Alternatives to Mindfulness Meditation?

[Left Coast]

I find myself unmotivated to practice mindfulness meditation these days, although it's been helpful in the past with cultivating inner peacefulness and self-reflection. Looking for an alternative form of meditation for similar purposes.
Perhaps something with a mantra or simple chant? Preferably something that a more or less godless heathen can recite. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

 

[Sunstone]

A chant sounds good. I have heard that ritualized behavior in general is usually comforting. In fact, a therapist once urged me to develop a ritual or two as a means of promoting calm and happiness. He said we humans need to strike a balance between stability and change. Too much change and we feel insecure and anxious. Too much stability and we get into ruts, turn to stone.

 

[Heyo]

I find myself unmotivated to practice mindfulness meditation these days, although it's been helpful in the past with cultivating inner peacefulness and self-reflection. Looking for an alternative form of meditation for similar purposes.
Perhaps something with a mantra or simple chant? Preferably something that a more or less godless heathen can recite. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

A good alternative for a western, secular person is Autogenic Trainig (AT). Not only is it a relaxation method but it adds the possibility to work on other (health) problems when in the relaxed state.
AT has been clinically studied and confirmed to work on anxiety disorders and autoimmune problems (allergies).
It takes some time to learn and ideally one should learn from a professional, but self teaching from books is possible.
It helped me to get rid of hay fever.

 

[crossfire]

Zazen

 

[MNoBody]

maybe read, or re-read [in case you have already read it before] Siddhartha
the part where he got to the end of playing around with his ascetic buddies, and began another phase...
comes to mind as something i need to do as i am similarly challenged..
thanks for bringing the topic up

 

[Left Coast]

Zazen

Other than assigning specific physical postures, can you explain how zazen is different from mindfulness meditation?

 

[Secret Chief]

Other than assigning specific physical postures, can you explain how zazen is different from mindfulness meditation?

Does MM utilise focussing of attention (eg on the breath?). Zazen is also called "just sitting." It is objectless, in other words.

 

[Secret Chief]

How's about TM?

 

[crossfire]

Other than assigning specific physical postures, can you explain how zazen is different from mindfulness meditation?

Zazen is just sitting and observing. Mindfulness involves active engagement in a task such as walking, chopping wood, carrying water, or simply breathing.

Engaging in mindful walking meditation will help to trigger lucid dreams, while zazen generally does not.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I find myself unmotivated to practice mindfulness meditation these days, although it's been helpful in the past with cultivating inner peacefulness and self-reflection. Looking for an alternative form of meditation for similar purposes.
Perhaps something with a mantra or simple chant? Preferably something that a more or less godless heathen can recite. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Have you tried samadhi meditation (non-dual oneness with the object of meditation)?

 

[Aupmanyav]

And what is that, Salix? It is understanding. After understanding no 'samadhi' is required.

 

[Left Coast]

How's about TM?

Heard of it, know nothing about how it's done. Also heard it's like a course you have to pay for, is that true?

 

[Left Coast]

Have you tried samadhi meditation (non-dual oneness with the object of meditation)?

No, but direct me to some instructions (or provide them here) and I'll check it out!

 

[Secret Chief]

Heard of it, know nothing about how it's done. Also heard it's like a course you have to pay for, is that true?

Officially yes. A scrorm around tinterweb suggests to me it's essentially meditation with a focus on a short word mantra, repeated silently. One has to pay to be advised of your own specific personal mantra. That is my recall of it, make of it what you will.

 

[PureX]

The goal, I believe, regardless of the method, is to remove the conscious self from that ongoing stream of 'prattle' that goes on in our minds. I, personally, have never been able to stop that stream of prattle, and the more I've tried, the louder and more persistent it seems to become. However, I have discovered that if I simply let it prattle on, while I focus on just 'being here', rather than on my thinking about my being here (or whatever else my mind is prattling on about), that prattle becomes a kind of meaningless white noise, in the background, while I simply enjoy an awareness of existing: of breathing in, and out. Of the 'taste' of the air in my lungs. The feel of the light and the air around me on my skin. The gravity holding me to the floor. And in no time at all, I'm feeling relaxed and grateful for the gift of existence. And for the gift of life. And for the gift of being human (self-aware). And that makes me feel clear, and honest, and positive.

