Meditation help for dummies...?

[Flasky]

Hi everyone,

I have troubles with meditating. I have tried many times - and all of those times I have failed. The outcomes are always two : I get bored and silly doing it or I fall asleep.

I've been told if you seek help and desire to contact your spirit guide use meditation - but how can achieve that if meditation is not working for me?

What works for YOU and why?

Do you use tapes or music?

...I'm a bit embarrassed to say some of the 'meditation music' I found online I find ridiculous.

What is supposed to happen while 'meditating' to make me understand its working?

What else should I try to do apart from meditation?

In your experience, what happened to make you understand it was working?

Thanks guys..!

[ktlight]

Hi everyone,

I have troubles with meditating. I have tried many times - and all of those times I have failed. The outcomes are always two : I get bored and silly doing it or I fall asleep.

I've been told if you seek help and desire to contact your spirit guide use meditation - but how can achieve that if meditation is not working for me?

What works for YOU and why?

Do you use tapes or music?

...I'm a bit embarrassed to say some of the 'meditation music' I found online I find ridiculous.

What is supposed to happen while 'meditating' to make me understand its working?

What else should I try to do apart from meditation?

In your experience, what happened to make you understand it was working?

Thanks guys..!

Substitute the word meditating with 'pondering' or even daydreaming. Solitude is a good thing.

[ViralSpiral]

Yes to "pondering" :)

Although I cannot tell anyone how to meditate, I did tell a friend once that I equate it to sitting like a bullfrog at the bottom of a pond. Each time a thought pops into my head, I catch myself: ah! a thought! I place the thought into a bubble and watch it rise until its gone. Its takes many many MANY bubbles before the spaces between them became longer and longer.

Good luck

[Flasky]

You guys are so sweet, thank you for that.

I am still sort of pulling at my hair here. You both have suggested me polar opposite methods! *falls over*

So ponder......or put the said pondering into bubbles.....

I have to say that I have tried them before --- but what am I looking for? What am I supposed to feel. What made you understand it was working? If you could also answer me that I'd be very relieved...

[ViralSpiral]

LOL! A quick-fix then, 'eh?

As I said: the spaces between thoughts became longer.
It has taken many years of practice to where I can be "thoughtless" for hours, no feeling, just awareness

Techniques vary, perseverance shouldnt

Further advice from Omniverse (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?27300-A-simple-technique-that-works-wonders)

[phillipbbg]

Hi everyone,

I have troubles with meditating. I have tried many times - and all of those times I have failed. The outcomes are always two : I get bored and silly doing it or I fall asleep.

I've been told if you seek help and desire to contact your spirit guide use meditation - but how can achieve that if meditation is not working for me?

What works for YOU and why?

Do you use tapes or music?

...I'm a bit embarrassed to say some of the 'meditation music' I found online I find ridiculous.

What is supposed to happen while 'meditating' to make me understand its working?

What else should I try to do apart from meditation?

In your experience, what happened to make you understand it was working?

Thanks guys..!

Firstly don't feel silly or bored about doing anything that has the potential to help you....

To meditate you don't need to be in a lotus position... it helps but it is not essential. Try lying down on your bed with some head phones in listening to some different frequency music... no words as they are all about ego... you just need the vibrations. Then whilst listening just relax and look ahead into your closed eye lids look for the colours, they will come and go , whilst you are looking just keep letting parts of your body relax so they feel like stone and when you feel really comfortable RELAX YOUR TONGUE it is the last muscle to relax.....

Then just roll with the music as thoughts enter your mind just let them go and focus on the sound and the colours, at first this will take a bit of practice but the music will guide you naturally .....

I have a set of 3 vids that take me there easily ... I have embedded one of them here.... choose a few more that you find help you to deeply relax and you enjoy listening to....NO WORDS ok.....

Now all this sounds fine and easy doesn't it.... what does it have to do with meditating? well the old saying when you think you aren't meditating you actually are meditating. Its all about tasking control of your thoughts then over time you will naturally find your path....

By the way when I do this lying down I actually cross my legs whilst lying on my back... it just works better for me... once I have control of my mind I start to move energy around my body or to take away any feelings in my body or to warm a knee or cool my heart etc... its fun and good to practice.... hope this works for you.....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3h2mJnvRbZ8&feature=related

[Carmen]

Something that worked for me at the start was when I arrived home and turned my vehicle off and 'listened' to the silence. There was awareness of listening. Also at night in bed alone and you hear something you are not sure of and all of your attention, all of your senses, are focused on the listening. To have that kind of attention/awareness plus relaxed in body is meditation/focus. Initially, dont try to focus for longer than a few minutes. It takes a while to train the mind in onepointedness. Just keep doing it.

[Meesh]

For some people, it is good to begin with Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR). That will introduce you to the meditative state. In fact, that was my first meditation technique 30 years ago.

http://stress.about.com/od/generaltechniques/ht/howtopmr.htm

[Flasky]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions! I will try them all - starting with the PMR tonight in bed following with the listening and flowing of energies within stillness...! That sounds like an appropriate cocktail, doesn't it. :)

Just out of curiousness, when is your ideal time to do this? And I know most of you are well experienced but does it still happen that you fall asleep through it even to you at times?

[Jake]

The only thing that I would like to add is that waking up in the early morning hours, say 3 or 3:30am works best for me. There has been a couple of sleep cycles and it is more natural to drop into trance (which is not required for meditation). I have always had the same problem with falling asleep. Some people fall into trance too easy and end up sleeping. I know that I do. Meditation is simply quieting your mind. There are lots of directions you can go from there.

[ktlight]

You guys are so sweet, thank you for that.

I am still sort of pulling at my hair here. You both have suggested me polar opposite methods! *falls over*

So ponder......or put the said pondering into bubbles.....

