Thank you all, the problem solved for now.

Hey Lana,

Nice precise description of the problem! I think you are right in interpreting the dullness as some form of resistance. So my suggestion would be to just sit through the dullness, patiently and, if possible, with curiousity. Just maintain a bare minimum of mindfulness. You might note "dullness", you might note "mindful". You might just note now and then, you might note more consistently if it gets really dull. If necessary, open your eyes and keep noting.

I have myself sat through literally hundreds of hours of massive dullness, using that technique. In my experience, at some point things clear up by them selves.

Best wishes!

Some people report a "jhana hangover". I think messing around with your emotions can screw up your neurotransmitter levels. It's like you "use up" your serotonin producing intense bliss, and then when it's depleted you feel depressed. I don't know if that's exactly what happens but it seems like something along those lines could happen - to some people - everyone is different. There are a lot of things that could effect neurotransmitter levels and one thing or another might be enough to push someone over the line to feel depressed.

One of the things that the jhanas and also metta allow you to do is to see that emotions are flexible. With that knowledge a lot of time you can lighten your mood simply by "shrugging off" a bad mood without really pushing piti or sukha or metta, just because you have seen your mood is optional, not reality, not like a cloud over reality, you know are doing it to yourself and you don't have to. It's kind of like you get ready to turn piti or sukha on but don't actually do it and that's enough to neutralize whatever else you were doing unconsciously but intentionally. It won't fix biological problems effecting your emotions but it also won't be as disruptive as the jhanas.



When someone is depressed one of the effects is that they become very introspective. It can seem like it is helping them to review their emotions and dwell on them. But if the depressions lifts they don't even think about those things any more. It was just an artifact of their mood. I'm not saying it is never good to do self-analysis. It can be very helpful when you are feeling something like anger to dig through layers to figure out what is the root cause. However in some cases your brain function is influenced by the mood and even though it seems the same it isn't necessarily helping. If you've been over the issues many times in the past and there is nothing hiding behind it at a deeper level it might not really help to dwell on it.  I can't tell from an internet post so you have to consider for yourself what is going on I'm just pointing out something people might not be aware of.


Obviously one can't tell for sure what is going on based on an internet post but here are some possibilities ... but I don't know if they would necessarily apply to you ...

One cause of dullness is the specific technique you use.  Sleepiness could be triggered by increased CO2 levels in your blood - if you are breathing differently. The Buddha taught that samatha and vipassana were not different techniques, they were two qualities of mind which should both be cultivated. Also, my opinion is that "tranquility" is a better translation than "concentration" for samatha. I find concentrating too hard can cause irritability. One way to prevent dullness during samatha type techniques is to put a bit of vipassana in it. Any technique, (even vipassana) can be done in a relaxing way if you try. Try to meditate in a relaxing way and notice the feeling of relaxation as you inhale and exhale. I find meditating on the breath can produce dullness but if I include in my focus the feeling of relaxation I don't feel dull from it. And rather than intense concentration use a light touch. Don't put in an intense effort to maintain concentration, just gently, with a pleasant attitude, come back to the focus of meditation when you notice you are distracted. Let time and persistence quiet the mind rather than brute force.

Sounds like you are doing the right thing and running into a classic problem. Drowsiness is so common that they named a hindrance after it! One thing that I have learned about my own practice is that things come and go. A thing that stays for less than a couple of weeks is just something to observe and doesn't need fixing. But if it persists, try this advice from Uncle Sid. The drowsy person in this talk is often considered the top concentration master of all time, and one of the top three badasses of Buddhism, so you are in good company. 

​​​​​​​AN 7.58 
Capala (Pacala) Sutta

Once[1] the Blessed One was living among the Bhaggas in the Deer Park at Bhesakala Grove, near Crocodile Haunt. At that time Ven. Maha Moggallana[2] sat nodding near the village of Kallavalaputta, in Magadha. The Blessed One, with his purified divine eye, surpassing the human, saw Ven. Maha Moggallana as he sat nodding near the village of Kallavalaputta, in Magadha. As soon as he saw this — just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm — he disappeared from among the Bhaggas in the Deer Park at Bhesakala Grove, near Crocodile Haunt, and re-appeared near the village of Kallavalaputta, in Magadha, right in front of Ven. Maha Moggallana.

