reply to post by getinout?
Any pointers for meditation. Such as time? place? goal?
As far as time, I prefer mornings for 30 - 45 minutes, but sometimes I will meditate in the evenings as well.
Places include outside in my garden and in my living room. I am not flexible enough to utilize traditional lotus position so I use Japanese style
sitting, which is more like kneeling with my feet underneath me atop a pillow for comfort. I keep my back straight and join my hands together and
rest them above my Dantien, a little spot 2-3 inches above my navel where there are a concentration of blood vessels. I begin a breathing count of 7
in and 7 out, which put's me in a more relaxed state.
Sometimes I use music, but it is instrumental instead of lyrical and is non repetitive as well. Some of it is considered new age I guess, but it is
more of an atmosphere created by the music than it's meaning. Other times I do not use music.
Goal, well to each their own on this one, for there are many styles of meditation and various goals including relaxation, enlightenment, mindfulness
and transcendence. My goal is the unique opportunity to attain a temporary emptying of mental activity, allowing thoughts to unfold undisturbed to
the point of dissipation.
The "monkey mind" is a Buddhist phrase representing the hyperactivity of random thoughts which meditation allow one to observe happening. Our brain
is always running and to me it makes sense to give it a wakeful rest at times, kind of like a defragmenting. I feel a relief when emptying the mind,
and though it takes practice, once achieved it provides a unique source of strength and self control, including my emotions.
Might I suggest doing an ATS search on the subject, for there is much written on the experience and here are a couple of sites describing various
styles of meditation.
www.yogapoint.com...
www.abc-of-yoga.com...
spec
reply to post by JR MacBeth
Thank you for the comment JR and I wish you the best in your writing endeavors.
I am glad the poem slowed you for a moment, for I believe it is in this calmness, great strength can be obtained.
spec
edit on 12-9-2010 by speculativeoptimist because: addition