Meditation, anyone?

[Kevin Walker]

One of my instructors mentioned four different ways to meditate that I've never heard before.

The first is some form of Buddhist meditation where you sit with legs crossed and you imagine a light at the top of your head shining downward within you.

The second is when you close your eyes, you see lights, and you try to focus the lights to the center of your forehead.

The third is looking at your thumb...every line, every detail, every hair, every imperfection...and then close your eyes and try to hold that exact image of your thumb in your mind for as long as possible.

The fourth is lying on your side, like in a fetal position, while holding one of your nostrils closed and only breathing through your nose. Example: lying on your right side while holding your left nostril closed with a finger. I think this one is challenging because it's hard to breath through your right nostril, only, while lying on your right side, unless you take some decongestant, of course.

Hi,

A basic Kudalini Yoga exercise they teach to the first day beginners is similar to the method you just described, a method of breath control for future advanced methods:

1. Sit down and cross your legs in the lotus position.
2. Simply, turn your head to the far right, inhale only through your right nostril (no fair using your finger to block your left nostril).
3. Then turn your head to the left and exhale only through your left nostril.
4. Turn your head back to the right, inhale through right nostril.
5. Turn your head back to the left and exhale through your left nostril.
6. And just keep repeating this procedure until you have it perfected.

A nice simple controlled breathing exercise, like your white belt kyu technique, will lead to bigger and better techniques!

 

[midnightninja]

My response is similar to my mom's (tigerwoman). For me, when I have to meditate in class, it doesn't involve prayer. It involves breathing techniques in order to relax our muscles and clear our mind so we are mentally ready for class. The prayer that I do before class isn't done in class, it's a personal time where I can communicate with my God. Usually this communication involves a variety of things... thankfulness, praise, asking for strength, and asking for His Will to be done in my life despite my pride. I guess every school varies on what religion they follow when they involve the word "prayer," though recently it seems to be more geared toward the new-age directions rather than the eastern religions. Maybe that's just because of modernism.

.:MidnightNinja:.

 

[Firona]

I come from Fairfield Iowa and if any of you know about the Maharishi movement that started here back in the 60s you would understand that nearly everyone in town meditates. It is quite a convenient place to live if you are into the energy based martial arts actually. I learned to meditate through one of the governors from campus for the small fee of MY SOUL (just kidding) but I found after doing it a few times it just wasn't doing anything for me so I took the basic principal and reversed it in many ways which turned out quite nicely. Now I meditate for about 3 hours each night (I am an insomniac) and then do a bit of Tai Chi, you know, to work the mind and the body.

 

[PeachMonkey]

I have no use whatsoever for prayer, but I'm trying to learn how to meditate. My thoughts often race, though, so it's been very difficult.

The technique I've been focusing on has involved relaxing someplace comfortable, closing my eyes, and just focusing my attention on the stuff you see when your eyes are closed... if thoughts intrude, just note them and try and concentrate again on the "stuff".

Some of the meditation techniques listed here seem like they might be helpful... thanks to all of you.

 

[Angelusmortis]

My opinion is that a little of a lot of things goes a long way. I've recently begun meditating, almost daily for no more than 20-25 minutes. I'm under no illusion that I "have" to be doing it right, or wrong, think that kinda defeats the purpose of meditating.


Merely I use it as a tool to help clear my mind of all the rubbish that clutters it. Think of the mind as a hard drive, and all the por...sorry info you'd accumulate from the web that your pc doesn't need, then imagine clearing it, and your pc running a lot faster and smoother....Same with the mind. I came back from the Gulf last year having been shot at, having had a mate killed, and having flown helo missions into the Al Faw peninsular and seen the total and utter devestation wreaked there in the name of democracy, also screwed up big time in a long term relationship earlier this year, and one thing I've found is that (especially with a Catholic guilt complex) that my conscience wouldn't leave me alone...Meditation calmed that down, and told the little voice in my head telling me "I'm a git" to sod off.

It's to soon to experience "no mind", but all's I do is sit cross legged, lights on or off, eyes closed, and concentrate on my breathing, allow my mind to sit there and panic as it realises it's gonna be told to shut up....Then...blank. Mind switches off, time passes in a heart-beat, I wake up feeling...a million bucks...well...50p anyway. Another reason I love MA, the esoteric value inherent in it... Yeah baby...:ultracool