[whatisthebluepill]

i think after reading a loadful of information from various websites, and books i am ready to begin finding the inner peace and uncoditional love i have been looking for. how do i start with meditation? anybody on the forum have tips or videos or books for beginners. how should i begin what should i practice any good websites about kundalini and charkras that i need to know, thanks

[myspauyijbv]

well. as far as all of the information i have read on meditaton, there are 2 basic methods.

in any meditation, you most likely want to use deep even breaths. you breath into your belly, letting it expand before you fill your chest. i call these buddah breaths cause it gives you a nice round belly . breath in at a comfortable pace, as you get deeper into your meditation, you'll notice your breath coming slower and more relaxed.

1. focus on something. you focus on either an ideal (ie love, joy, peace, appreciation) or a word or sound. the infamous ahhhaaaaeeeeoooommm or many others. if your focusing on a feeling or ideal, you first let it fill you, feel it and meditate on it quietly. when you finally feel you've gotten relaxed and into the feeling, meditate on radiating those feelings outwards towards other selves. if your meditating on a sound, you want to gently repeat the sound in your mind. you'll notice thoughts entering in, don't get upset though, just gently return to your meditation. don't try to block the thoughts, simply replace them with the sound.

2. focus on clearing the mind. you want to relax and get comfortable. begin your breathing, and slowly begin letting go of your thoughts. at first this will be kind of difficult. your mind is used to being 'busy' but in order to focus on nothing, you have to kind of listen to nothing. again, as your thoughts intrude, acknowledge them and let them go, going back to focusing on the nothing. you may become aware of a sort of 'being' in the moment. thats what your looking for. don't become discouraged if you don't get anything 'special' for a while. just be persistent and it will come to you when your ready for it.

meditate peacefully for anywhere upwards of 15 minuets. i find that short meditations help me feel connected to my spiritual side and can help me get through the day. longer meditations end up making me feel very relaxed and 'deep', which may help you connect to your higher self (i feel).

the important part of meditation is simply finding what works for you. once you find that, stick with it and be consistent. don't go into this thinking that every meditation will be a mystical experience, it won't be. meditation is about learning how to listen quietly. some days you'll hear quite a bit, other days you will only hear silence. both are equally important, so don't get frustrated.


and for you other mediators out there,
i have a question of my own i've been wanting to ask.

i often avoid meditating if i'm stressed out, or not feeling well or feeling 'negative' in any way. for some reason i feel it's wrong to go into a highly suggestible state while not already feeling positive. another part of me feels this is counter intuitive and that meditating regularly is more important than 'being in the zone' when meditating. what are your thoughts?

love and light!

[MarythePuppy6]

quote: ewhaz
"and for you other mediators out there,
i have a question of my own i've been wanting to ask.

i often avoid meditating if i'm stressed out, or not feeling well or feeling 'negative' in any way. for some reason i feel it's wrong to go into a highly suggestible state while not already feeling positive. another part of me feels this is counter intuitive and that meditating regularly is more important than 'being in the zone' when meditating. what are your thoughts?

love and light!"

hi ewhaz

i do half an hour of hatha yoga everyday and use it as a form of meditation. because of the body/mind connection, i find it much easier to focus and i always feel refreshed and rejuvinated even if i've had a really bad day. i learned from the book [please email zephyr for book name and author]

after learning hatha yoga and practising it for about a month, i created a routine using my favourite asanas and incorporated a few more breathing techniques into it. so now the routine just flows and the meditation comes naturally moving into a deeper state with each asana.

my body feels so good after just that one half hour, that i don't want to miss doing it each day. i find it also gets my head into a better space - if i need to do that.

i recommend the book or one like it because it explains the meaning of each asana in symbols and metaphors which is a transformational meditation as well as physical movement/pose.

on days that i'm totally focused on the routine/meditation, i have had some rather enlightening revelations.