I have to say that I have tried them before --- but what am I looking for? What am I supposed to feel. What made you understand it was working? If you could also answer me that I'd be very relieved...

Hi Flasky,
You will know. Pondering, rather than thinking - like daydreaming, you will see in your mind's eye, like a connection with the Universe. It's impossible to explain it, except that you will know, as opposed to believe.

[phillipbbg]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions! I will try them all - starting with the PMR tonight in bed following with the listening and flowing of energies within stillness...! That sounds like an appropriate cocktail, doesn't it. :)

Just out of curiousness, when is your ideal time to do this? And I know most of you are well experienced but does it still happen that you fall asleep through it even to you at times?

It is ok to fall asleep I do quite often especially if I have a lot of scrambled egg going on in my mind... its like as soon as I can clear the thoughts my mind says YES take a nap re-set so to speak, so don't be upset or think it is not working because you fall asleep. I tend to have a 30 to 40 min session in the morning and one in the mid evening period you know when all the rubbish is on TV....lol

The idea of having say three 9 to 10min sound files is to give you specific periods of time to work with... after a while you will find you don't fall asleep because you have other benefits from the sessions occurring. Find a time that suits you and that you will not be interrupted in. The other thing to remember is this is your time and space, you are entitled to have it every day, just like watching your special TV show or reading the paper every morning etc... make it a habit just like exercise, it has the most benefit when it becomes part of your daily routine....

The music is good for blocking out distractions, just make sure you are in a safe place and have a light blanket or covering over you because when you relax deeply your body temp will drop and it is easy to get a chill....

[Anchor]

Lol

There should be an Avalon FAQ, and this would be near the top of the list :)

Some useful comments were made to my own ideas on meditating here http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?3779-Meditating-simply

[Flasky]

The only thing that I would like to add is that waking up in the early morning hours, say 3 or 3:30am works best for me. There has been a couple of sleep cycles and it is more natural to drop into trance (which is not required for meditation). I have always had the same problem with falling asleep. Some people fall into trance too easy and end up sleeping. I know that I do. Meditation is simply quieting your mind. There are lots of directions you can go from there.

...Hm, I think I have experienced that trance stage you talk about actually! And in the instance I remember wondering if I was in between falling asleep and awake and was urging myself to stay awake but then zzzzz...So, lol, perhaps not a great attempt? Gosh why do I find it so challenging.

Thanks for your thoughts Jake.



Hi Flasky,
You will know. Pondering, rather than thinking - like daydreaming, you will see in your mind's eye, like a connection with the Universe. It's impossible to explain it, except that you will know, as opposed to believe.

Thank you, I think I am understanding what you are telling me. I just need to process everything in. Lots of great advise from everyone. But now I see what YOU mean!



It is ok to fall asleep I do quite often especially if I have a lot of scrambled egg going on in my mind... its like as soon as I can clear the thoughts my mind says YES take a nap re-set so to speak, so don't be upset or think it is not working because you fall asleep. I tend to have a 30 to 40 min session in the morning and one in the mid evening period you know when all the rubbish is on TV....lol

The idea of having say three 9 to 10min sound files is to give you specific periods of time to work with... after a while you will find you don't fall asleep because you have other benefits from the sessions occurring. Find a time that suits you and that you will not be interrupted in. The other thing to remember is this is your time and space, you are entitled to have it every day, just like watching your special TV show or reading the paper every morning etc... make it a habit just like exercise, it has the most benefit when it becomes part of your daily routine....

The music is good for blocking out distractions, just make sure you are in a safe place and have a light blanket or covering over you because when you relax deeply your body temp will drop and it is easy to get a chill....

Lols at the egg comment! And yes, I really think I should make my efforts into a habit just like exercise. Thank you for your help - your suggestions were all very valuable to me.


Lol

There should be an Avalon FAQ, and this would be near the top of the list :)

Some useful comments were made to my own ideas on meditating here http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?3779-Meditating-simply

I agree!

Thank you for the thread link - I've skimmed it briefly looks real good! (Half thinking of printing it out and pasting it above my bed so FLA WILL DO IT *checks it*)

Most stuff I've found they are written so....Ahem, nicely, it takes a lot out of me. Here I am trying to understand best ways of meditation techniques yet first trying to understand what vocabulary they are using and why people feel the need to write in complex ancient English terms...

Ok I am WAY exaggerating lol, but do you guys know what I mean? I mean, it is written beautifully --- but they make it sound so long and hard and. ... do I dare say it...boring. *blush* Sometimes I wish they'd just come to the point with their beautiful words already.

Somehow, I find meditation rather challenging. It helps to put it direct and simple - like you guys have at the moment.

This has been of great help - and I am sure a lot of people reading this that have had similar troubles or questions as me will find it of great help too!

[grapevine]

Hi Flasky

I pm'd Sepia a few weeks ago about exactly the same thing and in her reply she sent me a link to the following post and guided meditation, which I found very helpful. I think the benefits of meditation far outweigh the initial difficulties.

http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?17056-Enlightenment-Practical-steps&p=225672&viewfull=1#post225672

See you on Cloud 9 :)

[Flasky]

I'd be very, very happy to see you on cloud 9 :)

Thank you for the link, will read it for sure!

[wegge]

maybe Krishnamurti´s thoughts on meditation can help you

[Krishnamurti:] Do you know anything about meditation?

Student: No, Sir.

