Meditation: Methods & Experiences

[0utrider]

With this thread i wanna offer people a thread where they can learn about different methods of meditations. I'd like people to describe their favorite methods (and a short description of the philosophies behind it) in order for other people to try it out at home and gain experience in meditation. This could also be the place where people can talk about the problems they face while meditating and interesting experiences they had.


I'd like to start off with a Zen technique, i'm new to this whole thing but really ambitious. I'm just gonna give a short summary of the technique described in Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki.
(i copied most of it from the wiki page on Zazen, which is a very good text about zazen)

Philosophy: Zazen is at the heart of ZenBuddhist practice. The aim of zazen is just sitting, opening the hand of thought. Once the mind is able to not be hindered by its many layers, one will then be able to realize one's true Buddha nature. In Zen Buddhism, zazen (literally "seated meditation") is a discipline practitioners perform to calm the body and the mind and experience insight into the nature of existence and thereby gain enlightenment

The technique: The posture of zazen is seated, with folded legs and hands, and an erect but settled spine. The legs are folded in one of the standard sitting styles. Beginners might also just sit on their legs, with their knees touching the ground. The hands are folded together into a simple mudra over the belly (the fingers of one hand over the others, while the thumbs touch each other, the hands forming a circle). In many practices, one breathes from the hara (the center of gravity in the belly) and the eyelids are half-lowered, the eyes being neither fully open nor shut so that the practitioner is not distracted by outside objects but at the same time is kept awake.

Once you've attained a proper posture, you will be ready to begin your zazen practice.Your practice will evolve over time, and may involve a number of different methods over the years.
Begin by breathing fully, deeply, and naturally. Breathe through your nose and from your abdomen, not from your chest, feeling your abdomen expand and contract. You should feel your center of energy shift to your abdomen as it becomes the focal point of both your posture and your breath.

Once your breathing is relaxed and regular, you can (if you want to, it might be easier for beginners) silently count each exhalation, counting up to ten and then starting over at one. Each count should last the full exhalation; instead of a short "One", you should count "Ooooooooone", "Twoooooooo", etc.
This practice will help you focus and relax your mind. You'll soon discover that your mind wanders or is busy with other thoughts. You'll suddenly realize that you've stopped counting/concentrating on the breathing and started daydreaming or thinking about something that's troubling you, or you may still be counting but have no idea what number you're on. When this happens, just go back to one or start over concentrating. Don't get angry or frustrated with yourself, just start again. Every time you get lost, go back to the beginning, without blame. Thoughts and feelings will come; just let them go, and take yourself back to one. If you return to counting your breaths again and again and again, everything else will settle down and stop bothering you quite naturally. Always gently and firmly come back to the practice with all your energy. That's pretty much it.



I found that method very easy, for you don't have to have any special equipment or any preparation (except for the sitting, which might be not taken too seriously at the beginning) and it's possible to practice your concentration in all kinds of situations during the day. You'll almost immeaditly feel how it improves your mood and how you psych. is getting balanced out.

Reputation Comments on this post:

	very important topic, people can get first insight in different methods and choose their favourite on that basis
	Excellent topic to bring up-the health benefits are endless!

[FrankenChrist]

The hardest part for me was to shift energy focus to the abdomen. It keeps going to my head and if I allow it I lose concentration and zone out.
However, if I want to I can keep it under some degree of concentration.
Then I become very aware of what is happening in my body. Breathing; how the inhaled air in my sinuses caresses the inside of my skull and nearly the brain; how blood flows through the brain, etc

[Heretic.Ape.]

Monkey once went to one of those 10 day vipassana meditation retreats where you basically live like a buddhist monk for the duration--no talking, limited eating, meditating from four am until around eleven pm, etc.
The technique used was simple and monkey found it to be very refreshing, increasing body awareness and vitility, relaxing and clearing the mind.
Sit and focus on breath, going into nostrils, down into lungs, causing stomach to protrude, and back up in reverse. This is done for several minutes.
Next focus awareness at top of head and feel the sensations there without thinking anything, just awareness of sensation. Now scan over your body--down face, head, neck, chest, back, shoulders, arms (one by one), et cetera, right down to the tip of each individual toe. Let attention rest at each little part of the body until you feel the sensations there (some places you will find difficult to be aware of at first). Then you move back up from toes to crown of head.
This can be kind of tedious and it takes quite a while (should take at least 20 minutes each direction), but is worthwhile if you can force yourself to sit and do it. Monkey rarely manages to make himself sit and do this

[0utrider]

This link:
http://www.swamij.com/
is a great website with a ton of medin techniques (also tantra and yogi stuff) that are quite comprehensive and helpful, even to the beginner. a technique for everyone, every taste, basically!

