer the Kaurava Maha Army

Even after 5000 years we suffer the same issue he did, and the solution to it also continues to be the same

श्रीभगवानुवाच |
असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम् |
अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते || SBG 6.35||

O mighty-armed son of Kunti, what you say is correct; the mind is indeed very difficult to restrain. But by अभ्यास practice and वैराग्येण detachment, it can be controlled.

The mind is like a little kid who needs something to hold on to…
observe your mind,
it can only hold on to a grossness,
and as you let it know the impermanence of the gross…
it tries to go to its source and…

(write below what you experience)

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Only breath work can help to control it in the beginning of a session.

  1. Soothe the Nervous System: It shifts the body from a “fight or flight” stress response to a “rest and digest” state.

  2. Unlock Energy Blocks: Breathwork helps relieve tension caused by illness, physical trauma, or emotional stagnation.

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@venu thank you Sir for this question. It can open up a very deep discussion. With my limited knowledge and experience, for me personally- Meditation is not about becoming someone else. It is about remembering who you truly are. The quote I go by is- “अहं ब्रह्मास्मि” - I’m the infinite reality!

It reminds us that beneath all our thoughts, roles, and emotions lies our true nature—pure, peaceful, and limitless consciousness. Self-realization is simply awakening to this truth. So far I have only achieved discipline and consistency, I’m far away from taming my mind and going within. One step at a time! Woman at work :woman_in_lotus_position:

“ख़ुद को तलाश कर, तो ख़ुदा का पता चले;

जो अपने आप से मिला, वही मंज़िल को पा गया।”

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priceless words @vikrantsharma.sap

had goosebumps reading your mindblowing word! my blessed @hc2101
It’s not as far as we might think :slight_smile:

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Respected Sir,
I remember when I first started meditating, I honestly thought that closing my eyes would bring peace. Instead, I discovered just how busy my mind was. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

The more I tried to stop my thoughts, the more they seemed to multiply. For sometime, I thought I simply was not good at meditation. Then my Guruji​:folded_hands: taught me something invaluable. He did not ask me to fight the mind. He taught me to gradually give it a higher focus through Dham Dhyan, Naam Dhyan, Deh Dhyan, Roop Dhyan, and eventually Netra Dhyan.

Now, when I look back, I see that each stage quietly prepared me for the next.
The mind that once ran after countless thoughts slowly started finding joy in turning inward.

By the time I reached Netra Dhyan, something shifted inside me.
Entering deeper states is no longer a struggle and now the mind settles quickly, almost as if it had finally found its home.

What I learned from experience is that the wandering mind is not the obstacle; it is the beginning of the journey.

Meditation simply shows us what is already there and with Abhyasa, Guruji’s guidance and grace, the same restless mind gradually becomes a doorway to a silence that words cannot fully describe.

Gratitude :folded_hands:

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@Vikrant..…

Breathwork is one of the gentlest ways to bring the mind back when it is wandering everywhere.

Thoughts may travel to the past and future, but the breath always keeps us anchored in the present.

For me, breathwork quiets the noise, making it easier to slip into meditation naturally. :blush:

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Dear Harmeet :heart:

So true…meditation is not about becoming someone else, it is about remembering who you truly are.

You know Harmeet, sometimes we are so busy trying to control the mind that we forget the purpose of meditation is not mastery over thoughts, but discovery of the one who is aware of these thoughts.

And honestly, I feel discipline and consistency are no small achievements. Many seek profound experiences, but few show up every day.

Sometimes just sitting, despite the chaos, is itself a spiritual victory.

कबीर साहब की कुछ पंक्तियां…

धीरे-धीरे रे मना, धीरे सब कुछ होय, माली सींचे सौ घड़ा, ऋतु आए फल होय…

One step at a time…

one breath at a time…

one meditation at a time…

The journey inward has its own perfect timing. :blush::folded_hands:

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Dear Supritee :heart:- woke up today and thought of this quote, dunno why, then first thing I read was your reply :smiley::heart::heart:

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Supritee, yes you are right. Showing up does make a big difference and makes a body imprint. I sit for meditation and feel instant ease and a break from chaos, this came from restless trials, errors and experiments. I tried different things and made up my own ध्यान खिचड़ी and I follow that becoz it’s mine and I feel connected to it. Finally I came out of ‘lost’ feeling. I’m trying to find myself now :folded_hands:t2:

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@venu Sir, Amen to that :folded_hands:t2::folded_hands:t2::folded_hands:t2:

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Supritee, my humble request- please write a detailed article about it for the forum. Everyone can be benefited from it! Thank you in advance :folded_hands:t2::folded_hands:t2:

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Although not everytime I try but when it happens….”Nothingness but with contentment.” That is what I experience :sparkles:

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Beautifully explained, Sir. :folded_hands:

I could truly relate to this. Whenever I sit for meditation, I notice how quickly the mind starts wandering into memories, worries or random thoughts.

