Eviander

I sort of agree here. Meditation is much more intuitive and it seems like the breathe is sort of the natural root of existence. In reality however western mystery tradition students such as Benjamin Franklin, da Vinci, Isaac Newton and many more have pushed the world to new heights. It is essentially the western mystery traditions that invented math, science and music, which are the foundations of western civilization. Are these forms of meditation similar to say, Buddhist Vipassana, or are they a branch of there own making?

I have been dabbling in the occult for awhile. I actually joined AMORC and have been trying to understand if western mystical traditions make sense at all. I cannot vouch for the validity of western mystical practice, I myself am still confused with various philosophical paradigms "IE. Buddhism, Vedanta, Rosicrucianism. But AMORC for example, insists on mastering artistic and scientific disciplines as a means of enlightenment opposed to say eastern mysticism which insists on mastering meditation.

Yea the terminology used here is very similar to what Goenka teaches about anapana, though he stresses a lot on being equanimous to the painful sensations while sitting cross legged, and I however did disagree with that (that pdf does as well) but other than that it is the same technique minus the Vipassana, which is actually the technique that will change your emotional-reaction patterns. Sounds cool, I am interested in Chinese techniques, though I am a strong believer that an oral transmission of the technique is necessary for proper success in it. Yea, the first thing that you will notice if you practice the technique with determination is a subtle change in your emotional/reactional behavioral patterns. Before I took the course I was a very jealous and tight individual, getting angry emotions when people around me got praised for things instead of me, or when other people got noticed more than me. I also felt aversion for people who I felt where trying to "take my spot" or my field of talent. Now I feel more accepting to my position in society and more confident in my ability to succeed in things. Alot of my negative thinking and vain psychological patterns have been exposed. The first day out of the meditation retreat I felt like a completely different person. I did get back into partying abit, which I think took away from some of my development, but now I am completely sober, and usually don't even take caffeine. Don't expect to become enlightened or anything, but it is something that will help you succeed in the material world with day-to-day activities and it will gradually quiet your mind as well. The whole philosophy is that we have this negative mental volition embedded in the framework of our mind/body physiology which Siddhartha labeled as "sankharas" which depending on how deep you go, have been creating the ego which has been causing us to incarnate into misery. The whole structure is maintained by our constant craving and aversion which is basically done unconsciously. It is through observing the sensations in our body as they are without judgement in which we are able to root out these sankharas and find an end to this suffering. Now I had the whole nine-yards at this 10 day meditation but beforehand I had already been having visions and clairvoyance ect. which is what got me interested in meditation. I had kundalini experiences, moments of shifting perception, and all sorts of inner visions (the perception of hidden dimensions, endless tunnels, hexagrams, the ying/yang, serpents, and unexplainable ones) but I learned that ultimately they are all impermanent just like the sensations so they are ultimately not the purpose of meditation, though in my opinion they can be signs of a successful one. It is hard work though, if you are going don't be expecting some sort of pleasureful meditation, because it doesn't start out like that, but I wish you the best of luck in getting a spot, I had signed up twice before this time and it was always to late. Though you can sign up for one in a different town if your willing to travel.

So before about a month ago I can not say I was trained in meditation. I tried it myself but I never had the atmosphere or the proper instruction to say I knew what I was doing. I attended a 10 day course under the guidance of S.N. Goenka and learned 3 forms of meditation. The first one they taught for the first 3 days was anapana, the technique Goenka instructed in was focusing on the sensation the breath gives you in a small triangular area above the upper lip and on the lower nose to achieve samadhi. The next technique taught during the remaining 7 days was Vipassana,the method he instructed in was the scanning of body sensations from head to foot, then from foot to head, in different speeds and patterns with equanimity so to root out sankharas. Then the third method technique I learned was Metta, which he instructed by feeling body sensations of love, and then thinking about things that promote love, to others to in general. I can say that I received noticeable effects from the 10 day course and am still receiving them by practicing Vipassana for 2 hours a day as instructed. Now as much as Goenka tried to market this technique as the only one out there that was directly passed down from Siddhartha because of its unbroken lineage in Burma thus being the only road to liberation, I am interested in trying other meditation techniques and other varieties of Vipassana. So, I am requesting that users share the technique they use, with a quick description of its name, who taught them it, and how it is done and what is its purpose.

