Meditation techniques?

[zack231]

Ok so I have meditated before had a few weird experiences that I am not going to explain right now but I am going to try and meditate every night now and I would really like your suggestions on meditation techniques and how to get into a deep-meditation. Ie do you breath deep, do you repeat something out loud or in your mind, do you visualise etc please if you have techniques that work please explain..

Thanks

We are One
Love and Light

[Crown]

I think that one of the msot important things in meditation is your breath. Inhale deeply through your nose and exhale slowly and comfortly through your mouth.

You can start with techniques that may help you relax your physical mind so you can either get connected to other aspects of yourself. Or maybe just stay silent and clear your thoughts, making room for an insight perhaps.

I like to meditate in the forest nearby, in broad daylight. I dont do it as often as i should though.


There is a technique that helps you relax your whole body. It is usually based on your ability to visualize light that shines and goes through each and every part and organ of your body, slowly from the tip of your toes, up to your scalp and even hair if you'd like.


There are no rules in meditation. But its not as easy as it seems. Its hard for us to actually sit down and relax sometimes. My physical mind thinks so much and its hard to make it shut up. I always get the negative thoughts like "im wasting time" or "im doing nothing" or "what am i doing?" or "what if someone sees me?" And the likes... Which are clearly all just bad distortions that need to be thrown away.


OPEN YOUR MIND! THE TRUTH IS THERE TO FIND!

[kycahi]

Oh, how I remember so much failing to "get it right!" Like riding a bicycle though, once you do it and know that you can, you will be able to do it again.

Mine is the KISS approach. Sit with the back reasonably straight, with whatever cushions or wall behind you so that you can relax and stay in the position. The reason you want the body to relax is so that it won't interrupt your peace with discomfort complaints. Some techniques, however, use discomfort to prevent falling asleep.

Repeating words silently within or with sound is to distract your consciousness from thinking about stuff. Not necessary, but maybe it will help. Your goal is to allow the mind to stop thinking, or to think something oh so briefly and then let it go. At first, let the attempts to stop thinking be the practice--don't expect to feel a big shift or anything. Have a clock to peek at, just so you keep trying for at least 20 minutes, even if ADD wants you to run and scream.

My first achievement, as I recall, was being able to stay "in there" for 20 minutes or longer, even though nothing else seemed to be happening.

I won't tell you what else happened to me because your progress might be very different.

GUARANTEE: You can do it and it will benefit you in many ways.

[Joseph326]

You could also try thinking of something that really excites you, something you have a large amount of positive energy for. Take note of the feeling, and let that energy run through you as you clear your mind of all words. This can tune you back into your natural joyful state from which you can spring forth and do what you are here to do. Take note of any discordant thoughts that pop up as you do this, these are the barriers that you have created for yourself and which you can now relax and move past if they are not useful for you anymore. I like to think of meditation as a merging of the mind, body, and spirit instead of a complete shut down of one component. The mind is restored to its natural state as receiver to download and interpret the messages that the higher mind concieves. The mind can then set the body into motion to act out the desired experiece. Spirit flows between each component as a messenger and the entire system can be optimized to efficiently carry out the will of the entity.

[SomaticDreams]

Greetings my good friend,

I have meditated for many years (over 10 years), so I offer my experience to you if it helps you. A few concepts to take into your heart first.

Be very gentle with yourself. Do not think you are doing it wrong or right. There is no judgement, just being. Don't get angry at yourself. If you follow your thoughts and get lost, just say to yourself "It's okay, lets gently go back into my awareness of being here now". There is no reason to be upset with yourself, that will only hinder your practice. Love yourself and your practice.

Try practicing throughout the day. Even in 10 second increments. Take the time at a stop light. Or while you go to the bathroom, while you walk somewhere. Little meditations add up through out the day and help you stay in the moment. Again, be gentle. Start slow. Give your mind a 'part time job' first, because a 'full time job' will be too much!

Set aside at least 10 mins a day (not all at once necessarily) to meditate. Even if this is 10 - 1 min sessions, or a hundred 10 second sessions, or one 10 min session. Whatever works for you. No need to count strictly...just a guideline. Try and get at least 10 mins. Increase from there after a while.

Thoughts are usually treated as enemies or your boss (Mingyur Rinpoche's description)- you either push thoughts away or accept them as true and do exactly what they tell you. In meditation, we love our thoughts as friends. We see them, notice them, say hello and let them go by, like clouds in the sky. It's okay to think. The point is not to negate your thoughts, it's okay to think thoughts. Just watch them rise in space, and disspear in space, just like all phenomena. All things are impermanent. Gentle, Gentle, Gentle now.