it works for me - it might work for others

lady zephyr

[patrycjakolekk]

there are probably as many ways to meditate as there are people, so just find what works for you. i have been meditating for 20 years, and i'm currently using a method i first tried about 15 years ago. i didn't like it then, but now i do, so even when you find a method that you like, it doesn't mean you'll be doing it for the rest of your life.

most importantly, let your meditations spill out into, and affect the rest of your life. let them awaken you; inspire you; breathe new life into you, and empower you.

you will simply not get that much out of it, if you meditate for 30 minutes a day, but continue living the other 23 hrs and 30 minutes like you always have, and thinking the same old thoughts you've always thought.

[aburva.org]

thanks for sharing this information one aspect anyone can work wih is spiritual meditation and just call forth the essance of great spirit into your own body then meditate onto the light inside oneself !

namaste mikron

[elton]

i find that meditating to clear the mind helps me to refocus. when i'm feeling stressed or negative i'll try to set aside a little time to clear my mind and "reconnect" to my higher self.

i've found that i'm very good at clearing my mind and feeling the sensations of energy flow through my body. but have been searching for ways of instigating change in the world via my meditations.

i believe this to be the path of the adept in the law of one, where you are able to really utilize your connection with the universe to help out.

everyone here has given wonderful advice. a buddy of mine asked me once about meditation pillows, to which i told him it didn't matter and proceeded to tell him that lotus or chair won't make it any less effective. it all comes down to the two things mentioned earlier in this post, focusing or clearing the mind. i also think david mentioned in his webinar the importance of listening to the thoughts that pass through the mind.

i fundamentally believe your tuning yourself to your most basic frequency when you clear your mind, actively working with energy when you focus, and allowing yourself to speak with your higher self when you listen to the thoughts that flow. those are just my personal experiences, which will be different from other people.

i love meditation, through it i've been able to "feel" myself as a spirit.

[ElenaEvgeevna]

when i meditate, it is usually for one of several reasons - depending on what i desire, or feel called to do, at that moment...

as others have said, intent is key to a successful meditation. you must have clear intentions before you can focus.

for example - when i first began meditating, my purpose was to "recieve wisdom". well, now i know that was foolish - i should have been asking for knowledge - wisdom is the successful application of knowledge for the betterment of the universe. so, you cannot be granted wisdom in my opinion. anyways, back to receiving knowledge, i would visualize a spiraling column of white light entering the crown of my head - kinda like downloading i guess.

during some of my first meditations i experienced incredible "visuals" - one was where i was sitting, arms outstretched, and had an obe - seeing myself projecting light from my hands (to each other), my heart, and my forehead. all these "beams" met in a "ball" that was about a foot and a half in front of me.

another meditation was my only experience with "seeing the light" in all its glory - i was both in and out of my body - i saw it from both 1st and 3rd person. suddenly i heard a cracking sound above my head and all i saw was brilliant light... those who have experienced this know what i am talking about - those who haven't, be patient, you're time will come. words cannot describe this experience.

back to another example, last night i meditated before bed (like i always do), but i didn't ask for anything. rather, last night i "broadcasted" thoughts of love to those immediately around me (family and friends) and love to the world. i am of the opinion that in the meditative state that we are able to both receive and transmit information. some may disagree with this because it goes against "being silent"... i also "employ" forgiveness during certain meditations - not necessarily focusing on any particular person, etc., but simply forgiveness. i usually find that within a few days past memories come up that remind me of forgiveness.

other times meditation focuses on healing my mind/body/spirit complex. i envision energy running through my body, my chakras powering/balancing/clearing, kundalini activating. i try to "heal" or "reset" once a week, more if needed.

and yet other times i am totally open - silent. it is during these special times, although infrequent, that i receive "messages" from my higher self, guiding me on what "projects" to undertake next. i don't always "get" messages from my higher self when i "try to", but i know it when i do. when i don't - thats ok.

