Meditation?

[Agnosco311]

I've recently started taking yoga classes and before and at the end we're given time to meditate. I feel at peace but I don't get these visions or an out of body experience, what are some common things to feel and what are some more suggestions to getting more out of these meditations?

 

[metaphours]

Metaphours is just cooler than me.

lulz totallai.

I think the only reason I recieve the attention I do get sometimes on these threads is because of the whole "pederasty thread" controversy, so don't worry SuperServal.

 

[Nonsensical]

I've recently started taking yoga classes and before and at the end we're given time to meditate. I feel at peace but I don't get these visions or an out of body experience, what are some common things to feel and what are some more suggestions to getting more out of these meditations?

It comes with practice and through very deep meditation.

It kind of just happens, too. It's all in your psyche, so you can't control it too well.

I suggest just going as deep as you possibly can and as often as you can. That will increase the chances of having a vision.

But again, don't count on anything, it just happens.

 

[metaphours]

I've recently started taking yoga classes and before and at the end we're given time to meditate. I feel at peace but I don't get these visions or an out of body experience, what are some common things to feel and what are some more suggestions to getting more out of these meditations?

Hmm... well maybe since your in a yoga class with other people, you may not feel truly "at peace". Typically I meditate alone, because that's the only time I feel comfortable/at peace enough to get at least a decent meditation session going.

 

[SuperServal]

I've recently started taking yoga classes and before and at the end we're given time to meditate. I feel at peace but I don't get these visions or an out of body experience, what are some common things to feel and what are some more suggestions to getting more out of these meditations?

It is not common to have very lucid visions or to have an out of body experience. Really meditation is just to put you at peace. I usually feel energize after the peaceful moment of meditation.

 

[metaphours]

It is not common to have very lucid visions or to have an out of body experience. Really meditation is just to put you at peace. I usually feel energize after the peaceful moment of meditation.

+1

Lucid visions/out of body experiences are something one experiences when they practice astral projection, which is far more difficult and complex to accomplish, but it's not impossible.

 

[alcea rosea]

^ It's quite easy to start meditating. There's no proper way actually, all you do is find some place quiet to sit down, close your eyes, cleanse your mind of your worries and just be one with your soul. It does take a bit of practice to get it right, but for some people they're just able to jump into it.

But it is difficult. I have really trouble in calming my mind down. I have trouble not thinking. Or not having any thoughts in my mind. That is why I should probably start practising it.

 

[SuperServal]

Another interesting thing to try is to not erase all thoughts. Instead let some thoughts tumble in but don't engage them. Just acknowledge the bit of thought and let it tumble back out. I think this may help one see their own thoughts more objectively. Instead of perceiving the world through a constant string of thoughts, you can more purely perceive your own thoughts. This is rather hard to do though because it is between buzzing thoughts and a peaceful/clear mind.

 

[metaphours]

But it is difficult. I have really trouble in calming my mind down. I have trouble not thinking. Or not having any thoughts in my mind. That is why I should probably start practising it.

Yes, you really should.
It is quite difficult clearing your mind, which is why I suggest using some light ambient music to get you in the mood.

 

[Nonsensical]

But it is difficult. I have really trouble in calming my mind down. I have trouble not thinking. Or not having any thoughts in my mind. That is why I should probably start practising it.

It's different for everybody. Maybe something to do with Introversion/Extroversion. Some people it is easy, and for others it takes practice.

It is also hard for me to calm my mind down to a stand still. It took a lot to start, and still does from time to time, which is annoying .

 

[metaphours]

It's different for everybody. Maybe something to do with Introversion/Extroversion. Some people it is easy, and for others it takes practice.

It is also hard for me to calm my mind down to a stand still. It took a lot to start, and still does from time to time, which is annoying .

Yeah, it's probably an extrovert thing to have trouble clearing your mind

 

[Nonsensical]

Yeah, it's probably an extrovert thing to have trouble clearing your mind

lolz, Extrovertz.

 

[alcea rosea]

Yes, you really should.
It is quite difficult clearing your mind, which is why I suggest using some light ambient music to get you in the mood.

Yes, I might try that.
I'll really have to think about this and start practicing and find my own way to calm down.

I kind of think I should start meditating outside, because I live in the countryside, there is lots of nature around and the it's mostly quiet. During winter, it's going to be cold, thought.


Poor us extrovertzszzzssszz

 

[Nonsensical]

Yes, I might try that.
I'll really have to think about this and start practicing and find my own way to calm down.

I kind of think I should start meditating outside, because I live in the countryside, there is lots of nature around and the it's mostly quiet. During winter, it's going to be cold, thought.


Poor us extroverzszzzssszz

That's where I started!

 

[alcea rosea]

That's where I started!

So you'll doing meditation successfully these days? How long did it take you before you could really calm down? How did you "prevent" the thoughts?

 

[Nonsensical]

So you'll doing meditation successfully these days? How long did it take you before you could really calm down? How did you "prevent" the thoughts?

Pretty much, yes. Sometimes it's a little hard.

I don't do it too terribly much, usually when I'm alone and have been for a long time, when I'm calm already (ironically).

It all starts with eliminating the thins you are worrying about. Sit down and make yourself feel better though positive thought. If you are worrying or anxious, that is.

