THE FORUMS
Can you guys go more in depth about the first hour? ten to 20 minutes of meditation I start to to see this flashing light, and when I come out I am spacy and really out of it... LIke I had a siezure (which I am told meditation can trigger by stringing together irritable neurons). I also sometimes with this get a pain in my head like a pressure.
Is this what you mean by half way? Should I push through it to get to the good stuff or am I having a seizure and I will just make it worse?.
Is this what you mean by half way? Should I push through it to get to the good stuff or am I having a seizure and I will just make it worse?.
__________________
Double post. Please delete.
__________________
Hey Markzor,
I'll speak from my experiences on this one:
For late February/Early March, I extended each sitting that I had by one minute each time. I started off with 1hr0 mins on Feb 20th or so, then I slowly worked my way up to 1hr30 mins of sitting. I've lately been moving back to 1hr sittings and I'm noticing that they go by MUCH faster than normal. Knowing that I can sit for 1hr30 mins crosslegged without opening my eyes, opening/moving my hands, or even opening/moving my legs is pretty baller. It makes doing anything less than that seem like Childs Play.
I do "strong determination" sittings....IMO, there's really no other way to do it. If you move, then you break concentration...it's just that simple.
To be quite honest, the deeper I go, the more my mind seems to chatter, but the softer it gets. Hard to explain. There are some times where all time stands still and I'm just in a "no thought" zone, but I can't really pinpoint those times (if you're not thinking...then how do you know that you're not thinking?). I just know that time seems to speed up at certain intervals without me even noticing it.
Right now, I'm doing 2hrs a day. Morning and Night.
Doing it in the morning helps me overcome procrastination throughout the day. If I find myself doing something that I shouldn't, then it's VERY easy to become aware and push myself towards right action.
In the past 2 months, I've made more progress towards my LIFE goals than I have in any other time period. After coming back from my retreat, it seems that time has been going by MUCH slower than before because so much is going on, but I'm aware of things now. In addition, I'm MUCH more balanced.
I've also switched my diet to vegetarion which has completely shot up my energy levels.
But yeah,
I say take a course no matter how experienced you are. You'll learn something about yourself...guaranteed.
-AR
I'll speak from my experiences on this one:
For late February/Early March, I extended each sitting that I had by one minute each time. I started off with 1hr0 mins on Feb 20th or so, then I slowly worked my way up to 1hr30 mins of sitting. I've lately been moving back to 1hr sittings and I'm noticing that they go by MUCH faster than normal. Knowing that I can sit for 1hr30 mins crosslegged without opening my eyes, opening/moving my hands, or even opening/moving my legs is pretty baller. It makes doing anything less than that seem like Childs Play.
I do "strong determination" sittings....IMO, there's really no other way to do it. If you move, then you break concentration...it's just that simple.
To be quite honest, the deeper I go, the more my mind seems to chatter, but the softer it gets. Hard to explain. There are some times where all time stands still and I'm just in a "no thought" zone, but I can't really pinpoint those times (if you're not thinking...then how do you know that you're not thinking?). I just know that time seems to speed up at certain intervals without me even noticing it.
Right now, I'm doing 2hrs a day. Morning and Night.
Doing it in the morning helps me overcome procrastination throughout the day. If I find myself doing something that I shouldn't, then it's VERY easy to become aware and push myself towards right action.
In the past 2 months, I've made more progress towards my LIFE goals than I have in any other time period. After coming back from my retreat, it seems that time has been going by MUCH slower than before because so much is going on, but I'm aware of things now. In addition, I'm MUCH more balanced.
I've also switched my diet to vegetarion which has completely shot up my energy levels.
But yeah,
I say take a course no matter how experienced you are. You'll learn something about yourself...guaranteed.
-AR
haha fuckkk....
i do like 20-30 minutes, and sometimes 1 hour MAX.
If I have a good session, I notice that my mind becomes more quiet after 10 minutes.
You start with directing attention ALL THE TIME, never having time enough to sustain attention and to actually concentrate.
After 10 minutes or so, my mind seems to settle down and I can put a little less effort into meditating.
