alfa

Drugs are better than meditation, because at least the former gives great experiences at once. Meditation is usually dull and boring, and hardly ever gives new experiences.

What's this? It didn't give me peace. I started crying before the meditation session ended.

Hi, I tried gibberish meditation for the first time, and it feels great. Feel free and energetic for the first time in a long time. The thing is, once you start countering your mind's incessant chatter with gibberish (that's the whole point of it, to stop the mind's habit of verbalizing everything), you don't really need gibberish later on. Every time thoughts arise, we somehow let go of them without doing anything, without making any effort. How, I don't know. But that's how it works. It's like by practicing gibberish, you step back and detach yourself from the mind, so much so once the mind starts its activities, you somehow 'see' it at once and let go. You should try it. It's wonderful. Alfa

Hi, J Krishnamurti asserts that there's no thinker or observer. For instance, when there's anger, we say I am angry. Or, if there's fear, we say I am afraid, and so forth. From this, it's obvious that the "I" doesn't exist as a separate entity, it simply takes the form of anger, fear, or whatever feeling or thought that comes by. Doesn't all this mean we are totally helpless, and that we couldn't possibly make any effort toward meditation etc.? If the "I" has no existence, then who's gonna make the effort? How is effort even possible, when "I" doesn't exist as a permanent entity? I'd like to hear your ideas on this. Alfa

would contradict Which is why, I'd like some clarification. JK emphatically stated that what we call 'observer' is the 'observed' and the separation is an illusion. That's why I'd like to know who's making the effort, if there's no I. Or, if there's no observer, how can there an observation? I observe the tree, but I am not the tree.

While meditating, I felt as if I was under water. The same experience you get when you're under water. What does it entail? Is there a subtle meaning to this?

Thanks for your response. Can you explain this a bit further, this biofeedback loop? Why this particular experience (and not others), does it mean it's common to all meditators, that they reach this state when the mind is extremely still? Is it something that HAS to happen at a certain stage in meditation?

Can the suppression of thoughts (leading to a blank state of mind) help in attaining the same state we achieve if we take LSD, like floating, seeing space and time disappear and all that? Is a blank mind important to achieve this state?

What I mean is, I want some out of the ordinary experience like LSD without taking LSD. I was wondering whether suppression can help me achieve that. This particular state seems fascinating, it's so different from the boredom that we experience every day, that's why I am keen.

What if the mind keeps thinking about irrelevant stuff, must we also accept this as part of mind nature's to do so (and therefore wu wei)?

Hi All. It's said that tao is the natural way, and that we have to go with the flow, not fight, but accept things as they are. Suffice it to say acceptance is the way of transformation, is that right? Is this the general principle of tao? I also read one of the lectures given by Osho and he said the exact same thing, that as long as we resist something, it persists. Fighting is the way of yoga, whereas 'no fight' is the way of tao. The moment we accept ourselves as we are with no effort, we're transformed. This is what he said, more or less. Does this sum up the teachings of tao? If so, do we just give up all effort and go with the flow, express rather than suppress? Allow all kinds of thoughts and feelings to blossom, to allow everything to happen exerting no control whatsoever? Will all that lead to transformation, then?

I have managed to calm my mind for twenty minutes or so, not more. This doesn't seem to be enough, I guess.

What's the method?

Can you explain how you did it?

I tried this now, I tried to sit in the full lotus posture when I got the urge. I experienced something around my anus, and then the urge just disappeared. Nothing extraordinary happened, I thought it was supposed to take the energy from the lowest to the heart, or something like that? But nothing happened, the urge just vanished. What am I to do?

I've been reading about tantra online, but it gets confusing. From what I understand, it's about sublimating sexual energy into spiritual energy, or something to that effect. But the techniques are hard to understand. In Osho's discourses, he suggests some weird methods with partners, whereas others say it has to be done alone in a meditative state. It's so conflicting. Still others say chakras are central to this, we must move the energy from the lowest (because sexual energy is the lowest) to the highest, which is the crown chakra. Any insights on this to clear things up.

Hi All Which is the best book on the subject of sexual alchemy (taoist tantra), especially for a beginner? Something practical with easy techniques, and all that. It shouldn't just be a general talk on the subject, saying things we already know. Alfa

So basically, we just have to get into a lotus posture when the urge arises, is that it? Sounds too simple. What then?

Sounds interesting. But what are the benefits of this radical method? Is it simply to clear the mind? What usually happens after performing this, will it bring the subconscious memories to the surface? Does it give bliss? People have posted their experiences, but not very clear. Do they see visions, experience physical sensations, or what else?

Two doubts: * How long do we hold it after inhalation? Do we exhale? What if it becomes hard to hold it for a longer duration? * Do we necessarily have to visualize? It's so hard for me...

Hi All I was just lying down, watching my breath. Soon I was totally relaxed, but NOT asleep. I was awake. I was conscious. Something weird happened. I saw images, as we do while dreaming (continuous images that run like a story, NOT random thoughts), but I wasn't asleep, so it can't be called a dream, right? But if not a dream, what was it? Was it hypnagogia? Put simply, my situation is like this: * Meditated to reach relaxed state * Saw continuous images (like a story), similar to dream * But I was fully conscious that I was seeing those images in meditation, so it couldn't be a dream * What then was it, hypnagogia? Sorry for breaking it down like this, but it seems important to know what I experienced.

Hi All, As in zen, I try to be aware at all times, so I thought I could be aware during sleep, and perhaps experience lucid dreaming. So last night, I tried to be passively aware, not really forcing myself to focus, but simply aware of everything effortlessly. Doing this, I didn't fall asleep but remained awake. Suddenly, my eyes closed on their own, my body became numb, it's like I was withdrawing into myself, I can't really put it into words. It was a shocking experience, felt like I was entering another dimension. But I became so scared, I shook my body and returned to normalcy. Can experienced people here tell me what this is, why it happened, and what I must do reg. this? Am I on the right track (as far as lucid dreaming is concerned), is this experience evidence of that? I really wish someone could explain this, I tried reading stuff on your site, but the info. is overwhelming and my queries too specific. So I hope someone can provide some insight into this. Alfa

This is the problem I am having-watching the breath. Whenever I try to watch, I am force myself to breathe. It seems impossible to let the breath just go in and out naturally, I find myself forcing to breathe every time I become aware of my breath. That's why I stopped this practice altogether, it became impossible to simply watch without trying to control it.

Can you explain this a bit further? If I watch my breath, nothing seems to happen. It's just inhalation and exhalation, so am not sure what you mean by 'origin.'

Thanks everyone for the good advice. So do I conclude that I must simply go ahead with the practice of mindfulness, and not do anything else? The reason I am asking is, sometimes it gets boring and experiences like OBE may help me keep motivated. I know we must put experiences aside as distractions, but at least they act as a motivating force. The practice of awareness does get monotonous at times, so experiences of this sort may inspire me to keep going. This is the intent behind my question. Alfa