Meditation and Hypertension

[jbk245]

I have been trying Meditation and Relaxation, by the scripts from American Yoga Association.
Interesting and unexpected phenomena is happening. Every time, after I complete Meditation and Relaxation, my blood pressure goes up.

Appreciate expert comments.

[Pandara]

Your blood pressure (in other words the systolic over diastolic) or pulse? If it is blood pressure do you have a meassuring machine? Or how do you determine this?

While reading your post I get the impression of anxiety, don't know why.

[Nichole]

Hello and welcome to the forum.
I glad to see that rather than getting discouraged and quitting, that you are seeking out more information. Staying curious; it keeps discouragement and frustration at bay and the journey so much more interesting

That is interesting, but not uncommon, especially when first starting out and if you are doing the practice via a script and not with a teacher who has had personal results in the technique. Would you link to the script that you are using so we have a better idea of what you are following?

My first questions are about your breath and your body position. Are you do a pranayama (breathing) practice or just breathing as you normally do? Have you notice any changes in your breath while doing this practice? Are you sitting or lying supine? If it is not being acted against by other forces, lying down will affect the parasympathetic nervous system: lowering blood pressure and body temperature, slowing rate of breath.

You haven't said if you were new to mediation or relaxation practices, so I am inferring this through your post. When starting out, many people need techniques to work with what our minds do when we give ourselves space and silence. It can be anxiety provoking, or painful, or frightening and blood pressure and breathing may be provoked as well. Again, stay open and curious; I usually have a combination of these and more in each of my sittings In sitting we are making space for these influences to come up--this is the only way to affect them. And it is good to have techniques and tools available to us. These can be anything: a soft blanket, your script from AYA, a timer that will keep the time for us allowing us to let that go, a mantra, an affirmation, a prayer... I like to offer all of my clients a Yoga Nidra practice because it focuses certain aspects of the mind while allowing other aspects to rest. It also takes our attention systematically through the body, allowing our whole bodies to move into deeper relaxation. Yoga Nidra is not about effort, but simple observation of your body and mind. I use both Swami Muktidharma leading Satyananda's Yoga Nidra and Richard Miller's Yoga Nidra and iRest. You may like Yoga Nidra too.

I am looking forward to hearing more from you.
Kind regards,

[InnerAthlete]

I too would need to know more about the nature of the breath and the focus of the meditation. Just as people have been led to believe that "yoga" helps everything (rather than appropriate yoga) so too have they been led to believe that sitting and clearing the mind is meditation.

[jbk245]

Originally Posted by Pandara

Your blood pressure (in other words the systolic over diastolic) or pulse? If it is blood pressure do you have a meassuring machine? Or how do you determine this?

While reading your post I get the impression of anxiety, don't know why.

Answering questions posed to me in this thread.

I have a BP device. Blood pressure goes up, both systolic and diastolic. Diastolic goes close to 90, which is higher than normal. Systolic shoots up to under 150. Pulse is normal: close to 60.

I am new to yoga relaxation and meditation. I am not practicing yoga in general, and do it only for Relaxation and Meditation.

I do it eactly as recommended in the Am Yoga Association manual. I do it lying down, flat, with no pillow. Do it for 15-20 minutes.

Answering specifically to Pandara. My anxiety, if any, may be caused by the frustration that the most effective method of relaxation (at least in my belief), YOGA, does not work for me.

Thank you for everybody's interest. Would appreciate comments.

[Pandara]

Namaste,

Pitty you don't tell us your normal BP as we all experience slight variations in our BP during all our activities. Anyway, my own feeling is that the root of your problem is not your blood pressure, it is only a symptom of a deeper problem, called stress, fear and anxiety.

Mukunda Stiles sums it up so beautifully in his book Structural Yoga Therapy (not direct as I couldn't find his quote, but remember reading it). He said something in this line of thought - that the process of relaxation (and include here meditation) can reveal or bring to the front previously hidden subconscious tensions stuck in the emotional make-up of a person, we call these tensions stress.

Perhaps your frustration is part of the hidden subconscious tensions you hold inside yourself about Yoga and meditation and relaxation. Remember in the process of relaxation you connect to parts of your subconscious which we as humans rarely acknowledge or recognise. Unguided relaxation and meditation can be daunting and can create fear and stress, which will up the BP, and this is where guidance of a good meditation/relaxation teacher is so important.

Good luck and perhaps somebody else might shed some more light on this for you.

[victw]

Originally Posted by jbk245

Answering questions posed to me in this thread.

I do it eactly as recommended in the Am Yoga Association manual. I do it lying down, flat, with no pillow. Do it for 15-20 minutes.

Thank you for everybody's interest. Would appreciate comments.

Lying flat trying to relax and meditate for 15-20 minutes would certainly tense me up. 5 minutes of chanting calms me down immensely.

The point?

2 actually. One - yoga is a case of one. And you are the one. This particular sequence or script - may not be appropriate for you.

2nd point. Yoga means many different things and there are many different tools - meditation is only one tool - and for many people it is probably an advanced tool. Best to find a qualified teacher that can work with you.

By the way it's still not clear to me what you are doing? Or not doing? I've never heard of the AYA - and not sure if anyone here would be familiar with their scripts.

Vic