(That is, if I am not too restless or too tired)
do you do a reaaaaal slow bodyscan (focusing attention on different parts of your body)
or do you focus solely on the breath?
do you practice the "strong determination" and sit absolutely still?
mind you, I only have a couple of years (summed up) meditation experience - I didn't take the course yet.
I would love to try longer sessions and see what happens.
i do like 20-30 minutes, and sometimes 1 hour MAX.
If I have a good session, I notice that my mind becomes more quiet after 10 minutes.
You start with directing attention ALL THE TIME, never having time enough to sustain attention and to actually concentrate.
After 10 minutes or so, my mind seems to settle down and I can put a little less effort into meditating.
(That is, if I am not too restless or too tired)
do you do a reaaaaal slow bodyscan (focusing attention on different parts of your body)
or do you focus solely on the breath?
do you practice the "strong determination" and sit absolutely still?
mind you, I only have a couple of years (summed up) meditation experience - I didn't take the course yet.
I would love to try longer sessions and see what happens.
__________________
My game = social skills + having a dick. Morely the latter.
i once meditated an hour before going out.. it was basically like god mode and sets instantly opened and it was on hardcore.. 2.5 - 3 hours is a shit load.. that must get you really centered wow.
__________________
"Fuck social conditioning and fuck what anybody thinks of you!" ~Tyler Durden
Rejection > Regret
COLORADO
Rejection > Regret
COLORADO
@ceoarob.
Thank you very much for the reply. I am taking the course, but it's somewhere in June, so I need to wait.
I did just an hour meditation (outside in the sun, -- love the spring). I broke concentration a couple of times, and I can confirm your findings.
I am going to focus on sitting absolutely still, giving no reaction at all, while doing my ordinary breath meditation.
And I am going to increment my meditation one minute each day. Starting at an hour. Seems like a good idea!
-----
@cman: If you see a flashing light during meditation, it means you saw a flashing light during meditation. (Jed McKenna, in one of his books)
you are not supposed to see or feel anything, except what you are already seeing and feeling.
although often, if you avoid your emotions and troublesome thoughts a lot, it can be quite the confrontation to discover what you are actually feeling and thinking.
but the pain, flashing lights and seizure like stuff... that's not supposed to happen. don't know if you have any history with seizures?
meditation isn't spiritual thing in which you are supposed to get into some kind of trance, higher consciousness, or whatever.
meditation is just a mental exercise, in which you direct attention and practice concentrating. You'll get distracted so you need to notice and let go of distractions.
meditation is the art of doing nothing at all.
(allright,you can say a lot more about what meditation is and what it isnt, but I think this in particular will help cman)
Thank you very much for the reply. I am taking the course, but it's somewhere in June, so I need to wait.
I did just an hour meditation (outside in the sun, -- love the spring). I broke concentration a couple of times, and I can confirm your findings.
I am going to focus on sitting absolutely still, giving no reaction at all, while doing my ordinary breath meditation.
And I am going to increment my meditation one minute each day. Starting at an hour. Seems like a good idea!
-----
@cman: If you see a flashing light during meditation, it means you saw a flashing light during meditation. (Jed McKenna, in one of his books)
you are not supposed to see or feel anything, except what you are already seeing and feeling.
although often, if you avoid your emotions and troublesome thoughts a lot, it can be quite the confrontation to discover what you are actually feeling and thinking.
but the pain, flashing lights and seizure like stuff... that's not supposed to happen. don't know if you have any history with seizures?
meditation isn't spiritual thing in which you are supposed to get into some kind of trance, higher consciousness, or whatever.
meditation is just a mental exercise, in which you direct attention and practice concentrating. You'll get distracted so you need to notice and let go of distractions.
meditation is the art of doing nothing at all.
(allright,you can say a lot more about what meditation is and what it isnt, but I think this in particular will help cman)
__________________
wel heb ik je ooit!
@ceoarob, @diskodancer, and everybody else who has attended the vipassana course and is now meditating more than one hour a day.
I'm taking a course in june, but already am an experienced meditator. However, I usually keep my sessions short (15-30 minutes).
