Q&A: How would you advise someone that has PTSD and panics when the start to meditate?
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Student: [00:00:00] Slowing came to you and had something like a post-traumatic stress disorder, emotional problems that made it very uncomfortable for them to sit by me. What would be your, what would be the best way to help them begin meditation practice?
Culadasa: Okay. So they have difficulty sitting due to mental agitation.
Student: Certainly and fear associated with that, right? Not just they're agitated, but maybe even fear. They close their eyes and they get panicked.
Culadasa: Okay. If they have panic, when they close their eyes, I would say. They meditate with their eyes open at least to start with certainly that they meditate for shorter periods of time.
And it could be very helpful if they start off doing more walking meditation now with their eyes open and they're moving and they still have, the sense of control, but they can still be focusing the mind on the soles of the feet and directing and sustaining the attention and calming the line.
So the I would suggest a combination of those things and add moved gradually into bonder sitting and move gradually towards supposing the eyes as it creates a problem.
| Added at | Sept. 26, 2020 |
| Original file name | ptsd9apr09.mp3 |