How Has Meditation Benefited You?

[Water Buffalo]

Hello all,

So i hope this can be a light hearted thread and not too serious.

To those of you who meditate, i am interested to know (hopefully this isn't too personal), but how have you benefited from your practice. And if you feel, that it's relevant to include how long it took for such benefits and how you had been practising, then feel free to include for some perspective.

Back when i was practising well, my benefits included:

1. A lot of compassion

2. A lot of generosity

3. A feeling for calmness

4. A feeling of safeness (like there is nothing to worry about in life)

5. Healthier body

6. Contentment

7. I used to appreciate being mistreated, as i saw it as an opportunity to be equanimous, rather than get angry and caught up in it.

8. I would see things clearly in situations. I could simplistically see what things were, rather than debating on trivial details.

9. My nature was more pleasant

I can't think of any more.

I had been practising well for about 6 months straight. Since then things have changed and feel no such benefits, but that is because my practice is non-existent at the moment.

Anyway, i would be interested to hear your thoughts.

With metta

Edited December 14, 2014 by Water Buffalo

[dotpoom]

Fantastic for me to read your account WB of what Meditation had done for you in the past. Not sure why you mentioned about possibly having a light hearted discussion though, I'm all for not taking oneself too seriously but anything that adds peace and contentment and awareness to my life is, for me, something to take a serious look at. I have myself never gone about meditation in the way it is commonly perceived, I have friends that do though. My perception of reality is enhanced ...by listening to music, walking alone or with a loved one, or reading suitable books. I once heard it said that the normal mental state of the human race is a state of insanity. When I switch on a Television (notice I didn't say TV) I cannot disagree with that. ...Now I find myself mostly non interested in what appears to occupy most peoples thoughts in everyday life today. I seem to have a better perspective of what's important and what's not.

Once heard it described like this...Prayer is talking to God....Meditation is listening to God.

[AYJAYDEE]

if you dont feel any of that left after stopping, then you were kidding yourself that you had aquired them in the first place

[TerrylSky]

Sawaht Dee,

Nice to see a post relating to meditation!

It requires a little discipline to meditate everyday, but my, how my life is so much better.

In Thailand, in my village in the morning I usually meditate daily with the rising sun, then do some prayers, a little yoga and a walk. Nice way to start the day.

For me the primary, immediate benefit is peace and tranquility within - and then hopefully I radiate that throughout the day.

Additionally I am more focused, happy, compassionate, and forgiving, as well as just trying to be positive and good.

Although since traveling, my daily routine gets disrupted (I try to meditate whenever I remember to, or can), I have been to a Thai temple in the U.S.; the abbot there was very helpful in inspiring me to continue meditating again. Also, I have begun to study more about Thai buddhism and meditation more seriously.

In short, (for me) meditation creates and enhances personal balance, focus, and mostly calm and tranquility.

Very positive attributes in this crazy world.

I think if everyone meditated for 30 minutes everyday the world would be a much, much better place.

Peace,

Sky

[Brucenkhamen]

Ive found it is useful to monitor affects and results of meditation from the point of view of learning what works and recognizing when adjustments need to be made to the way you practice and whether the adjustments you have made have worked. Its very important not to let this turn into expecting or craving for results though as youll just reinforce the habits youre trying to let go of. This is a long term project, sometimes it will feel like your meditation is really going places other times it will feel like crap, so be aware of these feelings but dont trust them just practice regardless. If you are going through a period when you cant do formal meditation then try to keep up the mindfulness, just notice when you are aware and when you are not, when youre not just keep gently bringing the mind back again and again. I hope some of this is useful.

Your list of benefits is quite good. For me one of the biggest benefits is noticing the mind can be aware, balanced, and present throughout much of the day, that even when there is a lot activity either inside the mind or the environment the mind can remain poised and not be overwhelmed like it would have been in the past. There is less entanglement or stickiness with experience in terms of craving the ones I like or aversion to those I dont.

Ive been at it for 20 years.

[canarysun]

You don't need to go to on " Meditation courses " to be able to Meditate.I also meditate sometimes ( with various " Buddha Bar " sounds on in the backgound... ) but the best thing in life is not to take yourself very seriously and remember that its good to " laugh as much as possible " ( sometimes people laugh at me - i take it as one of the greatest compliments in the world...)

