Have you guys always had these problems or would you say it's been getting worse over time?
Reason I ask is, I certainly hope it doesn't get harder. I would think it's not supposed to.
I would say something has definitely improved, but that depends on your specific circumstances.
For example, when I practiced Brahmacharya, sometimes I could not meditate because of strong sex impulses. I did not dissipate the impulses, so sometimes I remained in that state without being able to meditate. This has improved now because of age and because I'm married.
I also sometimes overindulged in food, which disrupts the ability to meditate. Now I'm much more disciplined or better, my efforts at dietary discipline have been at last fruitful, I eat little with minimum or no effort.
Sleepyness is hard to fight, very hard since when you meditate you close your eyes and daydream automatically. I would say if you didn't sleep enough it's almost impossible to win.
Restlessness is more sneaky, after years you learn how this devil behaves and sometimes you cut meditation short when you realize it's not the right moment, the devil is too rambonctious, whereas you make it longer when you realize that devil is asleep.
Steve, we can always expand this concept in another thread but I would say to SI i would not get too much discouraged since I have reached this conclusion that only the really very evolved or extremely evolved devotees have an easy meditation, full of spiritual experiences and superconsciousness. For the Others it's mostly just grinding away.
And do not let's forget the mental discipline we develop.
