How do you meditate?

[Aupmanyav]

1) Find or create a quiet place.
2) Bathe.
3) Sit still, spine erect, head balanced.
4) Close eyes.
5) Do pranayama, rhythmic, in and out.
6) Feel the warmth of the body.
7) Feel the nerve currents.
8) Just be aware, withdraw the thinking.
9) If there is a daily topic or focus, float awareness over it, but not delve into it.
10) repeat steps, in reverse order.

There are many slight variations of this.

Yeah, 1 to 5 OK. Some people cannot do Pranayama, breathing problems. Differ mainly at 8, because I consider that to be the purpose of meditation. 9, you need to delve into some questions. 10, no repeat. Clear up your mind, focus, get the answers.
I had my special way to begin meditation. Chant some mantra. Chant it with slower and slower rhythm. Introduce random breaks. Make the breaks longer and longer. Silence.
I got my answers, do not need to meditate now. To focus my mind, instantaneous, I just need to order it. May not necessarily be your way.

 

[Secret Chief]

Well, that is Buddhist ... meditation. My meditation was not like this. Meditation is to become Buddha, to find answers to questions. Why otherwise would one meditate? That is why even Buddha meditated.

That sounds like you're saying the Buddha meditated in the same way as you and that this is not Buddhist meditation.

 

[Aupmanyav]

1. He wanted answers to his questions. Answers to his questions came immediately after meditation. I would credit his meditation for that, after effect of meditation. He suddenly saw the 'middle way'. I too suddenly saw my way - "If you can't find any evidence for Gods and Goddesses, why are you persisting with them? Leave them for others. They are not your way." And everything sorted out.
2. 'Mindless meditation' is not my cup of coffee. I think meditation/thinking concentratedly on some question should not be continued for more that 15 or 20 minutes. If one is not getting it right at that time, go get a smoke, try some other time. I can't wrap myself around meditation for hours together. I think it is harmful and may lead to hallucinations (as Buddha said) 'vexation of mind and even madness'. Many Hindus too take meditation to be that and there are cases when it resulted in madness.

Buddha is one of my two gurus. I seem to understand him instinctively. Perhaps Buddha was somewhat like me.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

When I was Raelian I would do sensual meditations where my senses were all wrapped up and I sometimes could barely tell what I'm doing.

Now I like dry, long meditations. I think reading the Book of Mormon is like a long, barely noticeable meditation that helps a ton. I like to write books and I think I can take a year to spell out a book on a subject.

I don't know where else I can go to get more inspiration than that I've already explored a little.

I don't "meditate" in the classical sense.

If I do something that resembles it, it would have to be playing the drums.

I can get completely lost in drum sessions. Sometimes it lasts 5 mins, other days it can take upto 90 mins or even more.

I call it "the zone". When you achieve getting into "the zone", it's like the room I'm in playing the drums, becomes the entire universe. Everything else disappears from my mind: all my worries, my work, my kids, my wife, ... Even myself and my own needs and wants.

The only thing that remains is a rythmic pulse around which a groove exists and which introduces intresting "tension" in the atmosphere through a melodic pattern of single and double strokes, that play with the timing and the subdivisions thereof.

"the zone" is a place where I no longer think about how I'm playing what I'm playing, where I no longer "plan" what comes next and where I am being guided by "the moment". It's as if I submit all control to some mysterious "other" thing, which controls the rythm.

Off course there is not "other thing" and it's all just me and a specific mind set. But it's an awesome feeling.

30 mins of that, is the mental equivalent of a month vacation. Afterwards I usually need a couple minutes to "wake up" again and come back from the clouds LOL

Not exactly "mediation", but when I talk to people who do meditate in the classical sense and what they get out of it... I can only compare it to playing drums while "in the zone". It seems as if what meditation does for them, playing "in the zone" does for me.

 

[February-Saturday]

I do a lot of meditations, because meditation makes you a power-user of your own mind. I want to describe them all here, but it would get rather lengthy. Instead, I'll give you my three most frequent forms of meditation.

1.) Prayer.

I know there are a lot of different ways to pray. For me, I focus on my internal concept of the deity and try to find the external force that's "behind" the impression left in my mind. It ends up with me sort of merging with whoever I'm praying to, in a way that's rather hard to describe to people who haven't experienced it. I do this to align my underlying attitude closer with the attitude of the being I'm praying to, which has a variety of applications.

2.) Introspective.

This is sort of like prayer, but it focuses on my analytical mind rather than my deeper-set moods and attitudes. I think about the goals I want to accomplish, the obstacles I'm facing, and new information I may have gained.

I try to think deeply about my own life in general, aligning myself with values or plans, processing whatever I've done throughout the weak, and using this time to strive to live more intentionally. It's surprisingly handy. It often ends in prayer when I realize some deeper-set problem with my attitude.

3.) Grounding.

In this meditation, I start by being aware of my body from the inside out and then moving my awareness to all of my physical sensations. I take the time to just live in total acceptance of the moment, no matter how unpleasant it is.

Once I can do this, I make a conscious decision to step back from my own thoughts and accept those, too, without choosing to add any judgment or aggression towards them. This helps me a lot to cope with a variety of situations, mostly anger and frustration.

 

[Martin]

There are myriad approaches to meditation, the common theme seems to be stepping outside the habitual, and experiencing things in a different way.
In recent years I've focused on mindfulness "off the cushion", rather than on sitting meditation. I also do some chanting. One of my favourite things is watching and hearing waves breaking on the shore.

