Best meditation ever, and it is simple

1. Get comfortable

2. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing

3. Anything you think a thought, just replace the thought with "chill out" or "relax" instead

4. Just think relaxing thoughts if worse come to worse...



Don't meditate on a "blue" light or "white" light...
Don't even think about "time"...
Don't give yourself a "time" limit to do this or that.

Feel complete relaxation as if you can be there forever. If you fall asleep that is ok too

Relaxation is the key.

reply to post by arpgme


i have tried so hard over the years to learn how to meditate and always fail. i have one of those racing minds that wont stay quiet. i have terrible insomnia because of it. i wish i could just will my mind to relax

I thought last time I read a thread of yours about silence is dead or something

Originally posted by rambo1112
I thought last time I read a thread of yours about silence is dead or something

Not kosher to point out a poster's innate failings.

Originally posted by HODOSKE
reply to post by arpgme

 

i have tried so hard over the years to learn how to meditate and always fail. i have one of those racing minds that wont stay quiet. i have terrible insomnia because of it. i wish i could just will my mind to relax

Don't quiet your mind. Don't judge yourself. Just relax, and when you think, just think "relaxation", "chill out" thoughts among those lines.

Originally posted by rambo1112
I thought last time I read a thread of yours about silence is dead or something

I was talking about silence in regards to a "silent" mind (no thoughts). I am still not encouraging that, and even if I did, It would only mean that I changed my mind due to seeing things in a different light.

reply to post by arpgme


With respect, this sounds more like a relaxation exercise rather than meditation, although I suppose a relaxation exercise can be a form of meditation.

However, by performing this exercise you can be placed into a state where meditation can be started but I doubt true meditation will be achieved just by the above technique.

Gnobody

Look. What your mind thinks is just your mind. Its not who you are. You are the one observing your mind.

So just observe it. You are watching your body machine operate.

Realize that you are not your thoughts or your feelings or anything like that. You are the observer. Another way to think of it is that you are the consciousness who use the body to move around and do things.

And its pretty cool.

Originally posted by PrimitiveWorld

Look. What your mind thinks is just your mind. Its not who you are. You are the one observing your mind.

So just observe it. You are watching your body machine operate.

Realize that you are not your thoughts or your feelings or anything like that. You are the observer. Another way to think of it is that you are the consciousness who use the body to move around and do things.

So, so if we aren't the mind, we are just an observer, we should just allow ourselves to suffer? If the body is hurting, just observe?

Originally posted by Gnobody
reply to post by arpgme

 

With respect, this sounds more like a relaxation exercise rather than meditation, although I suppose a relaxation exercise can be a form of meditation.

However, by performing this exercise you can be placed into a state where meditation can be started but I doubt true meditation will be achieved just by the above technique.

Gnobody

There are different definitions for meditation, the one I am most common with is focusing on the now, having awareness of what happens now, and being aware of thought if it arises. Some meditation includes focus on an object or idea. I think this [the technique above] is a form of meditation

reply to post by arpgme


So what’s the purpose of this meditation? To relax the body or for inner peace ?

reply to post by MegaSpace


The purpose is to sink into the universal energy of eternity. Sink to this extreme relaxation beyond "happiness" or "unhappiness".

The best part is that you can not fail, the fact that you'll be more relaxed just by breathing and thinking of relaxation will make you more relaxed automatically...

It COULD happen, that as you relax more thoughts become less and you feel like there is no time (there is just NOW that can go on for eternity - no worrying about "past" or "future" or even thinking of it).

Just eternal relaxation now....

I'll do this sometimes to.help me sleep. The only difference is that I tell my body to quiet down with deep breaths. I focus on my head first and take two deep breaths, long and slow to relax all those muscles; then I'll move down until everything is completely relaxed. I mean it feels like you're going to sink into the bed because your muscles are nothing but dead weight. Then I'll work on shutting my mind off.

I wonder why this is moved into General Chit Chat? Shouldn't this be in Paranormal since this deals with meditation?

Originally posted by Mr Headshot
I'll do this sometimes to.help me sleep. The only difference is that I tell my body to quiet down with deep breaths. I focus on my head first and take two deep breaths, long and slow to relax all those muscles; then I'll move down until everything is completely relaxed. I mean it feels like you're going to sink into the bed because your muscles are nothing but dead weight. Then I'll work on shutting my mind off.