Keeping this in mind for your practice, I will describe a few methods.

I suggest starting samatha meditation first (calm-abiding), this is just following your breath. You could also use counting (only 1-2 first, then try 1-4, then 1-6, then 1-8 and 1-10) The point here is to develop what Buddhists call "one-pointed consciousness". This is also to help you in further meditation techniques. Once you can count to one and two, back to one, without interruption of thought, then move onto 1 to 4. Don't rush. Don't skip. This is for you. No one to brag to, no need to progress any faster than you need to. All things come as they will, and will help you grow.

Once you are able to do this, I suggest moving onto breath (if you did not already start with this). If you are able to breath and focus on the sensation of your breath, and do it with focus, that is meditation. If you are thinking something and just notice it come up and let it go, that is also meditation. Being aware of right now (of what your thinking and understanding it's impermanent nature), that is meditation. The only thing that is not meditation is not being aware of yourself getting lost in thought. Catching yourself- when you say "Oh, I got lost in a thought". That moment is meditation. Meditation is awareness, and developing it. Allowing it to rest, and expand into infinite space. We start at the body to help slowly increase this.

At this point of development, you can move onto anything- meaning all things can be a support for meditation. Feeling pain, anxiety, anger, confusion, etc? Meditate on this, notice it without judgement, without getting caught into it. Just sit, observe, become good friends, thank it for being a support of your meditation. Watch how it changes, grows and dissipates....

Experiences, beliefs, and feelings, anything! This can be where you explore and discover the most about yourself.

Advice for moving into larger "sensations" or "experiences"- break them down into 'digestible' chunks. If you went through a break up, this is a combination of many feelings, experiences, and sensations. Focus just first on how it feels in that moment. Do you feel angry, sad? Depressed? Just notice it, observe it, and let it go. It will pass, just as all things do in space. Focus then on the sensation...does your stomach feel tight? Do you feel sick? tightness in your shoulders? Relax them, observe them, let it go....So on and so forth.

I hope this helps. I'd be happy to give more techniques, but this give you a solid foundation towards developing, and cultivating awareness. As you do, you will develop compassion and loving kindness with it, as it is necessary to be truthful to yourself, and towards observing things without judgement.

Remember, all things can become tools towards bettering yourself. Remember all your supports for meditation are your friends! Thank them deeply for what they teach you, and use them.

With much love, respect, support and light my friend, I dearly hope this helps you in your seeking.

Ok so I have meditated before had a few weird experiences that I am not going to explain right now but I am going to try and meditate every night now and I would really like your suggestions on meditation techniques and how to get into a deep-meditation. Ie do you breath deep, do you repeat something out loud or in your mind, do you visualise etc please if you have techniques that work please explain..

Thanks

We are One
Love and Light

[zack231]

Greetings my good friend,

I have meditated for many years (over 10 years), so I offer my experience to you if it helps you. A few concepts to take into your heart first.

Be very gentle with yourself. Do not think you are doing it wrong or right. There is no judgement, just being. Don't get angry at yourself. If you follow your thoughts and get lost, just say to yourself "It's okay, lets gently go back into my awareness of being here now". There is no reason to be upset with yourself, that will only hinder your practice. Love yourself and your practice.

Try practicing throughout the day. Even in 10 second increments. Take the time at a stop light. Or while you go to the bathroom, while you walk somewhere. Little meditations add up through out the day and help you stay in the moment. Again, be gentle. Start slow. Give your mind a 'part time job' first, because a 'full time job' will be too much!

Set aside at least 10 mins a day (not all at once necessarily) to meditate. Even if this is 10 - 1 min sessions, or a hundred 10 second sessions, or one 10 min session. Whatever works for you. No need to count strictly...just a guideline. Try and get at least 10 mins. Increase from there after a while.

Thoughts are usually treated as enemies or your boss (Mingyur Rinpoche's description)- you either push thoughts away or accept them as true and do exactly what they tell you. In meditation, we love our thoughts as friends. We see them, notice them, say hello and let them go by, like clouds in the sky. It's okay to think. The point is not to negate your thoughts, it's okay to think thoughts. Just watch them rise in space, and disspear in space, just like all phenomena. All things are impermanent. Gentle, Gentle, Gentle now.

Keeping this in mind for your practice, I will describe a few methods.

