Am I meditating right?

[Pepsi32123]

I have meditated to some meditation songs, not like techno because that's distraction. For those that meditate, how do you feel when you're doing it? When in your meditating stance, do you become more aware of your surroundings, do you slip into an unconcious (sleep?) state, or do you just feel like you're sitting there. When I meditated, I concentrated on breathing and tried not thinking about anything else. Also, how long do you spend meditating and how long does it take to 'feel' that you're doing it right? Once I look around and visit some tai chi schools, I'm going to maybe take the class. Any opinions, answers, and comments would greatly be appreciated.

[nzric]

One thing I've found is that when I'm meditating, you can't stop yourself from thinking but try to "watch" your thoughts. Don't be an active participant in your thoughts, just let them come and go (like traffic noise) in the background.

Weird concept but you'll know what I mean.

You shouldn't fall asleep (although I'm sure a lot of those old monks start snoring when they've been in the lotus position for ages).

[gerard]

Just be perseverant and patient. Like my master told me once it took him 3 years to a chieve a decent meditation, that is stopping the "chit-chat" mind. Try to empty yourself and don't worry about group meditations which I think are counter-productive. It is you and Tao. It's a marriage that cannot be shared. Thngs will be unveiled slowly, like the growth of a millenium tree.

All the best in your progress.

[Pepsi32123]

You say you let sounds come and go. Does that mean you have meditated so much that you realize what distractions are around you, so you block them out because you've recognized that fault? And another question, the word 'spirit'. Are you all refering to the inner self or inner power in one's self? I like the monk comment. lol

[daftyman]

You say you let sounds come and go. Does that mean you have meditated so much that you realize what distractions are around you, so you block them out because you've recognized that fault? And another question, the word 'spirit'. Are you all refering to the inner self or inner power in one's self? I like the monk comment. lol
I don't feel that you need to block the distractions. i.e. using a forceful mindset to deal with them, just let them be. Don't ignore them. It could be important. Just don't react to them. Let them come and go like nzric said. It is hard to quiet the monkey mind, or the 'chit-chat' mind if you refer. Its just about how you deal with the random thoughts that surface. You can try to force them down, or you can allow them to be and not react to them. I think the second way is the only real way of going about it. Eventually the background chatter will decrease.

[Shai'tan]

When you start whit meditation it is best to start whit 15 minutes every day. It has no use to keep sitting there one hour. Just 15 minutes is fine. After three months you may start to feel the first "changes", thinking of nothing gets easier and that sort of things. That is why you need to be patient


When I meditate I focus on my breath like this:

I'm breathing deeply in, I'm breathing deeply out. I'm breathing deeply in, I’m.... etc.

When I'm meditating I "lose" my grip on time. I don't know how many minutes pass between starting and ending.

After some time I don't hear any thing. It just disappeared, I'm not aware of it. I don’t know how this works. It just happens.

(I keep thinking: I'm breathing deeply in, I'm breathing deeply out. I'm breathing deeply in, I'm ....)

After some time I get a feeling, it’s like being aware of all the movements of you cells or maybe molecules. It always starts in my arms and than spreads through my body.

After some time that feeling fates away and I stop feeling my arms. This also spreads through my entire body. So I stop feeling my body.

After that ... I don't know. I can't explain. You have to experience it for your self.


I meditate in half lotus or lying on my bed.


Trying to think about nothing almost always ends in thinking about a lot. Just don’t focus on your thoughts, let them come and watch them. Than let them go. A next thought will come and you do the same and after some time no more thoughts will come.

Focusing on music whit a steady beat can help a lot. Focusing on the beat is the same like focusing on the breath.

But what helps for one person doesn’t work for the next so you have to try different ways of meditation. But don’t give up very easily sometimes you need many months before you feel the changes.

[Novex]

My shir fu started talking about meditation just last night at Tai Chi. He was saying that to meditate means simple to concentrate on a single thing. But as when we try to do this we become more receptive to all thoughts. An easy way to start is to sit in a comfortable position and to try to be aware of all the sounds around you. Once you can hear everything that is possible to hear try to focuss on just one sound that you can hear repetitively and continue to imagine that sound even when it isn't there to the exclusion of everything else. Alternatly use a simple picture, a single flower or a leaf for example, capture the image of the picture in you mind and then contentrate on all the little details of it.

[glenchuy]

okay, this is a geniune question, and pardon me for my ignorance-

i've been doing MA (TKD, KB, arnis) for quite sometime now, and during TKD warmups, there's always this "meditation" phase it goes on for about 2 mins. ever since i was a white belt, there was always this 2 mins of meditation phase. i've never asked what you're supposed to do/think/whatever during this phase. all i do is kneel down, sit on the edge of my foot and let my mind wander off, thinking about random things like who i'm sparring/what my opening move will be/what's for dinner later- those stuff.

also i'm not really a very spiritual person- correction. i'm not spiritual at all.

so my question is- what does CORRECT and proper meditation do for you? i mean, if i do it properly (which i honestly don't know how) what can it give me and how can it improve the way i do MA?

[daftyman]

meditation. you could think of it as quiet contemplation. a time to think about what's going to be happening in the class. try not to pay attention to the 'what's on tv later, etc' type thoughts. If a thought appears, don't react to it, just notice that its there. Another one will probably be along in a mo'.

You can just focus on your breathing. counting the breaths in and out.

It can help to calm your mind. It can clear out some of the background chatter. It helps focus. It can help you to solve problems by allowing a more 'detached' view.

So next time you have this two minutes, try to think of just your breathing. Keeping the breath long and even.

Then notice what you feel at the end of it. Might be nothing, might be something.

[glenchuy]

thanks. i'm quite ashamed that i'm uh... 2nd degree dan and i'm not doing it properly :D

[TkdWarrior]

so my question is- what does CORRECT and proper meditation do for you? i mean, if i do it properly (which i honestly don't know how) what can it give me and how can it improve the way i do MA?
if you do it right, may be in some years, you'll start reading people thoughts, leivitating and other things... :D

who knows???

but wat meditation does is to make you more receptive to the Mother nature.
What meditation does is to make u one with universe

there r other things that meditation does, because u r more receptive to your surroundings you need to take hold of yourself... it can be crazy...

Methods? doesn't matter... breathe in breathe out, count down or up... who cares...
it is dwelling on nothing..
-TkdWarrior-

[serious harm]

Here are some absolutely excellent music and sound's CD's for meditation. Very excellent quality CD's.

http://www.atlantis.to/music2/music-therapy-sound-therapy.htm

[Eero]

For meditation I recommend peaceful environment. No music or anything like that. I believe that nature helps much.

[serious harm]

Sometimes I practice laying meditation for 2 hours. 1 hour head pointed south, one hour head pointed north. Many qigong styles start out facing south developing the lower chakras, and end facing north developing the higher chakras.

[Pepsi32123]

When meditating, it refreshes the body and excersizes the mind. What does it do after meditation? Does it improve focus, reaction, concentration, etc...?

[serious harm]

If you're good, the vitalization, hapiness and peacefulness should last at least until the next morning.