Meditating

stevenmu

I want to try this out some more, but everywhere I look people seem to have different ideas of how to go about it and different techniques. As usual I want to be awkward and come up with something myself. Does anybody know any resources that give a good explanation of the basics and discusses the ins and outs of various techniques ?

Goodshape

I found some Buddhist literature on the subject quite interesting. There's a book by the Dali Lama which definitely clarified a few of their ideas for me. Can't remember the name of it right now, but I'll check when I get home.

The nice thing about reading the Buddhist texts and guides is that they don't really make much of an effort to 'convert' you - it's presented very much as an idea, which you can take on board if you choose.

Meditation for me is simply about finding a peaceful, comfortable place to sit (or lie) and think. I like to start by clearing my mind - getting rid of immediate thoughts / worries like work, day-to-day life or how much milk is left in the fridge - and then allowing my mind to wonder as it may.

As you say different people have different methods and ideas as to the benefits. I find it relaxing more than anything else.

stevenmu

I've done it a bit for relaxation, and as you say it works very well for that. I kind of hoping to move on to a new level now though and maybe achieve a bit more with it. I tend to get bored doing it very quickly, so I'm hoping that if I can learn more about it I can find ways to keep myself interested. 4/5 minutes a month doesn't seem to be doing me much good

I suppose one specific question I could ask people is if listening to music is ok, and if so what music would they listen to. I find it pretty easy to relax and empty my mind for a good while if I throw on some relaxing music and stare at some of the more psychadelic winamp plugins. I don't know though if that's ultimately going to be more of a hindrance than a help ?

Oryx

Try deep breathing exercises. Lie down, allow your body to relax and get all floppy Take in a deep breath, count to about four or five while inhaling, and as you hold the breath at its deepest point feel relaxation course thru you. Exhale at the same rate, allowing the relaxed feeling to increase as you do so. Of course dont do this if it makes you feel dizzy, if you cant take it to a count of four or five, do what feels ok at first. Concentrate on the breath, visualise colour if it helps.(Like grey exhale, pink inhale) Concentrating like this helps exclude other thought and if you get the rhythm of it, you'll be surprised how long you will go with it. When you feel like it, go back to normal breaths, give yourself a while to lie still and be quiet. Eyes closed is best for this, if you find that hard put a cloth (dry facecloth or clean sock )over your eyes.

Works for me!

I got a cd of reiki music once, very psychedelic, but great for this kind of thing

Goodshape

The book I was on about is 'Stages of Meditation' by the Dalai Lama. It's a bit 'deep' at times but I found it quite enlightening.

Can be bought in Easons I believe (they've got a section for this sort of stuff).

stevenmu

Thanks Katie, that's pretty much what I try already, I guess I don't have your patience.

Cheers Goodshape, I might trying picking that book up, after I've emptied out the queue of other things I'm meant to be reading.

Scubadevils

I personally do awareness meditation. Not sure if its the correct name but it basically involves keeping your eyes open first and making yourself completely aware of your surroundings. If you sit in a quiet room, I think without music. Start to empty your mind by concentrating on your breathing. Imagine your feet are connected to the ground and try to feel, see and hear everything. If you are looking straight ahead, try see around you by using peripheral vision. The same for what you can hear, listen to everything. After a while try it with your eyes closed and just concentrate on what you can hear. Its basically about using all your senses without really thinking about anything as such. Once mastered in a room on your own you can actually do it while walking etc. I find it extremely relaxing and believe that it increases your overall awareness in everyday life. Thats of course when I do it on a regular basis!

Chi Gong is great too but probably requires being taught as opposed to just reading up. Its not just meditation but does have meditation aspects to it.

I am reading a book at the moment which came highly recommended. I have just started it and it does seem very good -

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0786880708/qid=1114181143/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002-7407291-5452069?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

americanCat

for my martial arts class, we meditate sometimes. I generally start by trying to erase every thought that comes into my head. Usually i do that by focusing on an empty room. Whenever a thought appears, i imagine it as a piece of paper and shove it off to one side. After awhile, if you get bored with this, then try imagining an apple in the palm of your hand. Focus on every detail. Imagine eating it. Take a bite and imagine how much of the apple is left. Imagine the taste, texture, etc. After you feel comfortable with this, you can move on to other things, like making PB&J sandwhiches. Tis fun and relaxing.

