Questions Concerning Meditation

[JasonX1299]

Hello everymind,

I have just recently began my search for "self." I have tried ziggy stardust's astral projection technique and have also been listening to The Monroe Institue's gateway experience, but I don't seem to get results with either of them.

I think I need to learn how to meditate before I try these more advanced techniques of self discovery, but no matter what/how much I read I can't seem to get a clear picture of what meditation is.

Is meditation just sitting there trying not to think? Concentrating on not thinking? When I try to meditate it basically feels like I am just sitting there with my eyes closed. Should I try to concentrate on my breaths or try to concentrate on nothing at all and what would be the difference?

I think I am confused between all the different meditation techniques I have read about, and I just want to know the archtype meditation technique if thats possible.

Any advice on improving my meditation technique is greatly appreciated.

Also, a lot of these advanced techniques require a lot of visualizations of things, will I become better at this with regular practice of meditation? Because I feel like I cannot visualize well and I would like to be able to experience things like astral projection or engery manipulation.

(the very fact that you can concentrate while not thinking, I think proves the existence of your higher self>> I had to write that because I just blew my mind).

Edited January 21, 2008 by JasonX1299

[Sporkling]

http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/forum...p;#entry1919975

[heinrich1858]

Remember this you have to be able to block out other thoughts this is the most important exercise. Do not try to astral project the first few times. Instead try to go a little further each time. The body needs to fall asleep.

It has become somewhat easy for me (I get it right about half the time) for my body to fall asleep. It is a strange feeling because you loose control over your body and surrender control to your instinctive mind/principles. Breathing becomes heavier and you are completely relaxed and unaware of your body able to hang on to consciousness onlly just.

Astral projection is all about letting go. Think "letting go". Also check out the meditation and astral travel threads on UM.

they have great advice.

I also think people have a misconception of concentration. Thinking that you frown and cringe instead you let go of the body and the awareness that distracts you and then you are able to truly focus your mind on one thought at a time.

Good luck

[eight bits]

Hi, Jason.

Welcome aboard.

Learning meditation is confusing because it is easier for a 'teacher' to tell a 'student' to do something than to be frank and say that there is nothing to do. And the many methods reflect that just about anything you choose to do is fine. Besides, it is interesting to do different things when you are doing the 'same thing' everyday.

Which, by the way, is my only claimed qualification to write this, that I do it daily and have been doing it for a long time (long enough that I forget when I started).

The essential mechanism of meditation is physical, mental, and character-challenging. Respectively, sit down, shut up, and stay that way for a while.

Sit down The physical part is that you should remove yourself from the demands of the world and restrict your activity. Sitting down in a quiet place where you will not be disturbed is good, and for most people sitting is better than lying down, since you want to stay awake, not take a nap.

Some people close their eyes, others keep their eyes open (having set the lights comfortably low, and without any activity going on around them that needs to be watched). Both work fine.

Shut up The mental part is that you should turn your attention away from the demands of the world, too. If, with respect to speech, I told you to shut up, then you could do it. Now do the same thing with the voices, images, feelings, etc. inside your head.

If you like, you can attend to one thing - your breathing is always available. Some people prefer a 'mantra' - just repeat silently a phrase to themselves, any phrase they like. I like to do muscle relaxations, especially my face, but the big muscles, too.

Stay that way for a while For almost everybody, the first two things are delightful, and this third thing is the deal killer. First, because as soon as you sit down and shut up, you make room for all of the "second tier" thoughts to well up, and now you are thinking about those. Fine, notice that you are thinking about those, and let them run their course. They will.

Second, because as soon as you sit down and shut up, you become aware of your body, and so you fidget and your nose itches. Fine, wiggle your butt until it is comfortably situated and scratch your nose. You will find a comfortable posture.

Third, because after you have sat down and shut up, nothing happens, you want something to happen (astral projection, or nirvana, or whatever), and just sitting there with nothing happening is boring anyway.

I represent to you that if you remain calm and give up the notion of "making something happen" then something will happen. At the very least, you will experience the "relaxation response" which is a physiological state that is neither sleep nor ordinary wakefulness. It is both pleasant and probably good for your health.

What else happens I cannot say. That varies wildly among people. Realistically, you are in about the same physical and psychological condition as hypnogogia, except that you are not en route to sleep, but instead lingering in this twilight state.

Dismount Some people set a timer to ring after about 20 minutes. Apart from that, how you stop doing this varies. You can be jolted out of it, or just float out of it, or just feel that you have had enough for now and raise yourself out of it. Sometimes you may fall asleep, and then wake up from that.

Hope this is helpful. For other ideas, I recommend searching Herbert Benson and Jason Siff, but there are many other knowledgeable and reliable people out there. The problem is, of course, that this is the usual web thing - a lot of people want to sell you something, not necessarily in exchange for money, and even more people are just plain full of it.

Good luck.

[JasonX1299]

Thanks for the responses. I'm just going to keep at it, and I'll know where to come for advice.

[AeonsOld]

My young friend I think... congratulations on your search for self. In essence to me that is the search for the truth which you can only find inside you. I think maybe each person's truth is different for everyone. Heed the good advice above and hold off on astral projection... what do you think that will really do for you anyway?

I can't step in your shoes. I can share that... meditation is a good start. Look inside you and see yourself. Good. A center, an anchor to hold onto. If you can do that... wow isn't it amazing. Hold onto that no matter what. See you and your potential. You have choices and free will.

Truth is all around you - no matter how insignifcant if you really want it and pay attention it will practically hit you over the head. Bon chance.

[the eternal me]

good sound advice AeonsOld.