Meditation
 

I recently took up meditation, like a month and a half ago and I am finding it great. At first I was very fidgety, so I started off very small indeed, ie five minutes, which soon became ten, then fifteen and now twenty.

At the moment, as I have the time, I am meditating three times a day; 15 minutes in the morning, 15 in the afternoon, and 20 in the evening. I want to keep adding more and more minutes. I'd like to get up to one hour, if I can, partly for the challenge but mostly for the short term and long term benefits.

I know that, idealy, I should be sitting cross legged, or even in the lotus position on the floor, but I find that I am much more comfortable just sitting upright on a plastic chair and I have read that this is perfectly fine.

I wanted to know if anybody else into it? How long do you do it for, and what benefits have you gained from it?

It might be fun to have a challenge and see who can meditate for the longest period of time.

I've dabbled but I really struggle with it to be honest. I find my mind gets much more active the more I try to calm it down. On the rare occasion I've stumbled across a general feeling of being at ease and less attached to my thoughts. I'd like to get more into it if I can find a method that fits. What do you do, mantra, or beginner's breath, or what?

PS

I do mindful meditation, probably something like begginer's breath. I don't use any mantra. It's ok if thoughts go through your head now and again just don't pursue them, let them float by and keep returning to the breath.

Sometimes, I'll have a really great idea suddenly pop up in my head, but I don't analyse it, I just let it go and deal with it when I've finished. Ironically, I'd say the harder you find it, the more you need it.

I do 30 minutes of Asana exercises as soon as get up each day, then do about 15 minutes of pranayama after I've had a shower. I then do zazen on the way into work on the bus.

During the day I be as mindful as I can going in and out of presence when I feel like it.

Then at night I do some more zazen.

I could never get the knack of mantras

I found this when I started meditating, it's because your mind is so busy you only notice how busy it is when you stop (a bit like silt settling in water when it stops flowing)

Like Midas said, just focus on your breathing.

That's great. What effects has it had on your life? Has it made you more in control of your emotions and therefore much cooler around chicks? I'm about to go for 25 minutes now, which will be my longest time, so far.

Post meditation report: I set my timer for 25 minutes, but after about 7 minutes or so my phone rang and I had to answer it. After the phone call, I set my timer again for 20 minutes.

I still have thoughts that go through my mind, but they are slower now and I am able to let them go and keep returning my concentration to the breathing. I honestly lose track of time, I become so relaxed.

It really is a blissful experience and I have started looking forward to my sessions with great enthusiasm. I would even describe it as quite addictive, like a drug, except it's not toxic and it's good for you.

I just did 25 minutes with a hangover. It seriously flew by. I did get quite a few thoughts flowing through my head though but got very clear towards the end. I think I will be able to do an hour before long.

tips to help you hit a trancelike state

Roll your eyes as high up into your head and hold for 20 seconds or so--then relax
also with your eyes shut look into the blackness, noticed the random patterns in the blackness and explore them.

I`ll be a fully qualified Hypnotist in a month :)

You'll be a good one!

Its my new Career, im going to specialise in Sports Performance Coaching using Hypnotherapy, ive already got a professional rugby team up for business
maybe do bootcamps with PUAs and hypnotise everyone to be self generating awesome powered ninjas

Golf might be a decent market for you, lot of golfers stuck in their heads unable to execute naturally while lost in technique and analysis, actually a lot like pickup now I come to think of it. Can't see a lucrative way to market it though, being an individual sport. Elite players, by which I mean County standard and up, may pay decently if you can come up with something novel.

PS

Up to half an hour now. The old head was a bit cluttered but cleared up towards the end, which is ironic, as I was much more relaxed at the end and probably could have gone another half an hour.

Midas instead of just sitting there meditating for 30 minutes being blank why dont you try some self hypnosis and also take with you (in your head) some day to day affirmations when old habits start creeping back in

You mean like NLP?

