Meditation questions

[MindfulMed]

Hello, I am quite new to meditation and have some questions. Is it ok if my breathing is quite audible or should it be the same as normal breathing? I have two, very different experiences, during meditation - I either drift off and start having totally unrelated thoughts or, very recently, I actually start feeling quite light headed. Are both experiences normal and does the light headedness mean I am getting better? Thanks all.

There are different styles of meditation so I can only speak for my experience of zen meditation.

I think your breathing is meant to be normal. Light headed essay makes me wonder if you are hyperventilating?

It's normal for your thoughts to drift - congratulate yourself for noticing and bring them back to your breath or another focus aid.

I'd recommend meditation classes as very helpful in developing your technique.

*light-headedness

There ae lots of different meditation styles but you should not be feeling light headedness.
Personally I prefer to breathe as though I was sleeping. i.e. Regular breathing. Doesn't matter if it's audible or not. It is not always necessary to sit as in the described way. Meditation can be done lying down for example. And can be done anywhere. Eventually you will be in meditation 24/7 if your guidance is correct.
Remember that meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet it is a way of discovering the silence within and that is already there. Then the thoughts become just insignificant.
"You are the sky, everything else is just weather"

"Eventually you will be in meditation 24/7 if your guidance is correct. "

This is interesting, I think I would really benefit from meditation but only if the benefit stays. I have not managed to meditate for long but one thing that put me off was that the benefit seemed to vanish immediately.

Thanks both for your thoughts. I am wondering if light headedness is the right description - maybe it would be more accurate to say “floaty”, a moment when my mind stopped wandering and I felt intensely “connected “. It is very early days for me but I am quite committed to giving it a try.

@DaisyNGO

Meditation is fine whilst you are in the moment. As soon as you leave the moment the thoughts come rushing back in and the mind takes over again.
What happened? identification with the mind body as an identity is so entrenched that it is habitual, Through meditation these habits can be seen and discarded. eventually this discarding of egoic identity and its habits becomes second nature.
Therein lies contentment!