Starting on meditation.

[ultimate weapon]

I used to do a bit of meditation in the past. I listened to some meditation tunes. Try to keep my mind blank and just listen to the music. I stopped doing that for months and i would like to start up again but first a few questions.

Can meditation be summed up in keeping your mind blank for a period of time and since this is very difficult for beginners they get you to focus on something like your breath, music and so on? Is that all there is to meditation?

I won't be sitting cross legged on the floor but on a chair with my back upright. I will probably try 10 or 15 mins and steadily increase this over time.

Is there anything else i left out?

[RichCor]

Having a bit of a memory issue?

Learning meditation with no religious inclinations

Started by ultimate weapon, 2013-11-30 19:36 -- 108 replies to this topic

"Is meditation just basically siting still and just letting one's mind be empty without any thoughts interrupting for as long as possible and that it isn't really so easy so most ppl either listen to some type of music or chanting a word om for example in short to force the mind to prevent it from wandering and that someone that has reached the pinacle of meditation doesn't need any chanting or music but just simply sits there with his mind empty for hours?"

I don't mind if you want to start over

[Brucenkhamen]

Meditation is definately not about blanking the mind and listening to music.

You can sit in a chair if you want but it's best that the back is not supported so as to help keep you awake.

This looks like a good introduction to get you started http://www.ajahnchah.org/book/On_Meditation1.php

[rockyysdt]

Rather than being empty, I'd refer to it as "achieving a state of awareness free from thought".

Experiencing a state of awareness free from thought is far from empty.

Some tips.

Wear comfortable clothing. Avoid anything tight or restrictive.

If using a chair, choose one which is sideless, and backless or low backed.

The chair should be of a height so as to not cut into your thighs.

When sitting on the chair adjust your posture to align with gravity.

Fighting against gravity produces muscle tension.

Muscle tension leads to rampant thoughts.

Don't sit bolt upright.

You'll find, due to the curvature of the spine, aligning your back slightly forward from the vertical is the sweet spot.

Constantly focus on your body looking for tension and adjust to reduce tension.

Look for any areas which are tense and let go.

Each sit will be a further refinement, fine tuning a relaxed and resilient posture free from tension and at one with gravity.

I was taught that the mind impacts on the body and the body impacts on the mind.

Tense body = rampant thoughts.

Relaxed body = quiet mind.

Place your hands on your lap, palms up or down.

At this point teachings will vary.

Zen practitioners don't have an object of focus. One just sits there until thought disappears.

A popular method is to follow the breathe.

It's normal to find yourself in long periods of thought.

When you realize this, gently come back to the breathe.

You'll find this is quite normal (focus on the breathe followed by period of thoughts, then breathe, then thoughts).

Many will give up after several sessions of this.

Those that give up don't realise that this is quite normal.

Until your practice has developed there will be thought.

The key is not to attach to these thoughts once you become aware.

Simply note the thoughts and return to the breath.

If thoughts are incessant, it might be worth refocusing on the body.

One reason for them is that tension may have crept back into your body.

Observe where you feel tense and relax these areas before coming back to the breath.

Don't try to meditate.

Simply work on your posture, on your breath, and when aware of thoughts, refraining from attachment to these but simply coming back to the breath.

Stillness comes of its own accord when the conditions are right.

One can't meditate.

Like a gift, it is given to us.

Sitting is an act of awareness.

If you find yourself daydreaming or thinking, simply be aware and acknowledge this, then gently come back to the breath.

In time your concentration will improve and the periods of breath focus will increase.

This will eventually result in periods of stillness (one second, three seconds, a minute, five minutes etc).

Never gauge success based on achieving stillness.

Just being aware is reward enough.

Don't listen to your negative self talk (no matter how hard I try I can't do it. I'll never master this. I feel terrible. I'm giving up).

Gauge your sits on regularity regardless of the experience, focus on achieving a resilient posture, concentration/focus on breath, and refraining from attachment to negative self talk.

1. Sit in a resilient posture at one with gravity, free from muscular tension.

2. Focus on the body looking for muscular tension and relax.

3. Focus on the uncontrolled breath (best results if you follow the breath all the way down to the bottom of the longs and then out all the way out of the nostrils - called chasing the breath.

4. Don't control the breath but simply develop a longish comfortable uncontrolled breath.

5. When aware of thoughts don't attach to these but gently come back to the breath.

6. if rampant thoughts are incessant, review your body and release any muscular tension.

These are the conditions we work on.

Allow stillness to present of its own accord.

Never give up.

If experiencing a road block seek the advice of a teacher.

Your biggest battle will be sticking to your new routine and overcoming your negative thoughts.

Our habits can be changed but in reality are extremely difficult to overcome.

Best of luck

PS: Ditch the music and the meditation tunes. They are the opposite of what you are attempting to cultivate.Your aim is to grow bare awareness of what is.

Edited January 12, 2015 by rockyysdt