Meditation...

[Little Dragon 117]

Just a simple question.
Who here meditates? what are the reasons why you meditate if you do? what are your thoughts on meditation?


Me, i am starting to meditate 3 days a week, maybe 2 or so, but i meditate in the lotus or half lotus position, clear my thoughts, and practice breathing. i do more but dont want to get into depth.
i meditate so i can gather my thoughts and center myself for a new day or if i've been stressed. i also meditate because i am getting more into Taoism. ummmmm i Meditate wherever i feel is a good spot. a park under a tree, my roof at night, my friends backyard (because its a Zen Garden on one side, and cement on the other)






oh yeah, i know this might be hard for some of you but lets try and not make this another "he's a trol, stop trolling. blank blank blank" discussion ok?

[WC_Lun]

I meditate, usually once a day. Sometimes less. I've got some health problems that are kicking my butt right now. Meditation helps keep my mind from going too far into the what ifs of it and just deal with what I'm presented.

[Lone Ronin SBK]

I meditate so that I can learn to conscentrate on everything around me, and not just on one thing.

[Little Dragon 117]

Originally Posted by Lone Ronin SBK

I meditate so that I can learn to conscentrate on everything around me, and not just on one thing.

Where did you learn that because i have tried that once. i read about it in a Ninjitsu book.

[complete]

In Hwa Rang Do, we used to meditate before start of the class. It was supposed to help you clear you mind before the training.

Now that I don't formally train, I don't do it anymore.

[Lone Ronin SBK]

Originally Posted by Little Dragon 117

Where did you learn that because i have tried that once. i read about it in a Ninjitsu book.

I practiced it in fencing class. I'm far from perfect at it though.

Oh complete, what exactly are you suppose to clear you mind from?

[daddydiboy]

I meditate all the time using a simple technique. I read this somewhere in the last decade or so, that the simplest meditation technique is to do a half-smile. Take a deep breath, release it slowly and smile just a little. (To demonstrate what is a half-smile, just find any pic of Buddha statue and look at the lips) You don't even have to strike a post, sit in a lotus position, close your eyes. Just take a deep breath and smile. Hasslefree, anytime. I do it all the time.

[Jason]

I don't know if it is meditating or what not, but I was told it was by my friend, and basically I sit comfortably, and I focus on all my senses except sight. I taste what's on my tounge, I smell the air, I feel my weight and as much movement in my body as I can concentrate on, I feel the direction of wind, switch focus between close and distant noises. It's clears my mind. But yeah... I rarely do it.

[WC_Lun]

Originally Posted by GoddeBPM

I don't know if it is meditating or what not, but I was told it was by my friend, and basically I sit comfortably, and I focus on all my senses except sight. I taste what's on my tounge, I smell the air, I feel my weight and as much movement in my body as I can concentrate on, I feel the direction of wind, switch focus between close and distant noises. It's clears my mind. But yeah... I rarely do it.

That is one form of meditation.

[TRIANGLEFROMGAURD]

I wish I had time to meditate still. I really enjoyed it.

[Ben]

I used to, but like triangle I dont anymore, but I will again, that is for certain.

my expereince is that its dam good, definitaly doesnt do you any harm.

[47MartialMan]

Chinese adapted Buddhist meditation in the form of Chan/Ch'en, which the Japanese pronounced/translated to Zen.

India has some of the good forms/methods of medidation like Vipassana.

Meditation helps calm the mind and refocuses it.

There are different ways to meditate. Even driving a car or motorcycle on a empty road is a form of meditation.

[Little Dragon 117]

Originally Posted by 47MartialMan

There are different ways to meditate. Even driving a car or motorcycle on a empty road is a form of meditation.

yeah. I feel like i am meditating anytime i am listening to my iPod. i know most might think "eh teens and their technology" but i mena music from anywhere can change the way i look or feel about things at the moment. its good and bad in ways such as:
-if i am feeling down, and i hear a great song then i cheer up and start enjoying the simple things i have. (good)
-if someone talks smack to me or my friends/family and i hear a song as such from Breaking Benjamin, Linkin Park, etc etc, then i get angry and feel like throwing down.

eh idk i just feel that anyone can meditate to anything that makes them feel ..........idk what word to say but "enlightened"

[47MartialMan]

Originally Posted by Little Dragon 117

yeah. I feel like i am meditating anytime i am listening to my iPod. i know most might think "eh teens and their technology" but i mena music from anywhere can change the way i look or feel about things at the moment. its good and bad in ways such as:
-if i am feeling down, and i hear a great song then i cheer up and start enjoying the simple things i have. (good)
-if someone talks smack to me or my friends/family and i hear a song as such from Breaking Benjamin, Linkin Park, etc etc, then i get angry and feel like throwing down.

eh idk i just feel that anyone can meditate to anything that makes them feel ..........idk what word to say but "enlightened"

In essence, meditation isn't always associated with "enlightenment".

