Meditating with a full mind or an empty mind?

[an anarchist]

I have to reread the Dhammapada, but I seem to recall Buddha warning about the dangers of an idle mind. An idle mind makes you susceptible to Māra. I think this was also in reference to meditation, I'm not sure.
When meditating, do you prefer to empty your mind or fill it? Or do they go hand in hand? Empty your mind of all the junk then fill it with goodness.

 

[Spirit of Light]

I have to reread the Dhammapada, but I seem to recall Buddha warning about the dangers of an idle mind. An idle mind makes you susceptible to Māra. I think this was also in reference to meditation, I'm not sure.
When meditating, do you prefer to empty your mind or fill it? Or do they go hand in hand? Empty your mind of all the junk then fill it with goodness.

When I sitt down to meditate, I have no intention of doing meditation. The mind goes in to meditation when it is ready.

Yes I do sit down crosslegged and close my eyes. And breath, focusing in the beginning on the breath but after some time, no focus is needed because all become calm.

 

[Heyo]

I have to reread the Dhammapada, but I seem to recall Buddha warning about the dangers of an idle mind. An idle mind makes you susceptible to Māra. I think this was also in reference to meditation, I'm not sure.
When meditating, do you prefer to empty your mind or fill it? Or do they go hand in hand? Empty your mind of all the junk then fill it with goodness.

I meditate (AT, a very westernized form of meditation) to get rid of all the voices in my head. I.e. no matter if I have a full or empty mind, the goal is to empty the mind.

 

[mangalavara]

I have to reread the Dhammapada

That's a very helpful and inspirational text. I've been thinking about rereading it lately, too.

but I seem to recall Buddha warning about the dangers of an idle mind. An idle mind makes you susceptible to Māra. I think this was also in reference to meditation, I'm not sure.

I'm also not sure. However, I personally think we should be careful about the idle mind during meditation and beyond meditation. It's good to be in control of the mind. For me, being in control of the mind isn't the same thing as making sure there are no random thoughts, which is impossible, rather, it means not wallowing in negative thoughts and not entertaining delusional ideas.

When meditating, do you prefer to empty your mind or fill it?

Neither. I prefer to focus on the beautiful, lotuslike feet of Mahādevī.

Empty your mind of all the junk then fill it with goodness.

This, I think, is something worth doing beyond meditation. A mind that's of pure quality and thereby is a wellspring of good thoughts is something I need.

 

[Aupmanyav]

When meditating, do you prefer to empty your mind or fill it? Or do they go hand in hand?

IMHO, first empty by not giving importance to what is there, then fill with the questions that you want answers to. Regular breathing is one of the good ways (though for a member of the forum that was not convenient). When you have answers, evil will automatically be erased.

 

[Ben Dhyan]

I have to reread the Dhammapada, but I seem to recall Buddha warning about the dangers of an idle mind. An idle mind makes you susceptible to Māra. I think this was also in reference to meditation, I'm not sure.
When meditating, do you prefer to empty your mind or fill it? Or do they go hand in hand? Empty your mind of all the junk then fill it with goodness.

Neither, so long as there is an I present trying to empty the mind or to fill the mind, the mind will be far from the quiescent state of dhyana. The very purpose of religious meditation practice is to still the mind, and so long as there is an I present, the mind will not be still.

 

[SalixIncendium]

It's not about "empty" or "full." It's about steadiness. I find meditation with a still/steady mind is the most effective. The vrittis are still present, but one is not distracted by them.

 

[SalixIncendium]

When I sitt down to meditate, I have no intention of doing meditation. The mind goes in to meditation when it is ready.

Yes I do sit down crosslegged and close my eyes. And breath, focusing in the beginning on the breath but after some time, no focus is needed because all become calm.

If you have no intention of doing meditation, why do you sit down to meditate, cross your legs, and close your eyes?

 

[Spirit of Light]

If you have no intention of doing meditation, why do you sit down to meditate, cross your legs, and close your eyes?