I would record some self hypnosis scrpt onto your iphone/recorder to target the problems you have
I would also develop some affirmations
I found these really useful with my depression when i started to have a wobble about my ex-- i would reel them off at myself and pretty quickly get a grip of my emotions

I have the book Instant Confidence by Paul McKenna. I already went through it once, a few years back, and benefited from it. I may go through it again. Definitely going to stick with the mindful meditation though, it's very relaxing.

I don't really feel like I have any problems, as such, at the moment... only solutions. I have the drinking under control and my work and social life is amazing right now.

By the time I get into another LTR though, I would like to have emotional mastery, so I'm just going to enjoy myself until that happens whilst continuing with meditation, hypnosis etc... so whenever I do get another steady gf, I will be more than ready for it.

Funnily enough, I almost look forward to potentially stressful situations now, just to see how I will handle them, so that I can note my progress.

check out dhamma.org for vipassana mediatation
i did a 10 day course- 10 hours of meditation every day without speaking for ten days. really interesting.

That says it all:clapclap:

Ive recently started meditating and feel more connected with myself than i ever had. It seems problems dissappear or become insignificant, i love it. I really want to use a sensory deprivation tank as they seem to offer complete freedom and release from yourself. People have commented on how they feel reborn when the experience is over.

Has anyone ever used one? Or experienced deep meditation where you've been entirely free, almost out of body. Anyone got any tips for deep meditation? Thanks

What sort of meditation do you do? I've done a bit and found it good - must start again! I either do plain old breathing or I pick something that needs assistance and concentrate on that eg creativity etc

Have used those tanks before. Were ok, felt relaxed but that's about it. I would try it out for yourself still. Might be better after you know a bit about meditation (I did mine pre)

I just close my eyes and stare at the blackness for around 15 mins. Just started again and need to do it more frequently. Any advice or links to sites with other methods please post, up for trying new methods,, how's breathing work? Do you just concentrate on your breathing with your eyes closed?

as a qualified Hypnotist

I can throw myself into a trance literally within 10 seconds
my advice to you to hit a trance state rapidly

close your eyes
take 3 deeps breaths
roll your eyes upwards so you are looking into the roof of your head and look up hard for 10 seconds
then relax and let your eyes drift back down (obviously eyes are still closed)
dont think about anything-- any thoughts that hit your brain, immediately let them go past you, dont fixate on them
see the blackness with your eyes, notice any patterns, lights, shapes you can see and explore them with your mind

doing all this will hit you into a full on trance state


stay in this state for however long feels long enough for you,
to come out of it safetly
while in trance-- start noticing your breathing, your body, arms, legs, start twitching your fingers or toes
slowly open your eyes, dont move just sit or lie there eyes open feeling relaxed
when your ready get up

ive been doing a Hypnotherapy course for 1 year it cost me £1800 and 6 months in i qualifed as a Hypnotist - in the next month if i get my dissertation done i`ll qualify as a Hypnotherapist
the course is 1 weekend every month, with loads of home study things, ready etc to do in your own time

I've been meditating for about 6 years or so, and I really struggled to concentrate (or not to concentrate as the case may be). Refl3x had a great shout with exploring the patterns when you close your eyes, that's really what helps me get into that state, really good advice.

Hey Guys just im hoping someone can help me out a little here,

cut a long story short i couldnt get over an ex years ago and a councelor did a hypnotherapy session with me and we did the releasing attachment routine that worked,

so now im at that point again cannot get the ex out of my mind even after 2 years so i found this routine

body temperature control

and use this script

ATKINS SCRIPT

ive tried it on myself a couple of times, and meditation is really new to me i dont know if im doing it right i fine my mind tends to wonder when i start,
i sit down relax then start all of a suddn im thinking about something else,
is the script above a good thing to help me with or is there something else better out there for me really really want her out of my mind so any help greatly appreceated

Any feedback with doing this guys? ;)

I'm doing that vipassana 10 day meditation thing this summer, in belgium. Its free and they put you up and feed you, and you dont even need any experience, though it will obviously help. I started meditating a few years ago, and noticed a massive difference after a few months. It just gives your emotions a lot more space to breathe, silly shit doesnt get to you any where near as much as it does when your'e not meditating. Some people dont have a problem with their emotions, and negative thoughts etc, and i would say these people dont really need to meditate, though i would recommend it to anyone. But if you've got negative thought patterns and little emotional control, then meditation will help you. That obviously doesnt go for people with serious mental illnesses, but for depression and anxiety, i would choose meditation over drugs any day..

