If it feels worse
Sometimes sitting still with your own body and mind makes things louder, not quieter. That's not you failing. It's a known effect, and you can work with it.
Things to change
- Open your eyes. Rest them on something in the room.
- Move your attention outside your body. Sounds in the room, or your feet on the floor, instead of your breath or your chest.
- Make it shorter. One minute is fine. So is stopping halfway.
- Move. Walk, stretch, or press your palms together. See Hands and Five things.
- Breathe normally. If a breathing pattern makes you dizzy or panicky, drop it. Normal breathing is always allowed.
When to stop
Stop, and do something ordinary like making a drink or stepping outside, if you feel panicky, very upset, unreal or far away, or if old memories flood in. You can come back another day, shorter, with your eyes open, or not at all.
If you have been through trauma, have PTSD, or have ever had psychosis, it's worth talking to someone who knows you before doing long or intense practice. Short, eyes-open practices are usually the gentlest place to start.
You're not the only one
Research suggests a minority of people who meditate have an unpleasant experience at some point. It's talked about less than it should be.
- Farias and others (2020), Adverse events in meditation practices and meditation-based therapies, Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. A review of 83 studies.
- David Treleaven (2018), Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness. A practical book about making practice safer.
If you need help now: help lines