I want to extend this time to 1-3 hours a day you guys are doing, but I need some help with this.
Do you have a fixed time (9AM) or a fixed moment (after waking up)?
A fixed time would train your body to be alert that time, but it's hard if your sleep-wake rhytm is unstable.
A fixed moment would be easier then, but then my body is sometimes tired and I fall asleep.
What do you focus on (Directed at breath, or undirected?)
Is your attention undirected, i.e. whatever sensations you have in your body, or is it a focused attention (concentrate on breath through nostrils)?
EDIT: I read some more about the course; you scan every bit of your body. Do you do this multiple times, from quick and gross to slow and fine?
Do you focus on the sensations that draw your attention, or do you direct attention and go part-for-part through your whole body?
What do you emphasize during focus? (Physical sensations and change of breath, or the occurence of breath?)
Since you practice vipassana, I believe you focus on experiencing every subtle change and all the details of the physical sensation of the breath.
If you practice the Jhana's (Zen) more, the goal is a more deep concentration (absorption), and you focus on the OCCURENCE of the breath, not on the physical sensations in the breath itself.
Do you have specific ways of dealing with the hindrances?
Do you even try to recognize and label them, or do you just notice distractions?
Do you "feel" you way into meditation (increasing commitment when doubting, concentrating harder when feeling sloth and torper, making less effort when feeling restlessness, etc)?
How do you deal with sloth and torpor (or being tired)? Makes no sense to meditate if you can't concentrate, as you'll only fall asleep!
Ceaorob already said he practices "sittings of stong determinations", emphasizing the fact you aren't allowed to move or react at anything AT ALL.
I am also implementing the gradual increase of mediation time.
Thanks for answering the questions guys!!
I'm taking a course in june, but already am an experienced meditator. However, I usually keep my sessions short (15-30 minutes).
I want to extend this time to 1-3 hours a day you guys are doing, but I need some help with this.
Do you have a fixed time (9AM) or a fixed moment (after waking up)?
A fixed time would train your body to be alert that time, but it's hard if your sleep-wake rhytm is unstable.
A fixed moment would be easier then, but then my body is sometimes tired and I fall asleep.
What do you focus on (Directed at breath, or undirected?)
Is your attention undirected, i.e. whatever sensations you have in your body, or is it a focused attention (concentrate on breath through nostrils)?
EDIT: I read some more about the course; you scan every bit of your body. Do you do this multiple times, from quick and gross to slow and fine?
Do you focus on the sensations that draw your attention, or do you direct attention and go part-for-part through your whole body?
What do you emphasize during focus? (Physical sensations and change of breath, or the occurence of breath?)
Since you practice vipassana, I believe you focus on experiencing every subtle change and all the details of the physical sensation of the breath.
If you practice the Jhana's (Zen) more, the goal is a more deep concentration (absorption), and you focus on the OCCURENCE of the breath, not on the physical sensations in the breath itself.
Do you have specific ways of dealing with the hindrances?
Do you even try to recognize and label them, or do you just notice distractions?
Do you "feel" you way into meditation (increasing commitment when doubting, concentrating harder when feeling sloth and torper, making less effort when feeling restlessness, etc)?
How do you deal with sloth and torpor (or being tired)? Makes no sense to meditate if you can't concentrate, as you'll only fall asleep!
Ceaorob already said he practices "sittings of stong determinations", emphasizing the fact you aren't allowed to move or react at anything AT ALL.
I am also implementing the gradual increase of mediation time.
Thanks for answering the questions guys!!
__________________
wel heb ik je ooit!
Hey there, let me answer these as concisely and accurately as I can.
Again, I speak only speak from my experiences, not from anyone else's.
If you're interested in taking a Vipassana course, then do it. Normally, I'd say that there's nothing that you can do to prepare for it, but there is *one* thing that you can do. Practice sitting crosslegged.
Whenever I got to my course, I wanted to sit in a chair, but I had a very strict (yet wise) teacher who said that I should just try sitting cross-legged for one more session. I wanted to give up, but I respected his decision, and it totally changed me. There's something special about sitting cross-legged that sitting in a chair doesn't give me. Perhaps greater attention over my body? I'm much less likely to slouch, but if I do, then I'm aware and I correct my posture.
