Ways of meditate and its benefits.. by _ARviN_ 2011/05/05 09:45
With the hectic pace and
demands of modern life, many
people feel stressed and over-
worked. It often feels like there
is just not enough time in the
day to get everything done. Our
stress and tiredness make us
unhappy, impatient and
frustrated. It can even affect
our health. We are often so busy
we feel there is no time to stop
and meditate! But meditation
actually gives you more time by
making your mind calmer and
more focused. A simple ten or
fifteen minute breathing
meditation as explained below
can help you to overcome your
stress and find some inner
peace and balance.
Meditation can also help us to
understand our own mind. We
can learn how to transform our
mind from negative to positive,
from disturbed to peaceful,
from unhappy to happy.
Overcoming negative minds and
cultivating constructive
thoughts is the purpose of the
transforming meditations found
in the Buddhist tradition. This is
a profound spiritual practice
you can enjoy throughout the
day, not just while seated in
meditation.
With the hectic pace and
demands of modern life, many
people feel stressed and over-
worked. It often feels like there
is just not enough time in the
day to get everything done. Our
stress and tiredness make us
unhappy, impatient and
frustrated. It can even affect
our health. We are often so busy
we feel there is no time to stop
and meditate! But meditation
actually gives you more time by
making your mind calmer and
more focused. A simple ten or
fifteen minute breathing
meditation as explained below
can help you to overcome your
stress and find some inner
peace and balance.
Meditation can also help us to
understand our own mind. We
can learn how to transform our
mind from negative to positive,
from disturbed to peaceful,
from unhappy to happy.
Overcoming negative minds and
cultivating constructive
thoughts is the purpose of the
transforming meditations found
in the Buddhist tradition. This is
a profound spiritual practice
you can enjoy throughout the
day, not just while seated in
meditation.
_ARviN_ 2011/05/05 09:46
Here are some ways to make
meditation less of a chore
and more like a fun, doable
thing for you.
1. Try the 100 Breaths
technique.
This is a highly complex
meditation technique!
I take 100 breaths. I count them.
I try not to think about
anything else.
Yup. Its revolutionary. And it
also really works for me. It gives
my brain something to do (wee!
counting!) while the rest of me
is just hanging out,
inadvertently meditating.
The lesson here is this: There are
so many ways you can
meditate. Explore them to find a
way thats really easy for you,
and just do that.
Here are some ways to make
meditation less of a chore
and more like a fun, doable
thing for you.
1. Try the 100 Breaths
technique.
This is a highly complex
meditation technique!
I take 100 breaths. I count them.
I try not to think about
anything else.
Yup. Its revolutionary. And it
also really works for me. It gives
my brain something to do (wee!
counting!) while the rest of me
is just hanging out,
inadvertently meditating.
The lesson here is this: There are
so many ways you can
meditate. Explore them to find a
way thats really easy for you,
and just do that.
_ARviN_ 2011/05/05 09:47
2. Take a Meditationap.
Be careful. This one is complex.
Oh yesits the love child of a
meditation and a nap.
Lie down on a bed, couch, or sun
lounge, or pile your (empty)
bath with pillows and blankets.
Close your eyes and do nothing.
Maybe youll fall asleep. Maybe
youll have Zen inspiration.
Maybe youll just happily float
along. Either way, it will be
sublime.
My favorite meditationap
consists of a sun lounge, a
blanket, an afternoon, and my
ipod filled with lovely music. If
10-day Zen master meditation
retreats consisted of this kind
of meditating, I could totally do
them!
The lessons here is: Meditation
should be enjoyable. We only
consistently do things we
actually like doing!
2. Take a Meditationap.
Be careful. This one is complex.
Oh yesits the love child of a
meditation and a nap.
Lie down on a bed, couch, or sun
lounge, or pile your (empty)
bath with pillows and blankets.
Close your eyes and do nothing.
Maybe youll fall asleep. Maybe
youll have Zen inspiration.
Maybe youll just happily float
along. Either way, it will be
sublime.
My favorite meditationap
consists of a sun lounge, a
blanket, an afternoon, and my
ipod filled with lovely music. If
10-day Zen master meditation
retreats consisted of this kind
of meditating, I could totally do
them!
The lessons here is: Meditation
should be enjoyable. We only
consistently do things we
actually like doing!
_ARviN_ 2011/05/05 09:48
3. Use the Alarm Clock
Meditation.
If 100 breaths isnt going to cut
it for you, set a timer for 5
minutes. Then meditate until the
timer goes off. This way, you
dont have to wonder about
how long its been, or how much
longer you should meditate for.
Its like meditation on cruise-
drive.
The lesson here is: Make your
meditation as cruise-drivey as
possible.
3. Use the Alarm Clock
Meditation.