Krishnamurti: But the older people do not know either. They sit in a corner, close their eyes and concentrate, like school boys trying to concentrate on a book. That is not meditation. Meditation is something extraordinary, if you know how to do it. I am going to talk a little about it.
First of all, sit very quietly; do not force yourself to sit quietly, but sit or lie down quietly without force of any kind. Do you understand? Then watch your thinking. Watch what you are thinking about. You find you are thinking about your shoes, your saris, what you are going to say, the bird outside to which you listen; follow such thoughts and enquire why each thought arises. Do not try to change your thinking. See why certain thoughts arise in your mind so that you begin to understand the meaning of every thought and feeling without any enforcement. And when a thought arises, do not condemn it, do not say it is right, it is wrong, it is good, it is bad. Just watch it, so that you begin to have a perception, a consciousness which is active in seeing every kind of thought, every kind of feeling. You will know every hidden secret thought, every hidden motive, every feeling, without distortion, without saying it is right, wrong, good or bad. When you look, when you go into thought very very deeply, your mind becomes extraordinarily subtle, alive. No part of the mind is asleep. The mind is completely awake.
That is merely the foundation. Then your mind is very quiet. Your whole being becomes very still. Then go through that stillness, deeper, further – that whole process is meditation. Meditation is not to sit in a corner repeating a lot of words; or to think of a picture and go into some wild, ecstatic imaginings.
To understand the whole process of your thinking and feeling is to be free from all thought, to be free from all feeling so that your mind, your whole being becomes very quite. And that is also part of life and with that quietness, you can look at the tree, you can look at people, you can look at the sky and the stars. That is the beauty of life.

[Flasky]

Truly powerful Wegge...Thank you for sharing that with me. It's sinking in...

I'm going to call it a night and try this all out. Thank you again to everyone who has shared. Please feel encouraged to do so anytime. :)

:grouphug:

[D-Day]

Hi Flasky,

I remember when I first started dabbling in meditation and can clearly recall the feelings of frustration and bewilderment that I experienced after spending hours trying different methods and getting absolutely nowhere with them. Honestly, I'm not at all surprised that you're feeling that way you are because there are sooo many "gurus" and "masters" out there who will all try to tell you that their particular method/technique is the best one to use.

In my personal view the simplest methods are often the most effective... but that's just me. Ultimately it will always be up to the individual to decide what works for them and what doesn't.

In case you're interested, here's a step-by-step process that briefly outlines the meditation technique I developed for myself. I find it works really well for me but who knows you may also find it useful. Either way, if it doesn't feel totally right for you it might give you a few ideas to help get you started...

1. Find a position that you feel comfortable in (any position is fine, whatever works for you)
2. Close your eyes.
3. Breathe in and out through your nose, slowly and deeply.
4. Focus only on your breathing for at least 2-3 minutes... in and out, in and out, in and out etc etc.
5. During step 4 random thoughts will likely pop into your head, as they do gently remove them and try to focus your mind on "absolute nothingness".
6. After a short time you should start to feel a growing sense of focus and oneness with yourself, at this point I recommend diverting your attention towards contemplation of an abstract thought e.g. try to comprehend the concept of "infinity" (this is just what I do but you might find another concept works better for you).
7. After doing step 6 for a few minutes (maybe 5-10) you should eventually begin to feel a strong and increasing sense of connection to your inner self. .
8. Once that connection has been established (trust me you will know when this happens) it is then up to you to decide what you want to do and/or where you want to go with it... sorry but I can't help you in this regard as the journey of self-exploration is very personal and entirely up to the individual.

I hope this helps and doesn't serve to create further confusion or frustration... good luck on your journey! :)

[DoubleHelix]

Hey Flasky,

I too found meditation challenging at first, and that's not to say I've mastered it.. I could count the amount of times I've meditated on both hands and feet.

For me comfort is key, you absolutely have to be comfortable in the position you choose to meditate! That throws the lotus position out the window lol, I find sitting on a pillow or two against a wall to keep my back straight works a treat. They say remove all thoughts and think about nothing, which is true, although there is one loop hole which will assist you, simply focus on your breathing, even say it to yourself in your head - "Innnnnn, Outttttt" whilst breathing deep.

Another exercise you can try is counting up to twenty with every breath you inhale, i.e Inhale (111111) exhale, Inhale (222222) exhale... and so on. The key here is to simply focus on the number and nothing else, each time your mind wonders, then it's back to the beginning lol. This will train you to still the mind and clear out any excess thoughts.

Hope this helps, good luck! :)

[Tony]

Simple meditation.

Find a nice space to sit. Sit upright and relaxed. Senses wide open, but not too alert. Just feel the out going and incoming of the breath. Relax. Breath in and out to the count of ten: do not allow any thoughts in. This will alert monkey-mind that it has work to do!

Then, just watch the breath, and note a slight pause at the end of each breath. A gap appears in the thinking. Gradually the gap expands, to merely resting in stillness. Cool boredom!

Thoughts will seems worse sometimes - they are not, you are only noticing more...good sign!
Stop now and again to check that you are relaxed; relax facial muscles. This is your time to be at peace.

If thoughts come in, do not hold on to them. Just let them come and go...and say, not now thank you! If the thoughts are too troublesome, go back to counting the breath. Or just stop and relax, but stay on your cushion.

Meditation is very simple. Eyes slightly open, or open. Sitting outside is nice, just feeling the air on your skin.

Gradually the mind gets less cluttered, and has more clarity.

How does one know if meditation is working? You will feel happy for no reason!

All the best
Tony

[etm567]

This may seem off topic, but do you snore? I used to always fall asleep when I tried to meditate. Then I found out I had sleep apnea. Now I use CPAP, I don't fall asleep anymore.

[Marsila]

Hi Flasky, it will start coming to you naturally after a while. the two times that worked the best for me at the start were in the afternoon right after coming back home from work or any daily business, and both the mind and body are tired they naturally look for lying or sitting in a comfortable position and "quieting down"

the other time is as was mentioned here early in the morning when most people are still sleeping and most machines are off which helps in not having any thoughts at all. It will come to you in a while so don't worry if you sleep and just observe your breaths for now and nothing else, it will help your mind steer off any "thought."

