user19886: I am 45 years old. I’ve come to realize that I have been more or less unhappy in my life. So I met a clinical psychologist and I do show some childhood codependency issues and we could no CBT and anapanasati for 10in a day to get rid of my anxiety.
Contrary to all our expectations  a day or so after meditation, noticing the breath at nostrils, I become into a very strange mood, low energy, edgy, sad and rarely aggressive. After few days I started having panic attacks and I was asked to stop and do simple relaxation.
But my concern is why is this practise giving me such negative side effects? While others enjoy calm and peace. My psychologist was of the view that it might be the traumatic childhood I underwent with my father. Which was 40 years ago.
Also, I had very painful dreams of my childhood during this time. Also, loss of appetite, tension headaches and loss of taste.
Does anyone had any idea why I’m getting this unwelcomed side effect? Will it stop at some point or should I give up?
Kindly share your experiences.

user19889: Good householder, better to take the Buddhas Medicine, his teachings, his disciples, not under traders selling, telling fakes under his lable, as it has to be used, then to seek refuge in that and those actually not freed from aging, sickness and death:

The Healing Power of the Precepts, by Ven. Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Many people today have come to the Buddha's teachings in search of emotional and spiritual healing. In this short essay the author reminds us that the single most effective tool for healing a wounded heart may be found in the cultivation of sila, or virtuous conduct.



The Karma of Happiness: A Buddhist Monk Looks at Positive Psychology, by Ven. Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2013; 8pp./34KB) PDF

The author tries to give within this essay certain inspiriation toward the modern wave of "positive psychology, provided in the teachings of the Buddha. In this way he points out the significant —and also long term causal working—differences and holes, open to investigate and addopt to get unfilled spaces possible filled, also within more wordily approaches toward long term happiness, incl. effects on many.


Sila leads to wealth, to long term happiness, to liberation, the path develops on given roots, no shortcuts how ever luring...
[Note that this isn't given for stacks, exchanges, other worldbinding trades and entertaining but for escape from this wheel]

user19338: Personal experience here - To have moderate exercise, walk in the nature, relax then try again. I often having side effects when headache, neck pain or high/borderline BP. No side effect when body relax, normal BP and normal resting heart rate.
You can try meditate with White Noise Effects too - It works well on me.
https://blog.noisli.com/what-is-white-noise-and-why-is-it-so-powerful/


user16296: You have all kinds of conditionings- both pleasant and unpleasant. When you are aware of the present moment, then these conditionings come on the surface. You should not hold on to them. You should neither accept them nor reject them rather you should 6-R them.

Recognise: जानाति Janati 
Release: विनेय्य vineyya 
Relax: पस्सम्भयं passambhayam 
Resmile: पसन्नेन pasannen 
Return : पुनरपि punarapi 
Repeat: बहुलीकरित्वा bahulikaritva 


user13694: In the context of buddhist training, sitting meditation is a very important part of the path, but it does not cover all the aspects fundamental to liberate the mind from obstacles.
I suggest maybe exploring those other factors.
The Buddha taught the Noble Eightfold path, with Samadhi (the term usually translated as "meditation") being the last element. The seven preceding factors serve as a foundation to develop the mental conditions for meditation (although I wouldn't say that the whole purpose of the path is meditation: meditation is a means for an end, namely, the gradual uprooting of the conditions that perpetuate dissatisfaction and suffering).
You'll find some useful and introductory information here:

The Noble Eightfold Path --
The Buddha’s practical instructions to reach the end of suffering

What I'm trying to convey here is the importance of having good foundations for getting the best out of meditation practice, and also the idea of meditation being one part of the path, and not the whole path or the goal itself.
The development of other mental factors could lessen the influence, prevalence and effects of whatever could be perceived as an obstacle to well-being.
Kind regards!

