Meditation

[roosta]

Is anyone else here practice or interested in meditation? If so, what style of meditation?

I've been reading about it for a while now, and in the past few months I've started....I'm trying to do 10 minutes daily, and once a week pop up to the meditation centre for an hour long session. Its the Shambhala Buddhist tradition that i'm practicing, which was adapted for secular westerners...
Regular cross legged (thank god, lotus or half lotus is too much), concentrating on the breathing.....

to be honest my practice has been inconsistent, but im making a concerted effort to practice daily now. As a long time meditater said to me "you don't have to like it, but you do have to just do it"

Any one else?

[Kid Presentable]

Do people still think watching TV is meditating?

Do you feel like invigorated after meditating roosta? I've never tried it.

[roosta]

Do people still think watching TV is meditating?

Do you feel like invigorated after meditating roosta? I've never tried it.

Sometimes I do...its hard to describe, but you feel like your head has been cleaned out...its refreshing.....

I must point out that I've read (and I believe, and try to explain) that you shouldn't really go into meditation expecting anything...this goes into a whole thing about its origins, and Buddhism and all...but if you go into it expecting to feel a certain way, you're probably gonna be disappointed. Also, you will frustrate yourself because you'll be sitting there waiting for something to happen, and when it doesn't you'll get annoyed. When the point is literally to just sit there...

Again, thats just the style ive been doing and reading about...

[Kid Presentable]

Do you ever feel sleepy from meditating?

[Echewta]

Does meditation have to mean doing something quiet and calm? I tend to get my best thinking and zen time hiking or training.

[roosta]

Do you ever feel sleepy from meditating?

Not really..i tend to do mine in the morning or mid afternoon...I try not to do it in the evening. If I'm doing it and I feel sleepy I give up for the session, as there's no point.

Does meditation have to mean doing something quiet and calm? I tend to get my best thinking and zen time hiking or training.

Well...the meditation i'm on about is about not-thinking as best you can, but yeah, you can do similar things while walking and stuff. Some of the Zen stuff i've read suggests that you can get the same effects doing any kind of activity, like washing dishes or hiking etc.

You concentrate on the activity you are doing (either breathing or walking or washing the dish) as best you can. The trick is to not become annoyed by the invading thoughts (which always happen). This is the hardest part for me at the mo, as a beginner...trying to not fixate or beat myself up for having thoughts..as its counter productive.

[Echewta]

Interesting. I've never been so focused on my breathing and the task at hand as when wearing full gear, including a breathing apparatus and fighting a fire. I get totally in tune with myself and what I'm doing.

I wonder if SCUBA divers feel the sameway. The mask around your face, hearing your own breath, etc.

[taquitos]

I wonder if SCUBA divers feel the sameway. The mask around your face, hearing your own breath, etc.

i've actually found this to be true. once you are under everything becomes very calming.
i tend to focus a great deal on my breathing, and if it wasn't for constant fear of shark
attack maybe it would be good meditation time.

there isn't much of a task to focus on though, usually just sightseeing.

[roosta]

Interesting. I've never been so focused on my breathing and the task at hand as when wearing full gear, including a breathing apparatus and fighting a fire. I get totally in tune with myself and what I'm doing.
.

That's exactly the kind of thing that meditation hopes to emulate in a way. That idea of being right here and right now, only in tune to the task in hand, without being clogged up by all the stuff the mind throws at you..

[Kid Presentable]

That's how I fall asleep. Try to cut out the multitude of incessant chattering in my brain to sleep a bit.

[b i o n i c]

i meditate pretty often, maybe its more of a breathing thing - in the nose out the mouth in the mouth out the nose, and so on really deep and slow - 15 minutes of that feels like 5 hours of sleep.

[Echewta]

i've actually found this to be true. once you are under everything becomes very calming.
i tend to focus a great deal on my breathing, and if it wasn't for constant fear of shark
attack maybe it would be good meditation time.

there isn't much of a task to focus on though, usually just sightseeing.

I wonder if the breathing and fire/shark thing makes your body calm because you are much closer to death than usual. The few examples where your body wouldn't freak out. Of course, you run of air then its panic time.

[Kid Presentable]

I need to meditate I think. I keep having this recurring dream. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXWYkDleVtY)

[camo]

Does anyone get that thing where you have so many thoughts in your head all at once and you can't apply any logic to the tasks at hand which then in turn leads to stress/confusion? I've had a lot on my plate recently and I was thinking of meditative techniques to gain a bit of clarity. Any ideas.

It also applies when I sleep, I don't seem to be able to turn off my thoughts like you seem to do Kid. I can go to bed really tired but so how wake myself up by thinkng too much.

[Kid Presentable]

I used to not sleep for days and it sucked.

[roosta]

Does anyone get that thing where you have so many thoughts in your head all at once and you can't apply any logic to the tasks at hand which then in turn leads to stress/confusion? I've had a lot on my plate recently and I was thinking of meditative techniques to gain a bit of clarity. Any ideas.

