Meditation

I don't if my meditations would be labeled spiritual or not, as I don't meditate in the name of any god, but I do feel it is spiritual for me so I post this here.

I was curious if anyone else here engages in solitary or guided meditation. I've been using meditation as a spiritual and emotional "therapy" of sorts since I was in my mid-teens, though I didn't know until years later that's what I was doing. I find it very relaxing, especially when life throws me a bunch of curve balls.

I was delighted when just the other day I guided someone new to meditation through the process to help them with a problem they were experiencing, and saw results almost instantly. They needed a bit of help with an anxiety issue, something that was plaguing them constantly and actually causing problems in their relationship. I've been trying to help them with this issue since we became friends, but it's only been recently that I even thought that meditation might help. I'm so happy that I could help, because it seems that the issue has essentially resolved itself now, and the anxiety is gone.

Has anyone else here experienced positive impacts on their life from meditation, perhaps? I know it certainly helps me see things clearly and get this jumbled mess I call a brain in order.

 

Hah. While I enjoy taking a spirit journey with Mary Jane, that's not what I'm referring to in this thread, homie.

 

I've meditated before. I use it as a way to calm myself when life seems to be throwing me a curveball as well.

I usually just sit down, close my eyes and breathe deeply. Sometimes it feels like I go to a different place (if that makes sense), but mostly it just soothes me and it clears my head and usually allows me to see the path that I need to be taking at that particular time.

I love it. I should probably do that more often, especially now, but I can't seem to find the time or the energy. :smt011

 

Ah energy. Weird how something that requires sitting can be hard to do while tired! Tis true though. When I'm too drained I can't concentrate enough to do it. It's so wonderful when I can, though. I take a fake sensory vacation in my head and feel at peace with the world.

PS it is really strange to type on an iPhone. I "borrowed" nate's to play with. So strange!
p

 

Absolutely. Something that's supposed to relax you won't work if you're too tired and busy to concentrate on it. It's very weird.

 

me2! :mrgreen:

 

Okki, Im gonna make an attempt to get this thread ack on track -))

I do 20 m of meditaion in the morning.
Something I started after I went to this work/life balance workshop (dealing with increasing demands was the name.. or something). Thought I'll give it a try again - havent done it in a few years.

Anywho - I log way, way more than 40 h/week and felt I needed some help getting my life back on track so I took this course in hope it would give me some ideas.

One of them was to start the day with 20 minutes of meditation (there were several other ideas I took with me, bu tthe thread is about meditation).

I think it has done a lot for me to deal with stress and declutter the brain.
I have a tendency to get very one track minded when working and forget even to eat at times... when I get there, I take (force is the more fitting word) a few minutes to meditate and I get back on track.

I love it and dont think Ill quit it this time.

 

Where ken I get thoze? :shock:

I love pharmas!

 

Man, oh man - I can aways count on you!!
Sneaky, smart and a wise ass..
I knew there was a reason I like dyou!!!
:mrgreen:

 

I do it every day. First thing in the morning I stretch a wee bit and then meditate for 20 minutes.

I went on a week long retreat in Thailand a while ago and could not talk for a week. ALL I DID WAS MEDITATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you knew me you would know that me not speaking for a week is torture!

I think meditation clears the minds and calms the spirit. If I dont do it I feel all jumbled and anxious.

 

My brother taught me how to use meditation as pain management when I was a kid. My life's too chaotic for the time to meditate much, but when I'm sick or hurt, I still find meditation works better than tylenol.

 

I have never learnt meditation formally, but seem to naturally undertake something like it when needed. Stressful times seem to direct me towards solitude and a desire to wander. I walk for hours and mull things over in my mind. In this last week alone, I walked not less than 15km.

I also use imagining a lot - when I have things to be done, situations to deal with or emotions to curtail, I imagine how I will deal with it. This seems to help.

I like to be alone a lot anyway and meditation is just an extension of that, I think. I can't function without a lot of solitude. Perhaps I will attempt to learn something more formal one day, as I find my mind is becoming unruly.

 

I will reluctantly advise you all against it. Prayer is the nearest thing to it's health benefits, but in my experience, most people who meditate in an undisciplined manner, without focussing on a task/object etc, tend to get weird later. I've seen it happen too many times, in too many people, some of whom were perfectly normal before they started, to just ignore it.

If you're religious, pray. If not, don't meditate either, and for God's sake especially not the 'mind-in-neutral-gear' type. I've seen no good come of it.

 

I do some forms of it but have not learned formally how to do it. I would love to learn more about it as some days stress gets the better of me.

 

Really? That's interesting....

I like to just get downtime when I'm stressed. You know, close your eyes, take long, slow deep breaths and just try not to think. Just concentrate on my breathing. That helps a lot.

And on occasion I'll just try to sit for awhile and not think about anything in particular and let my mind go where it needs to go because it seems to help me find my purpose again.

 

Well, considering my experience has been the exact opposite, and as a therapy tool I find meditation to be quite positive, I don't think I'll stop any time soon.

I would suggest picking a word other than "weird", though, because that doesn't explain what you mean as well as you probably intended. It's just so subjective, since "weird" is different for everyone. I'm already rather weird to a lot of people, though I assume my own eccentricities are not the kind of weird you're referring to.

 

Meditation takes many forms. I practice Islamic breathing and movement meditation which are similar to yoga and tai chi. I also take bikram yoga classes which are less spiritual than other forms of yoga.

 

You can add my name firmly to the top of that former list, and your latter assumption isn't correct!

Really, you've read my advice and it applies to everyone here, you are not an exclusion. Cut it out. Before you get weirder.

 

Yes, well, I quite like who I am, and would rather embrace my weirdness than be someone I'm not. I embrace diversity and I'll never force myself to be what anyone but me wants me to be. So, thanks for the advice, but until you give advice that actually sounds good to me I'll not take it.