user247: Very good question, and many good points in the answers you have been given.
It sounds as though you have been introduced to meditation through Western psychology, or perhaps the "Mindfullness" movement. While it's good that they acknowledge meditation's benefits, there are also other stories and articles about Mindfulness being possibly dangerous.
This is not so surprising, I don't think the modern teachings do more than scratch the surface of buddhist meditation and the 2500-odd years of practice behind it ... which must count for something, right?
I haven't come across a buddhist introduction to meditation - book or course - that DOESN'T have warnings and instructions about what to do if obstacles arise. And I think this is what Samana Johann is getting at with the remark "Better to take the Buddha's medicine" than some of the imitations.
The good news is that the immediate advice you were given, "stop and do simple relaxation" or breath-counting exercises, seems to be widely agreed on.
You can always come back to Andrei Volkov's "poop soup" later when your stomach is stronger.
(I agree with him that ultimately, you'll have to "work through it" to see the greatest benefits, but I hope your gym doesn't tell you in the first session, to "push through the pain" and complete that marathon! First, be kind to yourself.)
I got a lot out of Akong Rinpoche's book "Taming the Tiger" - the first half is a refreshing look at daily life through buddhist teachings, and the second half is a basic manual of meditation. It shows different types of meditation for different purposes:

Some of the exercises deal with suffering, negative emotions and enemies; situations we would normally prefer to avoid. Yet if we learn to face such situations then, gradually, what is painful can be confronted and dealt with properly

And he is quite up front about potential issues:

Sometimes when we want to do therapy exercises or meditation, we can find that we are in a disturbed state of mind. Tn that case, any attempt at relaxation may just increase our agitation, despair or whatever negative state of mind is dominating at the time. At these times it may be more helpful to do something physical - like go for a brisk walk, work in the garden or get down to some neglected household task. It is very important to work with ourselves in a natural and down to earth way and not lose our common sense.

He also suggests seeking a teacher, who may be able to help in an individual way that a book or a generic course may not. Are there any buddhist centres in your area? If so, which schools or traditions?

If even after patient practice things are nos going so well in facing yourself and daily situations, then one could try to find some guidance from a good teacher, or the support of a group. However it is wise to investigate the organisation or teacher before putting confidence in them.

(disclaimer : after getting a lot from this book, I was fortunate to take refuge with Akong Rinpoche, at Samye Ling. here in Scotland)

user471: Kimattha Sutta explains the purpose of skillful virtues or sila, and shows its effects on the mind and on meditation.
When you have problems with meditation, it's a sign that you should take a step back and start with development of skillful virtues or sila.
Here's from Chapter Six: Daily Life of Ven. Yuttadhammo's book How to Meditate:

First, it is necessary to discuss activities that are harmful to one’s
mental clarity; activities one must avoid in order for the meditation
to bring about sustained positive results.
As I explained in the first chapter, “meditation” is the mental
equivalent to “medicine”. When taking medicine, there are certain
substances one must avoid; substances that will either nullify the
positive effects of the medicine or, worse, combine with the medicine
to create poison. Likewise, with meditation there are certain
activities that, due to their tendency to cloud the mind, have the
potential to nullify the effects of the meditation or, worse, pervert
one’s understanding of the meditation, causing one to cultivate
unwholesome mind states instead of wholesome ones.
Meditation is meant to cultivate clarity and understanding, free from
addiction, aversion, and delusion, and therefore free from suffering.
Since certain bodily and verbal acts are intrinsically tied to
negative qualities of mind, they are considered ‘contraindicative’ to
the meditation practice; they have an effect opposite to what is
desired, cultivating defilement instead of purity. Meditators who
insist on engaging in such behaviour will face great difficulty in
their practice, developing habits that are detrimental to both
meditation practice and personal well-being. To ensure the mind is
perfectly clear and capable of understanding reality, certain
behaviours must be taken out of one’s “diet”, so to speak.
First, there are five kinds of action from which one must refrain
completely, as they are inherently unwholesome:

One must refrain from killing living beings. In order to cultivate one’s own well-being, one must be dedicated to well-being as a
principle, refraining from killing any living being, even ants,
mosquitoes and other living beings.