If 100 breaths isnt going to cut
it for you, set a timer for 5
minutes. Then meditate until the
timer goes off. This way, you
dont have to wonder about
how long its been, or how much
longer you should meditate for.
Its like meditation on cruise-
drive.
The lesson here is: Make your
meditation as cruise-drivey as
possible.
_ARviN_ 2011/05/05 09:48
4. Get comfortable.
I started looking at things that
annoyed me about meditation
the stuff that held me back
from doing it. And one of the
annoying things was this:
I dont like being uncomfortable.
I dont think anyone does. And
sitting cross-legged in lotus with
astraight back and poised
mudra fingers doesnt spell
comfortable to me. It spells pins
and needles, sore butt, and achy
back.
Maybe when Im a woo-woo
yoga guru master it wont, but
for right now, Im not, and it
does. So for me, its an exercise
in getting comfy without falling
asleep.
What this looks like for me is
sitting in a comfy armchair
inside, lying on a sun lounge on
the back deck, or leaning against
a wall outside. What comfy
looks like to you might be totally
different.
The lesson here is: Meditating
isnt an exercise in feeling
uncomfortable. Its a place of
rest, stillness and comfort. So
get comfy.
4. Get comfortable.
I started looking at things that
annoyed me about meditation
the stuff that held me back
from doing it. And one of the
annoying things was this:
I dont like being uncomfortable.
I dont think anyone does. And
sitting cross-legged in lotus with
astraight back and poised
mudra fingers doesnt spell
comfortable to me. It spells pins
and needles, sore butt, and achy
back.
Maybe when Im a woo-woo
yoga guru master it wont, but
for right now, Im not, and it
does. So for me, its an exercise
in getting comfy without falling
asleep.
What this looks like for me is
sitting in a comfy armchair
inside, lying on a sun lounge on
the back deck, or leaning against
a wall outside. What comfy
looks like to you might be totally
different.
The lesson here is: Meditating
isnt an exercise in feeling
uncomfortable. Its a place of
rest, stillness and comfort. So
get comfy.
_ARviN_ 2011/05/05 09:49
5. Fake it for 10 breaths.
When I really, really need to
meditate, and I dont feel like I
have time, I make a little pact
with myself. I say to myself:
Okay, we so dont have to
meditate for any pain-in-the-ass
time at all. Lets just do ten
breaths.
And my logical brain says:
Ten breaths? You think I have
time for ten breaths of
meditation? Are you kidding me!
Ihave stuff to do lady! Were
not on retreat you hippy!
And I say:
Oh. I know youre really busy. I
really feel like I need this. You
and me. Besides, its only for ten
breaths.
Logical brain:
Fine. But only ten. And Im
counting.
And then we do our ten breaths
and its nice. And we either stop
there because we feel like weve
refreshed just enough, or we
keep going for another ten or
twenty because it just feels so
good.
The lesson here is: Start small.
Everyone has time for 10
breaths. See what happens. Its a
little way of moving around
resistances.
5. Fake it for 10 breaths.
When I really, really need to
meditate, and I dont feel like I
have time, I make a little pact
with myself. I say to myself:
Okay, we so dont have to
meditate for any pain-in-the-ass
time at all. Lets just do ten
breaths.
And my logical brain says:
Ten breaths? You think I have
time for ten breaths of
meditation? Are you kidding me!
Ihave stuff to do lady! Were
not on retreat you hippy!
And I say:
Oh. I know youre really busy. I
really feel like I need this. You
and me. Besides, its only for ten
breaths.
Logical brain:
Fine. But only ten. And Im
counting.
And then we do our ten breaths
and its nice. And we either stop
there because we feel like weve
refreshed just enough, or we
keep going for another ten or
twenty because it just feels so
good.
The lesson here is: Start small.
Everyone has time for 10
breaths. See what happens. Its a
little way of moving around
resistances.
_ARviN_ 2011/05/05 09:50
6. Make it a reward.
Meditation should be fun and
easy, and it should feel good for
younot excruciatingly boring
or painful. Work out the thing
about meditation that makes it
really, really useful for you. Not
I should meditate because
everyone says so. Not even an
I should meditate.
Find a way that makes you think
I want to meditate.
Heres the meditation pay-off
for me:
Whenever I take 100 breaths,
its kind of boring for the first
59. But then I hit 60, and for the
next ten seconds, it feels like
nirvana. I dont know if its a
rush of oxygen to the head, or
just because I finally relax then,
but whatever it is, 60 is good.
And it makes those 59 seconds
before it so very, very worth it.
My little reward is the 60-second
release.
The lesson here is: Find your
personal treat from meditating.
And keep remembering it. Use it
as a reward for getting yourself
there.
