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Any meditators here?

post #1 of 19
10/11/06 at 11:06am
Thread Starter 
Sup fellas=]
I'm hoping to share my experience with meditation, and to learn your experiences to maybe help me become more dedicated to meditating. What got you into meditating? And similarly, what were the benifits you heard of meditating back then? Have you experienced any drawbacks with from your meditations? How long have you been practicing meditation for? How frequently do you practice? What method(s) do you use, and how easy/hard/effective are they? If it is hard, what keeps you going? What do you experience while meditating? What are some of the benefits you've enjoyed from meditating? Would you recommend meditation to someone else? Who? And what advice would you give to them for their journey in meditation? Feel free to answer any other interesting questions on your meditation experience

My journey of meditation began around 2002-2003. I can't remember exactly what exposed me to it, but I remember that at the time, I was having huge problems with being mindful. One crazy example is one time, traveling on the PATH train to New Jersey from N.Y., I saw a dark figure in the corner of my eye walking toward me. For some reason, he caught my attention, and I looked towards him. I then realize it was the train conductor, the ONLY person--besides me--left on the train, LOL. I said to myself "umm?" I then realized that I was too busy fantasizing about Star Wars to hear the last stop, and ended up wayyy out in the train yard. I was hella embarrassed, for sure, since I had to climb back on top the train platform with 100's of people there, seemingly coming out of the darkness of the night.

Another time, I was going to class and noticed it was raining outside. After taking a shower and whatnot, I stepped outside, opened my umbrella, and started walking towards the college while fantasizing away. A few blocks down (umbrella still open), a cop car slowed down besides me...just enough to break me out of my fantasies...and then stopped. He then began to drive forward really slowly, and rode off. I said "wtf was that about?!?!" I then realize that it wasn't raining! In fact, it hadn't been raining for the pass 30 minutes or so! The whole time I was outside, I was walking with an open umbrella, "protecting" myself from the falling rain that was never there.

There are other worseee and rediculous experiences I've had from not being mindful, but I think I won't go there. lol.

Anyway, I realized I had to do something about the way I was living, and picked up meditation, something I discovered would make me "aware of the moment." However, the extreme unmindful condition of my mind made meditating very hard to do. I attempted to meditate--failed--and dropped it for a few years at a time. I then finally made my breakthrough around fall of last year, when I had all day to sit in one place and do nothing. I took the time to meditate as perfectly as possible, and it paid off. When I would face something challenging, and be defeated, I would get very depressed. So as soon as I got depressed, I would use my meditating skills to bring my mind back to neutrality. After a few days of repeated depression and neutrality phases, my mind started becoming "smart." When I would face a challenge and become beaten by it, my mind would say(as a result seeing the "light," or being neutral), "why are you getting depressed? A challenge is no more than something you temporarily don't know how to handle. Get over it!" In that path, I finally lost a years old depressive state. lol.

Right now I'm in the stage of building a "clear" mind. I would lie down in bed focusing on my breath, and count to 5 every time I inhale and exhale. If I meditate for about 20 minutes, 18 of those minutes would be spent fantasizing. But I'm getting better. After twenty minutes of meditation, I would take off my headphones(I found this meditation aid on here the other day), and would discover the beauty of peace and quiet. I don't know, it's kind of like meditation gave me the mental strength to suspend all my thoughts, and my ears would finally be able to hear what's on the outside, not what's going on inside. I just hope to make good progress, as I believe that meditation has benifits that would enhance my life so much.

So, how has your meditation journey been? Feel free to enlighten me

later
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post #2 of 19
10/11/06 at 11:33am
sorry..I read your post as "mediator"...lol I was going to ask what kind of dispute is this arise out of ..but then I realized you need meditator...
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post #3 of 19
10/11/06 at 11:43am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by chesebert
sorry..I read your post as "mediator"...lol I was going to ask what kind of dispute is this arise out of ..but then I realized you need meditator...
lol=]
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post #4 of 19
10/11/06 at 12:20pm
Meditation has proven to be good. Just this summer, I started practicing it after following the online Positive Psychology course from Harvard University. One study has shown that it increases the ratio of the left to right brain activity--which makes a person happier. There are other studies that show positive results. Dr Weil endorses meditation. David Lynch endorses Transcendental Meditation. My technique is simple. A few times a week, for about 20 minutes, I lie on my back with a small pillow under my head. My arms and legs slightly away from center. I relax, disconnect from the world, and concentrate on my breathing or a simple thought. Afterwards, I'm extremely relaxed. It's not unusual for me to immediately afterwards to decide to do it again for a second time. (It is unusual that I continue a third time. )

