New to this

[Esquire]

Hi guys,

My name is Esquire, I'm pretty new to the idea of meditation and tao living. I've tried meditating a few times, and even went on a 40 minutes walk last night to be alone with my thoughts, but find it hard to maintain as a habit and even to maintain focus in the short term during each session. Any advice is more than welcome, including tips on recommended reading sicne I'm sure a lot of ground has already been covered.

(I'm particularly interested in learning lucid dreaming and meditation for focus. )

Esquire

Edited August 13, 2013 by Esquire

[Chang]

Hello and welcome Esquire.

 

I am sure that you will find much to interest you in the Tao Bums.

 

Please take the trouble to read the two pinned posts at the top of the Lobby and also take a look at http://thetaobums.com/topic/19575-forum-terms-rules/ before moving on to other areas.

 

Best wishes,

 

Chang

[Esquire]

Hi Chang,

 

Ok, since it does seem to be a pretty active community I'll share a little more and ask for some advice.

 

I'm a 22 year old student from the UK, currently finishing up my final year research project at University. I work-out regularly, believe that self-development and self-investment is one of the most important parts of living a good life and have been recommended that meditation can contribute significantly to that. I don't know if any of you guys are familiar with the 'manosphere' or 'the red pill' but a lot of my current life philosophy has been cultivated by the reading some of the more lifestyle focussed game bloggers from that corner of the internet. The kind of guys that will write a post about pick-up on Tuesday and follow it up with a post on Seneca the next. One of my own personal goals is to break down my (false) ego and rebuild on a solid foundation in its place, to build a strong core and sense of self, whether that be through achievement, slow personal development, meditation or a combination.

 

I've been told that meditating on death can be hugely beneficial to the break-down of the false self and re-gaining focus/motivation, recommending by the guy who runs the blog taoofdirt.wordpress.com. A big fear I have at the moment is that I am soon to come off the strict guiding rails of the education system into the abyss of opportunity of my future and it is sending me into a sort of deer-in-the-headlights paralysis, where I try and avoid thinking about it as much as I can. Which isn't constructive behaviour.

 

Where do you recommend that I start with regards to meditation? Sitting, standing, in a park, eyes closed, legs behind my head, you guys have a collective wisdom and I'm open to your advice.

 

Esquire

Edited August 13, 2013 by Esquire

[thelerner]

You mention meditating on death and where to start. There's a Vispassana style 'theme' I sometimes use before sitting in emptiness.

 

I am not my body. I am that which inhabit it.

I am not my thoughts. They are like clouds passing through the sky.

I am not my emotions. I acknowledge them and let them pass like ripples on a pond.

I am not my past. That is old memories and patterns I can repeat or not.

I am not my future. That is only projections and fears.

I am not my possessions

I am not my family.

..

..

I am breath and awareness.

 

You mention the fear of the future that hits the young 20 something very hard. Life is long and takes us on winding roads. Get skills, dream.. some how things always work out in the end.

Edited August 14, 2013 by thelerner

[KenBrace]

Hello Esquire! You seem very much like myself in a way. I too believe that self-developement is an important part of a good life. I work on both the internal and external arts to build them both to their potential. Meditation has many uses and many different styles for the different purposes. The meditation I do is for cultivation of chi and internal power. However even though it brings great power, it is more of a side effect of the real goal. The greatest desire I have in my life is to know God and live with him for eternity after this mortal life is gone. Meditation is good for cultivation, focus, and increasing self-awareness but I believe that a prayer form of meditation is important for getting to know God. I like to get into a quiet, comfortable place in nature, and let my thoughts drift while I speak to God. Not forcing any thoughts. Not thinking of anything stressful. Just letting my thoughts flow and my mind clear while I speak to my creator. I like to breath in the freah air, feel the cool breeze, and vibrantly take in the beauty of creation with my senses. It's a sort of mixture of both prayer and meditation and is a really wonderful experience!