One must refrain from theft. In order to find peace of mind, we must grant it to others as well; stealing is a denial of this basic
right to security. Further, if we wish to be free from addiction, we
must be able to control our desires to the extent of respecting the
possessions of others.

One must abstain from committing adultery or sexual misconduct. Romantic relationships that are emotionally or spiritually damaging to
others, due to existing commitments of the parties involved, are a
cause for stress and suffering and based on perversion of the mind.

One must refrain from telling lies. If one wishes to find truth, one must avoid falsehood; intentionally leading others away from the
truth is harmful both to oneself and others and incompatible with the
goals of meditation.

One must refrain from taking drugs or alcohol. Any substance that intoxicates the mind is obviously contraindicative to meditation
practice, as it is the antithesis of a natural, clear state of being.


Complete abstention from these activities is necessary if one wishes
for meditation practice to be successful, due to their inherently
unwholesome nature and the invariably negative effect they have on the
mind.
Further, there are certain activities that must be moderated or they
will interfere with meditation practice. These are activities that are
not necessarily unwholesome in and of themselves but will nonetheless
inhibit clarity of mind and lessen the benefit of the meditation
practice when undertaken in excess.
One such activity is eating; if one wishes to truly progress in the
meditation practice, one must be careful not to eat too much or too
little. If one is constantly obsessed with food, it can be a great
hindrance to progress in meditation since not only does it cloud the
mind, over-eating leads to drowsiness, both in the body and mind. One
should eat to stay alive rather than stay alive simply to eat. During
intensive meditation courses, meditators eat one main meal per day and
suffer no negative physical consequences as a result; whereas the
positive effects of such moderation are clarity of mind and freedom
from obsession over food.
Another activity that interferes with meditation practice is
entertainment – watching movies, listening to music, and so on. These
occupations are not inherently unwholesome but can easily create
states of addiction when undertaken in excess.
Addiction is a form of insobriety in a sense, since it involves
chemical processes in the brain that inhibit clear thought and clarity
of mind. Since the pleasure that comes from entertainment is momentary
and unsatisfying while the addiction and obsession carry over into
one’s life, a serious meditator should determine to make the best use
of their short time in this life by cultivating peace and contentment,
rather than wasting it on meaningless activities that don’t lead to
long term happiness and peace. If one wishes to find true happiness,
one must therefore moderate one’s engagement in entertainment.
Socializing on the Internet and similar activities should be
undertaken in moderation as well.
The third activity one must moderate is that of sleeping. Sleeping is
an addiction that is often overlooked; most people don’t realize how
attached they are to sleep as a means of escape from reality. Still
others become insomniac, obsessed with the thought that they are not
getting “enough” sleep, leading to increased stress levels and further
difficulty in falling asleep.
Through the meditation practice, one will find that one needs less
sleep than before since one’s mind will become calmer. Insomnia is not
a problem for meditators since they are able to meditate even in the
lying position and keep their minds free from stress. People who have
difficulty falling asleep should train themselves to watch the stomach
rise and fall, noting “rising”, “falling”, all night if necessary.
Even if they are not able to fall asleep (which is unlikely, given the
calm state of mind while meditating) they will find themselves as
rested as if they had slept soundly through the night.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that to truly gain results in the
meditation practice, a meditator should set aside at least a period of
time to remain entirely celibate, not just avoiding immoral sexual
activity, since all sexual activity is invariably intoxicating and
will be a hindrance towards attainment of mental clarity and peace.


user19480: A couple of days is not enough time for your 10 minute meditation to have resulted in any change in your mood, feelings, or anything else. Were those panic attacks accompanied by difficulty breathing? If so, that and your loss of taste are big indicators of a COVID-19 infection. The other symptoms less so, but not unrelated to viral infections in general. Consider seeing a doctor and getting tested.