[christian]

I figure prayer is like sending a request or setting one's intent and meditation opposed to that is receiving whatever there is be to be received. So meditation is strengthening one's capability to tune into all the myriads of frequencies and information out there, by raising one's own vibrational frequency. One could scientifically measure 'success' by looking at the brain waves, from what I read.

Given that you are conscious, I figure there is no time, no place, no activity etc. that would prevent one from meditating.

___

I make an effort to stop random thoughts. That's it.

Then something is done on me. That's how I feel assured, that 'it' works.

It feels like the body-energy-field is harmonizing, once I leave it undisturbed by thoughts and actions.

Eventually this voice, that doesn't originate in my conscious thoughts but that is clearly in 'my head' and tells me something now and then, becomes louder and more distinct.

___


I also think a lot of meditation music and equipment is ridiculous, by the way.

[Camilo]

Hi everyone,

I have troubles with meditating. I have tried many times - and all of those times I have failed. The outcomes are always two : I get bored and silly doing it or I fall asleep.

I've been told if you seek help and desire to contact your spirit guide use meditation - but how can achieve that if meditation is not working for me?

What works for YOU and why?

Do you use tapes or music?

...I'm a bit embarrassed to say some of the 'meditation music' I found online I find ridiculous.

What is supposed to happen while 'meditating' to make me understand its working?

What else should I try to do apart from meditation?

In your experience, what happened to make you understand it was working?

Thanks guys..!

TRY THIS ON. I'TS VERY EFFECTIVE. GOOD LUCK!......LET US KNOW

Meditation article.htm

¤=[Post Update]=¤

Meditation –Key to a Better Life

By Aruna Byers

It may seem as if the benefits of meditation have been extolled so often that those who could use them would be doing it regularly, but this is not the case. Even though we know it can reduce stress, help us stay centered, clear our mind and align us to the flow of life, it remains something most of us put off for some future time. Just like sticking to a good diet and exercising regularly, meditation is one of those things that requires strong will power to get into and maintain. Why is it so hard to sit quietly for awhile?

There is a part of the psyche that really enjoys its role of running our life and it is not going to give up that control easily. It keeps us in line with mind chatter about everything and anything, not giving us even a moment of mental peace. There are the shoulds, woulds, coulds, can’ts, and won’ts; the should haves, could haves, I wants and I don’t wants to think about. There is also every possible scenario about the past, the future and all of our judgments of the present that keep us oblivious to the other voice inside that really does know what is in our highest good and can lead us to it.

Most of us are convinced that this ongoing commentary on our life is helping us to move forward, but it is actually keeping us stuck in the past. This is because our memories, beliefs and attitudes that formed in past experiences continue to attract similar situations and trigger the same old reactions. Reactions we had as a child usually don’t fit the person we have become as adults, but the voice in our head wants us to believe that they do and it will do anything it can to keep us from accessing that wiser voice inside that can provide a better response. So whenever there’s a choice between spending time meditating and doing something else on your “to do” list, that controlling voice in your head is going to make sure you put off meditation because that is where the other voice can be found.

If you are one of those who know meditation is needed in your life and are not doing it, here is an approach that can help you deal with that pesky controller in your head:

Whenever you find yourself thinking about something in particular, change your attention to whatever is happening in the moment. Just observe and fully experience everything without thinking about it. The mind will continue to spew forth thoughts, but you are not your thoughts so you can choose to ignore them. This level of awareness about your thoughts may seem strange at first, but observing thoughts instead of accepting them as your life’s director will give you the opportunity to understand how irrelevant and destructive they can be. You will be amazed at how much you have missed in life while engaged in thinking. If you are comparing one experience to another you cannot be fully engaged in the present moment. Being fully present in the moment gives you a new experience that does not have to be tainted by your memories of the past. You just need to keep your attention out of the past to fully appreciate it.

This disengagement from your thoughts is a good preparation for meditation. Once you are cognizant of the fact that being directed to do something else instead of meditate is merely a ploy to keep you stuck in the past, it is possible to make a different choice - the choice the very wise part of you is hoping you will make.

This wise part of you, your True Nature, is very different than the personality that has been formed by your childhood experiences, DNA and soul memories. It is a loving, peaceful presence that is always happy no matter what is happening in your life. To know this part of you is to awaken it. This part of you, your True Nature, has been veiled by an entire lifetime of thoughts, but is always trying to guide you through impulses, intuition and inspiration. To seek and follow its guidance instead of accepting the directions of your thoughts is the most direct path to wholeness and a better life. Regular meditation provides the opportunity to meet your True Nature and know the peace and happiness that is available to you when you live life free of the past.

Sitting quietly, aware of what is going on but not engaged in it, allows your True Nature to reveal itself. This does not mean that you will receive visions or messages because these only provide more food for the mind. It means that you will get to know that quiet, peaceful, joyful part of yourself by directly experiencing it. This is the ultimate form of prayer, because the part of you awaiting your attention is also your divine essence. Honoring the divine with silence allows that silent, non-personal presence to expand until it consumes the false personality. In this way, meditation helps you become the full expression of who you truly are.

There are many ways to meditate. Some require rigid postures, others use mantras, etc. There is no “right” way. The way that works best for you is the one to do. Sitting, standing, lying down, eyes open, eyes shut - all are ok, as long as you remain alert and present to what is happening without participating in any way. This quiet detachment is the goal of meditation. Visions, ideas, etc. are still mental thoughts. Let these and every other thought come and go without accepting any of them. Just stay aware of them as they rise and disappear. Focus your attention on the place where they are rising from, that silent space that is the source of all thoughts.