Then, it all starts with your breathing. Just take deep breaths, and slowing heart rates and brain waves will follow. It's different for a lot of people, so this is how I usually manifest meditation.

Good luck! I know that wasn't much help, but I hope you can get it.

 

[Scott N Denver]

I understand, but his thoughts on marijuana were just blatantly ignorant.

I've never smoked weed, or anything else for that matter. I don't know much about the stuff itself.

Hmm, I'm strongly questioning the meaning of this thread now...

What to say, and how to say it........

I could talk about how my background in meditation, experiences I've had, samadhis I've had. I could blab all sorts of theory about levels of consciousness and characteristic experiences at different levels. I could talk about my personal experiences of that and how it ties into this theory or that one. I thought this thread was looking for that, but now I'm not so sure...

I've read numerous times in numerous books by numerous authors who say either 1) don't do drugs, or 2) your not in control and so at best your swimming in an ocean thats going to do whatever it wants to you. Swami Satyananda and Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev are two Indian yoga teachers whom I've recently read sections where they said those things. The second is clearly enlightened, it is my evaluation the first is as well. Both preserve what are in essence yogic paths to enlightenment. I've read numerous theosophical works discussing how drugs, and excessive alcohol, open people's chakras in ways that leave one's "defense" mechanisms inoperative. Expressed differently, you now stand open to the astral plane without defenses and a lot of nasty *stuff* is probably gonna come after you. In Taoist chi gung their is that phrase "fire goes to the devil" where things go wrong, and people have all sorts of visions of being on fire, drowning, spirits and devils attacking them and goodness only knows what else. In shamanic dismemberment animal spirits eat your body. In shamanic discussions, in theosophical discussions, in yogic discussions, in taoist discussions, and probably in buddhist discussions, all have at best "looked down" on drug usage, most consider it misguided and/or dangerous.

In essence I was paraphrasing the advice of very advanced yogic or other spiritual teachers. If you wanna ignore me so be it. If you wanna think I'm stupid or uninformed, about marijuana or whatever else, then so be it. But ignore the advice of very advanced spiritual teachers at your own peril. Serious meditators and others can intentionally and safely enter/induce various states, there are very serious reasons we "look down" on drugs.

 

[Scott N Denver]

To each their own, but to me, when someone who is a lineage holder in a multi-thousand year meditative tradition, or someone who is one of their top-tier students, says "don't use drugs, they are bad" I listen. Bruce Kumar Frantzis being a top-tier student of lineage holder Liu Hung Chieh of Taoism, and Paramahamsa Swami Satyananda being a top tier student of Swami Sivanada of Rishikesh come to mind. I just opened Frantzis's Relaxing into your Being trying to find what he says he experienced when he had "fire goes to devil" and flipped to page 71 about "Addiction to Psychic Power: the Traps". While not quite in line with the current discussion here it seemed relevant to me.

 

[Scott N Denver]

If your looking for some spiritual training to tell you "yes, its ok to use drugs" shamanism of some sort or other will be your best bet. They are probably most well known for using that.

Ok, still no discussion of "fire goes to devil", but on page 187of above -mentioned Frantzis book, someone asks about meditation and "recreational drug usage". I won't quote at length, but here are some snippets: "Taoists believe that recreational drugs dull clarity of mind and thereby retard or completely block progress towards the deeper levels of meditation", "exploring [mind/spirit expansions] with drugs may extract a terrible price", "drug induced visions are not even a shadow of" higher consciousness, "drugs impede their progress [of spiritual development"], "the prolonged use of recreational drugs does indeed retard progress in meditation", "side effects distort the energy of "the subtle bodies]" "some [drugs] damage brain functions"

According to yogic theory and theosophy I've read, drugs damage and create holes in subtle bodies. Simply put, that's bad.

Ok, I think I'm done now. Carry on...

 

[Scott N Denver]

If you wanna read about what some other people can meditate into I'd suggest: Siddha Yoga's Swami Muktananda's Play of Consciousness, Swami Sivananda has a Spiritual Experiences book, anything by Ken Wilber [Spectrum of Consciousness, A brief History of Everything, or ESPECIALLY One Taste: the Journals of Ken Wilber], and some other stuff I might think of later.

Personally, I've meditated for like maybe 10 years now??? Back in the day I was much better and would go into samadhi [meditative absorption] 29 times out of 30. I'd describe some of those experiences as "decontractions or ungrippings" in consciousness followed by resting in whatever particular field of consciousness.
Now its like my mental wanderings go down dramatically and I can focus on one thing and when I do things go into "flow states" but its not focused enough or relaxed enough to lead to samadhi. I can regularly: feel big, feel small, vibrate, feel like "my soul wants to leave my body", see colors, see images, feel visited, have moments of "clarity", but for the most part its a way of relaxing or slowing down the stream of thoughts. I consider myself an intermediate practitioner of taoism, buddhism, and hinduism/yoga with occasional forays into advanced states/practice. That's my short answer.


addition: I didn't thinkof it under meditation since I can do it more or less anytime, but since it ties in I wish to point out that I can sense and "use" numerous of my chakras, as well as sense and "use" several of my subtle bodies. But those do have more going on while I meditate, and in particular its like they energize, unify, and go into "harmonic convergence" if you will.