Just had an amazing meditation sesson. Had a reflexology session and went for it in the sesh, im guessing i was meditating for around half an hour. It took me a little while to come round when it had ended but i was so peaceful and happy afterwards.

Owen Cook says its amazing in meditation when you can just feel happy sitting and doing nothing and you realise if you just stopped getting in your own way you'd be happy all the time.

Calming your thoughts and filtering out all the crap is a must!

Strive to meditate daily.

Lovely.

I've just started to take up meditation, done four 20 minute sessions but struggling to shut off the mental 'noise'.

Eyes open, or eyes shut? I worry about falling asleep if I shut my eyes....

I use similar techniques to relax and clear my mind before I can get to sleep sometimes. So much shit buzzes round my brain.

Hey Guys,

Don't know a great deal about Trancendental Meditation, but in Russell Simmons book 'Super Rich' he raves about it.

Sit comfortably, close your eyes and repeat 'rum' over and over, 'ruuuuuum' this is your mantra. Shout it, scream it, whisper it, over and over for 20 minutes.

I just tried this (always struggled with wandering thoughts) and it certainly keeps your mind focussed, amazing meditation session!

Give it a go.

Peace.

shout it, scream it, whisper it to yourself obviously not outloud lol

It's one of my new years resolutions to do at least 10 minutes regularly.

I didn't actually start until today but I had made a rule that if I miss a day for whatever reason, I have to make it up by doubling up the next day.

I had to treble it today.

I sat up on my bed legs out & got comfy & set my timer for 30 minutes. Started by rolling my eyes up in to my head a few times to get the trance like effect someone mentioned, then breathing in the nose & out the mouth, used that as my focus for about 10 minutes then just used my nose. Eyes closed & trying to concentrate on the blackness.

Thoughts would enter my head & at the early stage I'd force them out by going back to focusing on breathing & blackness, even tried saying rummmm. But after a while I was so relaxed & content that it didn't bother me if thoughts came into my head, & I was happy to just feel so calm.


Does meditation really have an effect on your life? And if so, how long before you begin to feel these effects, & KNOW that it's cos of your meditation?

When I'm meditating, after about 10 minutes I get into such a trance that the thoughts that enter my head feel like a dream. I know I'm not sleeping cos I'm awake. Then the timer goes off & snaps me out of it.

It's either really fucking deep, or I'm falling asleep.

I'd like to think it's a really deep trance.

Anyone ever get similar effects to this?

Edit: I'm doing 15 minutes a day now. I was doing 40 yesterday & I think I actually did fall asleep, cos the last 15 minutes flew by.

So, scientifically proven.

That'll do me fine.

Great video from Tyler on this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a5f...e_gdata_player

I laughed my balls off in the 7th minute when he talks about things that distract you like getting comfortable & maneuvering yourself during your session, & in particular gettin an itch "just accept that this fucking annoying little itch is there, but your not gunna scratch it" ... This happened to me earlier on this evening & i said this to myself literally word for word.

The spot he shot this video at is also awesome.

Do you still reap the rewards of meditation if you miss a day or two here & there?

Is it necessary to keep to a routine, like say for example if you do it Monday to Friday every single week?

Is it important to do it at the same time every day?

I've read recently one theory behind meditation is when your present in your awareness your amygdala isn't being trigged by negative emotions either by experience or by thoughts.

As such through neuro plasticity your just causing the inhibitory pathways to atrophy. Simple.

If that's the case then constant practice should be aimed for.

Can you recommend any websites on how to do this? Or give general advice on how to do it?