[Little Dragon 117]

ok here is something i found from my star wars nerd days ha ha

look at these techniques and tell me what you think


Sitting

Place your feet on the floor so that the knee forms a right angle, and that your feet are parallel to the shoulders. Your feet should comfortably touch the ground. You hands cn be cupped in your lap or palms down on the knees. Aim to keep the spine as straight as possible, but being relaxed at the same time. Keeping the spine straight allows free movement of energy through the body.

Lying

When lying, you should keep your arms straight and by your side or place them on your solar plexus (stomach area)

Meditation - Clearing the Mind

Step 1

Make yourself comfortable and relax. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Feel the movement of your chest. Don't count the breaths, just feel them. Try and make each inhalation and exhalation longer to relax you more.

Step 2

Let go of your thoughts and emotions. Focus on only your breathing. Allow thoughts to go through your head but pay no attention to them. If you focus on even one thought, you will begin thinking about it and you will have stopped meditating. Just enjoy the calmness. The quietness. Don't put to much effort into it. Don't think...just let it happen.

Step 3

When you are ready, open your eyes. Give yourself a few minutes to become centred before moving. If you move to quickly straight away you may go dizzy.

Meditation - Entering your Mind

This technique is used to enter your own world inside your mind. You must enter a state of relaxation. Clear your mind, and then begin to push out the boundaries of your mind. Imagine your mind as a box. Do not imagine anything in the box. Now, imagine pushing out the sides of the box. Pushing your mind out to the front, the back, the left, the right, the top and the bottom.

As you push it out of the boundaries of your head, you should sense the things nearby to you. Strecth your mind out until you feel you have stretched it about 2 to 3 meters. Now, enter your mind.

Imagine yourself as a character within your mind. To me, it is like entering the Matrix, for those familiar with that film. You have the choice of where to go within your mind. Forawrd, back, left, right. In each direction you will see different things. I see mountains in front of me, with a forest at its base. Walk towards the area you wish to go. You can choose different areas each time you enter your mind.

Do not be scared of anything, nothing can hurt you. I said it was like entering the Matrix, only you can't get killed! You will see many strange things. Things buried deep in your mind. You may see things you don't even remember seeing, but your mind stores it away. You may see memories of past events, old friends long gone.

Explore inside your own mind. You will find you can do things in your mind that you cannot do in the physical body. You may be able to jump over 50 feet, or fly. You are, after all, using your imagination.

When you are ready to leave your mind, feel yourself returning into your physical body and open you eyes. Do not rush to move, let yourself become centred back to the physical world again first. Let your eyes adjust. When you feel ready, get up slowly. If you feel faint or dizzy then just lie back.

Each time you practise this you can stretch the mind our further than you could before, to allow you to explore more of your mind.

Meditation - Creating your Inner Sanctuary

Sometimes we all need guidance, and do not know where to get it. By creating an inner sanctuary you can make contact with your inner guide who will give guidance and advice on the situation. Your inner guide is not judgemental of you and always has your best interests in mind.

Inner sanctuaries are usually visualised as a garden, as this symbolises peace.

Step 1

Once you are in a state of calm and relaxed meditation, visualise yourself standing by the entrance to a walled garden. The gate that is the entrance is all overgrown and so you have to cut or pull them away before you can enter. When you can, you push the gate open and you enter. Do you see a garden that has been neglected like the entrance or a well tended garden?

Step 2

Start tidying up the garden, sweeping the dead leaves off the ground and clearing the flowerbeds of weeds. Prune the bushes and trees and neaten up the whole garden, while at the same time exploring it. Take your time, you should not hurry it. Take time to clean up everything. This is your personal place, so take pride and joy over making it nice.