Whenever I wake up, I meditate. It's just that simple. I don't have a fixed time for waking up (as of this month; no major obligations), but meditating is the first thing that I do upon waking. (I'll take a piss and stuff like that; maybe grab an orange/banana if I'm hungry and my stomach is making noises).
Why upon waking? That's when my mind is most quiet. At least relatively quiet to the entire day. I remember that I used to sign unto RSDN, check my email, and read the news before meditating. This would only add to the mental noise. It's better that I do mundane tasks AFTER I meditate because they will only create noise.
I find that no matter what time I wake up, if I go to meditate, then I'm good. Perhaps this just comes from going through the Vipassana course, but I simply just don't fall asleep anymore during meditation (at least morning ones).
Goenka (the head of Vipassana teaching) talks about how sleep is a defilement. I noticed that I kept falling asleep all the time during my meditations and I brought this to my instructor and he said something along these lines, "By observing yourself, your breath, and your sensations, the mind has a habit pattern to automatically react. Falling asleep is a reaction of ignorance. You want to stay out of touch, or numb away, the reality and experience of what is".
If you go to a VP course, you'll fully understand what I mean by that.
One of the best benefits I got from VP? Never really having to take naps anymore. If I do, I just take 20-40 minute naps, then I'm energized. This is a lot better than me sleeping 3-4 hours for a "nap" and it makes me a lot more productive.
I digress....
A VP course is broken up into three main parts:
1) Anapana - focusing on breath in order to build concentration and awareness
2) Vipassana - focusing on bodily sensations in order to build equanimity
3) Metta Bhavana - focusing on spreading love to those around you.
----------
A VP course spends the first 3 days of Anapana, then the other 7 on Vipassana, and on the last day, you learn Metta.
If I sit for an hour doing a VP sitting on my own, I'll usually jump right into Vipassana. However, this is because I've trained a shitload in Vipassana camp in order to build the sensitivity to feel sensations and still be equanimous to them.
Right now, and for the past 2 weeks or so, I've been doing strictly Anapana in order to build my awareness. I noticed that it is not as sharp as it could be, so I'm "sharpening the sword" so to speak. I'll just say it has produced some VERY interesting results in my life...
---------
Whenever doing Anapana, one is supposed to focus on whatever "is". This could be the touch of breath, the differences in temperature from inhalation and exhalation. The touch of breath against the nostrils, the flow of air, etc.
Anapana is used to build awareness, concentration, and basic equanimity. By focusing on a small part of the body, the mind become sharper and more in tuned to subtler realities. I can attest to this from personal experience. Even though I might be feeling my breath sometimes, there is a much different experience if there is mental dialogue (labeling, talking, images going by, etc) than if I'm quiet.
The Vipassana method is a body scan that focuses on whatever sensations come up in the moment. Whatever you experience, just allow it to rise, and allow it to fall. The simple observation of sensations on either a gross or subtle level train the mind to become less reactive and more balanced.
By observing your sensations of either craving or aversion, you become equanimous to them and eventually they fall away.
From personal experience, I've been able to deal a lot more with negative/unpleasant emotions in my life. Since I simply know that "this too will pass", then I'm less likely to resist or fight them. Even whenever I feel them creeping up, I just simply allow them to be.
With pleasant/positive emotions, I simply view them in the same way. I used to "search" for positive emotions, but this would create some DEEP DEEP sankharas which would ultimately manifest either a few minutes or hours later after my sitting.
I digress....
If something comes up, it's just a sensation. That's all it is. I'm training my mind not to label sensations, however, the more I train my mind, the more I realize that there is a very VERY subtle line between trying to change/wanting to change/allowing change.
Sometimes I'll focus EXTREMELY intently only to realize that I'm craving something too much (maybe to become aware), and I'll relax and become more aware than I previously was. Sometimes, I'll realize that I'm not as aware as I should be, then I'll become more aware. It's really a "game" so to speak (sematics, smemantics; words are words). The mind inside my head constantly gets me to indentify with old emotions, memoriies, or even future ones, but it's my job to stay aware of whatever goes on.
