Meditation stresses me out

I always hear people swear by meditation to calm them down but honestly it just stresses me out. I listen to guided mediation on YouTube; for example they are like picture yourself on a beach, with waves crashes on your feet, smell the sweet air, etc…

I have a hard time visualizing it, it takes considerable effort, i don’t smell anything and my feet don’t feel like waves are crashing on them. Trying to do all that just stresses me out and makes me feel worse and even sometimes gives me a headache.

I don’t mind taking deep breaths, in and out slowly at a consistent pace, but all the other varied breathing techniques cause me to run out of breath.

I’ve been trying meditation on and off for years. I find it useless.

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It’s supposed to be mentally effortless. So maybe repeating a mantra to yourself, like, “effortlessness.”

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A lot of the people on YouTube arent that good. I like the more clinical stuff. Can try and find some names later if you want.

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I like Jon Kabat-Zinn, Tara Brach, Joseph Goldstein, to name a few.

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The only time I found it a little helpful was when I was told to flex my feet, then my legs, then my torso, then my arms, then my jaw, etc… hold the tension then relax. That helped me a few times, but after doing it like 10 times it got boring and I don’t enjoy it anymore.

All this relaxation/meditation stuff just seems like work to me.

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It’s not for me either. The worst is when they tell you to clear your head lol not possible

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Just focus on your breathing. I meditate before bed sometimes. In the past I would meditate for 20 mins a day. I never used the guided meditations on YT. I just go in and out with the flow of breathing. I can’t picture anything in my mind.

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I meditated for years. But lately, I’m finding that my Higher Power doesn’t want me meditating anymore. He’s making it impossible for me to do. Instead, He wants me to study Scr–ture. So, that’s what I am doing.

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