It is meditation, but there is no intention behind " i must get this meditation correct"
Meditation is stillness of the mind and technically could be done anywhere. To sitt down is more of a ritual than of nessesarity.

 

[syo]

I can't empty my head.

 

[WonderingWorrier]

Meditation triggers an OBE. Shifting consciousness into another self, in another world, within the mind.

It is amazing what happens when you search inside yourself.



An alert mind is a still mind. No thoughts come.

It is just like looking out the window on a dark night. (Something is out there. What is it?).

The mind is still in a state of alertness.

The eyes change position when looking forward into the darkness.

Then the light show begins. Coloured lights. Science calls them phosphenes (Greek word meaning to see light).


If the phosphenes are ignored and looked through then they last longer, and another light appears from straight ahead. A white light that has glimpses of rainblow colours in it which can be seen swirling into itself like kneeding dough. Thats when the eyelids open into another self.


The phosphenes seem to be a rainbow bridge between worlds.

 

[PureX]

I have to reread the Dhammapada, but I seem to recall Buddha warning about the dangers of an idle mind. An idle mind makes you susceptible to Māra. I think this was also in reference to meditation, I'm not sure.
When meditating, do you prefer to empty your mind or fill it? Or do they go hand in hand? Empty your mind of all the junk then fill it with goodness.

I don't find it possible to "empty the mind". However, it is possible to remove it's constant blather as a point of focus, reducing it to a kind of 'white noise'. Where upon it becomes possible to be still. And to be 'in' that stillness.

 

[Ben Dhyan]

I don't find it possible to "empty the mind". However, it is possible to remove it's constant blather as a point of focus, reducing it to a kind of 'white noise'. Where upon it becomes possible to be still. And to be 'in' that stillness.

That 'white noise' may be non-ego awareness?

 

[Aupmanyav]

1. You can't be in stillness for a time longer than a few moments. and 2. It does not help in any way.
Meditation is to find answers to questions. For that you require a still mind, which you can restart after you fill in the questions.
If there is a noise in your car, then driving will not be a pleasure. That is why removing the noise is important.
But a car without noise and which has nowhere to go is useless.

 

[SalixIncendium]

1. You can't be in stillness for a time longer than a few moments. and 2. It does not help in any way.
Meditation is to find answers to questions. For that you require a still mind, which you can restart after you fill in the questions.

Careful with using the word "you" in such a context. Because something works or doesn't work for you does not me it will or won't work for another.

Also, I think you're conflating meditation and contemplation.

If there is a noise in your car, then driving will not be a pleasure. That is why removing the noise is important.
But a car without noise and which has nowhere to go is useless.

Going somewhere? Where is it you were hoping meditation would take you?

 

[PureX]

That 'white noise' may be non-ego awareness?

I think that "non-ego awareness" is what happens when we are able to reduce the brain's constant internal dialogue to 'white noise'. It's the awareness of being, without thinking. You just breathe, and let gravity hold you to the Earth. There is no desire, or intention. You feel the heart pump and the blood flowing through you. Nothing we need to know, to be.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Also, I think you're conflating meditation and contemplation.
Going somewhere? Where is it you were hoping meditation would take you?

For me, meditation was contemplation. I have completed my search.
Meditation (or contemplation, as you term it) takes us to the answers.

Nothing we need to know, to be.

To be, I do not need to do anything. I would still be.

 

[SalixIncendium]

For me, meditation was contemplation. I have completed my search.
Meditation (or contemplation, as you term it) takes us to the answers.

For me, they're not the same thing. While there may be an overlap, they serve different purposes.

Contemplation brings answers to questions. In mediation, there are no questions.

 

[Aupmanyav]

I respect your view, but do not agree.

 

[JustGeorge]

If you have no intention of doing meditation, why do you sit down to meditate, cross your legs, and close your eyes?

I've seen some refer to that as taking a nap.

My grandmother always called that 'watching TV'.