You may have a sense of bliss – or not. It doesn’t matter. Just experience whatever you experience without comment because every comment takes you back into your head and reignites the thought machine.

Once you are able to detach from all your thoughts and physical experiences you are in meditation. All techniques are methods to get you there. Stay as long as you can. Ten minutes is great. Twenty is better. Whatever you can manage in your daily routine will be a benefit. Once a day is good and twice a day is better. If you miss a day you will not regress. If you miss several days you will because the mind machine has resumed control. Remember, you always have the ability to choose what your heart wants over that chatter in your head. Your soul is challenging you to do it.

The eternal happiness your soul longs for is just waiting for you to reject the monkey mind so your True Nature, the source of all happiness, can come alive inside of you. Once you are regularly experiencing inner silence and detachment in meditation, you have prepared the foundation for an even greater awakening, the one that leads to enlightenment.


****Aruna Byers is a Spiritual Coach who supports Awakening. She also teaches meditation, how to access inner guidance and The Enneagram. www.awakeningcoach.com

[MariaDine]

LoL...when i started meditation it was the same thing...:couch2:....then a friend told me :

- Pick a theme, a subject...hum, like Love or Peace, and dissect it !»

- Dissect Love...LOL ! are you nuts ? (me, not getting the point)

Then he said to me

- Think about your definitions of love, personal, global, selfish, altruist, people who are examples of love, what kind of love, why do you think it's love, why do you thing or feel it's not love, what are other definitions of love, ...for people around you, in other cultures, countries, the definition of love through history...is it a feeling ? what kind of feeling, what do feel, when do you feel, why do you feel ? ...why is it mportant ?

...and he went on and on :tongue1: but for me his suggestion worked...

Love
Maria

Ps- With pratice, i discoverd that he had given me the most important hint. A way to find out how much our emotions rule our actions. They are horses without reins. Meditation is a way to understand that you can have the cooperation of your mental body , in the way to another stage of awareness, instead of fighting it,,,instead of fighting yourself.

[RMorgan]

You´ll know when you´re there, when suddenly you´re not sure if you´re laying down, if you´re standing up, if you´re facing the floor or the ceiling. You´ll not know if your hands are open or closed, if your legs are crossed or not. You´ll completely lose the sense of position.

You´ll also be aware that you are not sleeping, but you´re not awaken either.

It´s just like you´re sitting alone in a dark room, without actually knowing if you´re sitting or floating, without having any reference of position, without feeling your body, and with no thoughts.

It´s just your self and the nothingness.

[Flasky]

Hi Flasky,

I remember when I first started dabbling in meditation and can clearly recall the feelings of frustration and bewilderment that I experienced after spending hours trying different methods and getting absolutely nowhere with them. Honestly, I'm not at all surprised that you're feeling that way you are because there are sooo many "gurus" and "masters" out there who will all try to tell you that their particular method/technique is the best one to use.

In my personal view the simplest methods are often the most effective... but that's just me. Ultimately it will always be up to the individual to decide what works for them and what doesn't.

In case you're interested, here's a step-by-step process that briefly outlines the meditation technique I developed for myself. I find it works really well for me but who knows you may also find it useful. Either way, if it doesn't feel totally right for you it might give you a few ideas to help get you started...

1. Find a position that you feel comfortable in (any position is fine, whatever works for you)
2. Close your eyes.
3. Breathe in and out through your nose, slowly and deeply.
4. Focus only on your breathing for at least 2-3 minutes... in and out, in and out, in and out etc etc.
5. During step 4 random thoughts will likely pop into your head, as they do gently remove them and try to focus your mind on "absolute nothingness".
6. After a short time you should start to feel a growing sense of focus and oneness with yourself, at this point I recommend diverting your attention towards contemplation of an abstract thought e.g. try to comprehend the concept of "infinity" (this is just what I do but you might find another concept works better for you).
7. After doing step 6 for a few minutes (maybe 5-10) you should eventually begin to feel a strong and increasing sense of connection to your inner self. .
8. Once that connection has been established (trust me you will know when this happens) it is then up to you to decide what you want to do and/or where you want to go with it... sorry but I can't help you in this regard as the journey of self-exploration is very personal and entirely up to the individual.

I hope this helps and doesn't serve to create further confusion or frustration... good luck on your journey! :)

You know what Dan, it just kind of felt so good to hear about someone also saying they struggled with it. And thank you for giving me your method - its very close to what I've tried to do too.


Hey Flasky,

I too found meditation challenging at first, and that's not to say I've mastered it.. I could count the amount of times I've meditated on both hands and feet.

For me comfort is key, you absolutely have to be comfortable in the position you choose to meditate! That throws the lotus position out the window lol, I find sitting on a pillow or two against a wall to keep my back straight works a treat. They say remove all thoughts and think about nothing, which is true, although there is one loop hole which will assist you, simply focus on your breathing, even say it to yourself in your head - "Innnnnn, Outttttt" whilst breathing deep.

Another exercise you can try is counting up to twenty with every breath you inhale, i.e Inhale (111111) exhale, Inhale (222222) exhale... and so on. The key here is to simply focus on the number and nothing else, each time your mind wonders, then it's back to the beginning lol. This will train you to still the mind and clear out any excess thoughts.

Hope this helps, good luck! :)

Thank you! Once again, so relieved to hear it was somewhat of a struggle for someone else too. Ok, I've tried the breathing technique/quantum pause and the 111111,2222 trick as well! It....made me very light headed. Or should I say, I made myself very light headed with it.


Simple meditation.

.... Meditation is very simple. Eyes slightly open, or open. Sitting outside is nice, just feeling the air on your skin.

