Jhanas with headache

John, modified 8 Years ago at 9/4/15 5:46 PM
Created 8 Years ago at 9/4/15 5:46 PM

Jhanas with headache

Posts: 51 Join Date: 7/11/14 Recent Posts
Does anyone know how I can go into jhanas while having headache?
They are not intense but uncomfortable and even when they are not there
there is uncomfortable pressure in my forehead and temples.


Maybe even other sorts of meditation, I am usually an Anapanasati guy.
Thanks.
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Toph H, modified 7 Years ago at 6/13/16 9:39 AM
Created 7 Years ago at 6/13/16 9:39 AM

RE: Jhanas with headache

Posts: 18 Join Date: 2/5/13 Recent Posts
Using the headache as the object might help.

I'm kinda self taught, and started outside of buddishm so I apologize if my language structure or sematics are awkward.
So here's a run-through...
Focus on the headache, but without emotional involvement.  Observing it, it might help to shift your center of awarensess up, and in a bit, or even towards the center of your head(less right behind your eyelids).  This helps in creating a spaceousness to both obersve the headache as well as a jumping point to a deeper meditation, it may be subtle at first but become 3D once you stabilize then shift.  If you notice yourself becoming emotionally involved with the pain, relax, open up some more, allow the headache to pass through you, without clinging to it or it to you.(Just like breath)

You may notice your body/head have a "hollow," "vast," open, "vessel-like" feeling, in staying with this, the headache can be observed quite readily as rising and passing, like waves(sometimes a sensations, without the pain, or even so much as other imagery..a literal sin wave), and it doesn't disturb the mind in that manner. 

I like to stick with it for a bit, and once I know the mind is stabilized, unpeterbed, move onto the space(or explore there a bit/insight), shift to being the space.  It may be soft, where your sense of selfness is just expanded out into space, yet still cognitized of the physical body, or harder, where it's more of a full immersion and all sensory inputs are taking the space as the object(rather than any physical inputs).
Just my 2c.
td o ditty, modified 7 Years ago at 6/13/16 9:54 AM
Created 7 Years ago at 6/13/16 9:54 AM

RE: Jhanas with headache

Posts: 10 Join Date: 5/28/16 Recent Posts
Headaches indicate too much effort.  Try adding a step to actively relaxing every time you see/notice tension. 
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Babs _, modified 7 Years ago at 6/13/16 11:19 AM
Created 7 Years ago at 6/13/16 11:19 AM

RE: Jhanas with headache

Posts: 709 Join Date: 2/5/13 Recent Posts
John:
Does anyone know how I can go into jhanas while having headache?
They are not intense but uncomfortable and even when they are not there
there is uncomfortable pressure in my forehead and temples.


Maybe even other sorts of meditation, I am usually an Anapanasati guy.
Thanks.

Hi John,

See what happens when you feel the open space immediately around the headache (or some other sort of pain or any sort of mental or emotional object/state).
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tom moylan, modified 7 Years ago at 6/14/16 4:37 AM
Created 7 Years ago at 6/14/16 4:37 AM

RE: Jhanas with headache

Posts: 896 Join Date: 3/7/11 Recent Posts
hi john,
sorry to hear about this bump in the road.  entering jhana , as you probably know, is best reached via a happy light mind.  a headache can definitely put the kabosh on that route.

one thing not mentioned in the great answers above, is to begin your sits with anapanasati type breathing but following the breath around the body. 

we can really only focus on one thing at a time but this is often masked by the minds quick movement of attention from the object of attention to the object of distraction (headache).

at the aypsite.org there is a good description of a method to follow the breath.  i find this completely compatible with anapanasati.  my contention is that spreading this attention around the body will remove emphasis from the head area.  it will not necessarily eliminate it but that is also a good thing IMO.

i have energetic head effects which are generally pleasant but can become an uncomfortable pressure if i focus too much there and this method has helped me ameliorate those issues.

good luck

tom
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Aaron Rice, modified 7 Years ago at 6/14/16 1:56 PM
Created 7 Years ago at 6/14/16 1:56 PM

RE: Jhanas with headache

Posts: 4 Join Date: 1/29/16 Recent Posts
I've been dealing with chronic daily headaches for the past six years.  The pain often seems to increase during meditation, but it hasn't prevented me from reaching jhana.
Jorge, modified 6 Years ago at 8/5/17 10:22 PM
Created 6 Years ago at 8/5/17 10:22 PM

RE: Jhanas with headache

Posts: 30 Join Date: 2/14/14 Recent Posts
I totally agree with you on this!

It took me a long time to understand this. If I start developing a headache or tension in the head I check to see where I'm tensing. Headaches usual goes away when I relax body and mind.