Glipmac

I like this one it is relaxing and nice,

Close your eyes and relax let your mind takeover... invision your self walking down a lane, as you draw to the end you come to a garden, try to remember what you see as you strole through, you come to a bridge there is water running slowly benith you just stand and watch the water for a moment, now move on across the bridge as you continue to walk you see a tree with seats near by take a seat and see who is there...

if nobody is there then sit peacefully for a while... if there is someone there feel free to talk to them...

when you feel ready say goodbye to who ever is there and stroll back across the bridge back through the garden back through the lane and back into your body...

I would like feed back on what people see or feel when they do this (i have been a medium for about 5 years now and like to know what other people pick up/see)

Glip :cool:

stevenmu

"Meditation" thread from Paranormal merged into here.

Sandy2004

I am usually too busy to meditate and on the two occasions I did try it (at a metaphysical seminar and during a reiki healing) - I ended up in a garden which appears to be the "other side". On both occasions, I have met my dead relatives and my guardian angel. I usually have a conversation with her where she gives me advice. The last time I was given advice from a unknown source - the dialect used sounded holy (like prayers) and superior (loud).

Does anyone else cross over when they meditate?

theTinker

that is an extremely intense reply
and u have only tried it twice? I've done it about 5 times(starting out only) and i hardly can get to a stage where im no thinking every breath.

cinnamon

hi I always found meditation really hard to do - couldn't concentrate, had too many thoughts in my brain, etc.
What worked for me was Reiki - I do self healing and find just visualising the energy very relaxing and have often gone into a trance like this.

Something else to try is to get your hands on some music to promote alpha brain waves (you can get them readily in new age shops). You only have to listen to the music to bring you on a journey. It is probably the easiest way to meditate

kshiel

Glipmac wrote:

I like this one it is relaxing and nice,

Close your eyes and relax let your mind takeover... invision your self walking down a lane, as you draw to the end you come to a garden, try to remember what you see as you strole through, you come to a bridge there is water running slowly benith you just stand and watch the water for a moment, now move on across the bridge as you continue to walk you see a tree with seats near by take a seat and see who is there...

if nobody is there then sit peacefully for a while... if there is someone there feel free to talk to them...

when you feel ready say goodbye to who ever is there and stroll back across the bridge back through the garden back through the lane and back into your body...


I would like feed back on what people see or feel when they do this (i have been a medium for about 5 years now and like to know what other people pick up/see)

Glip :cool:

I use this technique as well, It really is a lovely way to relax. Sometimes some one enters somestimes not. It feels like having a conversation yet with no real pressure to it. I usually end up sitting on a cliff near the ocean as I know this is were my mind is always the clearest. A lot of the time I dont really remember the conversation persay but I do come away feeling refreshed and a sence of everything made sence.

Shamanic

Hiya. Im new to this forum but Im a Shamanic Practitioner so when im meditating or journeying I listen to a Drumming cd by Martin Duffy the Shaman I studied under.
It is intense fast drum beats and has a "call back" signal at the end. A few of my clients found it hard to journey and i myself still find long meditation hard but there is a 15min track on the cd, i can copy it for u and forward it on if you want to give it a go.
It is proven that the timing in the beats actually change your brain waves into a more relaxed state so the cd helps get into the Shamanic State of Consciousness.

Marksie

I do chakra meditations.

Generally i begin with a simple meditation that drops me into the now which lasts about 15 minutes. Then Deep breath into each chakra through the mouth and visualise the chakra colours.
If i want to really pep mysef up i follow the osho Chakra triple breathing meditation and follow the cd music. You breath rapidly into each chakra while standing, legs loose and rotating the hips slightly..or whatever takes your fancy. The music is playing and someone rapid breathing to give you an idea of pace in the cd. At the sound of a bell you move up each chakra. after reaching the crown chakra you imagine the energy just genty flowing down you to your feet as perhaps a white veil.It is important you ground it to the floor as it links the spiritual world with the "real world" Then its starts again and you do it a total of three times... its quite energetic and lasts for 45 minutes. With a 15 minute meditation after.
It really gives me a sense of where i am and awareness