F.J

[asdecas]

Since I started meditating on where my pension goes every month I have cut down on donations to beggars.

Nowadays it's strictly give and take: if a free bus comes along when I'm going somewhere, I give five Baht to a mendicant at the other end; if I lose patience and have to pay for my journey, they get nothing.

Karma in action.

[thaiboss]

after a hospital stay here i discovered boudhism with deepack chopra........ going morning to beach at 5H00 for one hour meditation to heal the body.. using mantra OM....OM in the first mobile who connect you to the univers .. well my hernia got well repaired and i have stop smoking.. meditation has deleted smoking from the body cells.now i have no more feeling to light up a cigarette the same for alcool.. i am free of it .......there was a time 6 bootle chang beer per day ..... one or two pack LM per day.....never i could stay quiet for one hour had to move somewhere .. nowadays i can seat for hours looking the sea or coconot tree....... all emotion caused by alcool and cigarette are 100% deleted from body and mind.......... there are more inside me that have changed ....

sleeping disorder also has gone away no i sleep before 10 and get up sun rise .....no alcool no cigarette no smoking feeling... I AM very calm now.....

by very calm i mean ... Bangkok night life ?????? near every day ....well i am 60 today ..... without meditation may be i would have been seek or gone .....

[spidermike007]

The greatest benefit of deep meditation is the degree of light heartedness it gives the practitioner. It makes one able to view situations with more objectivity, as there is an ability to not take things too personally. Add to that peace of mind, better concentration, occasional periods of great joy and contentment, and a deeper love for mankind, and there is little to deter one from the practice. It does take great discipline, but it is really worth the effort.

[arjunadawn]

if you dont feel any of that left after stopping, then you were kidding yourself that you had aquired them in the first place

I actually thought AYJAYDEE was being rude to the OP so I read your post again, and re read the OP. You know, I think you are correct. One of the curious aspects of meditation is summed up (by someone smarter than me) when it is said "the brain that fires together wires together." Appreciable changes are noted and actually kinda permanent with persistent meditation (this can be noted on imagery in as little as 30 days). This has been repeatedly noted in different types of studies, as I recall.

Besides the surreal notion of the brain re wiring a sea-change takes place in many people that may forever change their worldview, or plunge them intermittently into what is called "the dark night of the soul," (This is decidedly more mystical) where one longs for the heights of deeper samadhi-like experience- usually not vipasanna but samatha-like meditation (Bhakti). What you describe does not sound like "dark night of the soul" anguish. With all intended respect, AYJAYDEE may be correct. You wouldn't be wrong, deceitful, or bad if this were true. Its just the line between imagination and apprehension is quite fine. After 6 months of regular meditation many people are able to incorporate the meditative process in walking life, work, play, lovemaking, solitude. You should not be forlorn.

[otocheater]

For me.

1. Calm, Peaceful, Quiet...

2. Freshy,Happy,Witty...

3. Beautiful....

etc....

??

[Don Aleman]

1). My Thai wife of 10 years, her of undying love for me, thought /hoped I

was dead, refiled thru all my documents to find cash & account

numbers.

2). Police upon being called did -- see above

3). My son, in the US asked she send money for airline ticket &

cautioned her " don't touch" any of his papers !

4). Ambulance driver demanded 1000 B before loading the " stiff " !

Fire, under me lit when I came out of meditation and I disappointed everyone.

[In Search of Space]

In 2007 I stayed at Doi Suthep, chiang Mai for 5 nights. The wife didn't want me to go, thought I might like it & stay.the first day was tough, but after 5 days I was mellowed, went to CM airport & couldn't cope with the people, my whole world had slowed down.

Did it due to stress, came home & quit job after 25 years

[Water Buffalo]

Thanks for all posts! Although, i don't understand the last one.

Alas, i must have imagined those benefits. Life is an illusion after all, I suppose.

I hadn't realized that the benefits aquired from meditation would last a lifetime, even after stopping for many years. Elaboration from AYJAYDEE would be nice. I must try to read that book ARJUNA DAWN.