If you are concerned about your "thoughts", I would like to suggest that you breathe in and out saying the word "relax". It helps a lot, and if you have thoughts, no worries just bring it back to "relax". This way you aren't "fighting" thoughts trying to turn it off, but you are working with it for your benefit in this focus meditation.

Originally posted by arpgme
reply to post by MegaSpace

 

The best part is that you can not fail, the fact that you'll be more relaxed just by breathing and thinking of relaxation will make you more relaxed automatically...

If the goal is to relax your mind and body, 'thinking' of relaxing will only lead to more thoughts.

Instead of thinking about relaxing, just concentrate on your breathing. This has worked for me.....

While laying down (or sitting) comfortably, close your eyes and take a slow breath through your nose. As you do this, imagine that the air you are inhaling is only entering your left nostril, when you exhale imagine that the air is only leaving your right nostril.

Once you get used to this, imagine and visualise that the air entering your left nostril is a golden colour and that the air is going up your left nostril, down your windpipe and entering your lungs, this golden air then spreads from your lungs, around your body and into your muscles.

Visualise the golden air penetrating your muscles and collecting all the tension, leaving your muscles soft and relaxed.

Then as the tension is released from your body, visualise the air turning from a golden colour to black as it absorbs all this tension from the muscles (the black colour sybolises the tension or negativity in your body), and exhale this black air through your right nostril.

As you imagine and visualse this process of the air entering your body, spreading around your body, collecting tension and then leaving your body you will begin to naturally relax.

Of course, your mind will at some point drift and become distracted but just try to observe yourself and be viligant, try to catch your mind wondering off and come back to visualising the process of breathing.

This will also help you develope concentration which is key to meditation and well as putting yourself into a relaxed state.

Once you feel that you have completely relaxed your body, and your mind is a little quieter, you can begin to concetrate on anything that you want to attempt to meditate on. Or you can just observe yourself, watch your mind and see what thoughts arise, try to comprehend how your mind works and why you are having whatever thoughts you are having. Try to see your thought process and how thoughts can link together and lead to fantasy (which is different from imagination and visualisation). Know yourself...

Hope this helps anybody that is having trouble relaxing and wants to begin meditation practice!

Gnobody

Originally posted by Gnobody

Originally posted by arpgme
reply to post by MegaSpace

 

The best part is that you can not fail, the fact that you'll be more relaxed just by breathing and thinking of relaxation will make you more relaxed automatically...

If the goal is to relax your mind and body, 'thinking' of relaxing will only lead to more thoughts.

I never recommended thinking "of" relaxation. I'm talking about just focusing on the word alone breathing in and out and feeling your body relax more and more.

Originally posted by arpgme

Originally posted by Gnobody

Originally posted by arpgme
reply to post by MegaSpace

 

The best part is that you can not fail, the fact that you'll be more relaxed just by breathing and thinking of relaxation will make you more relaxed automatically...

If the goal is to relax your mind and body, 'thinking' of relaxing will only lead to more thoughts.

I never recommended thinking "of" relaxation. I'm talking about just focusing on the word alone breathing in and out and feeling your body relax more and more.

My apologies, I can only go by what you are saying and the words you type (as quoted above), but at the same time just thinking of a word can only help so much, to help yourself relax properly, there is a process that should be (in my opinion) followed in order to achieve a real physical relaxed state.

When you sit or lay down to relax, you are resting and feel relaxed, this is good enough to chill out and watch TV or go to sleep, but the kind of total relaxation required to enter into meditation is different, there needs to be total physical relaxation before the mind can be 'relaxed' also.

Again, apologies for misinterpreting your post.

Gnobody

Originally posted by Gnobody
My apologies, I can only go by what you are saying and the words you type (as quoted above), but at the same time just thinking of a word can only help so much, to help yourself relax properly, there is a process that should be (in my opinion) followed in order to achieve a real physical relaxed state.

I didn't recommend just thinking about a word, I offered a process that goes along with it.