For the basic meditation though i just imagine myself joining with the floor and all the worries of the day just leaking down through it.
Any thoughts rattling around i note but dont dwell on.
the music for the simple meditation and the chakra breathing i use: steve roach and vidna obamana
ascension of shadows: meditation for the millenium

cue

The great thing about meditating is everyone has their own style. At the moment I am doing Tai Chi and there are a couple of exercises that have a habit of clearing the mind. I view meditating as just listening. If i try and read anymore into it than that i get all confused. Also, the best form of meditation for me is when I am aware of whatever I am at, just walking or washing the dishes or whatever.

stevenmu

I tend to find chakra-esque meditations leave me pretty hyper, sometimes before I'd be done I'd want to get up and start bouncing off the walls I was told recently (by someone I was sitting beside on a plane, it's funny the conversations you get into when you take the time to stop and talk to strangers) that you're really supposed to do some excersise first to burn off any unwanted energy, I haven't tried it yet but I've always found excersise and being in good shape makes focusing the mind much easier, so it makes a lot of sense to me anyway.

kshiel

I have recently purchased a pack for meditation with crystals by Sue Parlett. I have only used the one for balance so far but found it very interesting. Bascially you place a different crystals on your chakras points and just breath for about half and hour. found that a strange tingling sensation starting from the crown down to the Base. I found afterwards I would feel very happy almost giddie and full of life.

She also gives you ten meditation cards and instructions to use them. Haven't had time to do them yet.

Has anyone else used crystal meditation before and did they get the tingling sensation with it?

She has a website www.onesoulbenefit.com if anyone wants to have a look.

Dagon

Meditation is the widening of the silent spaces between the thoughts. The quietening of the mind. Deeper, silent awareness of the changes taking place in the body. If the moving mind can somehow be quiet, then you may experience some of what real meditation is about.

Concentration is an entirely different thing, and the two often seem to get mixed up. Using sounds, prayers, chants, music, visualisations, breathing etc. to help you go into a trance, to help the mind to go into a state of bliss or peacefullness, is a form of concentration. The mind becomes concentrated and you go into a state of happiness. Such states give a polish to the surface of the mind for a certain period of time, but they don't penetrate to the deep roots of the mind, nor do they eradicate deep rooted miseries. Such techniques are a good stepping stone into meditation though. But do not confuse them, because in meditation there is no outer point of concentration, as this only serves to distract one from the truth which is manifesting within. And there is no set of definite instructions or methods to force the mind into a particular pattern or rhythm. Meditation is the very opposite of distraction, the mind is not pushed, forced or distracted in any way whatsoever.

Meditation aims to travel to the very deepest levels, the deepest rooted complexes, using deep awareness with a totally quiet mind. Real meditation can't be learnt from a book (I've tried), although they will try to sell it to you. Meditation can't be learn't on a weekend course, although again they will try to sell it to you. You simply have to go on a silent journey with an experienced, reputable guide. And that journey is neither easy, nor short...

Dagon

Good link on meditation:
http://www.katinkahesselink.net/kr/meditate.htm

6th

I'd have to agree with the main point of Dagons post. I find my meditations when usings crystals or tapes is very different from when i do it unaided.

The fact is though that similar to the language of the paranormal, the language of spirituality isnt so clearly set as to be understood by the general masses. This can cause the meaning of words and phrases to be alot less specific than they should be.

Dagon

Yes, that's true mate. There are tons of different words floating about and at the end of the day there are no hard and fast rules. But meditation and concentration are very different things. I know some people who may have been doing meditation for years, but have never done what Buddha described as meditation. Usually, one will find out it is some for of concentration, and not meditation of any sort. Certainly useful, but it should never be a substitute for the real deal, and should be kept separate...

kshiel

Excellent point Dagon. I do find that when using crystals I am more inclined to do it to centre myself than go on a journey per say.

ladybirdirl

kshiel wrote:

I have recently purchased a pack for meditation with crystals by Sue Parlett. I have only used the one for balance so far but found it very interesting. Bascially you place a different crystals on your chakras points and just breath for about half and hour. found that a strange tingling sensation starting from the crown down to the Base. I found afterwards I would feel very happy almost giddie and full of life.

She also gives you ten meditation cards and instructions to use them. Haven't had time to do them yet.

Has anyone else used crystal meditation before and did they get the tingling sensation with it?

She has a website www.onesoulbenefit.com if anyone wants to have a look.

Hey there all,

I've done the meditation with the crystals and I do get that tingly feeling too.

Reiki also gives me this mind you.