I suggest starting samatha meditation first (calm-abiding), this is just following your breath. You could also use counting (only 1-2 first, then try 1-4, then 1-6, then 1-8 and 1-10) The point here is to develop what Buddhists call "one-pointed consciousness". This is also to help you in further meditation techniques. Once you can count to one and two, back to one, without interruption of thought, then move onto 1 to 4. Don't rush. Don't skip. This is for you. No one to brag to, no need to progress any faster than you need to. All things come as they will, and will help you grow.

Once you are able to do this, I suggest moving onto breath (if you did not already start with this). If you are able to breath and focus on the sensation of your breath, and do it with focus, that is meditation. If you are thinking something and just notice it come up and let it go, that is also meditation. Being aware of right now (of what your thinking and understanding it's impermanent nature), that is meditation. The only thing that is not meditation is not being aware of yourself getting lost in thought. Catching yourself- when you say "Oh, I got lost in a thought". That moment is meditation. Meditation is awareness, and developing it. Allowing it to rest, and expand into infinite space. We start at the body to help slowly increase this.

At this point of development, you can move onto anything- meaning all things can be a support for meditation. Feeling pain, anxiety, anger, confusion, etc? Meditate on this, notice it without judgement, without getting caught into it. Just sit, observe, become good friends, thank it for being a support of your meditation. Watch how it changes, grows and dissipates....

Experiences, beliefs, and feelings, anything! This can be where you explore and discover the most about yourself.

Advice for moving into larger "sensations" or "experiences"- break them down into 'digestible' chunks. If you went through a break up, this is a combination of many feelings, experiences, and sensations. Focus just first on how it feels in that moment. Do you feel angry, sad? Depressed? Just notice it, observe it, and let it go. It will pass, just as all things do in space. Focus then on the sensation...does your stomach feel tight? Do you feel sick? tightness in your shoulders? Relax them, observe them, let it go....So on and so forth.

I hope this helps. I'd be happy to give more techniques, but this give you a solid foundation towards developing, and cultivating awareness. As you do, you will develop compassion and loving kindness with it, as it is necessary to be truthful to yourself, and towards observing things without judgement.

Remember, all things can become tools towards bettering yourself. Remember all your supports for meditation are your friends! Thank them deeply for what they teach you, and use them.

With much love, respect, support and light my friend, I dearly hope this helps you in your seeking.

Ok so I have meditated before had a few weird experiences that I am not going to explain right now but I am going to try and meditate every night now and I would really like your suggestions on meditation techniques and how to get into a deep-meditation. Ie do you breath deep, do you repeat something out loud or in your mind, do you visualise etc please if you have techniques that work please explain..

Thanks

We are One
Love and Light

Thankyou for your amazing detailed explanation of our techniques last night I meditated and I look at my clock and it was 11:26 and I said ok ill meditate for 10 minutes.. I followed our techniques and became very relaxed.. Once again while meditating I had this feeling as though I was getting lighter, and felt as though I was falling down hill slowly i could also feel this pulsating feeling through my arms which were sitting on me knees with two of my fingers touching, it sort of felt as though I had energy flowing through me it was amazing! Also I heard a message in my minf "OK that is enough for now" so I ended my meditation and looked at the time and it was 11:36 exactly! I meditated for exactly 10 minutes!

Ok I thought I might share two of my amazing incidents I had from meditating a while back, this was after meditating repeatedly for a while.. The first one was when I had a very bad cold, I just seemed to not be able to get over it blocked nose, sneezing the lot. Something one night told me to meditate on it.. So I focused a whole meditation on healing myself of my cold I got into a fairly deep state and lasted about 15 mins.. I wa very tired after it and fell straight to sleep and to my amazement I felt almost 100% in the morning and my cold was basically gone.. The runny nose was unblocked my head felt unblocked I just felt much better it was amazing!... Another time was even more interesting when my Mum was very sick with the Flu so bad she had to lay in bed most of the time and she looked very sick she had it for over a week and it was really bring her down so I decided to dedicate a meditation to her being getting over her flu.. I just kept thinking of her feeling better of her not having the flu anymore and of her having energy flowing through her.. Again I was very tired after this and fell to sleep.. When I woke up my mum was down stairs and she was walking around and I asked her how she was feeling and she said "much better".. I smiled in amazement.... Now some will probably say it is just coincidence.. But I think it is something more..

Have you ever had these experiences during meditation? Is it normal to be able to do this?

Love and Light
We are One

[Meerie]

Another time was even more interesting when my Mum was very sick with the Flu so bad she had to lay in bed most of the time and she looked very sick she had it for over a week and it was really bring her down so I decided to dedicate a meditation to her being getting over her flu.. I just kept thinking of her feeling better of her not having the flu anymore and of her having energy flowing through her.. Again I was very tired after this and fell to sleep.. When I woke up my mum was down stairs and she was walking around and I asked her how she was feeling and she said "much better".. I smiled in amazement.... Now some will probably say it is just coincidence.. But I think it is something more..

