Meditation

Martlet

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I just started my Kenpo journey and have considered adding meditation to my tool belt. For those that meditate, what method works best?

Are there any books, videos, or apps that help you? I have an app that has a meditation section (Peloton) but haven't really used it.

When do you meditate? I was thinking about doing it in the morning after I exercise and practice, but would it be best in the evening before bed?

How long do you typically meditate for?

Thanks!
 

Kung Fu Wang

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For those that meditate, what method works best?
Every single minute that you meditate is a single minute that you lose in your life.

When you are

- still alive, you should go out of your front door, see the ocean, the mountain, the sky, ... , and enjoy your life.
- dead, you can meditate in your coffin quitely as long as you wish.

- Running is better than walking.
- Walking is better than standing.
- Standing is better than sitting.
- Sitting is better than laying down.
- Laying down is better than to be dead.

When you move a

- tree. that tree will die.
- human being, that person will live longer.

Moving around is the key of long life.
 
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_Simon_

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Every single minute that you meditate is a single minute that you lose in your life.

When you are

- still alive, you should go out of your front door, see the ocean, the mountain, the sky, ... , and enjoy your life.
- dead, you can meditate in your coffin quitely as long as you wish.

- Running is better than walking.
- Walking is better than standing.
- Standing is better than sitting.
- Sitting is better than laying down.
- Laying down is better than to be dead.

When you move a

- tree. that tree will die.
- human being, that person will live longer.

Moving around is the key of long life.
Sorry John. I usually enjoy your posts, but this.... I'll choose my wording carefully... is simply so incorrect on so many levels. All due respect... but I couldn't not say something.

It depends why you're doing things. This absolutist tiered system of "this is better than that" isn't valid at all for every single aspect of life. He's looking to add in meditation which has immense benefits on so many levels.
 

_Simon_

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I just started my Kenpo journey and have considered adding meditation to my tool belt. For those that meditate, what method works best?

Are there any books, videos, or apps that help you? I have an app that has a meditation section (Peloton) but haven't really used it.

When do you meditate? I was thinking about doing it in the morning after I exercise and practice, but would it be best in the evening before bed?

How long do you typically meditate for?

Thanks!
G'day Martlet, ah that's fantastic. Meditation yields immense benefits so very good choice.

Have meditated for probably 20 years or so, and have gone through many Vipassana meditation retreats (it's a specific technique taught over a 10 day silent retreat) and a few others, and there are probably thousands of different ways to meditate, so it really depends on your reason for doing it. None are necessarily better as it depends on your intention.

Breathing based meditations can have profound effects in relaxation of not only the body but your entire system. I've been doing more of these of lately, but my primary way is more spiritually focused for lack of a better word, and a good book on that is "True Meditation" by Adyashanti, and he describes the process quite well. It's essentially broken up into two sections and styles of meditating. The first is allowing everything to be as it is. Whatever arises within or outside yourself, you simply allow it, without craving an experience or resisting it. Essentially it's surrendering all control of phenomena. You're letting go of all effort and allowing everything to be exactly the way it is without wanting it to change it in the slightest. Its essence is in simplicity, but that doesn't make it easy haha. We've built up a lifetime of habits which aim to control and alter our experience constantly, so it takes practice.

The second is called self-inquiry, and it's quite a leap going there so I won't describe it. Start with the first haha.

If I was you I would start with more of a breathing based one (have your awareness solely on your breath, breathing deep from your diaphragm/lower belly, allowing it to deepen naturally without forcing it etc) as it gives you a bit of focus and discipline in noticing when you've gone back into the thoughtstream, and working on gently guiding your attention back to your breath. The breath serves as a really good anchor, mantras also do that too, but the breath is more natural.

Then if you're keen you can move to other deeper styles.

In terms of time of day, whenever suits! Everyone is different in this regard. Morning used to suit me, afternoon seems to now, and if it's too late in the day I just tend to fall asleep haha. Whenever is easiest for you.

Time is another variable that doesn't matter a great deal and depends on the person. I used to do 1 hour sits, alot of them extended to 2 hours. Nowadays it's about 15-30 minutes or so. Even if you're squeezed for time, 5 minutes is still great and helps alot.

Also when I get to the dojo I will go into seiza and meditate for a few minutes. Just a little ritual I like, and it helps in leaving everything behind, centers me, settles any scattered energies and allows me to train with more clarity and mindfulness. We also do a short meditation as a group but I like a little longer time :p.

Best of luck, and ask any other questions if you like!
 

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I can't say what would be best for you, only what has worked for me. It's nothing special or new. When I meditate,
  • I sit in half lotus (one foot on top).
  • Sometimes I'm on the couch (it's not too soft), sometimes on the floor on a cushion.
  • I do it for 20 minutes.
  • I do it in an optimal state when I'm neither too tired (risk of falling asleep), or too hyper (risk of getting antsy and distracted).
  • I do not go on social media before meditating.
  • I do it in a quiet room: sometimes the living room, sometimes another room.
  • There's no candle, no picture, no shrine.
  • I don't mind when my wife walks by, prepares a bit of food, whatever.
  • I try to breathe deeply, but I often forget. Work in progress.
  • Most importantly, I only pay "bare attention" to the thoughts that come in. A thought is not an event: it's just synaptic activity. I notice the thought, sometimes I go "hm," but I don't add more to the thought. Eventually it dissipates, and I am left with calmness until the next thought comes in.
  • If I get hooked by a thought, I often return to paying attention to my breathing.
As a result, I now get pissed off at trivial things much, much less, and I have fewer attachments to things and concepts. Things seem clearer than they did before.

Good luck in your practice!
 