Thanks for posting your thoughts.
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post #5 of 19
10/11/06 at 12:31pm
I meditate regularly..although it sounded more like an acid experience from the OP in the rain there maybe..

just kidding, there is all kinds of healing attributes that help assist the body via the mind and breathing of an individual that meditation is wonderful for.
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post #6 of 19
10/11/06 at 1:35pm
got any good links/resources for learning how to do this? my mind could use some stability these days.
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post #7 of 19
10/11/06 at 2:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by chesebert
sorry..I read your post as "mediator"...lol I was going to ask what kind of dispute is this arise out of ..but then I realized you need meditator...
Me too. I've been at school too long.
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post #8 of 19
10/11/06 at 2:18pm
Mindful Meditation

Dr Weil: Missing Out on Meditation?

Dr Weil: Breathing
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post #9 of 19
10/11/06 at 5:53pm
You might want to check Vipassana Meditation It's a free ten day retreat to help you learning meditation. I've wanted to go for a long time however I can't find the time to do it. I will go eventually. A friend of mine have gone to this retreat and he said it's worth it to go there.
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post #10 of 19
10/11/06 at 7:04pm
^ how funny there's one in the city i work, too bad i'm not into it (least not yet for the matter), seems pretty rare location-wise
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post #11 of 19
10/11/06 at 7:25pm
I meditate and do deep breathing exercises everyday. There are a couple of favorite places that I go to...deep down inside.

It is said that a 20 minute deep breathing session is the equivalent of 2 hours of sleep but I'm still exhausted all of the time.
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post #12 of 19
10/12/06 at 2:12am
I have been part of a meditation group, although I did not persevere. Back in 2004 I was under a dreadful cloud of (work-related) depression and I was seeing a clinical psychologist. A friend told me that a chiropractor that he was seeing was running a meditation group on the sideline. So we went there. It was a small, variable group of up to 7 people, meeting on each Monday evening. The chiropractor led the group through a few (three or four) meditation exercises, and after each of these, we shared our experience.

Each exercise lasts 20-30 minutes, either in total silence, with low-frequence drone music, or with irregular chiming of a singing-bowl. Sometimes we chanted "Om" at our own rhythm -- don't write it off as new-age nonsense; the "Om" chant is sonically fascinating when you do it with a moderately large circle of people.

The main theme of these exercises are, again, "Mindfullness" -- be aware of your sensations, thoughts and feelings, observe them with interest, without passing judgements. Be aware that the source of your own emotion is your own self, and not (for example) the weather, that spiteful client you meet at work, or G.W. Bush. He sometimes threw in a Chakra practice to keep everybody entertained.

(To Den or anyone who have difficulty concentrating: it is nothing wrong with having thoughts during meditation; just try not to elaborate on the thought: don't make stories out of it. Let it go, let it go)

Another thing we did was "themed meditation" -- we meditated on a loose concept, such as "childhood", "letting go", "anger", "death". We were not supposed to analyse the term or to figure out what it means, but rather observe in silence the picture that formed in our minds. As we shared our findings afterwards, the revelations often surprised us: we became aware that experiences long, long ago had a surprising grip on how we think and act today.

My mood definitely improved; indeed I had never been happier for months. Although I still cannot entirely explain why -- perhaps it was the companionship, perhaps it was the realisation that my thoughts and feelings, even when they run counter to social expectations, remains legitimate, perhaps it was the sense of hope that I regained. But anyway, I've been too lazy to meditate lately. I should pick it up again.
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post #13 of 19
10/12/06 at 6:03pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for your responses guys!

Sup JohnFerrier

Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnFerrier
One study has shown that it increases the ratio of the left to right brain activity--which makes a person happier.
Yea, a friend told me about that study(or a similiar one) too. We both liked the results, because we both meditate, lol. My personal belief is meditation makes a person happy in the long run because it brings them back to a natural and very basic state of mind. I also believe that once a meditator becomes mindful, they are more receptive to the inner beauty in everyday things. Sometimes, when I have a moment of mindfulness, I hear a car riding by outside, and I go,"Ahh, that was beautiful." Hehe, I wish I can think of cars riding by as beautiful all the time!=]

Sup Audiofiler=]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Audiofiler
just kidding, there is all kinds of healing attributes that help assist the body via the mind and breathing of an individual that meditation is wonderful for.
I also heard something crazy. In this meditation book I was reading(forgot the name), the author recalled a story of a woman who underwent surgery, without any anesthetics or painkillers, all due to her mindfulness abilities that allowed her to "let her body be," or something like that. Isn't that awesome!