If I find myself "reacting" or "slipping", I'll usually adjust my posture, maybe take a deep breath in, and get back to focusing on sensations.
If I find myself getting tired, then I'll just adjust posture, take a couple of deep breaths, and continue.
If I find myself getting agitated (which I do whenever I ask myself, "How much more time do I have?"), then I just relax and allow whatever is. I focus on the here, now, not the "soon to be".
The deeper I go, the more I realize that it's an ever constant battle between my awareness and my mind. The mind has reigned for so long that whenever I attempt to master it, it often resists.
Only awareness and equanimity are able to purify the mind at the deepest level.
That's what Vipassana is all about.
-AR
Again, I speak only speak from my experiences, not from anyone else's.
If you're interested in taking a Vipassana course, then do it. Normally, I'd say that there's nothing that you can do to prepare for it, but there is *one* thing that you can do. Practice sitting crosslegged.
Whenever I got to my course, I wanted to sit in a chair, but I had a very strict (yet wise) teacher who said that I should just try sitting cross-legged for one more session. I wanted to give up, but I respected his decision, and it totally changed me. There's something special about sitting cross-legged that sitting in a chair doesn't give me. Perhaps greater attention over my body? I'm much less likely to slouch, but if I do, then I'm aware and I correct my posture.
Whenever I wake up, I meditate. It's just that simple. I don't have a fixed time for waking up (as of this month; no major obligations), but meditating is the first thing that I do upon waking. (I'll take a piss and stuff like that; maybe grab an orange/banana if I'm hungry and my stomach is making noises).
Why upon waking? That's when my mind is most quiet. At least relatively quiet to the entire day. I remember that I used to sign unto RSDN, check my email, and read the news before meditating. This would only add to the mental noise. It's better that I do mundane tasks AFTER I meditate because they will only create noise.
I find that no matter what time I wake up, if I go to meditate, then I'm good. Perhaps this just comes from going through the Vipassana course, but I simply just don't fall asleep anymore during meditation (at least morning ones).
Goenka (the head of Vipassana teaching) talks about how sleep is a defilement. I noticed that I kept falling asleep all the time during my meditations and I brought this to my instructor and he said something along these lines, "By observing yourself, your breath, and your sensations, the mind has a habit pattern to automatically react. Falling asleep is a reaction of ignorance. You want to stay out of touch, or numb away, the reality and experience of what is".
If you go to a VP course, you'll fully understand what I mean by that.
One of the best benefits I got from VP? Never really having to take naps anymore. If I do, I just take 20-40 minute naps, then I'm energized. This is a lot better than me sleeping 3-4 hours for a "nap" and it makes me a lot more productive.
I digress....
A VP course is broken up into three main parts:
1) Anapana - focusing on breath in order to build concentration and awareness
2) Vipassana - focusing on bodily sensations in order to build equanimity
3) Metta Bhavana - focusing on spreading love to those around you.
----------
A VP course spends the first 3 days of Anapana, then the other 7 on Vipassana, and on the last day, you learn Metta.
If I sit for an hour doing a VP sitting on my own, I'll usually jump right into Vipassana. However, this is because I've trained a shitload in Vipassana camp in order to build the sensitivity to feel sensations and still be equanimous to them.
Right now, and for the past 2 weeks or so, I've been doing strictly Anapana in order to build my awareness. I noticed that it is not as sharp as it could be, so I'm "sharpening the sword" so to speak. I'll just say it has produced some VERY interesting results in my life...
---------
Whenever doing Anapana, one is supposed to focus on whatever "is". This could be the touch of breath, the differences in temperature from inhalation and exhalation. The touch of breath against the nostrils, the flow of air, etc.
Anapana is used to build awareness, concentration, and basic equanimity. By focusing on a small part of the body, the mind become sharper and more in tuned to subtler realities. I can attest to this from personal experience. Even though I might be feeling my breath sometimes, there is a much different experience if there is mental dialogue (labeling, talking, images going by, etc) than if I'm quiet.
