We who grew up in the west are good at firing up the excitable side of our nervous systems (think action movies and political arguments) but not good at learning to activate the calming, focussing side of our nervous systems. Meditation is as simple as learning basic breathing + mindfulness + muscle tone relaxation. Military calls it tactical breathing. Good biological and psychological evidence that simple meditation is a good thing to learn to do. Only a few minutes practice a day and soon it is very easy to induce that state. Good to see the stigma is wearing off and meditation is becoming mainstream.
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Does anyone here meditate?
- Thread starter Shamus
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This is what I was afraid of for you when we were speaking about it a while ago. I tried my best to relate my experiences with meditation and to hedge your expectations on a spiritual enlightenment that you seemed to be seeking.Well I have drifted away from meditating. I really don’t need to relax. I think my expectations were too inflated and was hoping for an expansion of my consciousness. The routine seems to be get into the zone and experience random sight/visions, which reminds me of dreaming, but getting no insight to speak if, although it has altered my perception a bit in an improved way.
Anyway any encouragement?I’ll try again soon.
But as I said before, everyone's experiences and expectations are different and our goals may also be a little different as well. For me, meditation is a way for me to destress when tension and is really high in my life. For me, I never once was seeking a kind of enlightenment or spirituality from it. Quite the opposite in fact, see my book I published the other year, link in the signature to author page. Perhaps other people do find a sort of spiritual connection with meditation, but not me - it isn't what I seek when I practice it.
The encouragement I would provide would be to reel in your goals and set them to be a bit more realistic with what you are able to achieve with the practice. Try to define for yourself what it is you want to get out of it and see if it is achievable or not. Perhaps if your goals are more reasonable and achievable you can get more out of your practice.
Good luck.
My perception was changed by meditating a bit, which is actually a good thing. Even when I think about meditating I get a soothing feeling, almost like endorphins. The issue is partially when the newness of the experience wears off, and when the practise becomes routine. Thanks!This is what I was afraid of for you when we were speaking about it a while ago. I tried my best to relate my experiences with meditation and to hedge your expectations on a spiritual enlightenment that you seemed to be seeking.
But as I said before, everyone's experiences and expectations are different and our goals may also be a little different as well. For me, meditation is a way for me to destress when tension and is really high in my life. For me, I never once was seeking a kind of enlightenment or spirituality from it. Quite the opposite in fact, see my book I published the other year, link in the signature to author page. Perhaps other people do find a sort of spiritual connection with meditation, but not me - it isn't what I seek when I practice it.
The encouragement I would provide would be to reel in your goals and set them to be a bit more realistic with what you are able to achieve with the practice. Try to define for yourself what it is you want to get out of it and see if it is achievable or not. Perhaps if your goals are more reasonable and achievable you can get more out of your practice.
Good luck.
This is the weirdest process I’ve ever read about, so I will investigate this as it sounds amazing!
It reminds me about The Work and Byron Katie’s way of thinking. Turn around things.
She’s absolutely brilliant.
Processing our thoughts, emotions and judgements a bit deeper have great benefits.
http://thework.com/en
I assume you'll let us know when you eventually reach such a conclusion.
I assume you'll let us know when you eventually reach such a conclusion.
conclusion let know assumption eventual.
conclusion let know assumption eventual = Christian Kardashian science copy
Christian Kardashian science copy = AngerDanger.
Here, I found it! You're the meaning of everything.
This is a really good time for me to get much more focused in many ways, and to move my life into new directions, yay
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I should read up on what it is, but to my knowledge I haven’t formally meditated.
I had some pre-competition routines I found myself following. Some were probably silly superstitious things. But looking back on it all I wonder if it wasn’t a rudimentary form of mediation; because in the end it was about removing external distractions, controlling tension, focusing, and essentially drawing the bow.
I had some pre-competition routines I found myself following. Some were probably silly superstitious things. But looking back on it all I wonder if it wasn’t a rudimentary form of mediation; because in the end it was about removing external distractions, controlling tension, focusing, and essentially drawing the bow.
Bizarre.
Meditation is more about building distance from your thoughts...
...which allows you to approach the world with a more open/less judgemental mindset.
[doublepost=1549720754][/doublepost]Sure, I meditate every morning.
I wake-up, drink 1.5 litres of water, clean my teeth and meditate...
...then I workout, shower, and start work (about three hours in total).
Meditation is just like lifting weights.
