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Angel_Above
Nobody



Registered: 09/25/08
Posts: 5,348
Last seen: 6 months, 9 days
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Meditation questions
#12214640 - 03/16/10 06:34 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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It seems very confusing to me. I will attempt to go into meditation with an intention, but then I end up focusing on my intention over focusing on my breathing.
Other times I'll focus on my breath but I'm not sure if I should breathe audibly or not? Is all breath through the nose at this point?
And a lot of time my nose is stuffy and I can only breathe through one nostril and this gets annoying.
Other annoying things include eye-twitching and muscle twitching.
Sometimes they make me feel like I've lost my focus completely so I feel like I'm wasting my time.
If I sit long enough in a meditative position I can feel myself losing blood circulation to parts of my body and this is also irritating.
Any insight into how to improve my meditation technique?
Usually I sit down, close my eyes, breathe in and out (audibly), and while breathing I fill up the space in my stomach before I move on to filling my chest (sometimes this is uncomfortable because I have to project my stomach outward and it feels like it's uncomfortably stretching my skin).
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c0sm0nautt

Registered: 05/19/08
Posts: 10,303
Loc: The Astral Realm
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I think you are trying too hard. IMO, the trick is to let go. I like to bounce around between focusing on my breath, to counting breaths, to saying a mantra. My latest technique is self-inquiry, as described by Sri Ramana Maharshi. Essentially the technique involves inquiring to the source of the I-Thought. Our egos are simply layered thoughts. We put weight into the thought of "I", it acts as the fundamental thought. Find out where that I-Thought arises.
Do a couple neck stretches before you start your meditation. Just focus on your breath - be aware. When the thoughts come, let them go. When you have an itch or a twitch deal with it if it's going to antagonize your mind. These things can be a blessing too - for you can try dis-identifying with your body.
But like I said, don't think too much into it!
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Angel_Above
Nobody



Registered: 09/25/08
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Last seen: 6 months, 9 days
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Re: Meditation questions [Re: c0sm0nautt]
#12214964 - 03/16/10 07:28 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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You ever go anywhere whilst meditating?
I'm reading that Robert Bruce pdf you showed me, and I'm quite interested in achieving an OBE without drugs.
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c0sm0nautt

Registered: 05/19/08
Posts: 10,303
Loc: The Astral Realm
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No, my meditation has brought me to this formless thoughtless bliss state, but nothing like an OBE (although it is very possible and I hope to achieve a conscious OBE one day)
All of my OBEs have been spontaneous throughout the night. I've managed to consciously get to the vibrational stage a few times, but I become overcome with this primal fear as soon as I separate :/. It's something I'm working on.
Bruce's energy system, "tactile imaging", has been useful in reentering lucid dreams and initiating the vibrational stage from a half-awake trance state, like when you first wake up from sleeping. I also use it to "raise energy" when lying in bed or sitting in meditation.
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Patisotagami
Organism



Registered: 05/15/08
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Loc: Everywhere
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Re: Meditation questions [Re: c0sm0nautt]
#12216429 - 03/16/10 11:53 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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i suggest searching for a local sitting group. It helps when you realize that there are other people sitting, just like you. And they are "doing nothing" but sitting... just like you. And most importantly, that it is OKAY not to have any intentions for a while. Just to be as you are. No judgements about yourself.
It's nice and helps one get started to do it in a group... most of them start with brief intro so you know what is going on .
-------------------- EVERYTHING IS EVERYTHING
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Kickle
Wanderer


Registered: 12/16/06
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Quote:
Angel_Above said: It seems very confusing to me.
What about meditating on the confusion?  Is confusion something to avoid? Or is confusion supposed to be a part of meditation Just as it is supposed to be a part of life?
I applaud the seeking of answers, but sometimes just sitting with confusion is good too. Answers come in many forms.
Quote:
Usually I sit down, close my eyes, breathe in and out (audibly), and while breathing I fill up the space in my stomach before I move on to filling my chest (sometimes this is uncomfortable because I have to project my stomach outward and it feels like it's uncomfortably stretching my skin).
Any insight into how to improve my meditation technique?
Nope, that's right where you need to be. You're aware of all the things you're doing, and that's great. Just don't feel like you're not accomplishing something, cause you are  The point is to be aware of what's going on. The more you try to control this, the less you're being aware.
Really, what I'm saying is... the method you described was just fine. It pointed to what elements you were aware of. What are you aware of right now? To answer that, you have to meditate. And that isn't necessarily sitting down, watching your breath. But those things are good practices.
-------------------- Why shouldn't the truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense. -- Mark Twain
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Chronic7
Registered: 05/08/04
Posts: 13,679
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Re: Meditation questions [Re: c0sm0nautt]
#12217539 - 03/17/10 08:58 AM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
c0sm0nautt said: I think you are trying too hard. IMO, the trick is to let go. I like to bounce around between focusing on my breath, to counting breaths, to saying a mantra. My latest technique is self-inquiry, as described by Sri Ramana Maharshi. Essentially the technique involves inquiring to the source of the I-Thought. Our egos are simply layered thoughts. We put weight into the thought of "I", it acts as the fundamental thought. Find out where that I-Thought arises.
Please keep doing this!  Or find out who itis that 'does' it!
--------------------
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TheWolf
Antechamber Of Mystery


Registered: 08/05/09
Posts: 225
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Kickle is right, your technique is fine. Continue practicing, it took me almost a week when I first began to silence my mind when I was meditating.
Personal technique depends solely on what works for you. Clearing your mind, meditating on an intention, meditating on a feeling, meditating on religious concepts or aspects - whatever works for you. It may take practice before your find out what exactly is the best way for you, but it will come.
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Middleman

Registered: 07/11/99
Posts: 8,399
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Re: Meditation questions [Re: Angel_Above] 1
#12220479 - 03/17/10 07:25 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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There are many kinds of meditation, what kind are you doing and why? Relaxation, concentration, creative visualization, 'astral projection', 'merged consciousness', and 'non-dual awareness' are all different and require different methods, or lack thereof.
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g00ru
lit pants tit licker



Registered: 08/09/07
Posts: 21,088
Loc: georgia, us
Last seen: 5 years, 2 months
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You're already thinking way too much. There should be no goal. That's why a consistent routine is so important...don't psyche yourself out, just make meditation a quiet peaceful time during your day where you can find a little peace. If you do a simple meditation of following the breath, and do it ever day, it won't be long before you start to see results.
I meditate ever day, and some days are much better than others. The days that I find my meditation gets me the "highest," or most relaxed, are the days when there is little to no anticipation of whats going to happen when I meditate.
Basically, just force yourself to sit for however long you like, every single day. After a while your brain will get the fuckin message
-------------------- check out my music! drowse in prison and your waking will be but loss
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g00ru
lit pants tit licker



Registered: 08/09/07
Posts: 21,088
Loc: georgia, us
Last seen: 5 years, 2 months
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You're already thinking way too much. There should be no goal. That's why a consistent routine is so important...don't psyche yourself out, just make meditation a quiet peaceful time during your day where you can find a little peace. If you do a simple meditation of following the breath, and do it ever day, it won't be long before you start to see results.
I meditate ever day, and some days are much better than others. The days tha
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