Meditation

Discussion in 'Health and Fitness' started by jkdlifer, Sep 12, 2012.

  1. jkdlifer

    jkdlifer New Member

    Hello all,

    I'm a newbie when it comes to meditation but I can already feel the benefits.

    I was wondering if any of you out there have any tips, books, methods, that have worked for you that you wouldn't mind sharing?

    Thanks!
     
  2. inthespirit

    inthespirit ignant

  3. jkdlifer

    jkdlifer New Member

    Thanks for the links!

    I'll check them out.
     
  4. caveman

    caveman Threadkiller

    When you say you are feeling benefits what exactly do you mean? I'm not trying to be funny or argumentative, I'm genuinely interested and curious about this.
     
  5. warriorofanart

    warriorofanart Valued Member

    Here's a simple relaxation exercise:

    Sit in a place where you won't be disturbed for at least 15 minutes; you can sit crossed-legged, or on a chair, but you have to keep your back straight so you can breathe fully.

    Start by placing your hands in your lap (palms towards you with the dominate hand holding your other hand and your thumbs touching), and breathe normally; don't force it. After a few minutes, begin by taking a deep breath for 4 seconds, hold it for 4 seconds, release it for 4 seconds, and hold it again for 4 seconds. Concentrate on counting the seconds. Do this for about 5 minutes, then breathe normally again. Enjoy the relaxation. Try to keep your mind clear when you're doing this exercise.

    This is a very basic, but powerful relaxation exercise that has done wonders for me. To reiterate on that I had sinus surgery a few weeks ago, and it was my first time under the knife. When I was laying on the hospital bed waiting to be transferred to the operation room, I started getting anxious and my heart started beating faster. I did this exercise, and within minutes managed to control my heart rate and even joked around with the nurses before I was knocked out.

    Hope this helps.
     
  6. jkdlifer

    jkdlifer New Member

    Hey caveman.

    What I mean is that ever since I started meditating, I feel more calm and relaxed throughout the day while at the same time, I feel more clear-minded and focused. Also I've noticed that some of the things that used to get to me just don't really bother me that much anymore.

    Have you ever tried meditating before?
     
  7. jkdlifer

    jkdlifer New Member

    Very cool stuff. I will give it a shot.

    Thanks for the tip!
     
  8. Bruce W Sims

    Bruce W Sims Banned Banned

    Its important to have some sort of "guide". As a Buddhist I took my Precepts at Shata Abbey in California, which is a Westernized take on the SOTO ZEN tradition. I don't hold much with introducing Western ritualization to an Eastern practice but it seems to work for a lot of people. The reason I raise it though is because through the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives I was introduced to a wonderful translation of the Heart Sutra which I committed to memory and that is what I am working to communicate.

    Your "guide" does not have to be Human. My wife reads a lot of Pema Chodron and though my wife has never met this person her books touch my wife in a way nothing else does. For me Gary Zukav ("Seat of the Soul") was a real turning point as was Richard Bach and "Illusions: tales of a Reluctant Messiah", a book that can be read as a delightful story in about an evening and is one of the most profound books I have found. Zipped in a canvas bookcover I have a copy of the Buddhist Monastic Rules, and these also ground me.

    I share all of this because you are Meditating and are having a good experience. I encourage not to just do this with your Body and you Mind. By finding something to act as a Guide you can also knit your Emotions and Spirit into what you are doing. Engaging all Four Planes of the Human Experience will deepen what you are doing. FWIW.

    Best Wishes,

    Bruce
     
  9. Dave76

    Dave76 Valued Member

    Consistancy! The more you want to skip a day cause you're tired or busy, the more important it is to meditate that day.
     
  10. Bruce W Sims

    Bruce W Sims Banned Banned

    Jack Kornfield ("A Path with Heart") also made a suggestion that has intrigued me and which I have played with a bit. In meditating, should one stray the common advice is to simply return to meditation. Kornfield suggests as part of returning to meditation that one "name" or characterize, with one word, the nature of the stray. For instance, a person who is meditating and finds angry thoughts from a recent event might return to his practice repeating "anger.....anger.....anger...." It sounded trite at first, but I have found that by naming the distraction, I have less of them. Odd but true.

    Best Wishes,

    Bruce
     
  11. calebgun

    calebgun New Member

    Qi Gong

    falundafa.org is a link for falun dafa qi gong and qi gong basically just means, "cultivation." It cultivates body and mind because some of the poses your holding your arms out not moving. You are totally still and cultivating internally in exercises 2 and 5 but you move in exercises 1,3 and 4. I highly recommend it. The audio is on there for the techniques, they are very simple yet direct and the book is on their via pdf for free . Every group I've ever cultivated with will not receive any money. Most the time i practice alone with the songs on my phone. read the book make your own decision its free. I don't memorize things easy and I learned the moves within a few times of practicing. Remember this could be illegal soon its already persecuted heavily in China; its too empowering for those that truly want to cultivate with no intentions. It doesn't take long to learn and its in my opinion the highest level; but its just a system if you don't practice cultivating it doesn't matter what system you use. Its tough work regardless but well worth it. To not think of an attachment for the full 2 hours would be amazing! And to not move at all when holding the poses =) !!! I cant go a minute or two without thinking of something. Its tough but some people have way more in born enlightenment quality and progress faster. Once you start cultivating you start learning first hand about thought karma as a challenge.


