EagerMind Posted October 20, 2014 I'm going to be starting a meditation practice soon with the goals of health in mind. I've read a decent amount of taoist and buddhist philosophy over the years but was wondering what meditation I should start with. I'm a bit of a skeptic in a way but would love to learn how to circulate chi through my body to heal myself! I'm planning on starting with 15 minutes twice a day and go from there. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeblast Posted October 20, 2014 (edited) Anapanasati  make your breath smooth and harmonious  some interesting things begin to happen around 30 seconds    its the easiest place to begin the signal to noise ratio battle.  15 min twice a day, already a good beginning. make one before you go to bed, then later that's where you start pushing longer meditations, but no need to go long right away. just get your body used to it, establish the habit. there's a lot more to discover in the breath than most people have patience for Edited October 20, 2014 by joeblast 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seeker of Wisdom Posted October 20, 2014 IMHO the best book you could get is 'The Attention Revolution' by Alan Wallace. The practice there will give you solid fundamentals for absolutely any path. There's a lot there on anapanasati, with slight adjustments in the practice as you make progress. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bearded Dragon Posted October 21, 2014 How could you be a skeptic? You let go of stuff, you relax as a result, then your body is free to work properly. It's simple. Try to clench your fist for a day and see how good you feel. Â I understand skepticism of the mystical stuff but that's not traditionally what meditation is about so it's not worth thinking about. Â The breath stuff is good to settle your mind and it helps with concentration. Initially. Then you can try and work that state into everyday life. Without that integration you're wasting your time rocking back and forth. I think that this is a good starting point. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rara Posted October 21, 2014 (edited) Just focus on your breath...begin counting them and once you can get to 9 or 10 (depends on school of thought...i don't think the number really matters) then stop counting and just feel your breath. Explore it, discover the present moment and what is happening. As thoughts come, acknowledge but understand they are just thoughts. Let them glide past, and continue your focus. Â Master this first. Otherwise "chi" work will just leave you confused and frustrated. Â Edit: I was a bit vague when saying "explore" the breath. Just find how it is entering and feel your lungs fill. What is your stomach doing. Is it tense? Can you feel the air in your belly? If not, relax further and breathe into the belly. Â Keep it up for 15 mins a day if you can Edited October 21, 2014 by Rara Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Songtsan Posted October 21, 2014 I would also add that attention to correct posture and body mechanics is of paramount importance when beginning meditation, if it hasn't already been said...sorry I'm posting from my cell phone and its super slow.. Â What I think is that there is a real balance between tuning the breath while maintaining good support architecture. If you practice relaxation technique combined with skillful adjustment of muscle tension and modification, this will set the stage for complete auto-body relaxation. Â 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