so, not every meditation is the same. identify your intent, and then you can focus. mix it up! remember, we are each so much more powerful than we realize - with great power comes great responsibility, so i agree with those who mention that it probably isn't a good idea to meditate while in a negative state of mind. i will admit though, that i do use meditative practices to calm me during a negative "moment" - quieting the mind, proper "buddha" breathing, etc. - but not full-fledged meditation. i fear that i may receive and/or transmit negative "signals" which is obviously something i don't want to do.

one last thing i wanted to mention - lately, during my meditations, it has become easier to achieve the "body asleep" aspect which is nice (i was having trouble achieving this due to heart palpitations, but that has gotten better), however, lately i notice that i am incredibly hot afterwards. is this normal?

anyways, to each their own. i once posted a thread about meditation and david gave me the hook-up - there is no wrong way to meditate. find what works for you. your experiences will be your own - enjoy them and don't hold yourself to anyone else's experiences, expectations.

good luck! :d

art

btw - supermanny - i really like this

you will simply not get that much out of it, if you meditate for 30 minutes a day, but continue living the other 23 hrs and 30 minutes like you always have, and thinking the same old thoughts you've always thought. reminds me of those church folks who are all high and mighty for that 1 hour per week, but continue to be hippocrites, etc. the other 6 days and 23 hours. thanks everyone for your input on this thread and others "dedicated" to meditation.

[Jifyicyfuhpop]

the only time i can successfully meditate is if there's some purpose, as art put it, intent. today i listened to cd "science of peace" part 1 and david described our personal "dream landscape," where we can confront our own personal issues. cool idea! i never had thought of that.

well, heck with all the nature places. i sat down, closed my eyes, and visualized myself on a pretty white-sanded beach, made it cool with the surf sounds, cool breezes, etc, then walked down the well-groomed path and came to a stargate. i commanded it to send me to my dream landscape and walked through.

of all the crazy things, i wound up in a grid-lined holodeck. from star trek, i know how to command holodecks, so i simply commanded it to send me an issue. boy, i got a good one!

now i have two results, a successful meditation and... homework.

btw. for this meditation, i broke all the rules. no deep breaths, no chants, i even crossed my legs. i wasn't even relaxed. the idea was so cool, i decided to just go there and see what i would find. what i learned today is that a great destination makes for a great meditation.

[markshome23]

hello everyone,

i'm fairly new to these forums and the topics dw and the members here relate and discuss. everything i have read on the web about meditiation, including testimonials, seems extremely positive so the practice has recently interested me greatly

however, the basics are very confusing because there seems to be so many different "flavors" (for lack of a better term) and so many mystic and spiritual views intertwined within the teachings of the techniques themselves. as a beginner, my interest is to learn to meditate and progress to the higher consciousness states as efficiently as possible for me. i will then further develop my own spirituality both within and external to this practice.

so, it seems to me that given all the more experienced and/or advanced meditation practitioners out there, there would be some fundamental checklist of one way (not necessarily the only way) to progress to deeper stages of meditation but mainly what i have found so far on the web is people trying to sell me stuff before i even have practical personal proof that this is good for me. i would think there would be some simple "list" or formula available that works along these lines:

1st stage) perform specific exercise a or b or c (depending on which one you like better or is more focusing) until you feel like x or y or z (which would be a somewhat clear indicator you are ready to progress to more advanced areas.

