How to Meditate.

[adsman]

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meditation can be many things including all three of the things you said it wasn't.

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Meditation is the act of stilling your mind, of ceasing to think.

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it can be but doesn't have to be.

my favorite way to describe meditation is it's a tool for changing the habitual patterns of mind.

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I'm surprised that this took so long. This thread is not for philosophical discussion on what meditation is or isn't. That sort of highbrow arguement is exactly the sort of thing that turns people off meditation. There is also another forum for it. So if you want, you can post a thread there and I'll duely get stuck into you.
I posted this thread as a response to others to help them to learn how to meditate and to help them along with any practical questions and problems that arise. Nothing more.

[DcifrThs]

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Take several deep breaths using all of your lungs. Visualize your lungs as being shaped like a pear. When we breath we only use the very top part of the lung. I want you to use the whole thing. Start at the bottom and breath in with three deep breaths using the lower, middle and upper part of the lungs. Breathe out in the same controlled way. Do this ten times. Do not overdo this. Your body isn't used to it. Every week, add one extra breath.


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question: first off, have you read "the tao of health sex and longevity"?

i ask b/c in it are breathing exercises that go further than what you are talking about.

a few years ago i did them every morning. for the past 3 mornings ive done them. they are the first 'step' towards meditation according to the book.

you start by sitting cross-legged on a telephone book and a pillow (so that your legs are crossed below your ass and your back is in one straight line). you then slowly let your stomach expand, pulling your diaphragm down and filling the lower part of your lungs with air. you slowly fill that section and start filling the middle part of your lungs till they are full. then you fill the top part and expand your collarbones to get as much air in as possible. you then HOLD it for about 2 seconds while simultaneously engaging two "locks" in your body.

the first lock is the top part of your throat where the back of your visible tounge seems to "end." you tilt you chin down gently and engage this lock (called a lock b/c no air can now escape)

the second lock is your rectum. you engage this lock by clenching it tightly as if you were trying to stop yourself from sh*tting your pants when you have diarreha. NOTE: this is NOT done by tightening ANY external muscles. these are the muscles around your rectum inside your body. it's hard to describe but it's like massaging your rectum from the inside kinda.

after you engage these two locks for only 2 seconds, release both of them and slowly empty your lungs from the very very top SLOWLY to the very very bottom of your stomach, exhaling EVERY SINGLE miniscule molecule of air by pushing your stomach in and up against your diaphragm.

you then beging th process again (note that when youa re done exhaling you do not engage the locks, nor pause. the transition here shoudl be smooth.)

this is basically my paraphrasing of the method i use that i leanred from the book above.

the reason i wrote this is that im curious as to why you say you shouldn't do it for more than 10 breaths?? of course your body is not used to it. but that's the point. you must do it consistently and 10 breaths wont cut it imo. when i first did it for like 2 minutes i was sweaty, dizzy, and a little naseous. the reason is because your body isn't used to getting that kind of deep deep breathing and you exhibit those symtoms...but i looked at is as a GOOD thing...as in it's training for your body.

you should ONLY do this deep breathing in the morning or at night w/ no food in your stomach and nothng really in your system.

so i ask why you say wait a week (or more) before attempting meditation?? is it becvause you want your body to become used to the deep breathing (which it sounds like yours is less technical and less strenuous than Dr. Reid's)? or is it for some other reason.

also, THANK YOU VERY MUCH for writing this post. it is one of my favs and i will refer back to it after i read the whole thing and get some clarification.

Barron

[adsman]

Barron,

Yes, very good book. The breathing techniques he discusses in his book are advanced. When we did a course we were dealing with a wide range of people, and as such it was much better to start them off slowly. You don't want the really overwieght 55 year old doing 30 of those right off the bat. Same goes here on an internet forum. I have no idea what sort of physical shape you're in. So I err on the side of caution.

You misread my post. Do ten breaths and then start meditating immediately. After a week, add one breath to your routine. And so on. This is also a good way to keep meditating without falling off the path. When you're up to twenty breaths you know you're doing well.

