Troubleshooting

Every meditator faces challenges. These difficulties are not signs of failure—they're part of the practice. Here's how to work with the most common ones.

Monkey Mind / Racing Thoughts

Mind won't stop jumping from thought to thought

What's Happening

This is completely normal, especially early in practice. Your mind hasn't suddenly become more chaotic—you're just noticing what was always there. The mental chatter continues whether we meditate or not; practice reveals it. Racing thoughts often intensify at the start of a session as you transition from activity. They may also spike during stressful periods of life.

What to Try

When to Stop / Seek Support

Racing thoughts alone are not a reason to stop. However, if thoughts become intrusive, distressing, or feel compulsive, take a break. Consider working with a teacher or therapist if this persists.

Sleepiness / Dullness

Feeling drowsy, foggy, or falling asleep

What's Happening

Some sleepiness is common, especially if you're sleep-deprived or practicing in a comfortable position. There's also a subtler form called "dullness"—a foggy, spaced-out state that can feel calm but lacks clarity. Dullness often masquerades as good meditation. The mind feels quiet because awareness has dimmed, not because it's genuinely settled. Learning to distinguish calm clarity from dull fog is important.

What to Try

When to Stop / Seek Support

If you're genuinely sleep-deprived, sometimes the kind thing is to sleep. Chronic sleepiness during meditation might indicate a sleep debt that needs addressing before practice can progress.

Boredom / Impatience

Sessions feel tedious, can't wait for them to end

What's Happening

Boredom arises when the mind craves more stimulation than breath provides. It's actually an interesting phenomenon to observe—a kind of restlessness, a reaching for something "better." Impatience often reflects expectations about how practice should feel or how fast you should progress. Both are normal and workable.

What to Try

When to Stop / Seek Support

Boredom alone isn't a reason to stop. Often, pushing through it reveals deeper states. However, if practice feels like punishment, revisit your motivations and perhaps take a day off.

Self-Doubt

"I'm bad at this" / "Nothing is happening"

What's Happening

Nearly everyone thinks they're doing it wrong. The mind says "Everyone else is calm and I'm a mess" or "I've been practicing for months and nothing has changed." This is often the comparing mind doing its thing. Progress in meditation is often gradual and non-linear—hard to see from inside.

What to Try

When to Stop / Seek Support

Persistent negative self-talk that intensifies with practice may need attention outside meditation—therapy or support groups can help. Practice should, over time, lead to more self-compassion, not less.

Physical Pain / Posture Issues

Discomfort, aches, or pain during sitting

What's Happening

Some physical discomfort is normal when the body isn't used to stillness. Sitting reveals existing tensions and weaknesses. However, sharp pain or numbness should not be ignored.

What to Try

When to Stop / Seek Support

Sharp, shooting, or worsening pain means stop and adjust. Numbness in limbs means change position. If pain persists outside meditation, consult a healthcare provider. Never push through signals of potential injury.

Difficult Emotions Surfacing

Sadness, anger, fear, grief arising during practice

What's Happening

As the mind settles, emotions that were suppressed or unprocessed may surface. This is often a sign that practice is working—you're developing the capacity to feel what was previously avoided. These emotions aren't created by meditation; they were already there. Practice reveals them.

What to Try

When to Stop / Seek Support

If emotions become overwhelming, flashbacks occur, or you feel destabilized, stop the session. Ground yourself by feeling your feet, looking around the room, or naming objects you see. For trauma histories or intense emotional material, working with a therapist experienced in meditation is recommended.

Spacing Out / Dissociation

Feeling disconnected, foggy, or "not here"

What's Happening

Dissociation is a disconnection from present experience—feeling foggy, floaty, numb, or like you're watching yourself from outside. It's different from dullness (sleepy fog) because it involves a sense of unreality or disconnection from the body. Some spacing out during meditation is normal. But if you regularly "leave" during practice, or if you feel unable to stay present, that's worth addressing. Dissociation is often a protective response—the nervous system's way of handling overwhelm.

What to Try

When to Stop / Seek Support

If dissociation happens frequently or intensely, pause meditation practice and work with a trauma-informed therapist. Dissociation during meditation can indicate that the practice is triggering overwhelm that the nervous system can't handle. This isn't failure—it's important information. With proper support, you can build capacity and return to practice safely.

General Principles

Difficulties are part of practice, not obstacles to it. Working with restlessness, doubt, and sleepiness IS meditation, not something preventing you from meditating.

Progress is non-linear. Some days will feel easy, others hard. This doesn't reflect your overall trajectory. Measure in months, not sessions.

Kindness is essential. Beating yourself up for having difficulties makes them worse. Meet challenges with curiosity and self-compassion.

When in doubt, simplify. Return to basic breath focus. Shorten your session. Get back to fundamentals.

A Note on Safety

Meditation is generally safe, but for some people—especially those with trauma histories, psychosis, or severe anxiety—it can sometimes be destabilizing.

If you experience persistent distress, dissociation, intrusive memories, or worsening mental health, please pause practice and consult a mental health professional experienced in contemplative practices.

See our full disclaimer for more information.

Troubleshooting

Monkey Mind / Racing Thoughts

What's Happening

What to Try

Shorten sessions temporarily

Count breaths

Use noting

Emphasize the return, not the staying

Try body scan first

Sleepiness / Dullness

What's Happening

What to Try

Open your eyes

Sit up straighter

Increase intention

Try walking meditation

Shorten the session

Practice earlier in the day

Boredom / Impatience

What's Happening

What to Try

Get curious about boredom itself

Zoom in on breath detail

Vary techniques

Check expectations

Consider session length

Self-Doubt

What's Happening

What to Try

Remember: if you sat and tried, you did it right

Track sessions, not feelings

Review over time

Talk to other practitioners

Add loving-kindness

Physical Pain / Posture Issues

What's Happening

What to Try

Adjust your setup

Don't force crossed legs

Move mindfully if needed

Use discomfort as practice

Try walking meditation

Difficult Emotions Surfacing

What's Happening

What to Try

Acknowledge without amplifying

Ground in body

Use loving-kindness

Shorten or pause the session

Process outside meditation

Spacing Out / Dissociation

What's Happening

What to Try

Open your eyes immediately

Tap your feet on the floor

Use sensory anchors

Try bilateral grounding

Shorten sessions

Keep eyes open during practice

General Principles