Meditation

[PrincessY]

Do any of you meditate? What are your techniques? How do you learn how to do it? How does it help you in your life?

[RobotMirror]

Re: Meditation

Wow, this is the last place I was expecting a meditation posting. But I do meditate, at least weekly, and I aim for daily. My technique is simple - adopt a comfortable pose, concentrate on breathing and/or hand tingling, and observe thoughts internally, and their pull, for 20-30 minutes.

I started meditating when I was a teenager based on some guided audiotapes. But now I am a member of the Orange County Zen Center, and also attend the weekly guided meditaion at a bookstore in Costa Mesa on Sunday nights, which is more Tibetan in nature. Not my thing, as tibetan meditation is more about ritual, it seems, but the discussion and lectures are really, really good.

[TikiRoomLiz]

Re: Meditation

I've been using meditation in my life for about the last two months and have found it very helpful. Not only do I get a more restful sleep, but I do seem to get less stressed over things as well.

If you have an iPod remember that are Podcasts, which are free, for mostly everything under the sun! I download meditation Podcasts, and I use them to relax before I go to bed. I like "The Meditation Podcast" and "Meditation Oasis" Podcasts. At first I thought I'd fall asleep listening to these, but I didn't ... they were very relaxing.

[QuietViolet]

Re: Meditation

I am an anxious person by nature, so I do a lot of belly breathing and positive affirmations throughout the day-- I also take 20 minutes a day to do nothing but relax and that really helps..

[PrincessY]

Re: Meditation

Wow, this is the last place I was expecting a meditation posting.

Hey, my mind is wide open.

Thanks for the input, so far. All very interesting! Keep it coming!

[PirateMickey]

Re: Meditation

The only time that I can meditate is after I have taken about three Xanax.

Well, at least I think I am meditating...

[ksejr1]

Re: Meditation

i'm somewhat new to it too, i just bought meditation for dummies, very helpful

[alphabassetgrrl]

Re: Meditation

I try to do it daily; I usually manage about every 3 days or so. Which usually means I need to do more meditation, not less.

Sometimes I just try to clear my head. Sometimes I build myself a mental picture and guide myself through it. Sometimes I just focus on what the energy is doing.

Apparently I'm not all that focused a person!

[RooBear]

Re: Meditation

I used to do this all the time, but my life has been out of whack for a bit. I'm thinking this is the heads-up I might have been doing for some time.

I had a falling out with my church and this was what I did to return to faith, in a manner of speaking. Did wonders for my well being.

Peace,
Roo

[knittingknerd]

Re: Meditation

I can't turn off my brain enough to mediate. What I do that... apparently is like it but it works for the ADHD in me is when I knit I forcus on the person I am knitting for. So like right now I am knitting a scarf for my uncle and the whole time I was thinking "I really liked camping with Uncle Bob. He's funny. He has a lot of random stories. Seeing him in his Russian hat, khakis, and polo shirt and calling that camping gear was silly..." And for my cousin I am thinking "Hopefully Richie will actually use this and it will help his skin!" I've been told that's kinda' like meditating...

[alphabassetgrrl]

Re: Meditation

Sounds meditative, if not fully in the "letting go" thing. I often have trouble clearing my mind, which is why I draw mental pictures. Walking through the woods, the cave ahead, the birds, the sun, the trees. I have various scenarios.

[Fantasmico!]

Re: Meditation

I tend to have ADD issues too so I like to use guided imagery CD's or tapes. I haven't made it a priority and a habit. I have very good results meditationg in a group setting especially if it is guided.
I took a class on meditation and they suggested that anything could be meditative if it gets your mind to turn off. Drawing and collage and sometimes walking can get me into that meditative state. I have heard some people use washing dishes as a form of meditation.

[PrincessY]

Re: Meditation

Drawing and collage and sometimes walking can get me into that meditative state. I have heard some people use washing dishes as a form of meditation.

Maybe I've been doing it all along and didn't know it. When I paint (with TV/music/books on tape off), I can be there for hours and I don't even realize where the time went.

Can anyone recommend any websites? Books? CDs/tapes?

[RobotMirror]

Re: Meditation

There's an old buddhist story about the monk that finally learned that during his daily chores to chop wood and carry water that he was participating in "walking meditation" and didn't even realize it.

[RobotMirror]

Re: Meditation

While I was in court today I found my meditation reminder sheet, which you might find helpful:

1. Find a pleasant spot at home to do your sitting. Try to sit every day, even if it is only for 10 minutes. If you choose not to sit, go to your usual place and make note of your decision.

2. Review your posture - straight back (no slumping or hunching), level chin, knees lower than hips, stable, balanced, still.

3. First, follow your breath. Be aware of each inhalation and exhalation. relax into it. Do not try to change or manipulate your breathing.

4. Next, observe your thoughts as they arise. Consider them like clouds passing through the sky, neither pushing them away nor getting caught up in them. If you can, try to label thoughts. To do this, add the phrase "having a thought" and then parrot the exact words which arose. For example "having a thought I'm too busy" or "having a thought that I am no good at meditation".

5. Experience any noises or other sense stimuli and label any accompanying thoughts (e.g., "having a thought I can't practice with that door slamming."

6. During your meditation period, you will thus be alternating between following your breath and labeling your thoughts. You will find that there are many times when you are not doing either of these, because you are daydreaming, "spaced out", or "lost in thought." When this happens and you become aware of it, briefly label it ("having thoughts about a trip to Hawaii"), and begin again -- follow the breath and observe thoughts. This process will happen again and again.

7. After a time, you may wish to substitute experiencing body sensations for following the breath. Body sensations might be a pain in the knee, queasiness in the stomach, cenched jaw or overall feelings of fatigue or relaxation. Note that body sensations are to be thoroughly experienced, not observed or labelled. You will then alternate between experiencing body sensation and observing thoughts as they arise.

8. Practicing this awareness when sitting will eventually extend to practice in all aspects of daily life. In daily activity, it is best to experience body sensations and notice thinking, rather than labeling thoughts. Strong emotions may be a reminder to take a moment to notice thougths and experience body sensations.

Note that this is based on basic zen meditation, and other types of meditation might use imagery, focusing on buddhist koans or words, relaxation by focusing on one muscle or area of the body at a time, or practicing lovingkindness by doing mental exercises.

Hope this helps someone!

[PrincessY]

Re: Meditation

Many thanks, Frogberto. This is helpful. I'm going to have to research what "observing and labeling my thoughts" actually means, because that part doesn't make a lot of sense to me. What exactly is meditative about thinking "I'm having thoughts about the refrigerator humming" or "I'm having thoughts about what I need to get at the grocery store"? The breathing awareness I'm used to from yoga.

[RobotMirror]

Re: Meditation

Observing your thoughts means just that - sitting back (so to speak) inside your head, and just watching your thoughts pass like clouds in the sky. You'll start to notice once you meditate a while that everyone has random junk thoughts - snippets of commercials or catchy songs, thoughts about the past, about the future, about things you should have said to another person -- and concentrating on your breathing , or your hands, just brings you back again and again to a central focus point.

Eventually, you "detach" from your thoughts and you're not going along and getting distracted by them again and again. As one meditation author wrote:

"I came to a point where I realized something drastic to me -- "I am not my thoughts."

[QuietViolet]

Re: Meditation

This is a very interesting convo.... When I meditate, I pay close attention to the negative thoughts that go through my mind and try to put distortions to those thoughts and change them around... it can really mean the difference between a good and bad day.