You know as much I respect spiritual achievement I respect material achievement as well. I think using your prospects of enlightenment for things such as scientific, artistic, musical and even diplomatic achievement are just as good, if not greater outcomes then using it to become a recluse, therefore mastering the material world instead of becoming dominated by it.

Actually I just forced the universe to extend its destruction of this earth until March 23rd of 2023 by my awesome Dragonball Z like Chi abilities.

Doesn't this kid claim to be Maitreya? Here is a section from his site of his teachings http://paldendorje.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=3#oct8 "This mahayan or maha Ampa dharma is not only for myself but it is for the liberation of all helpless beings. I have been meditating with lot of difficulty and I have become the Guru of all dharma or the first dharma of all which is srawan dharma. Second from among the dedication dharma Bodhisattwa which means I have become the Guru to liberate all helples beings. Hundreds of Jimphen Buddha means the Maitry Buddha.Hundred Jimphen Semkoi means all the sentient beings who have the feeling of Maitry. The second form philosophy Maha Ampa dharma or mahayan yanik. While looking at the form philosophy of the whole world from meditation philosophy point of view the instance form will be improved and changed. While changing the whole sentient beings don't be unsatisfied evil. This is the form philosophy of the whole world which keeps changing. If properly guided, if helpless sentient beings are liberated, if proper guidance for liberation and siddhi is provided for the worldly knowledge the helpless sentient beings the worldly knowledge that liberates the helpless sentient beings this is the non soul maitry knowledge which liberates and gives miraculous power. Riddi Siddhi May all beings be happy." Sounds like he needs a high school education to me (no pun intended)

In a capsule set to orbit the earth

Just wondering if any of you bums who are well read in the Hindu, Buddhist, taoist, and Jain texts know what this means. For awhile now, when I close my eyes, I occasionally get visuals of light beings in full lotus, with large radiant crowns. From my understanding of this, I believe it is my inner being telling me to start meditating in this position to achieve enlightenment. I have not heard of this, but my knowledge is fairly limited. Would appreciate some opinions on to what this means if any bums have had similar visions or have read of them

It looks nice, but I did not see anywhere where it stated free room and board. Under the visiting section it showed you needed to deposit a certain amount of cash.

I am researching a Volunteer Retreat center I wish t go to to learn meditation. Though I have to wait until I can pay off my college loans I have found a few Buddhist ones that seem pretty nice. http://www.shambhalamountain.org/ http://www.odiyan.org/ http://www.nyingmavolunteer.org/ Was wondering if any of the bums here had experience with such a retreat center. I know there are many ones you have to pay for, but I like the idea of doing volunteer work for your food, shelter, and teachings as opposed to paying lots of cash. If anyone has any other ones they would like to post, or would like to comment on these, please provide.

Forget about the guides or the psychotherapist. This is a rogue field and their are not many reliable people to trust as a superior regarding psychedelics. I would say get a few buddies and create a nice sacred place to have the trip and eat some mushrooms for a start. A trip sitter who isn't tripping is sometimes advised but they would be bored and the trippers would not be able to communicate with them properly...which might make things awkward. Personally I enjoy it when everyone is tripping and there is no one analyzing outside of your trip and trying define your experience from his far off point of reference. Overall though this is a good thread and provides plenty of links for further research, but my two cents is that set and setting make or break the trip

Entheogens have taken me quite far intellectually, have shown me things on the trip that have brought me to tears, changed my outlook on life, and have brought visions that the greatest artist could not remake. Many have relied only on entheogens for success, but for others it has shown them their path as simply a step. Ram Dass is one of the most famous examples of what entheogens can do, he went from a Harvard Pyschology Professor to a Hindu holy man. I doubt anyone could have access to the wide array of chemicals a Harvard professor had when all of it was legal and distributed copiously in prestigious universities, but Terrence Mckenna is another famous example as well, who I would highly suggest if you are interested in the view of entheogens as being "the way"