I will say that the stuff you're using are very powerful techniques. Go easy with it. There's no need to punish your body over this, it's much better to ease into this stuff. To be honest, I found when teaching regularly that students who were very focused and pushed themselves hard at the beginning were the first to burn out and discard meditation. The plodders were the ones more likely to succeed.

But at the same time you must be energetic when you take to meditation. It is definitely not a part-time occupation.

[DcifrThs]

alrighty [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

thank you for your time in responding to us.

i want to clarify something. after taking the ten deep breaths, do you return to your "normal" shallow breathing for meditation or do you continue w/ deep breaths?

im assuming you want to go normal for meditation since 20 minutes of deep breathing is hard for anybody.

also, i totally understand where you are coming from now.

when i started these deep breathing exercises outlined in Dr. Reid's text, i was 23 and i ran 4 miles a day. i weighed 145 lbs and was in peak physical shape. despite that, the first time i did it i was dizzy, lightheaded, sweaty and naseous so i can't imaging what it'd be like for a 55 year old obese man.

thank you again and please continue to post about this stuff.

Barron

EDIT: also, do you need a darkened room? my rooms all have windows and SH*TTY blinds (venetian) that dont block light. can i simply turn off the lights and close my eyes?

[adsman]

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i want to clarify something. after taking the ten deep breaths, do you return to your "normal" shallow breathing for meditation or do you continue w/ deep breaths?

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Change to normal breathing.

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EDIT: also, do you need a darkened room? my rooms all have windows and SH*TTY blinds (venetian) that dont block light. can i simply turn off the lights and close my eyes?

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Absolutely. I meditate in a naturally lighted room. It's just easier for beginners to start off in the dark. Less distractions.

What I'll do is bump this thread in a week and explain a different technique which involves a mantra. So for the next week practice the breathing meditation at least once a day. I also find that early in the morning or late in the afternoon are the optimal times. I do both.

[george w]

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[ QUOTE ]
meditation can be many things including all three of the things you said it wasn't.

[ QUOTE ]
Meditation is the act of stilling your mind, of ceasing to think.

[/ QUOTE ]

it can be but doesn't have to be.

my favorite way to describe meditation is it's a tool for changing the habitual patterns of mind.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm surprised that this took so long. This thread is not for philosophical discussion on what meditation is or isn't. That sort of highbrow arguement is exactly the sort of thing that turns people off meditation. There is also another forum for it. So if you want, you can post a thread there and I'll duely get stuck into you.
I posted this thread as a response to others to help them to learn how to meditate and to help them along with any practical questions and problems that arise. Nothing more.

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just adding my two cents brother. it wasn't meant as a personal attack.

[theBruiser500]

Hey adsman thanks for the thread, a few questions. I've tried meditating two ways, one where I just focus on my breathing, and then also qigong. I think it's called 'microcosmic' qigong, breathing in focus on a spot on lower back, and breathing out focus on 'dantian' spot near stomach and feel energy flow up and down legs to and from those points. I can feel it in my stomach and moving in my legs but not my lower back, thoughts? Also what is the energy, bio electricity I read somewhere has any research been done on how this stuff works? Does it really matter which meditation I do? they both seem like the same thing on relaxing the mind.

What are your experiences with meditation? A lot of the time when I meditate I just get tired/sleepy/bored a friend said that she and her mom can't meditate before bed because they'll have too much energy and can't sleep how do I get to that point? Can you go a full 20 minutes without thoughts arising? How much has meditation affected your calmness and daily attitude in life?

[theBruiser500]

I meditate with my eyes closed mainly I find that easier, but maybe that's part of what makes me sleepy, thoughts? Also, what impressive abilities have you seen good meditators have?

[george w]

there are a few techniques for dealing with sleepiness. off the top of my head i can think of imagining the color red and thinking of something that makes you angry. i know there is a certain visualization that works but i don't remember it.

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Can you go a full 20 minutes without thoughts arising?

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you don't want to try to suppress your thoughts. they're going to come. when thoughts come you should recognize them but don't give them any energy and just let them go on their way, back to where they came from. the main thing is just to stay aware of everything.

[theBruiser500]

it's hard to move away from thoughts that arise without the new thought arising "okay stop thinking about that"