    sometimes during exercise 2 (standing stances) my arm is like trembling and sometimes when I turn off my thoughts my arm stops trembling isn't that weird?? Then I start thinking again and my arms start trembling from the pain of holding them up then finally its over and you start exercise 3 which is amazingly relaxing to me and exercise 4 standing is even more relaxing and utilizes your full body and you do squats with your legs and move the qi all over your body.


    My hips are slowly opening up and I'm getting closer to full lotus. Just remember do stretch exercises for your hips before sitting in half or full lotus and your knees are inferior joints so don't put too much pressure on them for too long. You could put tons of pressure on your knees and ankles and your hips won't budtch one iota!! So yes be careful, google top ten hip stretches. If you have bad hips like I did it might take a long time for them to slowly start to open up.


    My back is slowly getting better it used to hurt my lower back to practice exercise 5, the sitting position
     
  12. RickyC123

    RickyC123 Valued Member

    I'm really curious about meditation I've thought about trying it a few times, i sometimes do the breathing exercise when I have trouble sleeping, I think I will look into it more
     
  13. m1k3jobs

    m1k3jobs Dudeist Priest

    Buddha in Blue Jeans. Free on kindle. Basic guide to zen meditation with out any heavy Buddhist influence.

    Also, look into MBSR, Mindfulness Based Stress Relief. It is an excellent mindfulness and meditation program with a lot of scientific backing. They have books, podcasts and youTube presentations out there.

    I have used it for dealing with my PTSD and it has worked great.
     
  14. bodyshot

    bodyshot Brown Belt Zanshin Karate

    My only useful two cents on that subject is that the mind is a vast space that can be filled with anything you like instead of all the crap you dont like. You should check out the book MMA for dummies it has a great section on meditation and it gives refrence to a good book called meditation for dummies, both books give a really practical approach to meditation.
     
  15. chazSingh

    chazSingh New Member

    I've been meditating for 2 hours every morning for almost 2 years (usually between 3am and 7am) or anytime during the day if for whatever reason i could not get up in the middle of the night.

    what do you want to get out of meditation?

    for me, when i developed from 15-20 mins of meditation to longer hours...the biggest thing that developed was awareness, and you'll be thinking.."awareness of what?", and i'd say awareness of everything...around you and within you...of your true potential rather than the limited potential that your mind tells you every day..

    i would recommend meditation to everyone...and i think for martial artists it can be a great tool...

    i started tai chi recently, and i'm excited about the possibilities of combining them tai chi with my regular daily meditation..
     
  16. huntman

    huntman Valued Member

    I have studied Tai Chi. Its effects are awesome.....but It did not do it for me. There are so many various forms of Meditation. results vary for duration. Intent and effect. ( stress and coping, long term healing ect.) I use it to sleep now and then. I works for me. I also sometimes just feel a meditative state come upon me after a workout. This is my example of what works for me...you on the other hand?
     
  17. chazSingh

    chazSingh New Member

    you are right. there are so many forms of meditation out there, and the results depend on your intent and what you want out of it...

    for me, the deeper states of meditation have been achievied (opened up for me) as Ego subsides...the greater ones Ego, the greater difficulty in reaching higher states of mediative states...

    this is why you won;t find 'real' masters in Tai-chi competeing in competitions...there Ego is very minimal and they have no interest in proving they are the 'best'

    For anyone studying or learning tai-chi, i would recomend sitting meditation as well...for me it helps open my inner energy channels...the flowing energy can be felt and experienced. I'm only touching the tip of the iceberg, so i'm quite excited to see how i develop...the mind needs to be restraine from wondering in a million directions...when that occurs, you will surely become aware of a lot that exists within you.
     
  18. RickyC123

    RickyC123 Valued Member

    I've been trying to meditate when in the bath, turn the light off and close eyes and I do feel more relaxed afterwards, I don't get the chance to sit and do it properly, I've been doing wing chun for a few months now and have heard that chi or Qi is a big part of it, even started reading up on qigong, do you guys feel a sort of sensation when meditating?
     
  19. Bozza Bostik

    Bozza Bostik Antichrist on Button Moon

    Could the relaxed feeling you have be anything to do with being in a warm-hot bath?

    Sensations - Yes, often. Usually in my knees, right hip and lower back. Damn painful.

    What kind of sensations are you feeling?
     
  20. RickyC123

    RickyC123 Valued Member

    Honestly not sure, but the water tends to be luke warm by the time I have settled myself down

    Just feeling relaxed really, different to how I normally feel if I haven't been meditating in the bath
     

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