There he sat down on a prepared seat. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to Ven. Maha Moggallana, "Are you nodding, Moggallana? Are you nodding?"

"Yes, lord."

"Well then, Moggallana, whatever perception you have in mind when drowsiness descends on you, don't attend to that perception, don't pursue it. It's possible that by doing this you will shake off your drowsiness."

​​​​​​​But if by doing this you don't shake off your drowsiness, then recall to your awareness the Dhamma as you have heard & memorized it, re-examine it & ponder it over in your mind. It's possible that by doing this you will shake off your drowsiness."

But if by doing this you don't shake off your drowsiness, then repeat aloud in detail the Dhamma as you have heard & memorized it. It's possible that by doing this you will shake off your drowsiness."

But if by doing this you don't shake off your drowsiness, then pull both your earlobes and rub your limbs with your hands. It's possible that by doing this you will shake off your drowsiness."

But if by doing this you don't shake off your drowsiness, then get up from your seat and, after washing your eyes out with water, look around in all directions and upward to the major stars & constellations. It's possible that by doing this you will shake off your drowsiness."

But if by doing this you don't shake off your drowsiness, then attend to the perception of light, resolve on the perception of daytime, [dwelling] by night as by day, and by day as by night. By means of an awareness thus open & unhampered, develop a brightened mind. It's possible that by doing this you will shake off your drowsiness."

But if by doing this you don't shake off your drowsiness, then — percipient of what lies in front & behind — set a distance to meditate walking back & forth, your senses inwardly immersed, your mind not straying outwards. It's possible that by doing this you will shake off your drowsiness."

But if by doing this you don't shake off your drowsiness, then — reclining on your right side — take up the lion's posture, one foot placed on top of the other, mindful, alert, with your mind set on getting up. As soon as you wake up, get up quickly, with the thought, 'I won't stay indulging in the pleasure of lying down, the pleasure of reclining, the pleasure of drowsiness.' That is how you should train yourself.

Useful insight to what causes things like dullness, boredom, etc. even some forms of pain is that parts of mind have a blast but because communication is lacking not everyone knows it, they cannot experience it along with these who have a blast. Consciousnesses are just communication hubs with main consciousness typically having widest reach thus if it has a blast then its ok for most other consciousnesses - though not always because even main consciousness doesn't typically have universal reach.

In this image to resolve dullness it would mean you just have to find said consciousness with amazing experiences and bring it to view.
They will of course put some resistance to it because until they know everyone can have a blast they will rather go with being a little selfish but on the safe side. They do not want to loose it.

If all this "they" is confusing think "fibres of consciousness"... yeah, insight is usually confusing if you put it in to words anyways...

Hi, welcome to the Dho

What did you actually do?
What did this involve?
How did you judge "progress"?
Improving how? what did you use to gage this?

What did you actually do? (did you warm up? did you sit on a cushion? did you listen with headphones to a podcast? what was the basic instructions that you followed?)
How did you judge this?
ok, sure, you felt good, lets translate that to the Progress of Insight stage - The Arising and Passing Away Stage - https://www.mctb.org/mctb2/table-of-contents/part-iv-insight/30-the-progress-of-insight/4-the-arising-and-passing-away/
After The Arising and Passing Away Stage comes the expected stages of dissolution, fear, misery, disgust, etc
Thats one way to project on it, I'd refrain from doing that until you read the Progress of insight stages. Then project trauma explanations if you like that stuff, then seek therapy for that stuff.

The dissolution stage makes you tired.

Perhaps you might be open to doing Vipassana
Tons of times, over many years. 
It is always your meditation, try to find what works, keep working on whatever gets you closer to understanding it andprogressing.

Good Luck
~D