6. Make it a reward.
Meditation should be fun and
easy, and it should feel good for
younot excruciatingly boring
or painful. Work out the thing
about meditation that makes it
really, really useful for you. Not
I should meditate because
everyone says so. Not even an
I should meditate.
Find a way that makes you think
I want to meditate.
Heres the meditation pay-off
for me:
Whenever I take 100 breaths,
its kind of boring for the first
59. But then I hit 60, and for the
next ten seconds, it feels like
nirvana. I dont know if its a
rush of oxygen to the head, or
just because I finally relax then,
but whatever it is, 60 is good.
And it makes those 59 seconds
before it so very, very worth it.
My little reward is the 60-second
release.
The lesson here is: Find your
personal treat from meditating.
And keep remembering it. Use it
as a reward for getting yourself
there.
_ARviN_ 2011/05/05 09:51
7. Use help when you need it.
When I need extra help in
meditating, I use CDs. Theyre like
my own little personal guides
into sweet-calm-space.
Try out different CDs, guides,
and meditation techniques, and
see what works for you. And
what works for you, make that
the golden wisdom in your life.
The lesson here is: Dont think
you have to go it alone.
Everythings easier with a little
support.
7. Use help when you need it.
When I need extra help in
meditating, I use CDs. Theyre like
my own little personal guides
into sweet-calm-space.
Try out different CDs, guides,
and meditation techniques, and
see what works for you. And
what works for you, make that
the golden wisdom in your life.
The lesson here is: Dont think
you have to go it alone.
Everythings easier with a little
support.
_ARviN_ 2011/05/05 09:53
8. And most of all
Remember that the reason you
arent meditating right now is
not because you are lazy. Its
because you havent yet found
a way to meditate for you that
is fun, easy, and comfortable for
you. Find the way that does, and
then its much, much easier.
Remove the annoying parts
from meditating. Try out all the
different ways you can to make
it as lovely an experience as
possible.
And remember: you are the
expert on you. Find the
wonderful things that work for
you, and ignore the rest.
8. And most of all
Remember that the reason you
arent meditating right now is
not because you are lazy. Its
because you havent yet found
a way to meditate for you that
is fun, easy, and comfortable for
you. Find the way that does, and
then its much, much easier.
Remove the annoying parts
from meditating. Try out all the
different ways you can to make
it as lovely an experience as
possible.
And remember: you are the
expert on you. Find the
wonderful things that work for
you, and ignore the rest.
Boet 2011/05/05 10:08
Ah, i find sitting in peakhour trafic, counting from 1 to 10 for every violation by impatient drivers, really is a unique way of meditation. Another effective one is to concentrate on not swearing when i hit my thumb with a hammer
Ah, i find sitting in peakhour trafic, counting from 1 to 10 for every violation by impatient drivers, really is a unique way of meditation. Another effective one is to concentrate on not swearing when i hit my thumb with a hammer
TheMouse 2011/05/05 11:41
One good method of meditating is for me to feed my often shy little animals by hand, which involves heaping the food on my hand which then I have to keep perfectly still for up to half an hour, as well as the rest of my body. As the process of the shy little pets climbing around my arm and feeding while sitting on my hand is so calming and such a valuable experience to me every day, being physically still becomes a byproduct instead of a task, and my thoughts get so calm and meaningless that the 'race' in the mind also stops. - Another method for me is to use prayer beads while walking for a few hours in the country to recite mantras which will stop all the thoughts I would otherwise get lost in while walking. Well, I'm lucky that I don't find it so difficult, as the hectic rush of 'modern' life isn't part of my life anyway.
One good method of meditating is for me to feed my often shy little animals by hand, which involves heaping the food on my hand which then I have to keep perfectly still for up to half an hour, as well as the rest of my body. As the process of the shy little pets climbing around my arm and feeding while sitting on my hand is so calming and such a valuable experience to me every day, being physically still becomes a byproduct instead of a task, and my thoughts get so calm and meaningless that the 'race' in the mind also stops. - Another method for me is to use prayer beads while walking for a few hours in the country to recite mantras which will stop all the thoughts I would otherwise get lost in while walking. Well, I'm lucky that I don't find it so difficult, as the hectic rush of 'modern' life isn't part of my life anyway.
Mahesh 2011/05/05 12:42
Yup, nice topic... Meditation is good. It reduces stress, induces relaxation....
Yup, nice topic... Meditation is good. It reduces stress, induces relaxation....
Pr1ya 2011/11/22 20:21
Nothing beats meditation, especially if its in an open space outside in peace and quite when all you can hear are the birds chirping and the wind blowing. Absolute tranquility.
Nothing beats meditation, especially if its in an open space outside in peace and quite when all you can hear are the birds chirping and the wind blowing. Absolute tranquility.
Replies: 25
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