There's also a CD & book called Flow Dreaming by Summer McStavrick which is quite good. The book goes on about positive thought and all that but I like the CD

Also try www.meditainment.com - lots of guided meditations on this

stevenmu

kshiel wrote:

I have recently purchased a pack for meditation with crystals by Sue Parlett. I have only used the one for balance so far but found it very interesting. Bascially you place a different crystals on your chakras points and just breath for about half and hour. found that a strange tingling sensation starting from the crown down to the Base. I found afterwards I would feel very happy almost giddie and full of life.

She also gives you ten meditation cards and instructions to use them. Haven't had time to do them yet.

Has anyone else used crystal meditation before and did they get the tingling sensation with it?

She has a website www.onesoulbenefit.com if anyone wants to have a look.

Interesting, I've seen those around, or something similar anyway. I'd thought at the time that they were a bit of a fluffy gimmick, but they sound like they could be worth a try. Let us know how you get on with the cards when you give them a try.

Dagon wrote:

Meditation is the widening of the silent spaces between the thoughts. The quietening of the mind. Deeper, silent awareness of the changes taking place in the body. If the moving mind can somehow be quiet, then you may experience some of what real meditation is about.

Concentration is an entirely different thing,
....

I like the distinction drawn between meditation and concentration. To be a little pedantic, 'meditate' can mean to reflect on something and I think that's where the word gets it's origins, so in that sense it is suitably applied to concentration aswell.

I came across this quote recently which I think explains it well

"So, to meditate is to purge the mind of its self-centered activity. And if you have come this far in meditation, you will find there is silence, a total emptiness. The mind is uncontaminated by society; it is no longer subject to any influence, to the pressure of any desire. It is completely alone, and being alone, untouched it is innocent. Therefore there is a possibility for that which is timeless, eternal, to come into being. This whole process is meditation." -- Jiddu Krishnamurti

kshiel

I have just tried the destination card. No tingling sensation but a kinda sharp movement within the top of my head like a dart of pain but not painful. Any way did as the instructions said placed stones on card and walked into river and swam up stream. At this point I just had to close my eyes as found could not clear my mind otherwise. At the end of the river I got up onto a bank with a winding road. As I walked along the road i could see myself doing various normal things like getting the kids out to school etc etc. I saw different things every few steps which I wont say here but were quiet interesting. the most interesting thing I have to say was at the end of the road there was a hill with a tree on top of it. I felt motioned to go towards the tree and when i reached the top a valley lay below filled with light and I got the impression I knew everyone down there. Felt really really welcoming. Started down the hill and everything just stopped. It was over I was back to where I was sitting on my bed. Not really sure what happened there but I suppose with practice it might get clearer hopefully.

littlebug

How how how???

I put on my cd (Soothing classics to relax mind, body and spirit: music by pachelbel, chopin and rachmaninov) and got into a comfortable position. The first few minutes were ok and the music was lovely and I was doing ok at focusing on my breathing.


Then... "hmmm, I wonder has the woman next door had her baby yet..... I really need to get that report done by next Wednesday ... lets see if I work on Sunday... blah blah blah.....was that the baby crying.....hmmm that's music is nice but those bloomin' birds in the background are really annoying....I really need to put on a wash.... have I anything for dinner tomorrow" and so on and so forth.

It seems I can only get close to meditation during a reiki session and at €50a shot I can't afford to do it that often. I do intend to take reiki I which I feel will help but it will be a few months before that happens.

I really feel like I can't relax let alone meditate but I also feel that I really need it? Seriously I don't think I ever really relax, I don't wind down at night so much as grind to a halt! I do cryptic crosswords and sudoku in bed for goodness sake!

Any advice folks? I've got the place to myself again tonight so I'd like to give it another shot...how in the world can I stop myself just, well... thinking.



p

6th

Thoughts pop into my head all the time, i just let them pass through. Try answering the questions like "is that the baby crying? ... nope".

littlebug

That makes sense. I think I'm thinking too much about thinking!

I do remember years ago trying to meditate but I got to a point where I could feel my mind spiralling off (only way I can think of describing it) and I got a bit freaked that I was losing control and brought my self back. I do think I'm a little bit scared of letting go to be honest and maybe that's why mind kicks back in with random nonsense. Is that spiralling thing normal? Is that what happens when your mind "empties"? If I just go with the flow what happens next? I know that's a stupid question to ask...I guess I'll know when it happens:o
P

6th

Go with the flow and take a walk down each path, they all lead somewhere.