10 minute unguided meditation using my insight timer; reclining on my living room floor. Observed the belly rising on inhale, and falling on exhale, interspersed with sensations of tension moving/easing in my groin and legs, thoughts related to my interactions with the forum, and what my next response to be. Thoughts related to maybe extending the meditation to a half hour (I didn't). Thoughts of "me" or "my face". The breath seemed consistent and steady; deeper sometimes as practice progressed. I found myself reciting "rising" or "falling" several times, almost continuously on the inhale/exhale, and then playing catch up with any sensations that emerged that weren't the breath. ie it'd be a moment or 2 later that I'd observe "oh ya, I had a thought there". Near the end of the 10 minutes I found the breath more in my nostrils, so "inbound", "outbound". Then going between the nostrils and abdomen, combinations of "rising" "inbound" "outbound" "falling". When the gong went, I went to set the timer for another round, and decided no, that was enough.

Welcome to DhO and thank you for sharing your journey with us This community was of benefit to me! May it also be of benefit to you, and many beings above, below, and all around! 

2x10 min unguided meditation, back to back, reclining, using my insight timer. Abdomen rising and falling. Thoughts about my meditation, planning my log description. Muscles moving and adjusting in my abdomen and groin. Inhale doesn't seem as natural/easy. Second session a bit more challenging than the first, a bit grumpier/impatient wanting to stop. Nicotine craving. About half way through I started to shift mind state to dozier and thoughts are more dreamlike, remembering various interactions with a friend. Abdomen rising and falling. Impatient, wondering if I forgot to set the timer.

Following the practice I reflected on how auditory thoughts don't seem to have volume modulation, ie thoughts are always the same volume. I can imagine someone whispering, but it's the same volume just in a whispery voice. Likewise with an imagined scream or explosion.  

15 minutes unguided reclining, extended to 32 minutes because the timer was muted. Abdomen rising, falling, lying, thinking, identifying. Felt my attention incline towards my nostrils but chose to stay with the abdomen. Discomfort arose around my tailbone and buttocks; pressure, discomfort. Stay with that. Discomfort at the back of my head; friction. Tension in neck. Stayed with the tailbone until discomfort in my neck surpassed it, then stayed with that. Felt like a long time at points. Finally checked my timer. 

Hi Jai, welcome to the forum! I really like your logging style - precise and descriptive.

Regarding tension/pain relief that you mentioned in your other thread: since you asked for advice, below are some suggestions. These are things I've tried that work for me. I of course don't know your mind-body, so please let your body be your guide, and disregard anything that doesn't seem right for you (or that you already know )

Reggie Ray's guided meditations: He has a ton of detailed guided somatic release meditations, including some designed for a reclining posture. I've found them helpful for discovering and easing tension-related pain. They even helped me uncover and release tension points I've held for so long that I didn't recognise they were tense! Some of his guided meditations are available free, with more on Audible (cheaper) or on his website (more pricy).

Rob Burbea on the energy body: He tends to be less guided and more exploratory. He has a bunch of talks and some guided meditations about working with the energy body, including learning to find your own ease and pleasantness with it. They helped me find bodily comfort during a time when I was really tense up (a combination of psychological stuff + physical imbalance + a spiky A&P), and also helped me develop access to 1st and 2nd jhana. All his talks are available free on dharmaseed.org.

The Posture of Meditation by Will Johnson: A book on how to find a relaxed and alert seated meditation posture. I had no idea how to sit with a relaxed but tall(-ish) spine until I read this.

Given the background you described, it may also be useful to explore trauma-informed approaches to mindfulness. Whether or not you consider yourself to have a trauma history, this may help you discover or adapt meditation techniques to best suit your needs. eg I've found that some commonly taught meditation techniques were worsening my physical/psychological constrictions, due to my particular background, and that I needed to adapt them to get them to work for me.

Wish you all the best! Do keep posting logs here if it feels right to you - over time, as people get to know your practice, they can offer more personalised advice. I've reaped enormous benefits from posting here.

Hi Kailin, I didn't notice your message before now. I'll respond after logging today's practice.

45 minute unguided reclining. Chose the feet as object, to get as far away from my head as possible. The left foot was more conspicuous than the right, so I focussed on that. As the session progressed, my focus became more specific; the balls of the left foot, then the big left toe, then the tip of the big left toe. Towards the end of practice it broadened again to the entire base of the left foot. Noting thoughts throughout; narrating my practice, anticipating my log entry, disgust with experience, anticipating suffering in relationships, planning chores; discomfort, pressure, friction at the back of my head, tension in neck etc. Dealing with my nicotine addiction, suspending noting of intention to vape, or raise my arm, allowing it to happen to minimize the distraction of craving. Always back to the left foot. 

Hi Kailin, there's a lot in your post that resonates. Releasing trigger points sounds great. Don't know much about energy bodies. It'd be cool to get into some Jhanas, so maybe I'll check out Rob Burbea. Trauma history - check.

Reclining's working for me right now so I'll roll with that and not worry about other postures. 

I'm resistant to exploring or studying somatic meditation techniques, because I'd rather study other more foundational meditation stuff, and as long as I'm getting onto the cushion I think that's good enough. The physical stuff is responding to doctor stuff, and I'm optimistic it will resolve before too much longer.

Just want to add for the sake of conversation that I have studied somatic techniques in Feldenkrais for about 4 years. In fact, one explanation for this episode is that it... worked. Ie, I managed to increase my somatic awareness to the point that I released something important. I felt it; something deep in my core grabbed, and then let go. I was so excited!! I thought the rest of me would just kind of follow, but it didn't. The immediate and ongoing outcome was as described in my other post.

 Yeah - somatic releases can be a double edged sword! My first big somatic release (came upon it by accident) was the best feeling I've had. Then woke up the next day to find I couldn't turn my head, as my neck was so stiff and sore, and in the following months, the stiffness/pain migrated from place to place in the body... I'm still working on it (hence my own interest in somatic meditation).

And no worries, take what interests you from my suggestions, and discard the rest! Wish you fruitful practice!