The Vipassana method is a body scan that focuses on whatever sensations come up in the moment. Whatever you experience, just allow it to rise, and allow it to fall. The simple observation of sensations on either a gross or subtle level train the mind to become less reactive and more balanced.
By observing your sensations of either craving or aversion, you become equanimous to them and eventually they fall away.
From personal experience, I've been able to deal a lot more with negative/unpleasant emotions in my life. Since I simply know that "this too will pass", then I'm less likely to resist or fight them. Even whenever I feel them creeping up, I just simply allow them to be.
With pleasant/positive emotions, I simply view them in the same way. I used to "search" for positive emotions, but this would create some DEEP DEEP sankharas which would ultimately manifest either a few minutes or hours later after my sitting.
I digress....
If something comes up, it's just a sensation. That's all it is. I'm training my mind not to label sensations, however, the more I train my mind, the more I realize that there is a very VERY subtle line between trying to change/wanting to change/allowing change.
Sometimes I'll focus EXTREMELY intently only to realize that I'm craving something too much (maybe to become aware), and I'll relax and become more aware than I previously was. Sometimes, I'll realize that I'm not as aware as I should be, then I'll become more aware. It's really a "game" so to speak (sematics, smemantics; words are words). The mind inside my head constantly gets me to indentify with old emotions, memoriies, or even future ones, but it's my job to stay aware of whatever goes on.
If I find myself "reacting" or "slipping", I'll usually adjust my posture, maybe take a deep breath in, and get back to focusing on sensations.
If I find myself getting tired, then I'll just adjust posture, take a couple of deep breaths, and continue.
If I find myself getting agitated (which I do whenever I ask myself, "How much more time do I have?"), then I just relax and allow whatever is. I focus on the here, now, not the "soon to be".
The deeper I go, the more I realize that it's an ever constant battle between my awareness and my mind. The mind has reigned for so long that whenever I attempt to master it, it often resists.
Only awareness and equanimity are able to purify the mind at the deepest level.
That's what Vipassana is all about.
-AR
@ceoarob, @diskodancer, and everybody else who has attended the vipassana course and is now meditating more than one hour a day.
I'm taking a course in june, but already am an experienced meditator. However, I usually keep my sessions short (15-30 minutes).
I want to extend this time to 1-3 hours a day you guys are doing, but I need some help with this.
Do you have a fixed time (9AM) or a fixed moment (after waking up)?
A fixed time would train your body to be alert that time, but it's hard if your sleep-wake rhytm is unstable.
A fixed moment would be easier then, but then my body is sometimes tired and I fall asleep.
What do you focus on (Directed at breath, or undirected?)
Is your attention undirected, i.e. whatever sensations you have in your body, or is it a focused attention (concentrate on breath through nostrils)?
EDIT: I read some more about the course; you scan every bit of your body. Do you do this multiple times, from quick and gross to slow and fine?
Do you focus on the sensations that draw your attention, or do you direct attention and go part-for-part through your whole body?
What do you emphasize during focus? (Physical sensations and change of breath, or the occurence of breath?)
Since you practice vipassana, I believe you focus on experiencing every subtle change and all the details of the physical sensation of the breath.
If you practice the Jhana's (Zen) more, the goal is a more deep concentration (absorption), and you focus on the OCCURENCE of the breath, not on the physical sensations in the breath itself.
Do you have specific ways of dealing with the hindrances?
Do you even try to recognize and label them, or do you just notice distractions?
Do you "feel" you way into meditation (increasing commitment when doubting, concentrating harder when feeling sloth and torper, making less effort when feeling restlessness, etc)?
How do you deal with sloth and torpor (or being tired)? Makes no sense to meditate if you can't concentrate, as you'll only fall asleep!
Ceaorob already said he practices "sittings of stong determinations", emphasizing the fact you aren't allowed to move or react at anything AT ALL.
I am also implementing the gradual increase of mediation time.
Thanks for answering the questions guys!!
I'm taking a course in june, but already am an experienced meditator. However, I usually keep my sessions short (15-30 minutes).