2nd through nth stages) repeat the formula above, substituting the variables appropriate for that stage

now, i hope you get a good smile at my "algebraically" simple way of wanting to approach this but it seems reasonable to me as it seems to be a common way to progress in all forms of training and life.

so, to quit wasting your bandwidth here, my question is are there some good pointers to places on the web or a book that aligns with my approach/way of wanting to learn? feel free to email me if it isn't appropriate to post in this forum.

also, please feel free to comment in general on what i have said and any misconceptions you think i may have and i will certainly take it under friendly advisement

thanks,

mac

[Aqgkvwzm]

hello mac,


it seems to me,that you are over complicating a simple thing


i will pm you with what it sounds like you're looking for,but the simplest answer is usually the best.

capitalizing on something that we're naturally equipped with seems silly to me,so watch out for all those "meditation programs for only 19.95!" adds and such!


hope my pm will help you find what you're looking for

[Ngwkgczx]

mac,

you are destined to get many replies with many methods and many personal experiences. the problem with this is that you will not have the same experiences, nor should you. don't hold yourself to someone else's experiences or expectations. you create your own reality. in other words, don't let someone else define boundaries for you as this can serve to limit. make sense? these experiences are difficult to put into words, or to communicate to another. you just either know or you don't.

i have read this, heard that, practiced this, etc. - and i am not even close to seasoned like some of the other members of the forum. the most simple checklist i can offer would be this...

1) be sure to have a private space where you will not be easily distracted.

2) focus your mind to the task at hand - clear all other thoughts of yesterday, today, tomorrow.

3) relax and begin to think toughts of love.

3) clearly state your intent to yourself (this could be meditating for peace, for knowledge, for healing, for communing with your higher self, etc. - intent, and purity of intent is the key to success, imo).

4) continue to focus your mind until it "becomes silent". some products claim this is hemispherical synchronization, where the chatter of the hemispheres can be ignored while you center yourself in your pineal/hypothalamus/pituitary complex (hope i have that right about the hypothalamus - to be honest, my mind doesn't really become silent, i just get to a point where i can let thoughts flow freely and choose to let them go).

5) i guess you get to a point where you focus so sharply that your awareness explodes and thats where the true miracles happen...

ok, not as short as i'd like. some people use breathing techniques, certain postures while sitting, etc. some even meditate while walking - oh that can be pretty fun, just be careful not to walk into walls, people, traffic . david wrote awhile back, and i definitely agree, maybe the only "requirement" for really effective meditation is to have the spine straight.

honestly, its up to you. what works for one won't necessarily work for another. and i'd suggest you keep trying this without the assistance of products. i got caught up in the binaural beats, which did help greatly at first, but limited me later on. growth was explosive then sharply fell and even became discontinuous. better off that you learn this the natural way.

having said that, if you are interested in binaural beats, you can pm me - but, i'd suggest again learning the natural way.

hope this helps!

art

[Gooracouppy]

i understand where you are coming from.
as i have also pondered the many ways of meditation with the aim of practicing the one that would grant me access to the greatest power(whatever that is to you).
i believe one of the underlying principles is simply to become congruent.
to become focused on one particular thing.

now my question would come to, what is the best thing to focus on?

for myself i am meditating on "feeling".
to feel what i feel and so on infinitely within my meditation.
feel feel feel feel feel until i reach that beautiful centered awareness of being/feeling.

i believe there are many benefits to learning to consciously feel.
once you learn to truly feel what you are truly feeling in the moment, only then should you begin to bring in particular states of emotion such as love, gratefulness, etc.
to become centered first through your own path of what you are and then to explore these other states.

best of luck on your quest.

[bestgenpower]

1st stage) perform specific exercise a or b or c (depending on which one you like better or is more focusing) until you feel like x or y or z (which would be a somewhat clear indicator you are ready to progress to more advanced areas.
2nd through nth stages) repeat the formula above, substituting the variables appropriate for that stage

it sounds like you're looking at meditation as a way of getting from point a to point b. not that there's anything wrong with that, in fact many of the meditation courses teach that. of course when you get to point b, they want to sell you the process to get to point c.

consider that if you're at point a, maybe that's where you need to be, perhaps you just need to be more aware of the world you are in right now. i promise you that when you have fully integrated point a, then point b will naturally gravitate towards you without as much struggle or effort on your part.

anyhow, just experiment with different styles and types and see what works best for you. whatever you choose, you'll likely find that the more awareness/consciousness you put into it, the more you will get out of it.