Hey RYCeT=]

Quote:
Originally Posted by RYCeT
You might want to check Vipassana Meditation
Thank you=] I found a "non-center" location in the state next to me. I will attend a meeting when I have the chance.

Hey Immtbiker=]

Quote:
Originally Posted by immtbiker
I meditate and do deep breathing exercising everyday. There are a couple of favorite places that I go to...deep down inside.
Can you explain the "deep down" thing you do please? Sounds very interesting=D

Hey FalconP=]

Quote:
Originally Posted by FalconP
(To Den or anyone who have difficulty concentrating: it is nothing wrong with having thoughts during meditation; just try not to elaborate on the thought: don't make stories out of it. Let it go, let it go)
This is my *biggest* problem with being mindful. When I try to let go of my thoughts, my immediate reaction is "WTH do I have to let go of something that is sooo pleasing! Grr I HATE having no thoughts!!!" That, and it just feels sooo unnatural to not be thinking about something compulsively.

Quote:
Originally Posted by FalconP
Another thing we did was "themed meditation" -- we meditated on a loose concept, such as "childhood", "letting go", "anger", "death". We were not supposed to analyse the term or to figure out what it means, but rather observe in silence the picture that formed in our minds. As we shared our findings afterwards, the revelations often surprised us: we became aware that experiences long, long ago had a surprising grip on how we think and act today.
This is very interesting. It's almost like being your own psychologist I read about "themed meditation" in the last meditation book I had, but the author didn't really explain the results of doing it, but said it was the last step towards "true wisdom," and one of the first steps to take after one has discarded a "scattered" mind. I tried to focus on a single idea once while meditating, but I simply couldn't sit there and dwell on one thing, because my mind was super active and ran through many thoughts at a time; so I guess he was right about the latter part=]

Quote:
Originally Posted by FalconP
My mood definitely improved; indeed I had never been happier for months.
Woot! This is indeed encouraging, and confirms my experience with meditation.

Quote:
Originally Posted by FalconP
But anyway, I've been too lazy to meditate lately. I should pick it up again.
Lol, I encourage ya=] I heard this song the other day. In it, some guy was like "This is what you do: Choose something you like, work at it for 10 years or so until your 40, and reap the benefits of dedication." At this time, I was still trying to come up with reasons to begin meditating again, and knew that meditation requires long-term practice for long-lasting results. That song kinda pushed me towards meditating again. Hopefully, I'll become dedicated enough to become a serious meditator.

Thanks for your responses guys!!! Later=]
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post #14 of 19
10/12/06 at 6:14pm
i misread that as "Mediators" as well - the dean of my school actually mediated the whole Latrell Sprewel arbitration between him and the coach he choked over at Golden State. Coach Carlyle? something like that. fun stuff and not as crazy as litigation if you want to still be a lawyer concentrating on dispute resolution instead of an innate adversarial approach.
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post #15 of 19
10/13/06 at 8:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by denl82
Hey Immtbiker=]
Can you explain the "deep down" thing you do please? Sounds very interesting=D
I first started doing yoga and breathing exercises because of neck and back spasms due to stress from a bad marriage.

Then I started a hypnotism program for weight loss which included deep breathing to relax and open up my subconscious to allow the messages to get inside and change my ways of thinking and habits. First I do a 20 minute breathing exercise and then when I am relaxed and my mind is cleared out I start at the top of a staircase or elevator which is at the top of my head and enter through the door and start going down seeing the elevator or stairs or escalator progressing through the floor numbers as I let each breath out (it is actually a symbol of me going deeper into my brain down into my subconscious). You know the real world is out there but you are also in a trance like state. Once I get to the "first floor", so to speak, I walk through the door or I draw a line on a chalkboard and I pass through and step into one of my favorite places (one of them being a beach that I frequent in Tobago, W.I.)
I picture myself lying on the beach thinking about where I want to go in life and what I want to be, as a person. Then I step into myself, the person laying on the beach and become part of the thought process. I stay there for a while and then I snap myself out of it.

The "deep down" places are my favorite destinations where I can relax the most to enter my subconscious and relax. Sometimes it's harder to get there than others. For weight loss you picture yourself dreaming about yourself at the weight that you want to be or how you want to look...or speak in front of a crowd ...or quit cigarettes, and then you step into yourself having those thoughts and picture all of the things that you need to do to get there, and when you are in your normal awake state your mind does the right things that it needs to do because of the sessions, because it knows that it is the way to obtain your goals. Your are retraining your thought process (like not eating ice cream in the middle of the night).

My spasms went away and I lost 28 lbs. but of course, this is over years of practice.
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