I have also discovered that I can control that ongoing stream of prattle in my mind by giving it a moderately complex but stress free and enjoyable task, like working out a puzzle. I like designing and building things, and I like boats. So whenever I find myself in a stressful situation, and in need of calming and relaxing myself, I can sit still, and sit quietly, and set my mind to work on 'walking through' (via my imagination) the complex processes that would be required to construct a boat. And because I enjoy this kind of 'mind puzzle', I find myself enjoying the current situation, as opposed to being frustrated, or bored, or whatever I was feeling, before.

The key to these forms of meditation, for me, is in my response to that ongoing stream of prattle that's always there, in my mind, and that can sometimes becomes very anxiety-inducing. Or distracting to the point of losing my sense of being 'present' in life (a conscious awareness of the gift of being). That awareness of the gift of being is the rock that holds me together, spiritually, and makes my life worth whatever struggles it manifests. That gratitude is my antidote for whatever 'poisons' life might try to infect my spirit with.

 

[SalixIncendium]

No, but direct me to some instructions (or provide them here) and I'll check it out!

Here's a brief synopsis from the perspective of Hinduism.

"Samadhi is oneness with the object of meditation. There is no distinction between act of meditation and the object of meditation. Samadhi is of two kinds,[49][web 5] with and without support of an object of meditation:[web 6]

• Samprajnata Samadhi, also called savikalpa samadhi and Sabija Samadhi,[web 7][note 14] meditation with support of an object.[web 6][note 15]
  Samprajata samadhi is associated with deliberation, reflection, bliss, and I-am-ness.[53][note 16]

The first two, deliberation and reflection, form the basis of the various types of samapatti:[53][55]

• Savitarka, "deliberative":[53][note 17] The citta is concentrated upon a gross object of meditation,[web 6] an object with a manifest appearance that is perceptible to our senses,[56] such as a flame of a lamp, the tip of the nose, or the image of a deity.[citation needed] Conceptualization (vikalpa) still takes place, in the form of perception, the word and the knowledge of the object of meditation.[53] When the deliberation is ended this is called nirvitaka samadhi.[57][note 18]
• Savichara, "reflective":[56] the citta is concentrated upon a subtle object of meditation,[web 6][56] which is not perceptible to the senses, but arrived at through inference,[56] such as the senses, the process of cognition, the mind, the I-am-ness,[note 19] the chakras, the inner-breath (prana), the nadis, the intellect (buddhi).[56] The stilling of reflection is called nirvichara samapatti.[56][note 20]

The last two associations, sananda samadhi and sasmita, are respectively a state of meditation, and an object of savichara samadhi:

• Sananda Samadhi, ananda,[note 21] "bliss": this state emphasizes the still subtler state of bliss in meditation;[web 6]
• Sasmita: the citta is concentrated upon the sense or feeling of "I-am-ness".[web 6]

• Asamprajnata Samadhi, also called Nirvikalpa Samadhi[web 5] and Nirbija Samadhi:[web 5][note 22] meditation without an object,[web 6] which leads to knowledge of purusha or consciousness, the subtlest element.[56][note 23]"

Samadhi - Wikipedia​

There are also other dharmic religions' perspectives in that article.

I'll see what else I can dig up in a bit, and later when I have a bit more time, I'll post my own process.

ETA: I would advise you to steer clear of the YouTube videos on samadhi. I found them to be quite useless.

 

[Windwalker]

I find myself unmotivated to practice mindfulness meditation these days, although it's been helpful in the past with cultivating inner peacefulness and self-reflection. Looking for an alternative form of meditation for similar purposes.
Perhaps something with a mantra or simple chant? Preferably something that a more or less godless heathen can recite. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Qigong practice is perfect for this. It is breathing excerises with movement which relaxes the mind and body and makes you naturally more present in the moment without having to make an effort. Everything comes down to relaxation.

I practice Taiji, which is an internal martial arts form based upon qigong practices. Qigong always comes first to center and ground and relax all parts of the body. Taiji takes a long time to learn, while Qigong can be picked up quickly.

Here's a short video of some older woman doing and explaining qigong practices simply. It's easy to follow along with. Doing it outside is best, of course.