Originally posted by Gnobody
When you sit or lay down to relax, you are resting and feel relaxed, this is good enough to chill out and watch TV or go to sleep, but the kind of total relaxation required to enter into meditation is different, there needs to be total physical relaxation before the mind can be 'relaxed' also.

I am not talking about calmly watching TV or calmly laying in bed thinking. I'm talking about taking time out for relaxation, not watching to tv, not calmly daydreaming in bed, but actually focusing on relaxation.

Originally posted by arpgme
I am not talking about calmly watching TV or calmly laying in bed thinking. I'm talking about taking time out for relaxation, not watching to tv, not calmly daydreaming in bed, but actually focusing on relaxation.

I never said you were, and it's obvious that you weren't, I was just pointing out the differences in the levels of relaxtion.

Regards

Ok its for relaxation. Thank you all for taking the time to explain.

Wouldn’t the act of doing the very things that we enjoy such as a hobby or a person we love hanging out with have the very same affect as the meditation methods above?


Apart for relaxation. Do any of you guy's meditate for personal growth?

Edit:

Look im trying to access the level of understanding of people here, Im a spiritual person & consider my self highly evolved “without boasting” who now looks at more practical solutions rather then a band aid solutions to relaxing & for personal growth.

Gnobody a star for you

Originally posted by MegaSpace
Ok its for relaxation. Thank you all for taking the time to explain.

Wouldn’t the act of doing the very things that we enjoy such as a hobby or a person we love hanging out with have the very same affect as the meditation methods above?

I would agree that a hobby can be as beneficial to calming your mind and body as a relaxation exercise, lets say you like to draw or paint. If you have no other forms of stimulation such as music, TV etc, then the mind can focus and just paint.
At that time of painting, nothing else in the world exists, nothing matters except your painting, you can be focused so much on your painting in a way that you have no other thoughts, no emotions, only the act and thought of your painting is left, concentrating completely on every brushstroke, every line, every colour etc.

This, I imagine, would leave you feeling very relaxed, both physically and mentally.

Originally posted by MegaSpace
Look im trying to access the level of understanding of people here, Im a spiritual person & consider my self highly evolved “without boasting” who now looks at more practical solutions rather then a band aid solutions to relaxing & for personal growth

There is so much one can learn about themselves through introspection and self observance.

Lets say that you want to meditate on the part of you that gets angry, to try and discover why you get angry, upset or annoyed.
After going through whatever process you prefer to completely relax, start to think of a time that you got angry. Try to remember the whole episode from the time you were calm to the time you either lashed out, hit someone, got aggressive or just lost it!

What happened? Why? Did your outburst have the desired outcome? What was your desired outcome?

There are hundreds of questions you could ask yourself regarding just this one incident.

Try to work backwards from the point of 'no return', the point where you 'lost it'.

What was the final straw? What was it that triggered that point in you that anger surfaced and you lost control? Why couldn't you control yourself? Was it because you were offened? Threatened? Your pride hurt?

Try to review the whole episode as an observer, don't get caught up in the emotions of the time and don't fall into the trap of feeling the emotions, try to be objective about it, try to 'step out' of yourself and observe the scene, hopefully you will identify the instant you lost control and maybe you will have learned something about yourself, maybe about your egos, personality, how your mind and emotions work.

Of course, all the above is easier said than done, but it takes time and practice, and total honesty with yourself. You may not like what you learn about yourself, you may find that you are full of pride (who isn't!) who is easily offened, or that you are intolerant, but this is how we come to know ourselves and begin a change.

If you don't want to think of something specific, try just going over the whole day, from the time you woke up until the time you went to bed, How many emotions did you feel throughout the day? What triggered them? How did you react to everyone you met that day? Positively? Negatively? Why?

We have a legion of egos and emotions, this is why getting to truly know ourselves can take a life time, maybe many life times but the truth of ourselves can set us free!

Meditation on yourself is time well spent, you will learn a lot about who you are and why you are who you are.

However, meditation is not limited to gaining knowledge of yourself, you can meditate on anything to gain knowledge, and this knowledge when gained will be a direct knowledge that you personally have experienced, not an intellectual knowledge learned form books or others. Although knowledge from books and others is important too as this helps us understand the process and can help guide us along the path.

Hope this has helped a little.

Gnobody