user43: My local Buddhist temple's resident teacher Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo has this beautiful metaphor of the "poop soup", highly relevant to yours (and the rest of ours) situation.
In this metaphor we accumulate all kinds of neuroses ("poop")     in the bowl of our psyche, until after many years it becomes veritable poop soup. Then, as we get older and more restrained, the poop gets harder and the surface of the soup becomes nice and flat. Couple more years and it gets covered by a layer of beautiful silver fungi, giving the whole thing a surreal appearance of something ethereal and fluffy. We become an adult, sometimes even an admirable person, and almost forget what hides in our bowl under its surface level.
The bowl is full of shit! (excuse my language.)
So when we start meditating, we puncture a hole in the lid of fungi and hard poop and start stirring the content. Guess what happens then? It does not smell nice. To be very honest it stinks and looks nauseating.
But wouldn't it be insincere if we kept pretending to be a nice admirable person while holding on to all that baggage?
We must work through it until our cup gets empty and squeaky clean. There's no "unpleasant side effects of meditation", these are The Results of meditation, its fruit and its blessing.
Keep working until you get through it and come out on the other side.

19886: <p>I am 45 years old. I’ve come to realize that I have been more or less unhappy in my life. So I met a clinical psychologist and I do show some childhood codependency issues and we could no CBT and <em>anapanasati</em> for 10in a day to get rid of my anxiety.</p>
<p>Contrary to all our expectations  a day or so after meditation, noticing the breath at nostrils, I become into a very strange mood, low energy, edgy, sad and rarely aggressive. After few days I started having panic attacks and I was asked to stop and do simple relaxation.</p>
<p>But my concern is why is this practise giving me such negative side effects? While others enjoy calm and peace. My psychologist was of the view that it might be the traumatic childhood I underwent with my father. Which was 40 years ago.</p>
<p>Also, I had very painful dreams of my childhood during this time. Also, loss of appetite, tension headaches and loss of taste.</p>
<p>Does anyone had any idea why I’m getting this unwelcomed side effect? Will it stop at some point or should I give up?</p>
<p>Kindly share your experiences.</p>
 19889: <p>Good householder, better to take the Buddhas Medicine, his teachings, his disciples, not under traders selling, telling fakes under his lable, as it has to be used, then to seek refuge in that and those actually not freed from aging, sickness and death:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/precepts_en.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The Healing Power of the Precepts</a>, by Ven. Thanissaro Bhikkhu</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Many people today have come to the Buddha's teachings in search of emotional and spiritual healing. In this short essay the author reminds us that the single most effective tool for healing a wounded heart may be found in the cultivation of sila, or virtuous conduct.</p>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/karmaofhappiness_en.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The Karma of Happiness: A Buddhist Monk Looks at Positive Psychology</a>, by Ven. Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2013; 8pp./34KB) <a href="https://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/karmaofhappiness_en.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">PDF</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>The author tries to give within this essay certain inspiriation toward the modern wave of &quot;positive psychology, provided in the teachings of the Buddha. In this way he points out the significant —and also long term causal working—differences and holes, open to investigate and addopt to get unfilled spaces possible filled, also within more wordily approaches toward long term happiness, incl. effects on many.</p>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<p>Sila leads to wealth, to long term happiness, to liberation, the path develops on given roots, no shortcuts how ever luring...</p>
<p><em>[Note that this isn't given for stacks, exchanges, other worldbinding trades and entertaining but for escape from this wheel]</em></p>
 19338: <p>Personal experience here - To have moderate exercise, walk in the nature, relax then try again. I often having side effects when headache, neck pain or high/borderline BP. No side effect when body relax, normal BP and normal resting heart rate.</p>
<p>You can try meditate with White Noise Effects too - It works well on me.
<a href="https://blog.noisli.com/what-is-white-noise-and-why-is-it-so-powerful/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://blog.noisli.com/what-is-white-noise-and-why-is-it-so-powerful/</a>
<img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/cGRDE.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></p>
