How Do You Meditate?

[DalTheJigsaw123]

How Do You Meditate? Where does a beginner start? How do you do it?

[Birch]

I try to notice what things come after each other all day.

I give myself time and space just to breathe.

I pay attention only to how I feel, not what I think.

I let myself go through horrible emotions.

I shock myself into the realization that there is only ever right here, right now.

I let my mind wander.

I imagine the world with us.

I imagine the world without us.

I feel things in my heart and my head and my gut.

I stretch out in the sun like a cat.

I jump around (jump around, get up get up and get down;-))

 

Lots of ways. What's your goal?

[goldisheavy]

How Do You Meditate? Where does a beginner start? How do you do it?

 

If I have a belief and I know about it, I question its validity. I relax. I pay attention. I take responsibility in a responsible manner (avoid taking too much or too little). I prefer walking, but I also do it while sitting or laying down. For me, it's impossible to say what is or is not meditation. I don't like making meditation formal. Formality and intimacy/sincerity do not mix well.

[DalTheJigsaw123]

I try to notice what things come after each other all day.

I give myself time and space just to breathe.

I pay attention only to how I feel, not what I think.

I let myself go through horrible emotions.

I shock myself into the realization that there is only ever right here, right now.

I let my mind wander.

I imagine the world with us.

I imagine the world without us.

I feel things in my heart and my head and my gut.

I stretch out in the sun like a cat.

I jump around (jump around, get up get up and get down;-))

 

Lots of ways. What's your goal?

 

Thank you! To connect to my higher self? To relax my mind... To improve my mind... to improve my health...

 

 

If I have a belief and I know about it, I question its validity. I relax. I pay attention. I take responsibility in a responsible manner (avoid taking too much or too little). I prefer walking, but I also do it while sitting or laying down. For me, it's impossible to say what is or is not meditation. I don't like making meditation formal. Formality and intimacy/sincerity do not mix well.

 

That was the best response I could ever receive:) Everything is meditation:)

[Birch]

"Thank you! To connect to my higher self? To relax my mind... To improve my mind... to improve my health..."

 

Ok!

 

"Higher Self" - no idea what that is. Assuming "something better than me". Meditate on what that would be.

 

"To relax my mind" - do you mean make it less tense? Or make it not bother your/itself? Meditate on either of those, they're cool.

 

"To improve my mind" - what's wrong with it? I think you can learn critical thinking but until you meditate it doesn't come quite so easily. Meditate on that.

 

"To improve my health" - stop doing things that harm your health, even if they are lots of fun;-) And get some exercise and eat right. I would say that would go faster and further towards improving health. But meditation will help you to do it;-)

 

The way to do meditation on those subjects or anything else would be as GIH has suggested. Very nicely done.

 

Other systems out there too. Lots of books, great people. Some nutcases. Watch out for those;-)

 

I personally need (yes I do;-)) the sense of grounding that I get from doing tried and true practices. Following where others have been able to blaze a trail is a pretty good idea IMO. Besides, it's not like the result will be that much different anyway and I think that each path has something to offer everyone.

 

The only other thing that comes to mind is the notion that "meditation" is one technique practiced all and every time. If I've come to understand anything about meditation it's that it's a lot of different techniques that you can call upon based on where you're at.

[DalTheJigsaw123]

"Thank you! To connect to my higher self? To relax my mind... To improve my mind... to improve my health..."

 

Ok!

 

"Higher Self" - no idea what that is. Assuming "something better than me". Meditate on what that would be.

 

"To relax my mind" - do you mean make it less tense? Or make it not bother your/itself? Meditate on either of those, they're cool.

 

"To improve my mind" - what's wrong with it? I think you can learn critical thinking but until you meditate it doesn't come quite so easily. Meditate on that.

 

"To improve my health" - stop doing things that harm your health, even if they are lots of fun;-) And get some exercise and eat right. I would say that would go faster and further towards improving health. But meditation will help you to do it;-)

 

The way to do meditation on those subjects or anything else would be as GIH has suggested. Very nicely done.

 

Other systems out there too. Lots of books, great people. Some nutcases. Watch out for those;-)

 

I personally need (yes I do;-)) the sense of grounding that I get from doing tried and true practices. Following where others have been able to blaze a trail is a pretty good idea IMO. Besides, it's not like the result will be that much different anyway and I think that each path has something to offer everyone.

 

The only other thing that comes to mind is the notion that "meditation" is one technique practiced all and every time. If I've come to understand anything about meditation it's that it's a lot of different techniques that you can call upon based on where you're at.

 

Good points. I would like to say that each person has a different way of meditating. I have been working my style out myself. I do eat right and do run/walk/meditate and started practicing Tai Chi. But many people are saying Qi Gong is better for health? I was thinking Tai Chi, as that has the Martial Arts in it?

