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Unfolding Nature Shop: Unfolding Nature: Being in the Implicate Order

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Mindfulness vs. Concentration Meditation;
    #11803142 -

It is my understanding that most meditation practices can be grouped in one of two categories- mindfulness and concentration.

Mindfulness meditation is the practice of watching one's mind processes without reacting to, or becoming involved, with the thoughts/emotions/feelings/etc.

Concentration meditation is the practice of focusing one's mind on a certain entity in order for the mind to calm itself.


I have been practicing mindfulness meditation a bit now.  I tend to focus on my breath, numbers, or a picture (usually harder) in order to calm my mind.  My sessions are relatively short and last from about 10-45 minutes.  I spend the first 2-3 minutes getting my breath in order and trying to clear my mind.  I often have to fight my thoughts away periodically throughout each session-as I think the thought then get involved with it- although it does seem to be getting a lot easier.

My questions:
How does one practice mindfulness meditation?
  • is there a different approach, or is it something you can't accomplish without first mastering concentration meditation?
  • for those of you who have practiced both: is the result of one more beneficial than the other, in your opinion?


Does anyone here use a mantra to help induce meditation?  I have tried to do so, but they seem to divert my attention from calming the wind.


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"You can peel it [language] off the ceiling and make it dance in front of you" - McKenna

<3 .

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Re: Mindfulness vs. Concentration Meditation; [Re: Cynosure]
    #11803249 -

I'm going to assume that mindfulness meditation is the same as Shikantaza (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikantaza).

In Zen, focusing or counting the breaths is taught to people who are new to meditation as it helps calm the mind.

When people are able to sit comfortably and with a more stable mind, we practice Shikantaza. Which is literally just sitting. All thoughts, feelings, emotions, or ideas that may enter the mind while we meditate we do not interfere with them. We do not try to suppress them and we do not try to sustain them. We just remain aware of them. We do not focus on anything. Merely sit and stare at the wall.

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Re: Mindfulness vs. Concentration Meditation; [Re: appleorange]
    #11803276 -

Thanks!
..exactly what I needed to know.


--------------------
"You can peel it [language] off the ceiling and make it dance in front of you" - McKenna

<3 .

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Re: Mindfulness vs. Concentration Meditation; [Re: Cynosure]
    #11815619 -

I never followed specific techniques, but I suppose what I do would be close to mindfulness.

The key, for me, is to give up all effort towards thinking. That doesn't mean trying to force myself to stop thinking, because trying too hard is effort as well.

If you stop putting wood onto a fire it will die down on its own. If you stop disturbing the sediment on the bottom of a pond it will eventually come to rest.

So unconditional acceptance of anything that comes into your mind, without trying to direct, stop, or get involved in it.

Mindfulness is necessary to remember to give up control, or you will unconsciously get caught up in a stream of thought.

Honestly, a lot of what I learned about meditation I learned from LSD. There are times on acid when I can just give in and cast away all mental effort. I just emulate that while sober.

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Re: Mindfulness vs. Concentration Meditation; [Re: appleorange]
    #11826808 -

appleorange said:
I'm going to assume that mindfulness meditation is the same as Shikantaza (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikantaza).

In Zen, focusing or counting the breaths is taught to people who are new to meditation as it helps calm the mind.

When people are able to sit comfortably and with a more stable mind, we practice Shikantaza. Which is literally just sitting. All thoughts, feelings, emotions, or ideas that may enter the mind while we meditate we do not interfere with them. We do not try to suppress them and we do not try to sustain them. We just remain aware of them. We do not focus on anything. Merely sit and stare at the wall.



:thumbup:

i learned this trick from the dalai lama and use it a lot when i meditate: count each inhale and each exhale starting with 1 and ending with 20.  start over if you lose count.

i like to do 7 rounds for each chakra, starting with the root chakra, then, just breathe and be.


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Unfolding Nature Shop: Unfolding Nature: Being in the Implicate Order

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