Gradually the mind gets less cluttered, and has more clarity.

How does one know if meditation is working? You will feel happy for no reason!

All the best
Tony

Thank you Tony for ALL of your help. You know...What I don't get....And this is address for anyone to answer really...but what I don't get is if meditation is to achieve oneself through nothingness...what the hell is the purpose of it? I find it a bit of a paradox really. Why does one need to release of all thoughts and achieve bodily and mental stillness to be ONE? I mean, aren't your thoughts and action make who you are and by taking them away doesn't that leave you with well, nothing --- but why is that nothing that ONENESS and ALL-ness.....I can't get my head around that. Why must we be void to be one and find our true light? It doesn't make sense to me.


This may seem off topic, but do you snore? I used to always fall asleep when I tried to meditate. Then I found out I had sleep apnea. Now I use CPAP, I don't fall asleep anymore.

Lmao! Well...I am sure I have once or twice before but I've been told all my life I am the quietest sleeper ever. Thanks for your input tho! :)


Hi Flasky, it will start coming to you naturally after a while. the two times that worked the best for me at the start were in the afternoon right after coming back home from work or any daily business, and both the mind and body are tired they naturally look for lying or sitting in a comfortable position and "quieting down"

the other time is as was mentioned here early in the morning when most people are still sleeping and most machines are off which helps in not having any thoughts at all. It will come to you in a while so don't worry if you sleep and just observe your breaths for now and nothing else, it will help your mind steer off any "thought."

Thank you so much for your suggestion! I've found that focusing on my breath makes me light headed...:P

I figure prayer is like sending a request or setting one's intent and meditation opposed to that is receiving whatever there is be to be received. So meditation is strengthening one's capability to tune into all the myriads of frequencies and information out there, by raising one's own vibrational frequency. One could scientifically measure 'success' by looking at the brain waves, from what I read.

Given that you are conscious, I figure there is no time, no place, no activity etc. that would prevent one from meditating.

___

I make an effort to stop random thoughts. That's it.

Then something is done on me. That's how I feel assured, that 'it' works.

It feels like the body-energy-field is harmonizing, once I leave it undisturbed by thoughts and actions.

Eventually this voice, that doesn't originate in my conscious thoughts but that is clearly in 'my head' and tells me something now and then, becomes louder and more distinct.

___


I also think a lot of meditation music and equipment is ridiculous, by the way.

By far I've resonated most with what you've said here, somehow it makes more sense. I think.

And lol, yay I am glad you think about it the same way I do with some of the music around!




TRY THIS ON. I'TS VERY EFFECTIVE. GOOD LUCK!......LET US KNOW

Meditation article.htm

¤=[Post Update]=¤

Meditation –Key to a Better Life

By Aruna Byers

It may seem as if the benefits of meditation have been extolled so often that those who could use them would be doing it regularly, but this is not the case. Even though we know it can reduce stress, help us stay centered, clear our mind and align us to the flow of life, it remains something most of us put off for some future time. Just like sticking to a good diet and exercising regularly, meditation is one of those things that requires strong will power to get into and maintain. Why is it so hard to sit quietly for awhile?

There is a part of the psyche that really enjoys its role of running our life and it is not going to give up that control easily. It keeps us in line with mind chatter about everything and anything, not giving us even a moment of mental peace. There are the shoulds, woulds, coulds, can’ts, and won’ts; the should haves, could haves, I wants and I don’t wants to think about. There is also every possible scenario about the past, the future and all of our judgments of the present that keep us oblivious to the other voice inside that really does know what is in our highest good and can lead us to it.

Most of us are convinced that this ongoing commentary on our life is helping us to move forward, but it is actually keeping us stuck in the past. This is because our memories, beliefs and attitudes that formed in past experiences continue to attract similar situations and trigger the same old reactions. Reactions we had as a child usually don’t fit the person we have become as adults, but the voice in our head wants us to believe that they do and it will do anything it can to keep us from accessing that wiser voice inside that can provide a better response. So whenever there’s a choice between spending time meditating and doing something else on your “to do” list, that controlling voice in your head is going to make sure you put off meditation because that is where the other voice can be found.

If you are one of those who know meditation is needed in your life and are not doing it, here is an approach that can help you deal with that pesky controller in your head:

Whenever you find yourself thinking about something in particular, change your attention to whatever is happening in the moment. Just observe and fully experience everything without thinking about it. The mind will continue to spew forth thoughts, but you are not your thoughts so you can choose to ignore them. This level of awareness about your thoughts may seem strange at first, but observing thoughts instead of accepting them as your life’s director will give you the opportunity to understand how irrelevant and destructive they can be. You will be amazed at how much you have missed in life while engaged in thinking. If you are comparing one experience to another you cannot be fully engaged in the present moment. Being fully present in the moment gives you a new experience that does not have to be tainted by your memories of the past. You just need to keep your attention out of the past to fully appreciate it.

This disengagement from your thoughts is a good preparation for meditation. Once you are cognizant of the fact that being directed to do something else instead of meditate is merely a ploy to keep you stuck in the past, it is possible to make a different choice - the choice the very wise part of you is hoping you will make.

This wise part of you, your True Nature, is very different than the personality that has been formed by your childhood experiences, DNA and soul memories. It is a loving, peaceful presence that is always happy no matter what is happening in your life. To know this part of you is to awaken it. This part of you, your True Nature, has been veiled by an entire lifetime of thoughts, but is always trying to guide you through impulses, intuition and inspiration. To seek and follow its guidance instead of accepting the directions of your thoughts is the most direct path to wholeness and a better life. Regular meditation provides the opportunity to meet your True Nature and know the peace and happiness that is available to you when you live life free of the past.