I want to extend this time to 1-3 hours a day you guys are doing, but I need some help with this.
Do you have a fixed time (9AM) or a fixed moment (after waking up)?
A fixed time would train your body to be alert that time, but it's hard if your sleep-wake rhytm is unstable.
A fixed moment would be easier then, but then my body is sometimes tired and I fall asleep.
What do you focus on (Directed at breath, or undirected?)
Is your attention undirected, i.e. whatever sensations you have in your body, or is it a focused attention (concentrate on breath through nostrils)?
EDIT: I read some more about the course; you scan every bit of your body. Do you do this multiple times, from quick and gross to slow and fine?
Do you focus on the sensations that draw your attention, or do you direct attention and go part-for-part through your whole body?
What do you emphasize during focus? (Physical sensations and change of breath, or the occurence of breath?)
Since you practice vipassana, I believe you focus on experiencing every subtle change and all the details of the physical sensation of the breath.
If you practice the Jhana's (Zen) more, the goal is a more deep concentration (absorption), and you focus on the OCCURENCE of the breath, not on the physical sensations in the breath itself.
Do you have specific ways of dealing with the hindrances?
Do you even try to recognize and label them, or do you just notice distractions?
Do you "feel" you way into meditation (increasing commitment when doubting, concentrating harder when feeling sloth and torper, making less effort when feeling restlessness, etc)?
How do you deal with sloth and torpor (or being tired)? Makes no sense to meditate if you can't concentrate, as you'll only fall asleep!
Ceaorob already said he practices "sittings of stong determinations", emphasizing the fact you aren't allowed to move or react at anything AT ALL.
I am also implementing the gradual increase of mediation time.
Thanks for answering the questions guys!!
__________________
My game = social skills + having a dick. Morely the latter.
Thank you very much for your detailed reply!
I am taking a mindfulness course, but the meditation there stays at a shallow level.
My vipassana course is scheduled in June!
I only know all this meditation stuff from books and internet, so a lot of what you say sounds very familiar...
But only at a theoretical level ---I haven't be able to practically implement it.
Your reply contains exactly the practical advice I needed to do jus that! Thanks!
I know "the game" you tell about - at least on some level.
I relate this very much to the "truth realization" Jed McKenna speaks about.
Your mind indeed tries to constantly "trap" you by identifying you with something.
Which is the same as thing things are "true",
Which is the same as failing to see the impermanent nature of things.
This only works if you don't see it;
once you see a "truth", you can start doubting it, and it gets destroyed, because "this too shall pass".
and everytime you think you found something stable of secure...
... it's just another fake-truth. a dogma. a habitual reaction.
this kind of stuff gives you the freedom to react different to situations; it gives you the ability to escape habits and change yourself.
awareness also gives you also the freedom to choose your reaction - simply because you aware of something happening and you can intervene.
(but, if you watch more closely to see what you base your alternate reaction on, you probably see more ego stuff..... but at least it's one level more in "freedom" than the previous)
I am taking a mindfulness course, but the meditation there stays at a shallow level.
My vipassana course is scheduled in June!
I only know all this meditation stuff from books and internet, so a lot of what you say sounds very familiar...
But only at a theoretical level ---I haven't be able to practically implement it.
Your reply contains exactly the practical advice I needed to do jus that! Thanks!
I know "the game" you tell about - at least on some level.
I relate this very much to the "truth realization" Jed McKenna speaks about.
Your mind indeed tries to constantly "trap" you by identifying you with something.
Which is the same as thing things are "true",
Which is the same as failing to see the impermanent nature of things.
This only works if you don't see it;
once you see a "truth", you can start doubting it, and it gets destroyed, because "this too shall pass".
and everytime you think you found something stable of secure...
... it's just another fake-truth. a dogma. a habitual reaction.
this kind of stuff gives you the freedom to react different to situations; it gives you the ability to escape habits and change yourself.
awareness also gives you also the freedom to choose your reaction - simply because you aware of something happening and you can intervene.
(but, if you watch more closely to see what you base your alternate reaction on, you probably see more ego stuff..... but at least it's one level more in "freedom" than the previous)
__________________
wel heb ik je ooit!
