does meditation help with productivity, or where's the benefit?
- Thread starter davidle
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Yah definitely... It's just like going to the gym... Different exercises create different qualities of strength and conditioning and target different areas of your body.
but no need to overwhelm yourself...
Start basic. Basic meaning that you simply focus your attention on an anchor point for a fixed period of time. Whenever your mind wanders you bring it back to your anchor point. You could try it for 5 minutes right now.
Close your eyes, observe your breathing without trying to control it, just observe it...
Your mind wanders (probably in the first 30 seconds), you remind yourself you're watching your breathing.
I have my reservations about transcendental meditation. Why? They don't really tell you anything unless you signup for their stuff, which is not free. And from what I've heard its just very basic mantra meditation, but they give you your own special personal mantra which is revealed to your guru trainer. Seems kinda weird to me... But lots of rich people do it. Seems kinda like the scientology of meditation.
Just start simple. Watch your breath, or maybe stare at your bedroom wall for 10 minutes. Or look at a candle flame burning. Anthing that requires you hold your attention/focus on 1 thing.
The key to all of this is to actually notice just how much your mind wanders and how much it has a "mind of its own"... which you can only really start to notice once you try to deliberately calm it and focus it.
It can be a little disconcerting at first to see just how crazy you are inside your own head.
"Focus on breathing.. I am focused on my breathing... hrmm what should I have for dinner tonight, maybe I'll make chicken, but my friend said something about chickens the other day, that was weird I'm starting to not really enjoy hanging out with him anymore... OH WAIT I'M MEDITATING... ok i am breathing, i am focused on my breathing... etc..etc.."
good luck!
It's not just about focusing on the breath. Can anyone can do that. It's a bit more subtle
You have to discern between in breaths and out breaths as they happen.
Then you have to discern between long and shorth breaths.
Eventually the breathing process becomes completely autonomous (as it should be naturally) and some cool things might happen next...
You have to discern between in breaths and out breaths as they happen.
Then you have to discern between long and shorth breaths.
Eventually the breathing process becomes completely autonomous (as it should be naturally) and some cool things might happen next...
Thanks man I'll be trying it tonight before I go to sleep.
... like what?
What wikipedia entry are you looking at? If you are looking for something that says "science has proven", you are not ever going to find that because as I pointed out the other day, science can never fully prove anything. Yeah, there is plenty more research they can do in regards to meditation, but there are studies that point towards it having benefits.
Meditation - Scientific Studies - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
it will improve every aspect of your life.
sit straight in a chair. count your breaths 1 2 3 4 and repeat. let thoughts arise and disappear, always bring your attention back to your breath.
do this 15-20 mins 1-2 times day.
that's it.
in this case simple is best.
sit straight in a chair. count your breaths 1 2 3 4 and repeat. let thoughts arise and disappear, always bring your attention back to your breath.
do this 15-20 mins 1-2 times day.
that's it.
in this case simple is best.
A lot of people go into trance/meditation without trying, so very achievable once you learn how to use your senses in a way that they can become resourceful to you. Ever just sit and stare at something while your thinking or making images? You're trancin' out bro
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gid-Ag082lo&]Internal Human Energy - YouTube[/ame]
I do 20 minutes in the morning first thing and 20 minutes in the evening. I find it's really helped with anxiety and just clearing my head.
I listen to a 5hz Theta binaural beat while I meditate. Find it helps a lot for going deeper quicker. Blocks out other noise too and is just very relaxing.
I listen to a 5hz Theta binaural beat while I meditate. Find it helps a lot for going deeper quicker. Blocks out other noise too and is just very relaxing.
When I meditate I do not try to think or not think about any specific thing. I have no goals in meditation. I simply just let my thoughts happen. To ask my brain to not do what it is designed to do (think thoughts) then I am missing the point. Being aware of my thoughts is the idea, and my breathing is the focus. It was noisy up there at first but now I have a different perspective on my thoughts and why they are there.
The benefits for me are simply that it helps me chill my head out before the day tries to overwhelm me. Meditation is a practice that has really changed my outlook on the world and my inner-self.
The benefits for me are simply that it helps me chill my head out before the day tries to overwhelm me. Meditation is a practice that has really changed my outlook on the world and my inner-self.
I did a 10 day meditation retreat at a Buddhist monestary once. It was something like 14 hours a day of meditation. There was no instruction, i think they said just clear your mind or don't think about anything. Fucking nightmare, and no eating after noon was a killer too. Quit after 4 days and never tried meditation again lol.
I think combining a little with yoga is a better idea for many people who don't have the attention span.
I think combining a little with yoga is a better idea for many people who don't have the attention span.
If you really care and are not looking to exercise your ability to doubt and criticise... Go try it yourself and see.
It's better to go in without expectations than go in with conceptions on what is supposed to happen. Fixating on what is supposed to happen becomes a mental object and thus a hindrance.
Otherwise, look up states of absorptions/jnanas. Lots of people describe deep meditation experience.
That's like downing a case of vodka as your ever drink of alcohol, then claiming you'll never try beer because booze makes you ill.
Dumb question, but where did you find this? I'd like to find some such files.
EDIT - nevermind. Just found several on youtube that I can save/extract audio files from.
People have killed themselves after these intense meditation retreats...
I've always heeded the warnings of meditation masters who say that you shouldn't fuck around with this stuff. I keep my meditation simple, 10 minutes 2x per day, with the odd 1 hour meditation thrown in...
but I always proceed carefully