[Chen]

Leon, please find someone to give you an initiation.

I beleive that you live in L.A. that is somehow a place that you can find everything.

Don't be commited,try to find out what is better for you,if you don't like it change it.

In my 25 years of experience in martial arts and 8 years in "inner" arts,I had and still have probem how to pass the knowledge or to be taught even with personal contact.

Distance learning although is not impossible,it is a little bit hard.You need encourage and somehow a "healthy competition" to push you ,when the first difficulties occur.

In the early years someone was feeling happy if he had an Oyama's book and practised in the backyard of his house, but today it is only good for academic study.

If you live in a desert and remote area thats o.k.,but in the source of everything it is sound strange.

Of-course there are a lot of traps out there but you have this forum to check the origin and the quality of this person using always your judgement.

As it concerns meditation even if i had the permision to teach, it would not be possible to explain you via net.

[DalTheJigsaw123]

Leon, please find someone to give you an initiation.

I beleive that you live in L.A. that is somehow a place that you can find everything.

Don't be commited,try to find out what is better for you,if you don't like it change it.

In my 25 years of experience in martial arts and 8 years in "inner" arts,I had and still have probem how to pass the knowledge or to be taught even with personal contact.

Distance learning although is not impossible,it is a little bit hard.You need encourage and somehow a "healthy competition" to push you ,when the first difficulties occur.

In the early years someone was feeling happy if he had an Oyama's book and practised in the backyard of his house, but today it is only good for academic study.

If you live in a desert and remote area thats o.k.,but in the source of everything it is sound strange.

Of-course there are a lot of traps out there but you have this forum to check the origin and the quality of this person using always your judgement.

As it concerns meditation even if i had the permision to teach, it would not be possible to explain you via net.

 

True! Thank you so much. That was quite helpful. Any basic introduction to meditation, tai chi and qi gong?

[Chen]

Sorry not from me.

I beleive in the strictly relation between student and instructor, even in our days that it sounds strange.

There are a lot of things that I can not explain with my basic English.

Meditation may be a part of an art or an art by itself.

Chi kung was always part of various Kung Fu systems and it was intergraded in these systems. Now ,propably for commercials reasons it is empasished as something seperated,not something bad in my opinion because a lot of people are looking for something different.

Tai chi is tai chi. The main styles Yang and Chen,have so many variations, so in our days a lot of instructors claim that their styl is rooted in the origin family.

It may sound bad but it is somehow also good.It gives you the oportunity to "play" trying to find what is good for you.

Go to wi ki for information about these arts,do your study and maybe something will trigger your attention.

It is common and propably in our nature, to support our own way of training or style ,so any practioner here will guide towards his way of training. It is not bad ,but propably not what you are looking for.

For me that I am practicing martial arts, chi kung as srength and endurance is essential, but someone that is looking for pure enlightment it may be a waste of time.

Take your time and make your choice.

[de_paradise]

Ponder concepts like oneness,love, peacefullness, voidness, non-existence of self, being in the now, how everything is transient--this is how you connect with higher self and the Tao. But if you don't have much prana flow, then you will not benefit as much, because these concepts feel/conceived/are different depending upon your level, the alchemy of mixing the conscious mind to higher mind/Tao is fueled by prana.

 

Sitting meditation is king. That you cant learn meditation from the internet or a book is absolute bull, but you have to be noticing things about yourself in order that you can understand deeper nuances about the meditations and how to make it more effective. For example there are diffferent ways to visual or conceive of "emptiness"

 

In sitting meditation there is two ways to go, sideways and down. One-pointed focus is sideways, its the simplest way to start. Its easiest to do one pointed focus while you are sitting with no distractions. Going down requires relaxation of consciousness, that can start with relaxation of the body. Again, sitting or lying down is the best way. This is meditations like sitting and forgetting.

 

With anapana breathing you can both go sideways and down at the same time, that is to say, you can maintain one pointed focus, but also let your conscious mind slip and relax away.

 

If I were a beginner I'd probably try to copy exactly what Santiago is teaching in KAP in order to get the Kundalini up and running. It really takes alot of the guesswork out.

[Gerard]

Like this:

 

http://www.buddhanet.net/insight.htm

 

There is a lot you need to learn in here, little grasshopper. I would urge you to attend a retreat after 1 year of consistent daily practice where a teacher will give you further guidance. Good luck.

 

 

Edited: typo.

Edited September 23, 2009 by durkhrod chogori

[Tao99]

Hey Leon, you could memorize this ancient mantra and keep repeating it all day long:

 

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="

name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="

type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

 

 

 

Another type you could try is simple, basic Zen meditation: no visualizations, spirit guides, gods, judgments, or general thinking. Just relaxed quiet observation. The reason you can do this is because you already know your basic feelings about the world, so what's the point of constantly re-feeling? Why not have empty mind?

