+2 votes
by (300 points)
When I started with meditation it seemed relatively easy and I had a lot of initial successes and blissful states.

Now after some time it seems like my practice is getting harder, getting into a meditative state seems to require more effort and blissful experiences are fewer.

Does this mean that I am going in the wrong direction or could also this mean that I am just really getting started now, realizing and noting distracting states and thoughts earlier and more often (while in the beginning I might not have even noticed them as such), therefore making the sessions even more difficult.

2 Answers

+1 vote
by (8.5k points)
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Seems like you were practicing Samatha meditation before and now you may be practicing vipassana. Vipassana leads to seeing reality as it is. Seeing impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and non self. These characteristics are not pleasant. The goal of Vipassana meditation is not blissful states; its freedom from suffering. In order to become free from suffering you must experientially know the 4 noble truths. The first of these truths being suffering itself.
by (300 points)
This makes a lot of sense, especially after I have immersed myself in some of the definitions and differences of the two techniques now!
Thank you you for your insights.
Happiness and freedom from suffering.
by (940 points)
Try vipassana both after a "blissful state" and during your normal day. See how the experiences compare. Calming the mind before vipassana can be quite beneficial!
+1 vote
by (1.6k points)
There might be two cases.

First, on initial days your thoughts were clumsy now its becoming separated so you find so many thoughts disturbing your blissful state of mind. It happens. Take an example: in rainy season the water in a pond is muddy and you can't see the underneath of water but as the water tranquils with time the mud gets distilled and the water becomes clear and you see too much objects underneath water.

Secondly, it may happen you have lost your initial zeal and it's becoming boring day by day.
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