 16296: <p>You have all kinds of conditionings- both pleasant and unpleasant. When you are aware of the present moment, then these conditionings come on the surface. You should not hold on to them. You should neither accept them nor reject them rather you should <a href="https://www.dhammasukha.org/the-6rs.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">6-R</a> them.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Recognise: जानाति Janati <br>
Release: विनेय्य vineyya <br>
Relax: पस्सम्भयं passambhayam <br>
Resmile: पसन्नेन pasannen <br>
Return : पुनरपि punarapi <br>
Repeat: बहुलीकरित्वा bahulikaritva <br></p>
</blockquote>
 13694: <p>In the context of buddhist training, sitting meditation is a very important part of the path, but it does not cover all the aspects fundamental to liberate the mind from obstacles.</p>
<p>I suggest maybe exploring those other factors.</p>
<p>The Buddha taught the Noble Eightfold path, with <em>Samadhi</em> (the term usually translated as &quot;meditation&quot;) being the last element. The seven preceding factors serve as a foundation to develop the mental conditions for meditation (although I wouldn't say that the whole purpose of the path is meditation: meditation is a means for an end, namely, the gradual uprooting of the conditions that perpetuate dissatisfaction and suffering).</p>
<p>You'll find some useful and introductory information here:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://tricycle.org/magazine/noble-eightfold-path/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The Noble Eightfold Path --
The Buddha’s practical instructions to reach the end of suffering</a></li>
</ul>
<p>What I'm trying to convey here is the importance of having good foundations for getting the best out of meditation practice, and also the idea of meditation being <em>one</em> part of the path, and not the whole path or the goal itself.</p>
<p>The development of other mental factors could lessen the influence, prevalence and effects of whatever could be perceived as an obstacle to well-being.</p>
<p>Kind regards!</p>
 247: <p>Very good question, and many good points in the answers you have been given.</p>
<p>It sounds as though you have been introduced to meditation through Western psychology, or perhaps the &quot;Mindfullness&quot; movement. While it's good that they acknowledge meditation's benefits, there are also other stories and articles about Mindfulness being possibly dangerous.</p>
<p>This is not so surprising, I don't think the modern teachings do more than scratch the surface of buddhist meditation and the 2500-odd years of practice behind it ... which must count for something, right?</p>
<p>I haven't come across a buddhist introduction to meditation - book or course - that DOESN'T have warnings and instructions about what to do if obstacles arise. And I think this is what Samana Johann is getting at with the remark &quot;Better to take the Buddha's medicine&quot; than some of the imitations.</p>
<p>The good news is that the immediate advice you were given, &quot;stop and do simple relaxation&quot; or breath-counting exercises, seems to be widely agreed on.</p>
<p>You can always come back to Andrei Volkov's &quot;poop soup&quot; later when your stomach is stronger.</p>
<p>(I agree with him that ultimately, you'll have to &quot;work through it&quot; to see the greatest benefits, but I hope your gym doesn't tell you in the first session, to &quot;push through the pain&quot; and complete that marathon! First, be kind to yourself.)</p>
<p>I got a lot out of <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Taming-Tiger-Tibetan-Teaching-Improving/dp/0712662200" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Akong Rinpoche's book &quot;Taming the Tiger&quot;</a> - the first half is a refreshing look at daily life through buddhist teachings, and the second half is a basic manual of meditation. It shows different types of meditation for different purposes:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Some of the exercises deal with suffering, negative emotions and enemies; situations we would normally prefer to avoid. Yet if we learn to face such situations then, gradually, what is painful can be confronted and dealt with properly</p>
</blockquote>
<p>And he is quite up front about potential issues:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Sometimes when we want to do therapy exercises or meditation, we can find that we are in a disturbed state of mind. Tn that case, any attempt at relaxation may just increase our agitation, despair or whatever negative state of mind is dominating at the time. At these times it may be more helpful to do something physical - like go for a brisk walk, work in the garden or get down to some neglected household task. It is very important to work with ourselves in a natural and down to earth way and not lose our common sense.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>He also suggests seeking a teacher, who may be able to help in an individual way that a book or a generic course may not. Are there any buddhist centres in your area? If so, which schools or traditions?</p>
