Hello All,

The similar topic might have been discussed in the past. If I am posting a message that's already been discussed, then I am sorry. But I am kinda desperate and would like to get some feedback from fellow yogis.

To briefly introduce myself, I have experienced 3 Characteristics about 4 times and in the last retreat (about 6 months ago) I got to experience the 4th nana, the A&P as it was confirmed by the Sayadaws. Well, to be more specific, I have just got my foot in the door of A&P. I haven't yet gotten to the point where you experience all that "good stuffs" that's highly talked about.

After returning home, I've been sitting daily on average 3 - 4 hours but for the walking meditation, only 30 minutes per day. I am not employed currently (lost my job last year). I noticed my concentration & energy level have definitely picked up and so I started sitting whenever I could find time. And also, finding this website along with Daniel Ingram's book have more than doubled my enthusiam for the practice.

Almost a month ago, I developed a pain in the lower part of my pelvis bone whenever I'm doing sitting meditation (the pointy area that you can easily feel around the buttock). I began to feel the pressure of my entire weight coming down on that pointy spot of my pelvis and subsequently, aching sensations spread to the joint and the hamstring muscles. It got pretty bad that I temporarily stopped sitting and took and still taking medication (first Ibuprofen 600 mg and now Naproxen Sodium 550 mg).

It was devastating that my practice had to come to a halt when it just seemed to take off to a new level. So I consulted this monk via email. I have never met her in person but always appreciated her teaching. She recommended that I continue with the practice but always start and end the sitting meditation with Metta Bhava - loving kindness.

So I took her advice and have been continuing with my practice for the last 3 weeks (I am taking "The Burmese Approach" for my pain). The pain hasn't really gone away or even subsided. I am still taking the medication. With my faith in Dhamma alone, I am moving on with my practice. But there's constantly fear and doubt arising and having to practice with these is not very comfortable. Sometimes I am reluctant to sit for the fear of pain - what if the pain gets worse and further damage my joints and bones, etc.

With all due respect to the monk I have consulted with, I am also open to all feedbacks and/or suggestions from all of you. Has anyone experienced something similar to mine? I want to hear from you.

Thank you all.

Hi, I'm sorry to hear you're having such difficulties! It's quite a bummer when your practice starts to take off and then something puts the brakes on.

I'd like to make two suggestions: 1. Do more walking meditation instead of sitting, maybe 50:50. Don't underestimate the power of walking meditation! 2. If you haven't done it yet, try to experiment with different sitting postures, including sitting on a chair. You could sit every period in a different posture. That might in the beginning create some discontinuity, but you'll get used to it.

Good luck!

Thank you Timus.

By pelvis bone, do you mean your tail-bone? (image link?

If so, then its kundalini trying to break through to rise up the spine. A&P is maybe too early for this (?), and I'm really not sure I have anything to recommend. More walking meditation for sure.

I had this tailbone pain. It only ended after stream entry, when I decided to focus on this pain, and the whole thing rised up through my spine into my brain. I was severely energy unbalanced for about 5 months after that (really really debilitating).

Thanks Bruno,



It's the bottom portion of "Ischium" from the image that touches the ground when sitting. You see where the bottom of it is kind of pointy?

It feels like that spot is sticking out of my buttock when I'm on the cushion. So I increased the walking meditation. For now it's: one hour of sitting, half an hour of walking. I also go out and walk around my neighborhood whenever I can.

And nowadays, I start my meditation with Metta Bhava - loving kindness. But if I'm agitated for whatever reason, I proceed straight to insight meditation without doing metta. I can't seem to arouse compassion when I'm overwhelmed with negative emotions. But when I can properly practice metta, I can feel the energy of compassion from wishing well for others arising and it kind of feels like a very minor rapture. It's too early to determine if this metta practice is really helping with my pain at this point but I am going to continue with it for now. I am fairly new to this metta stuff so I'm still trying to get a good grip on the technique.

Today as I was meditating, the same pain arose again. I noted it and it either subsided or kind of faded away. From that point on I decided to treat this new pain as I have done with my other physical pains (although not as severe as this one) during the retreats in the past:

Note, note and note!!!!!

I guess there's no other alternatives but to put up with it. Stop practicing altogether just doesn't seem like an option to me. I will see how things pan out in next few weeks.

I do want to go on an intensive retreat (3-4 weeks) but am not sure if I can at this point.

Anyway, thanks again for your reply.

I've had this pain also, I think it finally goes away when energy circulation opens up in the legs. You could do hip, knee and ankle rotations (10x in each possible axis of rotation, there are 3 axes for the hip, 2 for the knee and 2 for the ankle), and standing in the stance for 10 minutes (see images).

This gives me so much hope!!!!

And I will do the exercises you recommend. Thank you, Bruno!