[mitchellca]

Swim finds that his legs go numb very quickly when meditating, which then breaks his concentration.
He's hopefully going on a 4 day retreat at the end of november, which should help with techniques etc..
Providing that goes well he'll be going on a 7 day retreat over christmas to get away from everything.

[Drop_It_Or_Not]

The leg numbing is quite common when sitting in full-lotus position. That is why after every 30 min of sitting the practitioners should switch to 5-10 min of walking meditation (kinhin). Nice topic, I personally practice Zazen (at least i think so ), but I assume, if enough effort is invested, every technique is equal regarding the maintenance of the spiritual health. I can recommend to primarily visit a meditation group a few times until the actual technique is developed before further experimentation at home. Otherwise it can be very frustrating.

[PROZACphil]

I've been meditating in small doses for years. Since latley I've become very connected to the unseen world through thoughts, phsycidellics and understanding dreams. I'm trying to meditate more, very good topic though. Intrested to see where it will take us. While I meditate, I start to see the designs and colors in the world, all while my eyes are closed.

[Infinite Rainbows]

While your body sleeps is probably the best time for meditation. This is not easily achieved and probably misunderstood about what sleep means here. To have a lucid dream could be a foundation for meditation. After you have done this enough, then you'll probably be able to daydream more regularly with your eyes normally open and your body awake. These daydreams aren't quite the same as your typical imagination.

If you already can daydream like this, then you probably are familiar with Astral Projection, Shamanism, and like visions. I doubt everybody does it the same with the same results or expectations.

I think meditation does have one commonality to it and that is to heal oneself or others.

[omnitravis]

Originally Posted by Infinite Rainbows

While your body sleeps is probably the best time for meditation. This is not easily achieved and probably misunderstood about what sleep means here. To have a lucid dream could be a foundation for meditation. After you have done this enough, then you'll probably be able to daydream more regularly with your eyes normally open and your body awake. These daydreams aren't quite the same as your typical imagination.

If you already can daydream like this, then you probably are familiar with Astral Projection, Shamanism, and like visions. I doubt everybody does it the same with the same results or expectations.

I think meditation does have one commonality to it and that is to heal oneself or others.

I was once trying to nap, in the hot sun(yeah, not a good idea, whatever) and found myself in this strange place of thought.
I thought I was sleeping at first, then realized how much I was actively thinking, and that I could see all orange from the sunlight coming through my eyelids.

It was some time ago, do not remember specific details of thought, but the breathing techniques I used are listed in Ninja:Power of the Mind, I believe I was using the neutral, negative breathing technique, of taking 4 full breaths a minute, 7.5 seconds in, 7.5 out. That is how I was breathing, I am just not sure if that one is neutral negative. after about 10 minutes I fell into this dreamlike state.
I really didnt think much of it until reading a Gandhi quote somewhere along the lines of, the best meditation is often done during sleep, and reading this post.

[Romeo]

I find the technique Zazen to be an excellent one for Indian and Japanese people, who are very used to the sitting position involved, while western people are not at all, they feel numbness, discomfort, and anxiety while meditating in such a position, it destroys their body rather than relax it.

The key is not to sit in a specific position, but to provide the ultimate comfort for your body, my recommendations are to sit relaxed with your back on a comfortable couch or chair (a bed will most likely make you fall to sleep), and think of the duality of life and death, how the body dies, the mind dies, and the heart dies after you die, watch and see what remains there.

Consciousness is sure of its immortality, it is your body that is afraid to die.

I speak a lot on the subject in my personal blog, focusing on my inward journey and how I came to realize the things any intelligent person has the potential to realize, if you consider yourself smart enough you can enjoy the experiences and even surpass me and teach me! I don't believe in masters and students, we are all catalysts, it is only you who is responsible for your experience.
The information is too big to be shared here, if you are interested in mind expansion and self-exploration, you should read it, but unfortunately I cannot post the link, you'll have to ask me in a personal message for me to share it.