It also applies when I sleep, I don't seem to be able to turn off my thoughts like you seem to do Kid. I can go to bed really tired but so how wake myself up by thinkng too much.

I think meditation could definitely help with this...be warned though, it wouldn't be a quick fix...its like any disciple, it requires work and practice. But if you persist I think it would help you find clarity.

[camo]

I used to not sleep for days and it sucked.

Fuck that, I can go into droughts of up to three weeks! It sucks so badly (n)

[camo]

I think meditation could definitely help with this...be warned though, it wouldn't be a quick fix...its like any disciple, it requires work and practice. But if you persist I think it would help you find clarity.

oh didn't see this. Cheers matey

[cookiepuss]

Does meditation have to mean doing something quiet and calm? I tend to get my best thinking and zen time hiking or training.

There is such a thing as "walking meditation" and it's a fairly common practice. I've tried it a few times under the guidence of a teacher. I'm not really qualifed to explain it to you very well...but basically it's about being mindful of every step. instead of focusing on breath you use the movement of your body to bring you back to center.

The common misconception about most forms of meditation is that you must clear your mind and think of nothing. you are suppose to use focusing on your breath to keep you focused and centered but you should expect your mind to wander...that is the nature of the mind..when you realize it's wandering you simply name it...planning, worry, sadness, anger atc. and come back to your center which is breath in that very moment. to be still in just that moment without past or future. The best way I've heard it described is that your thoughts should flow through you like waves in the ocean during meditation, but meditation is not nessessarily the absence of all thought.

My teacher is Jack Kornfeild. I go to his retreat center form time to time.
but like you roosta I have not yet been diciplined in my practice. So far I do use meditation when i am feeling very stressed or bewildered or worried or fearful and I just can't shake it. meditation does help bring me back to center and make me feel calm and able to handle difficulties better.

[Guy Incognito]

I know its been said there is no qucik fix and not to expect anything but are you able to recognise when its helped you. I mean, have you thought that in a particular situation that you different mentally because of meditation? Do you get what i am on about?

[cookiepuss]

^ I think I understand what you are asking.

meditation helps me be less attached. and yes there have been situation I was able to handle differently, because meditation helped me NOT to be attached (or obsessive over)to the outcome of the situation.

[roosta]

The common misconception about most forms of meditation is that you must clear your mind and think of nothing. you are suppose to use focusing on your breath to keep you focused and centered but you should expect your mind to wander...that is the nature of the mind..when you realize it's wandering you simply name it...planning, worry, sadness, anger atc. and come back to your center which is breath in that very moment. to be still in just that moment without past or future. The best way I've heard it described is that your thoughts should flow through you like waves in the ocean during meditation, but meditation is not nessessarily the absence of all thought.

This is an excellent description of what its about...sums it up really. Another nice description I heard was, think of yourself as a mountain and thoughts as clouds..just let them drift over you.

I know its been said there is no qucik fix and not to expect anything but are you able to recognise when its helped you. I mean, have you thought that in a particular situation that you different mentally because of meditation? Do you get what i am on about?

Yeah...similar to cookiepuss, its helped me step back from situations and not to fixate on them. It has also helped me become more aware of my thoughts. Like im in a argumentative conversation with someone, and it could go ugly and petty and sometimes I can go "no, hold on, i'm only gonna say that to make myself feel better and score points", the meditation has helped me be more aware of that kind of thing.

[Guy Incognito]

Yeah...similar to cookiepuss, its helped me step back from situations and not to fixate on them. It has also helped me become more aware of my thoughts. Like im in a argumentative conversation with someone, and it could go ugly and petty and sometimes I can go "no, hold on, i'm only gonna say that to make myself feel better and score points", the meditation has helped me be more aware of that kind of thing.


Thats what i was getting at - i didnt think it would be like that. Am interested. Could do with being able to do that. HAd a lot of stress and am currently in counselling but thats just making me think about stuff even more and given me more questions and thoughts really. Some reading is required methinks.

[paul jones]

I know where Bob Monkhouse used to live,before he died.

I delivered some paintings to his house in a village not far from me a few years ago,his wife signed for them but I did meet Bob once when he walked into the record shop I used to work in.

[roosta]

I know where Bob Monkhouse used to live,before he died.

I delivered some paintings to his house in a village not far from me a few years ago,his wife signed for them but I did meet Bob once when he walked into the record shop I used to work in.

excellent! The ghost of bob monkhouse is still appearing on web site banner adds telling people to check their prostrate.

[paul jones]

excellent! The ghost of bob monkhouse is still appearing on web site banner adds telling people to check their prostrate.

(y)

[roosta]

Here's a great video introducing zazen or Zen style seated mediation (http://youtube.com/watch?v=csyCrcpDs58)

I'm making it my mission to get comfortable with Burmese sitting position.