 

Lol anyway welcome to the forum! Looking forward to more posts!

[roger]

Hi Esquire.

 

One of my favorite ways to meditate is "non-meditation". This is one of the simplest (and most effective) techniques. The motto is: No effort, no technique.

 

Just sit there. You can close your eyes or leave them open. It should be completely natural. If thoughts come, don't fight them. It's okay to think with this meditation. Just BE. Don't "try" at all. No effort, no technique.

 

About your future, your situation is very understandable. Many people worry about their future and what they will do for work.

 

My suggestion is to just know that everything is happening PERFECTLY, exactly as it SHOULD. When you have this faith, when know that your future will be perfect, then you are CREATING a happy future, because our beliefs, thoughts, and feelings create our life experiences. So just have faith that "all is as it should be," and you will be sowing the seeds of success for yourself.

 

And know that you are WORTHY of a wonderful future!

 

Peace to you and best wishes.

 

Roger

[Esquire]

Thanks guys for your tips. I'll get started tomorrow, maybe see if I can squeeze in 15 minutes in the morning between coffee and leaving the house. Not sure if caffeine is the path to Tao. (Or even if that's what I'm seeking)

 

And thelerner, that's exactly where I'm at right now. Gathering skills, finishing off a degree in physics whilst also learning as many engineering type skills as I can. Even without direction yet, the more prepared I am the more I will be ready to seize the opportunities that present themselves.

[Celestial]

 

Hi guys,

My name is Esquire, I'm pretty new to the idea of meditation and tao living. I've tried meditating a few times, and even went on a 40 minutes walk last night to be alone with my thoughts, but find it hard to maintain as a habit and even to maintain focus in the short term during each session. Any advice is more than welcome, including tips on recommended reading sicne I'm sure a lot of ground has already been covered.

(I'm particularly interested in learning lucid dreaming and meditation for focus. )

Esquire

 

Best advice:

1. Set a goal.
2. Write it down.
3. Buy a calendar and draw an "X" everyday.
4. Don't break the chain of X's.
5. Repeat with new goal.

If you miss a day, first feel guilty, then start over from day 1. If you keep missing days and can't seem to get your act together, wait until another lifetime rolls around to try again because this kind of stuff just isn't for you...yet.

Edited August 17, 2013 by Celestial

[Basher]

Would add to 3: If you've done something to move towards that goal.

[Esquire]

Came across that idea earlier today as well. It must be pretty effective. I'll buy myself a calender this afternoon, I might need a few since there are a few different goals I'm working on at the moment.

[Basher]

As long as the goals don't conflict in any way...

 

Remember a Book by Robert W. Smith, where he went to Taiwan (I believe) and was studying several different Martial Arts, from different Instructors.

 

One of his "Internal" art teachers caught him doing a Shaolin "external" exercise and told him:

"The hunter that tries to capture two rabbits at once, comes back with none".

(or something close to that). LOL

[Esquire]

I'm now the proud owner of a calender in which I may mark an X provided I have satisfied 3 conditions:

 

4 hours of focused and productive work

1 Work out or Cardio Session (although there is leniency of 2 rest days a week, but never consecutive)

10 minutes minimum of meditation

 

They are relatively simple goals and all perfectly achievable but all benefit me greatly. In time, I will increase the meditation time to 15 minutes then 20 and so on.

 

Since originally posting, and I don't think this is wholly unrelated to my reading of some of the advice within this forum, I've formed a much clearer idea of what my vision for my future is. It is still blurred and requires further meditation and thought over to more clearly define the steps I'll need to take to get there, but now armed with a plan of attack, the fear I was experiencing has faded considerably. Replaced now with ambition, drive and a lot more focus. I am not quite where I want to be spiritually, but I feel as if I am along the right path again where before I was lost.

 

That fear seemed to stem from a combination of inaction and uncertainty.

 

Thanks to those who have made suggestions, this update is to let you know I have taken them on board.