[Rugda]

hi mac

i'm fairly new at meditating myself and i have felt the same way as you...please, someone show me the way.

david has some great meditations that guide you through a process with him. for example, 'science of peace' has a great meditation at the end of it.

as well, if you do a forum search using the word "meditation" you will find a wealth of information from months gone by.

might i suggest as well, you join us on our friday group meditation. go into the positive affirmations and prayers forum and click on 'ready to call'. we meditate as a group, (separately but as one), every friday at 9:00 a.m. and/or 9:00 p.m.

like i said, i'm a newbie meditator, still searching for my own unique way, but i have had some wonderful experiences knowing i am part of a group, and calling out together and then finding my way from there.

check it out.

kris

[Squeernemergo]

im just curious about peoples experiences with meditation. it is something that i have been interested in for a long time and have taken in a lot of material about it.

i tried it for the first time recently. i got into position, closed my eyes and focused on clearing all thoughts from my mind. this was difficult in the beginning as different things kept popping into my head. after a while i was pretty clear and extremely relaxed. the blackness of my closed eyes started to give way to what i can only describe as swirling geometric patterns. some time later i then noticed that my eyes were darting back and forth and up and down rapidly on their own (of course they were still closed). it seemed funny because i wasnt moving my eyes...they were just moving themselves. i then began to feel extremely light headed and...the state i was in felt really good.

after some more time the good feeling and patterns started to fade and i felt like i was done. when i got up and looked at the clock a lot more time had passed then i would have estimated.

anyway...this has been my only attempt at meditation. it was enjoyable, though im not sure what it is supposed to be like if one is doing it correct..if there is a correct way.. lol

any responses i would love to hear!

may you all have peace.

mrfusion.

[Frogzlovzy]

hi, mrfusion, it sounds like you are doing great in your meditation.

i know what you mean in the beginning, depending on what type of day its been, turning off the mind, to be still and letting go of the control. at times, it can take me awhile to release and let go of the day's events and sometimes, it just is not going to happen.... no matter how long i give it.

there is a saying that i heard, when you want to talk, pray, when you want to listen, meditate.

my experiences vary, depending on where and how far i can go. i will see bright colors, symbols like you were saying, hear messages, or just be still and completely relax, no time, no space, just be and loose that "time" spent until i am done.... and then, the physcial feelings of freedom is felt

i believe each will experience and receive what works for them and how they can gain the most from this time spent with self and our connection to the source. as the saying goes, we are each unique and special to the one, no one less or more than another, equal in the eyes of our creator, as we were created and sent forth to do and be. experiences the experiences set forth.

thanks for sharing..... good topic....

[nakeseireo]

there is a saying that i heard, when you want to talk, pray, when you want to listen, meditate. i like that rhonda. since i'm fairly new to meditating myself and have trouble at times quieting my mind, perhaps it is because i am "praying" instead of "listening".

thanks. that helps a lot.

[PrettyFifa12]

i was thinking that it is not enough to just retreat from time to time to meditate. we should meditate always. while walking, thinking and breathing. letting all of it free.

anywhere you are or happen to be, always be breathing and meditating. at work or anywhere.

for all of you thinking to tell me not to focus on negativity: i don't think i am. i am only reflecting an honest interpretation of what i feel.

what i focus on is spreading love and peace and friendship. and trying to not allow myself to feel bad about myself.

anyway, i think it is about all of us. i am beginning to think and feel what all of you are feeling. and it scares the crap out of me. we all need to offer each other the respect to be completely open and honest.

until then, walking meditation. breathe and let it go.

[neniajany]

wow, awesome. that reminds me of what my old teacher once told me. "take each step on earth in a sacred and loving manner. for your mother loves you far more than you realize." thanks again, your kind and loving soul shines very bright!

[Michaelnewerb]

yes. that is what i should do ... i need to not focus on the things that seem trivial at work and elsewhere.