Step 3

When you are done, take some time to rest and take satisfaction of your efforts.

Meditation - Meeting you're Inner Guide

Once you have established your Inner Sanctuary you will find it much easier to return and converse with your Inner Guide. You can do this at any time you need guidance, or you can just go and sit in the sanctuary to get away from the stress of life.

Step 1

Relax into a state of meditation, and again visualise yourself entering the sanctuary which is as you left it. There is a fountain in the centre. You sit down beside it and listen to the water bubbling away and watch the surface of the water.

Step 2

There is a spot of reflected light on the surface of the water. You begin to stare at it, and the light begins to intensify - yet it doesn't hurt your eyes. You begin to see a figure in the centre of the light. The light suddenly envelopes you and the figure emerges, appearing before you in the sanctuary.

Step 3

You are not afraid, you are calm and relaxed. The figure is your inner guide, and his (or her) face has a kind face of unconditional love and compassion. You may ask it any questions you want, and the guide will answer in the best way it can.

Step 4

When you are ready, open your eyes and return to consciousness, but take the time to reflect on your experience.



INTERMEDIATE MEDITATION


Meditation - Centering the Chakras

This meditation stimulates the circulation of energy from the chakras creating a sense of well-being.

Step 1

Stand with your arms by your side, or sit with your feet flat on the floor, with your arms by your side - hands cupped in your lap. Close your eyes and breath deeply from the diaphragm.

Step 2

Begin by visualising a sphere of brown light below your feet. Feel the Force flowing from this Base Chakra, grounding you in the earth

Step 3

Now visualise a sphere of red light appearing just below your navel. Feel the power of this physical energy flowing throughout your body, down your arms and legs and into your chest and back.

Step 4

Now visualise an orange sphere of light emerging from the solar plexus. If you feel emotional, this is perfectly normal.

Step 5

Now a green sphere of light emerges from the centre of your chest - the heart chakra. This chakra stimulates compassion and creates a less self centred perspective of life.

Step 6

Now for the fifth chakra, a blue sphere of light emerges at the base of the throat. Feel the energy flowing from the light.

Step 7

Next is the Brow Chakra. An indigo coloured sphere of light emerges from the centre of your forehead, governing intuition and wisdom.

Step 8

Now the final chakra, visualise a sphere of bright white light just above your head.

Step 9

Now visualise the spheres of light all centering and aligning themselves with your spine, and feel them all becoming balanced with each other. Watch as the energy of light flows up from the Base Chakra, all emerging until flowing from the crown chakra and showering energy all over you, giving you a sense of well being, revitalising, cleansing and invigorating your whole body.

Step 10

When you are ready, slowly return to consciousness by counting down from 10 until you reach 1 before opening your eyes.

Meditation - Opening the Chakras

Opening your chakras helps in many ways; it helps the energy you focus flow better, it also helps awaken your natural psychic abilities. Most people's chakra spots are dormant from lack of use, so the first step in using them is to awaken them.

Step 1

Si in a quiet room, close your eyes and relax.

Step 2

Once fully relaxed, centre yourself and visualise each chakra in turn starting with the Crown Chakra working down. Visualise each chakra as a flower, coloured as the characteristic colour of the chakra. Visualise each flower opening slowly, once fully open go on to the next chakra.

Do not force them open - let them do so on their own accord.

Step 3

To close the chakras, visualise the flowers closing.

Opening the chakras enhances psychic abilities as it induces a higher flow of energy. You may feel a tingling when near objects, this is because the chakras are sensing the aura of the object.

Note - you should close the chakras when not using them.

Meditation - The 7 Chakra Meditation

Energy flows around the body like a river. The chakras are little pools where the energy swirls around before continuing its flow. Chakras can be blocked by different emotions. This meditation is to help unblock the chakras to allow them to flow freely.

To do these exercises effectively one should do all 7, one at a time having short breaks between. Once should be in a calm meditative state when one opens their chakras.

Earth Chakra

Location: Base of the Spine

Blocked by: Fear

The Earth Chakra deals with survival and is blocked by fear. To unblock this, one must sit comfortably and enter a calm state. Visualise what yo fear most infront of you. You must then allow these fears to flow down the stream of energy and elt go of the thoughts. Once you've achieved this, you have opened the Earth Chakra.