Sitting quietly, aware of what is going on but not engaged in it, allows your True Nature to reveal itself. This does not mean that you will receive visions or messages because these only provide more food for the mind. It means that you will get to know that quiet, peaceful, joyful part of yourself by directly experiencing it. This is the ultimate form of prayer, because the part of you awaiting your attention is also your divine essence. Honoring the divine with silence allows that silent, non-personal presence to expand until it consumes the false personality. In this way, meditation helps you become the full expression of who you truly are.

There are many ways to meditate. Some require rigid postures, others use mantras, etc. There is no “right” way. The way that works best for you is the one to do. Sitting, standing, lying down, eyes open, eyes shut - all are ok, as long as you remain alert and present to what is happening without participating in any way. This quiet detachment is the goal of meditation. Visions, ideas, etc. are still mental thoughts. Let these and every other thought come and go without accepting any of them. Just stay aware of them as they rise and disappear. Focus your attention on the place where they are rising from, that silent space that is the source of all thoughts.

You may have a sense of bliss – or not. It doesn’t matter. Just experience whatever you experience without comment because every comment takes you back into your head and reignites the thought machine.

Once you are able to detach from all your thoughts and physical experiences you are in meditation. All techniques are methods to get you there. Stay as long as you can. Ten minutes is great. Twenty is better. Whatever you can manage in your daily routine will be a benefit. Once a day is good and twice a day is better. If you miss a day you will not regress. If you miss several days you will because the mind machine has resumed control. Remember, you always have the ability to choose what your heart wants over that chatter in your head. Your soul is challenging you to do it.

The eternal happiness your soul longs for is just waiting for you to reject the monkey mind so your True Nature, the source of all happiness, can come alive inside of you. Once you are regularly experiencing inner silence and detachment in meditation, you have prepared the foundation for an even greater awakening, the one that leads to enlightenment.


****Aruna Byers is a Spiritual Coach who supports Awakening. She also teaches meditation, how to access inner guidance and The Enneagram. www.awakeningcoach.com

This is very much to digest. It has answered some of my questions but I find it complex to pull my head around it. So much I need to learn and experience. Thank you for this.



LoL...when i started meditation it was the same thing...:couch2:....then a friend told me :

- Pick a theme, a subject...hum, like Love or Peace, and dissect it !»

- Dissect Love...LOL ! are you nuts ? (me, not getting the point)

Then he said to me

- Think about your definitions of love, personal, global, selfish, altruist, people who are examples of love, what kind of love, why do you think it's love, why do you thing or feel it's not love, what are other definitions of love, ...for people around you, in other cultures, countries, the definition of love through history...is it a feeling ? what kind of feeling, what do feel, when do you feel, why do you feel ? ...why is it mportant ?

...and he went on and on :tongue1: but for me his suggestion worked...

Love
Maria

Ps- With pratice, i discoverd that he had given me the most important hint. A way to find out how much our emotions rule our actions. They are horses without reins. Meditation is a way to understand that you can have the cooperation of your mental body , in the way to another stage of awareness, instead of fighting it,,,instead of fighting yourself.

Love! ....hmm...That is really an awesome idea. I will try it! Thank you!


You´ll know when you´re there, when suddenly you´re not sure if you´re laying down, if you´re standing up, if you´re facing the floor or the ceiling. You´ll not know if your hands are open or closed, if your legs are crossed or not. You´ll completely lose the sense of position.

You´ll also be aware that you are not sleeping, but you´re not awaken either.

It´s just like you´re sitting alone in a dark room, without actually knowing if you´re sitting or floating, without having any reference of position, without feeling your body, and with no thoughts.

It´s just your self and the nothingness.

Hm, haven't reached that yet - but thank you that felt very real and possible and thanks for giving me such an explanation.

So what happened last night?

I went to bed and crossed my legs while laying on my back. I tensed my facial muscles then relaxed them and went on till my whole body was 'relaxed'. I waited for my body to sink in the mattress, fully and my mind quietened as I sank.

Thoughts came --- and I became an observer. The more it happened the more easy it begun to be an observer. But it was very tricky because it was very easy to over-observe and start thinking about it. Then I noticed (this must have been 15 mins in or something) my whole body starting to thrum and I grew conscious of a weight underneath my chin on my chest area - like something pushing me down from there. It didn't feel like a push but more of like a heavy weight keeping me down from that point.

As soon as I noticed this the weight started to lift and I felt my mind becoming more 'awake' and I thought that I was breaking (the spell lol) whatever I had innitiated by becoming to aware so I relaxed and gained control again and the thrumming resumed. I was very curious about the thrumming and why it was happening...It was very soothing somehow.

Then I woke up and it was morning. That was my last 'aware' thought I guess...

Is the thrumming normal? Not sure what it means. Was I doing it guys? lol..!?

[phillipbbg]

And this is address for anyone to answer really...but what I don't get is if meditation is to achieve oneself through nothingness...what the hell is the purpose of it? I find it a bit of a paradox really. Why does one need to release of all thoughts and achieve bodily and mental stillness to be ONE? I mean, aren't your thoughts and action make who you are and by taking them away doesn't that leave you with well, nothing --- but why is that nothing that ONENESS and ALL-ness.....I can't get my head around that. Why must we be void to be one and find our true light? It doesn't make sense to me.

Hi Flasky... my way of explaining the above to you is as follows:If you turn on a TV and it is out of tune you get lots of static, snow , interference etc now to be able to get a clear signal you need to tune all of the STUFF (thoughts) out so that you have a clear reception.... Now what the channel you end up tuned into is a personal thing... there are many channels so to speak (different planes of existence)

So the point of oneness etc is about tuning for me, making the image sharp..... however you want to explain it.... and as to what happens next well think about all the different functions you have once you have tuned in your tv... teletex, HD channels, music...............etc. Its just an analogy but it is how I comprehend what it is that occurs once you reach certain levels of meditation... by the way sometimes you just end up with no signal and fall asleep.... we don't get it right all the time...like they say if it was easy everyone would do it..... its a pity they don't try because it would become easy then...