[EmptyHead]

if you dont feel any of that left after stopping, then you were kidding yourself that you had aquired them in the first place

Our brains are plastic and they change all the time. The connections unused will unwire with time also. Or at least, I certainly hope so for all those poor chaps doing NoFap! Perhaps the doctors are just taking them for a ride (no pun intended).

[Goldbear]

Keep it up Water Buffalo. If you were getting those benefits and you aren't now, I assume that it would be worth doing again.

I've been doing it since I did a retreat at Wat Suanmokkh in 1991. I can't even imagine where my life would be right now without it. Many benefits.

Bedtime for me.

[AYJAYDEE]

if you dont feel any of that left after stopping, then you were kidding yourself that you had aquired them in the first place

Our brains are plastic and they change all the time. The connections unused will unwire with time also. Or at least, I certainly hope so for all those poor chaps doing NoFap! Perhaps the doctors are just taking them for a ride (no pun intended).

it doesnt require meditation to maintain insights once gained

[amse]

The benefits of meditation have been beyond imagination for me. I joined a mystical school in 1964, learned the art of meditation and doing mystical practical applictions as used in the ancient mystical schools of Egypt and Atlantis, as I elevated my spiritual consciousness I was able to astral travel to different dimensions, biorelocate, and much more. Using a meditation pyramid makes it even easier, I bought mine at www.pyramidplant.com. It helps to be a vegetarian/vegan also.

Edited December 15, 2014 by amse

[kaidahousecat]

In my younger years I used meditation to fight my depression. The relief I could feel sometimes out of it after a really bad day could bring close to tears, this good feeling would go away fast though and it never worked for me to get a longer effect out of it.

About a year ago I read a book "Jiddu Krishnamurti - Freedom from the known" and it helped me see things clearer for myself. There is a lot of knowledge in the book and it can help you to understand more why meditation is good in the first place.

What do you do when you usually meditate? You stop your thinking with different techniques and you mind becomes very quiet, what is left is a state of...basically what Water Buffalo describe as his benefits.

The perfect meditation he says is that one that you can do all the time. For that you need to use your thinking in another way, basically take it the power to define your daily worries and pleasures ect. Just look in yourself constantly with full awareness and live yourself without your ego.

This would be the perfect state of mind and I dont think many people can ever reach it, still I got some very positive changes out of it and think nowadays I see my life clearer

[Water Buffalo]

if you dont feel any of that left after stopping, then you were kidding yourself that you had aquired them in the first place

Our brains are plastic and they change all the time. The connections unused will unwire with time also. Or at least, I certainly hope so for all those poor chaps doing NoFap! Perhaps the doctors are just taking them for a ride (no pun intended).

it doesnt require meditation to maintain insights once gained

Thanks for clarifying.

Well, on the intellectual level, I am still "there", but I don't actually feel it, experience it, or live it anymore (like I did when i was practicing).

I did, however, just do a sitting of Anapanna, which was nice. My Samadhi is not so strong now. I think i need to spend a decent period of time practicing Anapanna alone and then onto Vipassana aswell.

Edited December 15, 2014 by Water Buffalo

[jacky54]

Stopped doing it in 1975, boring, tedious waster of time, and I did try a few.

[rockyysdt]

Thanks for all posts! Although, i don't understand the last one.

Alas, i must have imagined those benefits. Life is an illusion after all, I suppose.

I hadn't realized that the benefits aquired from meditation would last a lifetime, even after stopping for many years. Elaboration from AYJAYDEE would be nice. I must try to read that book ARJUNA DAWN.

Hi WB.

In my experience meditation (sitting) is similar to diet, & physical exercise.

In order to remain healthy, one must diet and exercise regularly.

My mindset is that the benefits of meditation will only come with regular meditation.

Firstly there is the actual experience we gain when regularly meditating.

Secondly there is the mindset and teaching which usually accompanies meditation instruction.

Perhaps, when you say you can still appreciate improvements, maybe these are due to the way of life you've been taught to live?

A good way to view meditation is like regularly weeding your lawn.

When you stop weeding the weeds return.

There are many reasons why people stop their practice.

Usually negative self talk (apparent good reasons).