Wing Woo Gar

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I just started my Kenpo journey and have considered adding meditation to my tool belt. For those that meditate, what method works best?

Are there any books, videos, or apps that help you? I have an app that has a meditation section (Peloton) but haven't really used it.

When do you meditate? I was thinking about doing it in the morning after I exercise and practice, but would it be best in the evening before bed?

How long do you typically meditate for?

Thanks!
My mediation is my Tai Chi Chuan moving meditation. I was taught this way so it’s what I’m familiar with. My Wife is a high level yoga and Pilates instructor, so she has different methods. I prefer to have a quiet stretch before Tai Chi and then practice in silence. I usually practice in late afternoon before my gung fu practice. On Sundays I reverse my schedule and practice gung fu in morning followed by Tai Chi Chuan practice. My wife prefers to meditate in the middle of her day. I find that moving through the form ( 40-45 minutes) helps focus my meditative state. I agree that the easiest way to find that place was to focus on my breath, and autonomics sensations in the body. I try listening to each part of the body. For me, ”listening” skill helps prevent the mind monkey from jumping branch to branch. I was lucky in that my Sifu had completed the secret of the golden flower training years before I met him. His ability to listen was beyond my understanding of focus. Patience and Courage are a requirement to gain the benefits, but there are many methods and paths to this place. Good luck on your journey!
 
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Martlet

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Thank you for the feedback. I love hearing about the different styles and suggestions. The more the merrier, because everything someone says that I don't know about sends me on a string of research so I learn more.

I'm trying to build a little routine that encompasses areas I want to improve, so it's a case of trial and error to see where they fit into my lifestyle. I'm currently adding scheduled daily scripture study, reading, yoga, and meditation to my current daily exercise and Kenpo (Kenpo is recent). Today was the first day for attempting to set a schedule, and I now realize I can't do them all in the morning unless I get up MUCH earlier than I already do. Reading and Kenpo can be moved to evening, but I'd like to keep the rest in the morning. Meditation was the one I wasn't sure about in terms of getting the best benefit.

I did the Peloton meditation app today and it was "OK". I enjoyed the background music, but I may try it without the guidance.
 

Kung Fu Wang

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He's looking to add in meditation which has immense benefits on so many levels.
One day my teacher told me that one of his friends had spent so much time on sitting meditation, his friend got paralyzed from the waist down.

You can meditate when moving around such as doing Taiji. You don't need to do sitting meditation. The sitting meditation is what I won't suggest.

sitting_meditation.jpg
 
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Martlet

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At least someone agree with me on the idea of "moving meditation".

Moving around is the key of long life.

What is "moving meditation" and why is it superior? Are the same benefits achieved?
 
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Martlet

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When you move aroud, your mind and body can be unified as one unit. Your blood circulate will be good.

Sitting meditation is bad for blood circulation.

Understood, but I'm unsure if I would reach the same levels of meditation while moving.
 

Wing Woo Gar

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What is "moving meditation" and why is it superior? Are the same benefits achieved?
I will not say it is superior. It is what I know, and what works best for me. Tai Chi Chuan can be a vehicle for moving meditation. I learned the meditation as I learned the form. I find that the motion of the form is now what quiets my mind. I’m 25 years into the practice, so my mind and body now immediately know what we are doing. I can meditate during Shivasana but I find that the quality is different than during my Tai Chi form. My suggestion is to give a few different systems a repeated try to see what gets you results. Don’t let anyone tell you what is best for you, or what cannot work. Some people can get into that mental space in surprising ways. I shoot 1000yds pretty regularly, when I am prone behind the scope and measuring space between heartbeats, I can get into a slightly different space that is similar. This has to do with focus and listening skill sets that preclude any distraction. Assisting in delicate surgery can be similar as well. The way it works for me is that I give my focus just the right amount of “listening“ tasks. There isn’t any room in my head for random thoughts to start talking when the whole system is straining to ”hear” my body. I know this might sound odd as most will say to empty the mind. Someone will likely chime in and say that this means I’m not meditating. Again, there are many paths to that place. Be patient, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Try different methods and teachers. Some will be bad, some will be good, some will be just fine. Take the time to find “Goldilocks“ the one that’s just right…
 

Kung Fu Wang

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Understood, but I'm unsure if I would reach the same levels of meditation while moving.
I can only speak for myself. In the past 5 days, I had walked 4 miles on the beach everyday. When I walked, I did MA training along with my walking. I could feel that my soul was integrated into the sky, ocean, and white sand. Nothing on earth could bother me. That is the kind of life that I want to live everyday - feel happy.
 

Wing Woo Gar

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Understood, but I'm unsure if I would reach the same levels of meditation while moving.
I find that the moving helps me get deeper because my body knows the form and is occupied with it. When the body is occupied with a task it knows, the mind can be free to observe without moderating. I want to integrate, not separate. The mind is a good organ, but does not always serve us in a positive way. A wild horse is of little use to its owner.
 

Wing Woo Gar

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I can only speak for myself. In the past 5 days, I had walked 4 miles on the beach everyday. When I walked, I did MA training along with my walking. I could feel that my soul was integrated into the sky, ocean, and white sand. Nothing on earth could bother me. That is the kind of life that I want to live everyday - feel happy.
That is likely moving meditation in a similar vein to what I described. Your method varies, but only slightly. Quieting the mind, it’s like getting your dog to sit and wait patiently, watching and listening rather than pacing, begging, and whining for attention.
 

Oily Dragon

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When you move aroud, your mind and body can be unified as one unit. Your blood circulate will be good.

Sitting meditation is bad for blood circulation.
It can be very bad for people, true, especially overstressed people with high blood pressure.

Any cross leg sitting, really.
 

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