Cheers and good luck!

[Budha]

My meditation:

complete and utter acceptance.

[10outof10]

I'm a huge fan of Qigong (pronounced Chee-gong) which is a Chinese meditative practice which often uses slow graceful movements and controlled breathing techniques to promote the circulation of qi within the human body, and enhance a practitioner's overall health. There are also many forms of Qigong that are done with little or no movement at all, in standing, sitting and supine positions; likewise, not all forms of Qigong use breath control techniques.

I run an acupuncture drop in where I use 5 finger Qigong and it always goes down well with my clients. It is very simple to do, you can even do it last thing at night when wanting to go to sleep. Here is a basic version:

Five finger qigong is an exercise often used for calming the mind and easing anxiety.

To begin sit down in a comfortable position and make an o shaped ring with the thumb and index finger of both your hands.

Rest your hands lightly on your lap, with your palms facing upwards and breathe deeply becoming aware of the cooling sensation as the air enters your nose. Remain like this breathing calmly for a few moments.

Focus on your breath and the slightest, lightest pressure between your thumbs and index fingers.

Now move your thumbs to connect lightly with your middle fingers and continue to breath slowly and deeply for the next minute.

When a minute has passed move your thumbs lightly onto your ring fingers and keep breathing deeply and calmly for the next few moments.

And when another minute has passed, move your thumbs to make contact with you little fingers - keep your posture and your breathing relaxed and remain, breathing deeply and calmly, for another minute.

Try it out and hopefully you will enjoy! )

[JBlaze]

I have been avoiding this thread just for fear that I would end up writing way too much but I have given in.

I am a really big fan of combining multiple techniques into one experience. My methods are dictated by what my purpose is or what I am simply hoping to get out of it. Relaxing, stability, contemplation, healing, and cleansing will be call for one method and if I am purely trying to attain a state of higher consciousness I will use other methods. Of course with every session will come different goals so the methods are always customized even further.

No matter what my purpose for meditation is I always like to start with QiGong (also pronounced 'Chi-Kung' sometimes).
I really emphasize the Guanqifa (Qi-cultivation/permeating) movements to gather energy. Mixed with those I will throw in techniques specific to my purpose.

I am a big fan of Brainwave Entrainment so a lot of times I will have the headphones on during my Qigong, and will always have the headphones on and tuned to Theta during meditation.

If I am not trying to necessarily attain higher consciousness and am focusing more on 'this realm' I will meditate in either the Lotus or Half-Lotus position. I curl in my perinium a little bit, keep my Crown aligned with spine and perinium and tuck in my chin a bit and keep it aligned with spine and perinium as well.

I may then go in to the Microcosmic Orbit Meditation or a specific Khundalini position then my intentions go to my 'purpose'.

If I am trying to attain higher consciousness, Astral Projection, I will go through the Qigong but then lay down, flat on my back, hands to my side and palms up. I know a lot of people find it easier to leave their body in a sitting position but It has been much easier for me to control the 'phases' while laying down.

I am very intrigued by Magick and Alchemy so I am also really in to the idea of the ritual and the use of sigil's. If you are looking for knowledge or health or anything make something that represents a conglomeration of your purpose. Anything, and I mean anything that has relativity to your purpose should go in to this. If there is a color associated with it include that in your representation, same goes for anything else.

Do not go over board with it though. While creating this representation, consciously put your specific intentions in to the representation the entire time you are creating it. Perform Qigong before preparing the Sigil. Feel the energies flowing in to the Sigil whilst creating it, you will know when it is finished. When it is complete you must somehow make the Sigil public. It does not matter how you do this but, people MUST experience the Sigil. If it is sound they must hear it, if an image, it must be seen.

Give your Sigil ample time to be experienced, again, do not go overboard, you will know when it is time. If you dont get the feeling it is time, then it is time.
After the Sigil has been experienced it is time to meditate, or probably even better yet, to Astral Project and 'ask for' the sigil to guide you.

I also find it very good to make your intentions verbal beforehand. There is a reason people pray. Relax yourself thoroughly, kneel or get into a comfortable position and while focusing deeply on your intentions, make them verbal. It may even help to 'sing' them with the music if you have some playing.

I hope that maybe I have given someone some ideas, and am eager to hear more about people's methods and experiences.