Your words remind me that simply becoming aware of the restless mind is itself the first step. I will continue with practice and slowly learn the correct way. Thank you for this profound guidance.:folded_hands:

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Harmeet… thank you so much for this beautiful nudge. :heart::folded_hands:

Reading your experience brought back so many memories of my own journey. Like you, I also thought meditation meant closing my eyes and becoming peaceful. Instead, it felt as if I had opened the door to a room that had been noisy all along…I was only hearing it for the first time.But over the years, I feel that these stages are so beautifully designed. They don’t force the mind into silence, instead they gently invite it home. It’s a little like trying to hold the hand of a restless child. If you scold or drag the child, it resists. But if you lovingly show it something more beautiful, it willingly walks with you. Our mind is very much like that.

I would love to write about these stages from my heart in a simple language, real-life experiences and the little understandings that slowly unfolded in my own practice. After all, meditation is not about becoming someone else. It’s about slowly removing the dust from a mirror that has always reflected the light within us. The light was never absent; it was only waiting to be seen.

Thank you, Harmeet, for planting this seed. With Guruji’s grace, I’ll sit with it quietly and write when the words feel ready.

Hopefully, it may become a small companion for someone who is just beginning to walk this beautiful path. :folded_hands:

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Harmeet…

Ha ha …“ध्यान खिचड़ी.” :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes::heart:

I think many of us quietly go through this phase, but very few admit it so honestly.

Sometimes before we find our way, we have to lose the borrowed ones. We try a little from here, a little from there, not because we’re confused, but because the heart is searching for what truly resonates.

You’re absolutely right… just showing up every day very much leaves an imprint. It’s like water falling on a rock. One drop doesn’t seem to do much, but over time, the rock itself changes.

Meditation works in the same way. We often don’t notice the change while it’s happening, but one day we realize that the chaos doesn’t pull us in the way it once did.

What you say about finally coming out of the “lost” feeling is so true…

Somehow, I feel that meditation isn’t really about finding a new version of ourselves. It is more like meeting the person who has been quietly waiting beneath all the noise.

Wishing you many more beautiful conversations with yourself. These are often the ones that change us the most. :folded_hands:

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Thank you Supritee, I came a long way and still going and refining. I get bored easily and crave new-ness. When things get too predictable I lose interest so it’s hard for me to follow one single technique, some days my mood craves a different type of energy and other days I do something else. There are some basic breathing elements I do regularly but my meditation depends entirely on my mood and vibe of the day. I’m a difficult person to work with, I’m too fussy, if I’m not relaxed then I’m not I don’t pretend. So I don’t force things. I love being by myself, as I can go at my own pace. Everyone is different, you need to find yourself, meditation for me is like ख़ुद से ख़ुद की मुलाक़ात ! So far I like myself :smiley:

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Truly!! That’s the whole point :heart: change doesn’t come dramatically it comes almost unnoticed and subtle.

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How lovely! No pressure but I’m waiting eagerly :heart::heart:

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Harmeet, I can relate to so much of what you shared. :blush:

I think many of us begin by searching for the “perfect” meditation technique, but over time we realize that what we are actually searching for is ourselves. And this journey rarely follows a straight line.

“ख़ुद से ख़ुद की मुलाक़ात.” is such a beautiful way of putting it. Sometimes this meeting is peaceful, at times uncomfortable, joyful and many a times we don’t even know what we are feeling. Yet, every meeting teaches us something.

Harmeet there were phases in my own journey when I tried to meditate because I thought I should. Ironically, the more I forced, the more my mind resisted. It was only when I became a little kinder towards myself that meditation slowly stopped being a task and became a space I genuinely wanted to return to.

At the same time, I have also noticed that while our practice can certainly change with our inner state, there is also a quiet depth that comes from staying with one practice long enough to move beyond the mind’s constant craving for novelty.

Sometimes the mind asks for "something new," but what it is actually trying to avoid is sitting with what already is.

Learning to distinguish between genuine inner guidance and the mind’s restlessness has been one of my biggest lessons.

And yes, every person has their own rhythm. What nourishes one person may not nourish another. The important thing is not which technique we choose, but whether it brings us closer to ourselves with honesty.

Thank you for sharing an authentic you. Reading it felt like listening to someone who’s allowing her journey to unfold naturally rather than trying to fit into someone else’s definition of meditation.

Wishing you many more beautiful meetings with yourself. :blush::heart:

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3P’s patience, patience, and patience…is the key