I have always struggled with meditation. I don’t think I’ve ever been able to successfully meditate and the advice that people give me does not work.

I have ADHD (Inattentive), autism and OCD/CPTSD and I can’t stop the constant stream of thoughts, it’s like my brain has a problem with authority and is like “oh, you don’t want me to think? I’m just gonna think even harder” so folks advice of “just quiet your mind!” does not work at all.

The other advice I was given was “just let your mind wander” and that’s not an option either. If I let my mind wander, it pivots fast to dark, traumatic, intrusive thoughts and/or replaying every cringe and embarrassing moment of my life, so up to this point, all of my attempts to meditate have never worked out.

If there’s anyone with similar issues to mine that has been able to meditate with success, I’d very much appreciate some advice to help me along.

  • Zozano@aussie.zoneEnglish
    7·
    2 days ago

    OP, listen up, because you’ve got the wrong idea.

    The goal of meditation isn’t to have an empty mind. The goal is to be present.

    We say “practice mediation” when we allocate time to practice meditation.

    So when is it no longer practice? When do we utilise “real” meditation?

    Now. When you’re working. When you’re taking a shit. When you’re waiting in line.

    The goal is simply to pay closer attention to what your mind is doing in any moment.

    Neurodivergence makes for a noisy mind, sure, but barring conditions which dissolve your ability to make observations about your mind in the moment (schizophrenia, disassociation, psychedelics), it doesn’t make meditating “harder”