Have fun with it and ask for what you want to achieve if it is reasonable it will happen.... but be careful what you ask for....

[TraineeHuman]

"Pondering" is one very good way for a beginner to start. Actually, the primary traditional form of meditation in Christianity, Judaism and Islam was what is known as "contemplation". Contemplation means you take one inspiring or fascinating theme and just concentrate on that, thinking whatever comes up in your mind regarding that topic. The topic could be anything, like "what does it really imply to exist forever?" Pretty soon (ten or fifteen minutes) you'll start running out of thoughts. But if you keep your concentration focused on that one topic, you'll find that the thoughts get replaced by something like intuitions, or by ideas in the form they take before you can put them into any words. As this happens, you'll start to feel some peace and joy. Then it's just a matter of how deep into joy and peace the process will take you.

Contemplation may be more suitable for many beginners, because it's a more Western style of getting there.

[christian]

Simple meditation.

.... Meditation is very simple. Eyes slightly open, or open. Sitting outside is nice, just feeling the air on your skin.

Gradually the mind gets less cluttered, and has more clarity.

How does one know if meditation is working? You will feel happy for no reason!

All the best
Tony

Thank you Tony for ALL of your help. You know...What I don't get....And this is address for anyone to answer really...but what I don't get is if meditation is to achieve oneself through nothingness...what the hell is the purpose of it? I find it a bit of a paradox really. Why does one need to release of all thoughts and achieve bodily and mental stillness to be ONE? I mean, aren't your thoughts and action make who you are and by taking them away doesn't that leave you with well, nothing --- but why is that nothing that ONENESS and ALL-ness.....I can't get my head around that. Why must we be void to be one and find our true light? It doesn't make sense to me.

Excellent questions.

Eventually I strive to be in harmony the the Cosmic Flow. Because it is flowing, it makes perfect sense to have movement and even thoughts also. The issue here is: Where do the thoughts and actions originate from? I am gifted with free will and can think about and do anything based on my limited thinking, or I can 'become void' and 'percecptive to the Cosmic Flow', so that it might fill me and work through me, so it's not my thoughts and actions that are done, but the will of the Source that is done through me by my allowing the Cosmic Flow to work though me, thus playing my part in harmonizing all-that-is.

The Dao De Jing (http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/core9/phalsall/texts/taote-v3.html) is the world's second most translated book (after the Bible) and is all about the seeming paradox of doing without doing, also called Wu Wei. It's very short and may seem cryptic upon first view.

The thread Focusing: The Transformational Lense (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?23322-Focusing-The-Transformational-Lens) has also many insights into this issue.

[Anchor]

maybe Krishnamurti´s thoughts on meditation can help you

[Krishnamurti:] Do you know anything about meditation?

Student: No, Sir.

Krishnamurti: But the older people do not know either. They sit in a corner, close their eyes and concentrate, like school boys trying to concentrate on a book. That is not meditation. Meditation is something extraordinary, if you know how to do it. I am going to talk a little about it.
First of all, sit very quietly; do not force yourself to sit quietly, but sit or lie down quietly without force of any kind. Do you understand? Then watch your thinking. Watch what you are thinking about. You find you are thinking about your shoes, your saris, what you are going to say, the bird outside to which you listen; follow such thoughts and enquire why each thought arises. Do not try to change your thinking. See why certain thoughts arise in your mind so that you begin to understand the meaning of every thought and feeling without any enforcement. And when a thought arises, do not condemn it, do not say it is right, it is wrong, it is good, it is bad. Just watch it, so that you begin to have a perception, a consciousness which is active in seeing every kind of thought, every kind of feeling. You will know every hidden secret thought, every hidden motive, every feeling, without distortion, without saying it is right, wrong, good or bad. When you look, when you go into thought very very deeply, your mind becomes extraordinarily subtle, alive. No part of the mind is asleep. The mind is completely awake.
That is merely the foundation. Then your mind is very quiet. Your whole being becomes very still. Then go through that stillness, deeper, further – that whole process is meditation. Meditation is not to sit in a corner repeating a lot of words; or to think of a picture and go into some wild, ecstatic imaginings.
To understand the whole process of your thinking and feeling is to be free from all thought, to be free from all feeling so that your mind, your whole being becomes very quite. And that is also part of life and with that quietness, you can look at the tree, you can look at people, you can look at the sky and the stars. That is the beauty of life.


Thankyou so much - Fantastic - I will add that to my armory of how to "Meditate Simply" :)

[xion]

Hi all !

I found this on original Avalon forum that might help someone. http://projectavalon.net/forum/showthread.php?t=4755
Techniques described are very easy even for a beginner. I've been using similar techniques before I came across on that post few years ago. Also you can find there advanced meditation techniques, techniques on astral projection, opening chakras ect.
It's worth the look for anyone doing or starting meditation.

This is my first post so i hope it counts :)

Have fun !

[WhiteFeather]

I relax in bed, breathe, cross my arms over my chest, cross one leg over the other, and usually listen to a beautiful sounding video. Like this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzYCndaT8bs&feature=channel_video_title

[crosby]

i am in the beginning stages of learning how to meditate. my biggest problem in the very beginning was that my left and right brain would not stop the chatter...... very distracting, now i have much better control over what i choose to listen too. i am still learning though. i've also found that i do not need any music to help me along the way. i prefer total silence. it works for me.
regards, corson