 

[SalixIncendium]

No, but direct me to some instructions (or provide them here) and I'll check it out!

Here's a brief synopsis from the perspective of Hinduism.

"Samadhi is oneness with the object of meditation. There is no distinction between act of meditation and the object of meditation. Samadhi is of two kinds,[49][web 5] with and without support of an object of meditation:[web 6]

• Samprajnata Samadhi, also called savikalpa samadhi and Sabija Samadhi,[web 7][note 14] meditation with support of an object.[web 6][note 15]
  Samprajata samadhi is associated with deliberation, reflection, bliss, and I-am-ness.[53][note 16]

The first two, deliberation and reflection, form the basis of the various types of samapatti:[53][55]

• Savitarka, "deliberative":[53][note 17] The citta is concentrated upon a gross object of meditation,[web 6] an object with a manifest appearance that is perceptible to our senses,[56] such as a flame of a lamp, the tip of the nose, or the image of a deity.[citation needed] Conceptualization (vikalpa) still takes place, in the form of perception, the word and the knowledge of the object of meditation.[53] When the deliberation is ended this is called nirvitaka samadhi.[57][note 18]
• Savichara, "reflective":[56] the citta is concentrated upon a subtle object of meditation,[web 6][56] which is not perceptible to the senses, but arrived at through inference,[56] such as the senses, the process of cognition, the mind, the I-am-ness,[note 19] the chakras, the inner-breath (prana), the nadis, the intellect (buddhi).[56] The stilling of reflection is called nirvichara samapatti.[56][note 20]

The last two associations, sananda samadhi and sasmita, are respectively a state of meditation, and an object of savichara samadhi:

• Sananda Samadhi, ananda,[note 21] "bliss": this state emphasizes the still subtler state of bliss in meditation;[web 6]
• Sasmita: the citta is concentrated upon the sense or feeling of "I-am-ness".[web 6]

• Asamprajnata Samadhi, also called Nirvikalpa Samadhi[web 5] and Nirbija Samadhi:[web 5][note 22] meditation without an object,[web 6] which leads to knowledge of purusha or consciousness, the subtlest element.[56][note 23]"

Samadhi - Wikipedia​

There are also other dharmic religions' perspectives in that article.

I'll see what else I can dig up in a bit, and later when I have a bit more time, I'll post my own process.

ETA: I would advise you to steer clear of the YouTube videos on samadhi. I found them to be quite useless.

As promised, a process that has worked for me. My flavor tends more toward asamprajnata, meditation without an object. However, in order to achieve this, I have used objects in my consciousness, and through the expression of neti-neti, have realized oneness with with them by way of realizing I am not them (yes, I understand that is seemingly contradictory, but the concept is difficult to express with words).

______________________________________________________________________________

Place yourself in a comfortable meditative posture. Close your eyes.

Bring your attention to your body. Open your senses. Flavors in the mouth, any odors in the air, the touch of the temperature of air on your skin and the clothes touching your body. Sounds you hear, both nearby and distant. With your eyes still closed focus on a point just beyond your nose.

Begin with each sense organ and realize you can observe what each one senses and that these smells, tastes, feelings on the skin, and sounds are not you.

Then move to each sense organ itself. With your mind, you can observe each one, the mouth, the ears, the nose, the skin and the eyes, and realize that since you can observe them, they are not you.

Then bring your attention to the breath, the rise and fall of your chest with each breath. You can observe the rising and falling and the breath itself. Since you can observe them, they are not you.

Turn your attention inward to your thoughts in your mind. These thoughts come and go, and are thereby temporary, whereas you, the observer of these thoughts, are permanent. Since you can observe these thoughts, they are not you.

Ask yourself, "Who am I?" Who is it that observes the objects of the sense organs, the sense organs themselves, the breath, the thoughts in your mind, or the mind itself? You realize you are not your body, you are not your mind, you are not your thoughts, your perceptions, your judgments, or your ego. You are pure consciousness. Exist in that state of being, a state without thought or judgment. Stay with this as long as you are able.

______________________________________________________________________________

I used this process for some time until I eventually was able to achieve this state of being without the process. But in times of stress when I find myself slip back into a state of avidya (ignorance), I do, until this day, find this exercise useful.