 

Here is a brief explanation of authentic zazen-often called sitting meditation. Filmed at the Kokusai Zendo in Kyoto, Japan. This clip is from The Zen Mind by EmptyMind Films.

 

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="

name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="

type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Edited September 23, 2009 by Tao99

[CarsonZi]

How Do You Meditate?

 

Without thinking about it

 

Love,

Carson

[Guest sykkelpump]

How Do You Meditate? Where does a beginner start? How do you do it?

 

Havent you asked this question or similar many times?

dont you look at the links people give you.You shouldnt waste peoples time writing you good answers if you dont care to look at them

[DalTheJigsaw123]

Havent you asked this question or similar many times?

dont you look at the links people give you.You shouldnt waste peoples time writing you good answers if you dont care to look at them

 

No, I have not asked that question before. Yes, I do look through the search button, before I post my questions.

[Iyoiyo]

Like we've heard, I think anything can be a form of meditation. With that said though, here are the three types of mediation I end up doing when I think to myself, "I feel like meditating."

 

Star Meditation-- this meditation can really be done with anything, but stars are easiest for me. Go where you can see the stars, preferably far from lights and distractions. I lie down, because it's easiest to look up from that position, and it is (to me) the easiest to relax in. Once I've done this I pick a star, or a few, or the space between, what have you . . . and I try to feel the distance between that star and I. I try to let my mind travel the path between my eye in the star, and just recognize that we're part of the same being. This is a good form of meditation for me because oftentimes the stars feel distant and removed. When I realize that we're really so close, it reminds me that everything closer than that distant star is also included.

 

Trick Meditation-- In any position (it's usually seiza for me) I allow the tensions in my body to ebb away into my dan-tien and dissapear. Once my body is totally relaxed, I say this to myself: "you can think of anything you want." Generally what happens is that "I can think anything I want!" just reverberates in my head, as if my distractions try to go in all directions and so go nowhere. This helps me to reach a sort of emptiness.

 

Walking Meditation-- I set out on a walk, keeping proper posture and a relaxed body, and with every step I attempt to make it the perfect step. Not slamming down on the ground, but just setting down perfectly, rolling and rising again. And as I do this I realize that every tiny action, even my single steps, reverberate through the entire universe like ripples on a pond. Most people don't usually remember that energy is neither created nor destroyed, and that the energy I transfer into the earth is embarking on a strange, unknowable path.

 

So, those are some of my favorites.

[DalTheJigsaw123]

Like we've heard, I think anything can be a form of meditation. With that said though, here are the three types of mediation I end up doing when I think to myself, "I feel like meditating."

 

Star Meditation-- this meditation can really be done with anything, but stars are easiest for me. Go where you can see the stars, preferably far from lights and distractions. I lie down, because it's easiest to look up from that position, and it is (to me) the easiest to relax in. Once I've done this I pick a star, or a few, or the space between, what have you . . . and I try to feel the distance between that star and I. I try to let my mind travel the path between my eye in the star, and just recognize that we're part of the same being. This is a good form of meditation for me because oftentimes the stars feel distant and removed. When I realize that we're really so close, it reminds me that everything closer than that distant star is also included.

 

Trick Meditation-- In any position (it's usually seiza for me) I allow the tensions in my body to ebb away into my dan-tien and dissapear. Once my body is totally relaxed, I say this to myself: "you can think of anything you want." Generally what happens is that "I can think anything I want!" just reverberates in my head, as if my distractions try to go in all directions and so go nowhere. This helps me to reach a sort of emptiness.

 

Walking Meditation-- I set out on a walk, keeping proper posture and a relaxed body, and with every step I attempt to make it the perfect step. Not slamming down on the ground, but just setting down perfectly, rolling and rising again. And as I do this I realize that every tiny action, even my single steps, reverberate through the entire universe like ripples on a pond. Most people don't usually remember that energy is neither created nor destroyed, and that the energy I transfer into the earth is embarking on a strange, unknowable path.

 

So, those are some of my favorites.

 

I do the Trick/Walking meditation. Do you think Running could be applied as a meditation? Also, what about visualizing meditation? Is it true that there more then hundred kinds of meditations?

[Old Man Contradiction]

My meditation is to listen.

 

I listen when there is no sound, I listen to my mind, and the world. I do this in daily life, but not in a formal practice. In terms of time, the majority of the day my listening is waivered by my mind.

[DalTheJigsaw123]

My meditation is to listen.

 

I listen when there is no sound, I listen to my mind, and the world. I do this in daily life, but not in a formal practice. In terms of time, the majority of the day my listening is waivered by my mind.

 

Seems like everyone has their own way... I love it! I am sure there is no formal way.

Edited September 24, 2009 by LeonBasin