It's far more important to be consistent, than anything else.
Just 10 minutes each morning is a great discipline!
Strange expression, building distance to your thoughts....ah well, with 10 min meditation it can’t go very deep.
I wouldn’t recommend building distance against anything. It’s a strange position.
Awareness however, might take more then 10 minutes meditations, a lot more.
10 min meditations might be good for very busy days, sure, to keep a practice up.
Or doing a couple of different kinds of shorter meditations after another, may also penetrate into the awareness field.
Only 10 min meditation a day, maybe a preparation, building mental discipline, but meditation, nahhh it’s not happening within that short time unless someone have practiced very deep meditations earlier. But still, wouldn’t call it meditation.
Enjoying the refreshments of new viewpoints on old knowledge of meditations at the moment.
Feeling inspired.
I wouldn’t recommend building distance against anything. It’s a strange position.
Awareness however, might take more then 10 minutes meditations, a lot more.
10 min meditations might be good for very busy days, sure, to keep a practice up.
Or doing a couple of different kinds of shorter meditations after another, may also penetrate into the awareness field.
Only 10 min meditation a day, maybe a preparation, building mental discipline, but meditation, nahhh it’s not happening within that short time unless someone have practiced very deep meditations earlier. But still, wouldn’t call it meditation.
Enjoying the refreshments of new viewpoints on old knowledge of meditations at the moment.
Feeling inspired.
10 minutes is better than nothing, and it's meditation. TM recommends 2x20min/day. Other meditative styles recommend more, others less. There isn't really much consensus on what is needed. I can assure you that I had very deep 10 minutes meditations and very awful distracted 40 minute long meditations.
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It probably was a simple form of meditation.
Mood was very blue this morning, no idea why to be honest; maybe the cold, maybe I didn't sleep as well, or maybe the coffee wasn't as strong. I woke up feeling nostalgic and I am not even sure about what. Maybe reading about the death of Perry and Flint, two people I used to see on tv as a teen, brought up some sadness. Difficult day at work too.
I almost decided to skip my lunchtime meditation as I didn't feel like it, but told myself that meditation could actually help so I meditated anyways.
It really helped, it was like brewing coffee using red bull instead of water! Now I am really energetic, and kinda happy.
The very strange thing is that at the last second of the meditation a very strange, vivid, horrific image bubbled up in front of my "eyes": An elderly woman, with her mouth open, and a television screen inside her mouth.
Then I felt amazing, don't ask why.
I almost decided to skip my lunchtime meditation as I didn't feel like it, but told myself that meditation could actually help so I meditated anyways.
It really helped, it was like brewing coffee using red bull instead of water! Now I am really energetic, and kinda happy.
The very strange thing is that at the last second of the meditation a very strange, vivid, horrific image bubbled up in front of my "eyes": An elderly woman, with her mouth open, and a television screen inside her mouth.
Then I felt amazing, don't ask why.
How do you guys mediate? I have never been able to find a decent tutorial but I know you have to focus on your breathing and nothing else.
Is that all? Is that all you gotta do, but just for longer periods when you advance? Or are there other things to consider?
Is that all? Is that all you gotta do, but just for longer periods when you advance? Or are there other things to consider?
I use 1GiantMind app (100% free, there is no pro version etc, it's just free) (*)
It's not breathing based, it's mantra based (that is, you mentally hear a meaningless word). This type of meditation is called either non-directive meditation, or - in its more serious version - transcendental meditation. Give it a try. The beauty is that since you "hear" the mantra you don't have to focus on anything. Things are going to move your mind away inevitably, and if something is bothering you, you will find out for sure!
Sometimes my meditation is very "focused" as in I stay on the mantra and is very deep.
Other times it goes like mantra mantra, I am hungry, mantra, fried chicken is amazing, mantra, with potatoes but I am in dieting so I should eat less carbs crap! mantra mantra.
I tried breathing based meditation but it didn't work for me.
There are also other types of meditation. Zen for example aims at "removing" your thoughts. Just try until you find the right one.
(*)Edit: cool thing about this app? Contrary to most meditation apps, the instructor doesn't keep talking every ten seconds to tell you what you have to do. Once the meditation begins, he is completely silent until the end.
Ok @yaxomoxay , I just downloaded this app and am going to try it. Lord knows I need some stress reduction...
Don’t forget to update us on your meditation experience.
Worst case scenario, you fall asleep!!