The other night I was watching The Last Samurai, and it reminded me of an article I read a while back by Mike Mahler where he recommends meditating for 20 minutes either after a workout or before going to sleep.
Ignoring my completely random thought process, I was wondering who on here meditates regulary, how they do it (I gather there are several different methods) and what benefits they get from it.
I started meditating a few months back … I have one of those minds that wanders for hours on end about one thing in particular exploring every angle … it gets out of hand.
Anyways, I had toyed with meditation before and it helped but I never really got into it until a few months ago. Since then my mind and thought process has been clearer and more concise. A lot of the things that had bothered me have since ceased.
It gives me a sense of control when it seems that there’s little I can control and reminds me that, if nothing else, I am in charge of my mind not the other way around. It’s better than weed and I’m not joking.
I have a great email from a fellow member who got me started on the right path. If you’d like to read what he wrote about how and what-not shoot me a pm.
[quote]polo77j wrote:
I started meditating a few months back … I have one of those minds that wanders for hours on end about one thing in particular exploring every angle … it gets out of hand.
Anyways, I had toyed with meditation before and it helped but I never really got into it until a few months ago. Since then my mind and thought process has been clearer and more concise. A lot of the things that had bothered me have since ceased.
It gives me a sense of control when it seems that there’s little I can control and reminds me that, if nothing else, I am in charge of my mind not the other way around. It’s better than weed and I’m not joking.
I have a great email from a fellow member who got me started on the right path. If you’d like to read what he wrote about how and what-not shoot me a pm.[/quote]
I shot PM.
[quote]Vicomte wrote:
polo77j wrote:
I started meditating a few months back … I have one of those minds that wanders for hours on end about one thing in particular exploring every angle … it gets out of hand.
Anyways, I had toyed with meditation before and it helped but I never really got into it until a few months ago. Since then my mind and thought process has been clearer and more concise. A lot of the things that had bothered me have since ceased.
It gives me a sense of control when it seems that there’s little I can control and reminds me that, if nothing else, I am in charge of my mind not the other way around. It’s better than weed and I’m not joking.
I have a great email from a fellow member who got me started on the right path. If you’d like to read what he wrote about how and what-not shoot me a pm.
I shot PM.[/quote]
I shot back
[quote]polo77j wrote:
I started meditating a few months back … I have one of those minds that wanders for hours on end about one thing in particular exploring every angle … it gets out of hand.
Anyways, I had toyed with meditation before and it helped but I never really got into it until a few months ago. Since then my mind and thought process has been clearer and more concise. A lot of the things that had bothered me have since ceased.
It gives me a sense of control when it seems that there’s little I can control and reminds me that, if nothing else, I am in charge of my mind not the other way around. It’s better than weed and I’m not joking.
I have a great email from a fellow member who got me started on the right path. If you’d like to read what he wrote about how and what-not shoot me a pm.[/quote]
This is pretty surprising, since I never considered you such a weirdo hippie.
[quote]LankyMofo wrote:
This is pretty surprising, since I never considered you such a weirdo hippie.[/quote]
Pretty much my only weirdo hippie tendency … thanks though since I never knew you thought about me …
[quote]polo77j wrote:
LankyMofo wrote:
This is pretty surprising, since I never considered you such a weirdo hippie.
Pretty much my only weirdo hippie tendency … thanks though since I never knew you thought about me …[/quote]
Don’t lie, you know you’ve been in my thoughts ever since we had our conversation about mullets.
[quote]LankyMofo wrote:
polo77j wrote:
LankyMofo wrote:
This is pretty surprising, since I never considered you such a weirdo hippie.
Pretty much my only weirdo hippie tendency … thanks though since I never knew you thought about me …
Don’t lie, you know you’ve been in my thoughts ever since we had our conversation about mullets.[/quote]
It was a bonding experience I’ll give you that…
Meditating is pretty much the only way I can get to sleep out here, I have a track on Itunes that can put me out like a light.
[quote]polo77j wrote:
I started meditating a few months back … I have one of those minds that wanders for hours on end about one thing in particular exploring every angle … it gets out of hand.
Anyways, I had toyed with meditation before and it helped but I never really got into it until a few months ago. Since then my mind and thought process has been clearer and more concise. A lot of the things that had bothered me have since ceased.
It gives me a sense of control when it seems that there’s little I can control and reminds me that, if nothing else, I am in charge of my mind not the other way around. It’s better than weed and I’m not joking.
I have a great email from a fellow member who got me started on the right path. If you’d like to read what he wrote about how and what-not shoot me a pm.[/quote]
Polo, you mind sending that to me also ? Very interested.
Much obliged.
[quote]LankyMofo wrote:
polo77j wrote:
I started meditating a few months back … I have one of those minds that wanders for hours on end about one thing in particular exploring every angle … it gets out of hand.
Anyways, I had toyed with meditation before and it helped but I never really got into it until a few months ago. Since then my mind and thought process has been clearer and more concise. A lot of the things that had bothered me have since ceased.
It gives me a sense of control when it seems that there’s little I can control and reminds me that, if nothing else, I am in charge of my mind not the other way around. It’s better than weed and I’m not joking.
I have a great email from a fellow member who got me started on the right path. If you’d like to read what he wrote about how and what-not shoot me a pm.