 

[Aupmanyav]

I call it "the zone".

'Zone' and meditation are different. 'Zone' is 'no thinking', meditation is 'focused all-aware thinking'. IMHO.

One of my favourite things is watching and hearing waves breaking on the shore.

Or rustling of leaves or the sound of blowing wind. That is nature's chant.

 

[Heyo]

'Zone' and meditation are different. 'Zone' is 'no thinking', meditation is 'focused all-aware thinking'. IMHO.

Isn't the goal of transcendental meditation to stop thinking?

 

[ajay0]

I practice two forms of meditation. One is present moment awareness as in witnessing or Zazen and mindfulness , while the other is of meditating on God as an incorporeal point of light with love, as taught in the Raja Yoga meditation of the Prajapita Brahmakumaris. The Brahmakumari's teach this meditation technique in their service centers in 170 countries, as part of their seven day course, free of cost.

 

[Martin]

I practice two forms of meditation. One is present moment awareness as in witnessing or Zazen and mindfulness , while the other is of meditating on God as an incorporeal point of light with love, as taught in the Raja Yoga meditation of the Prajapita Brahmakumaris. The Brahmakumari's teach this meditation technique in their service centers in 170 countries, as part of their seven day course, free of cost.


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Do you visualise the the point of light?

 

[Martin]

Isn't the goal of transcendental meditation to stop thinking?

The goal of many meditation techniques is to quieten the mind, which also leads to greater clarity.
Then there is contemplation, which involves reflection on a theme - that does involve thinking.
People have many different ideas about "meditation", and there isn't a single definition. So it's always worth asking people what they actually mean by it, and what they're actually doing.

 

[ajay0]

Do you visualise the the point of light?

Yes, the point of light is visualized with love . Devotional music (found in the internet) also aids the process.

The objective is to still the turbulent thoughts and emotions and only the image of point of light be there in the mind. Often you may find yourself forgetting the image and getting caught in the train of thoughts and emotions. With practice however, you can see the thoughts and emotions subsiding, and only the image of point of light remains.

It is a very blissful meditation, and is conducted best at morning between 4:00 and 6:00 am. It can also be practiced at other times throughout the day. The early morning meditation however makes it practice easier throughout the day.

This meditation is also in line with Ramana Maharshi's teaching as follows, "The degree of freedom from unwanted thoughts and the degree of concentration on a single thought are the measures to gauge spiritual progress."

 

[Aupmanyav]

Isn't the goal of transcendental meditation to stop thinking?

Definitely not in my case. It was focused thinking on things. I do not subscribe to the other kind of meditation.

Do you visualize the the point of light?

If you are asking me - No. In my case it was slowing of rhythm and ever-increasing random breaks.

Savikalpa - Wikipedia

Eight-part Hindu Meditation (Ashtang Yoga): 1. Yama (Don'ts), 2. Niyama (Dos), 3. Asana (Posture), 4. Pranayama (Control of breathing), 5. Pratyahara (Retracting from sensory experience), 6. Dharana (Concentration), 7. Dhyana (Contemplation), 8. Samadhi (Internalizing the result of contemplation).

 

[Heyo]

Definitely not in my case. It was focused thinking,on things. I do not subscribe to the other kind of meditation.

If that works for you ...
I can't think analytical in a meditative state, it goes all to associative, like in a dream. But it's good to clear the mind when I get my thoughts in a knot. After the AT, I can think more clearly again, just not during.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

When I was Raelian I would do sensual meditations where my senses were all wrapped up and I sometimes could barely tell what I'm doing.

Now I like dry, long meditations. I think reading the Book of Mormon is like a long, barely noticeable meditation that helps a ton. I like to write books and I think I can take a year to spell out a book on a subject.

I don't know where else I can go to get more inspiration than that I've already explored a little.

Can writing be a form of meditation?

 

[Martin]

Can writing be a form of meditation?

I think it could, particularly if you're thoroughly absorbed in it. As another example, I used to find sailing quite meditative, totally focused on the wind. A different state of mind?

 

[Aupmanyav]

I can't think analytical in a meditative state, .. But it's good to clear the mind when I get my thoughts in a knot. After the AT, I can think more clearly again, just not during.

I have a different concept of meditation than rapture or Samadhi.

Can writing be a form of meditation?

Yeah, why not. Your mind is constantly analyzing what you are writing. That is awareness.

 

[Vinayaka]

Do you visualise the the point of light?

In deeper meditation, it's not a matter of visualising, but of seeing.

 

[February-Saturday]

In deeper meditation, it's not a matter of visualising, but of seeing.

Interestingly enough, in intense prayer, I see a spot of what can only be said to be "blacker than black." It's a darkness that somehow makes the pitch-black around it look almost white by comparison. It's normally accompanied by the intense feeling of a presence, and time appears to slow down.

 

[Vinayaka]

Interestingly enough, in intense prayer, I see a spot of what can only be said to be "blacker than black." It's a darkness that somehow makes the pitch-black around it look almost white by comparison. It's normally accompanied by the intense feeling of a presence, and time appears to slow down.

Yup, that too. Odd, just the other day I saw that, and wondered if anyone else does. My favorite is the wavy northern lights like stuff. You just sit still and watch.