Have you ever had these experiences during meditation? Is it normal to be able to do this?

Love and Light
We are One

I don't think it was coincidence, you were sending her healing energy and she responded. Some time this week, when I was trying to meditate and it was very noisy outside, I kept imagining the love and peace of the creator flowing outside to people in the street, in their cars and it was amazing how the noise died down when I did this and it felt more peaceful.
Just imagine if we all did that consciously all the time? Blatz mentioned in another thread that there was a study of how crime rates died down in Washington after a certain amount of people did meditation there for some time.

[Ankh]

Seems like you have an ability to heal, brother. Congratulaions =)

About meditation, try all kind of techniques til you find the "resonating" one. It feels right and you want to do it; it somehow instantly "resonates" with you. That's the one then. I have never liked the "breathing" technique. I tried it once, and it was awesome - everything felt sacred, the breathe and everything around, but I still didn't "like" it. Then I tried the one where you stare at one point for 20 minutes or so, and then close your eyes and relax. Didn't "like" it either. I like to concentrate on the buzz that is always there, if you close your eyes, relax and start to listen.

I think that it's important to listen to yourself. At least in the beginning. Not forcing yourself into something that you don't like. It is supposed to be a pleasure, not work. After a while you might even get "tired" of the technique you are currently practicing. Then it's time to change it, as you change. Just listen to yourself.

[SomaticDreams]

Thankyou for your amazing detailed explanation of our techniques last night I meditated and I look at my clock and it was 11:26 and I said ok ill meditate for 10 minutes.. I followed our techniques and became very relaxed.. Once again while meditating I had this feeling as though I was getting lighter, and felt as though I was falling down hill slowly i could also feel this pulsating feeling through my arms which were sitting on me knees with two of my fingers touching, it sort of felt as though I had energy flowing through me it was amazing! Also I heard a message in my minf "OK that is enough for now" so I ended my meditation and looked at the time and it was 11:36 exactly! I meditated for exactly 10 minutes!

Ok I thought I might share two of my amazing incidents I had from meditating a while back, this was after meditating repeatedly for a while.. The first one was when I had a very bad cold, I just seemed to not be able to get over it blocked nose, sneezing the lot. Something one night told me to meditate on it.. So I focused a whole meditation on healing myself of my cold I got into a fairly deep state and lasted about 15 mins.. I wa very tired after it and fell straight to sleep and to my amazement I felt almost 100% in the morning and my cold was basically gone.. The runny nose was unblocked my head felt unblocked I just felt much better it was amazing!... Another time was even more interesting when my Mum was very sick with the Flu so bad she had to lay in bed most of the time and she looked very sick she had it for over a week and it was really bring her down so I decided to dedicate a meditation to her being getting over her flu.. I just kept thinking of her feeling better of her not having the flu anymore and of her having energy flowing through her.. Again I was very tired after this and fell to sleep.. When I woke up my mum was down stairs and she was walking around and I asked her how she was feeling and she said "much better".. I smiled in amazement.... Now some will probably say it is just coincidence.. But I think it is something more..

Have you ever had these experiences during meditation? Is it normal to be able to do this?

Love and Light
We are One

You are most welcome my good friend. Yes, I lead two meditation groups, and once you learn to trust yourself, time is of no importance. You can manifest what times you need and don't when you need to. I often get exactly 30 mins into meditation before switching over to the dharma talk portion of the meditation group meeting. This is an excellent sign of your natural ability to relax into a meditative state. I hope you keep the inspiration to awake each day with practice. It will profoundly deepen your awareness and intrinsic joy.

Healing is natural to meditative practices- as you allow your mind to calm, you can direct energy however you want. Healing is done by raising your vibration to a healing frequency, and then is either aimed at someone, the self, a group or spread out infinitely in all directions. If you believe this to be true, this is what you will experience. If not, you will doubt it and not experience it...but the power is yours to choose to how you wish to experience the world. Why not experience it this way, you have the power. No need to wallow in doubt, fear, anxiety. You understand this though, and I send my love to you, and everyone. So that each action you take becomes an affirmed choice in the path you create, that we cocreate as beautiful light beings.

If you need any other assistance with meditation, or would like other techniques, please just ask. I'd be happy to go through other techniques.

Peace, and infinite love to ALL that is, and the many that are ALL.