One common reason was, "I used to meditate quite well but then I began to have trouble reaching that state.".

Whether one attains a deep state of silent mind, or whether one is in a state of high anxiety, with unending thoughts, what should be realized is that Meditation is the practice of awareness.

Whether deep in silence, or overwhelmed with thought, every session is valuable.

Using this mindset, eventually things will settle down, but if one decides they can't meditate, then their practice may be lost.

Edited December 15, 2014 by rockyysdt

[jacky54]

There are many reasons why people stop their practice.

Usually negative self talk (apparent good reasons).

One common reason was, "I used to meditate quite well but then I began to have trouble reaching that state.".

Good point I think that's what happened to me. After seeing the Dalai Lama in Dec 1973 I had an amazing experience, even more convincing as it was not some sort of emotional response as I thought the Dalai seemed very disappointing in what he had said, mostly about mending clocks. Meditating afterwards it was oceans of light, music like bell sounds and I seemed to be in an vast infinite space, I was quite shaken after it. Happened the next night but not as powerful. Never could get anything like that again it was back to' I wonder how long I have been doing this', so gave up in the end.

[connda]

Have you ever seen non-self manifest without manifesting?

[jacky54]

what's that in plain English?

[rockyysdt]

Have you ever seen non-self manifest without manifesting?

Is this a Zen koan?

A nonsensical or paradoxical question to a student for which an answer is demanded, the stress of meditation on the question often being illuminating.

[AYJAYDEE]

There are many reasons why people stop their practice.

Usually negative self talk (apparent good reasons).

One common reason was, "I used to meditate quite well but then I began to have trouble reaching that state.".

Good point I think that's what happened to me. After seeing the Dalai Lama in Dec 1973 I had an amazing experience, even more convincing as it was not some sort of emotional response as I thought the Dalai seemed very disappointing in what he had said, mostly about mending clocks. Meditating afterwards it was oceans of light, music like bell sounds and I seemed to be in an vast infinite space, I was quite shaken after it. Happened the next night but not as powerful. Never could get anything like that again it was back to' I wonder how long I have been doing this', so gave up in the end.

reaching some desired state is not the purpose of vipassana meditation

[Water Buffalo]

Out of interest, has anyone ever reached Bhanga during Vipassana? They say that is when the most deep-rooted Sankharas come out. And if so, was there a turning point in your life or anything noticable or significant?

I had another decent meditation this morning of Anapanna. I wonder how long i should continue Anapanna before beginning Vipassana again?

Yes, i definately agree that we should not be meditating to achieve a certain state or feeling during the meditation. I wonder if i should also apply this to my counting of benefits aquired in life from the practise?

[AYJAYDEE]

Out of interest, has anyone ever reached Bhanga during Vipassana? They say that is when the most deep-rooted Sankharas come out. And if so, was there a turning point in your life or anything noticable or significant?

I had another decent meditation this morning of Anapanna. I wonder how long i should continue Anapanna before beginning Vipassana again?

Yes, i definately agree that we should not be meditating to achieve a certain state or feeling during the meditation. I wonder if i should also apply this to my counting of benefits aquired in life from the practise?

you dont need any preparation to pracrice vipassana. start yesterday.

[jacky54]

There are many reasons why people stop their practice.

Usually negative self talk (apparent good reasons).

One common reason was, "I used to meditate quite well but then I began to have trouble reaching that state.".

Good point I think that's what happened to me. After seeing the Dalai Lama in Dec 1973 I had an amazing experience, even more convincing as it was not some sort of emotional response as I thought the Dalai seemed very disappointing in what he had said, mostly about mending clocks. Meditating afterwards it was oceans of light, music like bell sounds and I seemed to be in an vast infinite space, I was quite shaken after it. Happened the next night but not as powerful. Never could get anything like that again it was back to' I wonder how long I have been doing this', so gave up in the end.

reaching some desired state is not the purpose of vipassana meditation

it was not vipassana mediation it was hindu, obviously something a bit more effective. The one thing that has always put me off Buddhism, is the smug western know it alls who can come up with the most obscure Buddhist words and concepts, and there are loads on these threads. I'm sure old mr Buddha did not give much credence to such 'clever' sorts and would have shot them down straight away.