Great then, I hope that my reply has helped you in some way or form.
I just looked at my time log (RescueTime) and realized that I've spent WAY too much time on this RSDN thing. Right now, I'm going through a period in my life where I need to get things on track really fast, so I'm making alot of changes.
I'm g oing to be off the forums for the next 30 days, cutting out Facebook and another forum I frequent also. This is just to get me more on task and eliminate distractions.
However, if you need me, email me.
Check your Inbox for email.
-AR
I just looked at my time log (RescueTime) and realized that I've spent WAY too much time on this RSDN thing. Right now, I'm going through a period in my life where I need to get things on track really fast, so I'm making alot of changes.
I'm g oing to be off the forums for the next 30 days, cutting out Facebook and another forum I frequent also. This is just to get me more on task and eliminate distractions.
However, if you need me, email me.
Check your Inbox for email.
-AR
Thank you very much for your detailed reply!
I am taking a mindfulness course, but the meditation there stays at a shallow level.
My vipassana course is scheduled in June!
I only know all this meditation stuff from books and internet, so a lot of what you say sounds very familiar...
But only at a theoretical level ---I haven't be able to practically implement it.
Your reply contains exactly the practical advice I needed to do jus that! Thanks!
I know "the game" you tell about - at least on some level.
I relate this very much to the "truth realization" Jed McKenna speaks about.
Your mind indeed tries to constantly "trap" you by identifying you with something.
Which is the same as thing things are "true",
Which is the same as failing to see the impermanent nature of things.
This only works if you don't see it;
once you see a "truth", you can start doubting it, and it gets destroyed, because "this too shall pass".
and everytime you think you found something stable of secure...
... it's just another fake-truth. a dogma. a habitual reaction.
this kind of stuff gives you the freedom to react different to situations; it gives you the ability to escape habits and change yourself.
awareness also gives you also the freedom to choose your reaction - simply because you aware of something happening and you can intervene.
(but, if you watch more closely to see what you base your alternate reaction on, you probably see more ego stuff..... but at least it's one level more in "freedom" than the previous)
I am taking a mindfulness course, but the meditation there stays at a shallow level.
My vipassana course is scheduled in June!
I only know all this meditation stuff from books and internet, so a lot of what you say sounds very familiar...
But only at a theoretical level ---I haven't be able to practically implement it.
Your reply contains exactly the practical advice I needed to do jus that! Thanks!
I know "the game" you tell about - at least on some level.
I relate this very much to the "truth realization" Jed McKenna speaks about.
Your mind indeed tries to constantly "trap" you by identifying you with something.
Which is the same as thing things are "true",
Which is the same as failing to see the impermanent nature of things.
This only works if you don't see it;
once you see a "truth", you can start doubting it, and it gets destroyed, because "this too shall pass".
and everytime you think you found something stable of secure...
... it's just another fake-truth. a dogma. a habitual reaction.
this kind of stuff gives you the freedom to react different to situations; it gives you the ability to escape habits and change yourself.
awareness also gives you also the freedom to choose your reaction - simply because you aware of something happening and you can intervene.
(but, if you watch more closely to see what you base your alternate reaction on, you probably see more ego stuff..... but at least it's one level more in "freedom" than the previous)
__________________
My game = social skills + having a dick. Morely the latter.
markzor
Respected Member
Join Date: 11/25/2009 | Posts: 810
i do like 20-30 minutes, and sometimes 1 hour MAX.
If I have a good session, I notice that my mind becomes more quiet after 10 minutes.
You start with directing attention ALL THE TIME, never having time enough to sustain attention and to actually concentrate.
After 10 minutes or so, my mind seems to settle down and I can put a little less effort into meditating.
(That is, if I am not too restless or too tired)
do you do a reaaaaal slow bodyscan (focusing attention on different parts of your body)
or do you focus solely on the breath?
do you practice the "strong determination" and sit absolutely still?
mind you, I only have a couple of years (summed up) meditation experience - I didn't take the course yet.
I would love to try longer sessions and see what happens.