<blockquote>
<p>If even after patient practice things are nos going so well in facing yourself and daily situations, then one could try to find some guidance from a good teacher, or the support of a group. However it is wise to investigate the organisation or teacher before putting confidence in them.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>(disclaimer : after getting a lot from this book, I was fortunate to take refuge with Akong Rinpoche, at Samye Ling. here in Scotland)</p>
 471: <p><a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.001.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Kimattha Sutta</a> explains the purpose of <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/index.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">skillful virtues or <em>sila</em></a>, and shows its effects on the mind and on meditation.</p>
<p>When you have problems with meditation, it's a sign that you should take a step back and start with development of skillful virtues or <em>sila</em>.</p>
<p>Here's from <a href="https://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/chapter-six-daily-life/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Chapter Six: Daily Life</a> of <a href="https://www.sirimangalo.org/biography-of-ven-yuttadhammo-bhikkhu/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Ven. Yuttadhammo</a>'s book <a href="https://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">How to Meditate</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>First, it is necessary to discuss activities that are harmful to one’s
mental clarity; activities one must avoid in order for the meditation
to bring about sustained positive results.</p>
<p><strong>As I explained in the first chapter, “meditation” is the mental
equivalent to “medicine”. When taking medicine, there are certain
substances one must avoid; substances that will either nullify the
positive effects of the medicine or, worse, combine with the medicine
to create poison. Likewise, with meditation there are certain
activities that, due to their tendency to cloud the mind, have the
potential to nullify the effects of the meditation or, worse, pervert
one’s understanding of the meditation, causing one to cultivate
unwholesome mind states instead of wholesome ones.</strong></p>
<p>Meditation is meant to cultivate clarity and understanding, free from
addiction, aversion, and delusion, and therefore free from suffering.
<strong>Since certain bodily and verbal acts are intrinsically tied to
negative qualities of mind, they are considered ‘contraindicative’ to
the meditation practice; they have an effect opposite to what is
desired, cultivating defilement instead of purity. Meditators who
insist on engaging in such behaviour will face great difficulty in
their practice, developing habits that are detrimental to both
meditation practice and personal well-being. To ensure the mind is
perfectly clear and capable of understanding reality, certain
behaviours must be taken out of one’s “diet”, so to speak.</strong></p>
<p>First, there are five kinds of action from which one must refrain
completely, as they are inherently unwholesome:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>One must refrain from killing living beings. In order to cultivate one’s own well-being, one must be dedicated to well-being as a
principle, refraining from killing any living being, even ants,
mosquitoes and other living beings.</p>
</li>
<li><p>One must refrain from theft. In order to find peace of mind, we must grant it to others as well; stealing is a denial of this basic
right to security. Further, if we wish to be free from addiction, we
must be able to control our desires to the extent of respecting the
possessions of others.</p>
</li>
<li><p>One must abstain from committing adultery or sexual misconduct. Romantic relationships that are emotionally or spiritually damaging to
others, due to existing commitments of the parties involved, are a
cause for stress and suffering and based on perversion of the mind.</p>
</li>
<li><p>One must refrain from telling lies. If one wishes to find truth, one must avoid falsehood; intentionally leading others away from the
truth is harmful both to oneself and others and incompatible with the
goals of meditation.</p>
</li>
<li><p>One must refrain from taking drugs or alcohol. Any substance that intoxicates the mind is obviously contraindicative to meditation
practice, as it is the antithesis of a natural, clear state of being.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>Complete abstention from these activities is necessary if one wishes
for meditation practice to be successful, due to their inherently
unwholesome nature and the invariably negative effect they have on the
mind.</p>
<p>Further, there are certain activities that must be moderated or they
will interfere with meditation practice. These are activities that are