This is pretty surprising, since I never considered you such a weirdo hippie.[/quote]
No way, brother. Ninjas meditate; hippies eat fungus and listen to DMB.
[quote]Vicomte wrote:
LankyMofo wrote:
polo77j wrote:
I started meditating a few months back … I have one of those minds that wanders for hours on end about one thing in particular exploring every angle … it gets out of hand.
Anyways, I had toyed with meditation before and it helped but I never really got into it until a few months ago. Since then my mind and thought process has been clearer and more concise. A lot of the things that had bothered me have since ceased.
It gives me a sense of control when it seems that there’s little I can control and reminds me that, if nothing else, I am in charge of my mind not the other way around. It’s better than weed and I’m not joking.
I have a great email from a fellow member who got me started on the right path. If you’d like to read what he wrote about how and what-not shoot me a pm.
This is pretty surprising, since I never considered you such a weirdo hippie.
No way, brother. Ninjas meditate; hippies eat fungus and listen to DMB.[/quote]
Solid point about the ninjas, but google image search “hippie meditating” and “ninja meditating” and see what gets you more hits.
And I thought everyone listened to DMB!
[quote]LankyMofo wrote:
Vicomte wrote:
LankyMofo wrote:
polo77j wrote:
I started meditating a few months back … I have one of those minds that wanders for hours on end about one thing in particular exploring every angle … it gets out of hand.
Anyways, I had toyed with meditation before and it helped but I never really got into it until a few months ago. Since then my mind and thought process has been clearer and more concise. A lot of the things that had bothered me have since ceased.
It gives me a sense of control when it seems that there’s little I can control and reminds me that, if nothing else, I am in charge of my mind not the other way around. It’s better than weed and I’m not joking.
I have a great email from a fellow member who got me started on the right path. If you’d like to read what he wrote about how and what-not shoot me a pm.
This is pretty surprising, since I never considered you such a weirdo hippie.
No way, brother. Ninjas meditate; hippies eat fungus and listen to DMB.
Solid point about the ninjas, but google image search “hippie meditating” and “ninja meditating” and see what gets you more hits.
And I thought everyone listened to DMB![/quote]
Obviously, the real ninjas never allow themselves to be photographed.
Like, duh.
Thanks, Polo - that’s good shit
I have been doing it for more then a year and it really improved my life. Before I was a control freak who could never sleep at night because my thoughts never stopped. I am still far from being a “go with the flow” person but I’m getting there.
[quote]Roual wrote:
I was wondering who on here meditates regulary, how they do it (I gather there are several different methods) and what benefits they get from it.[/quote]
Try to every morning. Sometimes in the evening, though way less frequent.
I read a few meditation ‘thoughts’ from 3 books I’ve got right by the bed and then just sit or lie down and breathe.
I usually want to kill less people duirng the day if I’ve started off w/ meditation;) I do sometimes get inspiration on things that need done that day or for problems that need solved so kidding aside there’s an effect from the time spent even if it’s just getting centered and ‘back to the breath’ as they say.
I light incense and read T-Nation every night before bed.
I’m not kidding.
Nowadays I’m experimenting from time to time with a few mindfulness based techniques (google it if you haven’t heard about it) with a few cancer patients.
Basically mindfulness claims to help you focus on the here and now and not on a uncertain future. One particular exercise was to channel all your consciousness to a single raisin by smelling it, touching it, looking at it, listen to it, feeling it,… and finally tasting and eating it.
I was surprised by the responses given by the patients. A lot of them spoke about a feeling of total control and utmost happiness. The catch is that you have to be open-minded about these exercises. Most of the studies I read about mentioned a nothing less than positive effect on the patient’s mental health.
[quote]Jibster wrote:
Roual wrote:
I was wondering who on here meditates regulary, how they do it (I gather there are several different methods) and what benefits they get from it.
Try to every morning. Sometimes in the evening, though way less frequent.
I read a few meditation ‘thoughts’ from 3 books I’ve got right by the bed and then just sit or lie down and breathe.
I usually want to kill less people duirng the day if I’ve started off w/ meditation;) I do sometimes get inspiration on things that need done that day or for problems that need solved so kidding aside there’s an effect from the time spent even if it’s just getting centered and ‘back to the breath’ as they say. [/quote]
This is a good point. Meditation will be more sucessful in the Am than PM, or really, closer to the time you wake than when you go to bed for those with crazy hours. If you are tired when you meditate you will have less control and less will, there is also the possibility that you fall alseep if you get into the more advanced eyes closed meditations. Another form of meditation for people who are very new to it and may have a gut reaction thats it’s too pansy or stupid or whatever. Just slip in your all time favorite CD and make sure you know the words to every song. Then listen to it, but instead of having it be backround music, focus intently on the music, the song, the beats, the melodies, the word flows. This will get your mind to stop wandering, we can consider this a pleasant calming meditation. It would be a good stress reliever. And as always, meditation is excercise for your mind, so if your thoughts start to wander, corect yourself and resume your meditation.
V
If you’re interested in meditation, this is the only book you’ll ever need: http://www.amazon.com/Qigong-Empowerment-Medical-Buddhist-Cultivation/dp/1889659029/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246997423&sr=8-1
Parts are really esoteric (if you’re into that), but it offers a few different schools of thought when it comes to meditative practices.