not necessarily unwholesome in and of themselves but will nonetheless
inhibit clarity of mind and lessen the benefit of the meditation
practice when undertaken in excess.</p>
<p>One such activity is eating; if one wishes to truly progress in the
meditation practice, one must be careful not to eat too much or too
little. If one is constantly obsessed with food, it can be a great
hindrance to progress in meditation since not only does it cloud the
mind, over-eating leads to drowsiness, both in the body and mind. One
should eat to stay alive rather than stay alive simply to eat. During
intensive meditation courses, meditators eat one main meal per day and
suffer no negative physical consequences as a result; whereas the
positive effects of such moderation are clarity of mind and freedom
from obsession over food.</p>
<p>Another activity that interferes with meditation practice is
entertainment – watching movies, listening to music, and so on. These
occupations are not inherently unwholesome but can easily create
states of addiction when undertaken in excess.</p>
<p>Addiction is a form of insobriety in a sense, since it involves
chemical processes in the brain that inhibit clear thought and clarity
of mind. Since the pleasure that comes from entertainment is momentary
and unsatisfying while the addiction and obsession carry over into
one’s life, a serious meditator should determine to make the best use
of their short time in this life by cultivating peace and contentment,
rather than wasting it on meaningless activities that don’t lead to
long term happiness and peace. If one wishes to find true happiness,
one must therefore moderate one’s engagement in entertainment.
Socializing on the Internet and similar activities should be
undertaken in moderation as well.</p>
<p>The third activity one must moderate is that of sleeping. Sleeping is
an addiction that is often overlooked; most people don’t realize how
attached they are to sleep as a means of escape from reality. Still
others become insomniac, obsessed with the thought that they are not
getting “enough” sleep, leading to increased stress levels and further
difficulty in falling asleep.</p>
<p>Through the meditation practice, one will find that one needs less
sleep than before since one’s mind will become calmer. Insomnia is not
a problem for meditators since they are able to meditate even in the
lying position and keep their minds free from stress. People who have
difficulty falling asleep should train themselves to watch the stomach
rise and fall, noting “rising”, “falling”, all night if necessary.
Even if they are not able to fall asleep (which is unlikely, given the
calm state of mind while meditating) they will find themselves as
rested as if they had slept soundly through the night.</p>
<p>Finally, it is worth mentioning that to truly gain results in the
meditation practice, a meditator should set aside at least a period of
time to remain entirely celibate, not just avoiding immoral sexual
activity, since all sexual activity is invariably intoxicating and
will be a hindrance towards attainment of mental clarity and peace.</p>
</blockquote>
 19480: <p>A couple of days is not enough time for your 10 minute meditation to have resulted in any change in your mood, feelings, or anything else. Were those panic attacks accompanied by difficulty breathing? If so, that and your loss of taste are big indicators of a COVID-19 infection. The other symptoms less so, but not unrelated to viral infections in general. Consider seeing a doctor and getting tested.</p>
 43: <p>My local Buddhist temple's resident teacher <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jetsunma_Ahkon_Lhamo" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo</a> has this beautiful metaphor of the &quot;poop soup&quot;, highly relevant to yours (and the rest of ours) situation.</p>
<p>In this metaphor we accumulate all kinds of neuroses (&quot;poop&quot;)     in the bowl of our psyche, until after many years it becomes veritable poop soup. Then, as we get older and more restrained, the poop gets harder and the surface of the soup becomes nice and flat. Couple more years and it gets covered by a layer of beautiful silver fungi, giving the whole thing a surreal appearance of something ethereal and fluffy. We become an adult, sometimes even an admirable person, and almost forget what hides in our bowl under its surface level.</p>
<p>The bowl is full of shit! (excuse my language.)</p>
<p>So when we start meditating, we puncture a hole in the lid of fungi and hard poop and start stirring the content. Guess what happens then? It does not smell nice. To be very honest it stinks and looks nauseating.</p>
<p>But wouldn't it be insincere if we kept pretending to be a nice admirable person while holding on to all that baggage?</p>
<p>We must work through it until our cup gets empty and squeaky clean. There's no &quot;unpleasant side effects of meditation&quot;, these are The Results of meditation, its fruit and its blessing.</p>
<p>Keep working until you get through it and come out on the other side.</p>
