Meditation

[Mole]

Meditation has similar effects on the brain as prayer. Forms of meditation are or have been practiced in most religions, including early Christian mysticism. Being known for meditation only means it's known for meditation, considereing Buddhism is divided into a lot of very different denominations, it makes sense that meditation would be the common thread that ties them all together in people's minds.

Please try harder, you're just embarrassing yourself now.

Both prayer and meditation disable the prefrontal cortex. They disable critical thinking. They disable reason.

And not only do they disable reason, they enable imagination, they make us suggestible.

And hey, guess what - suggestions are made to us by those in positions of power and authority.

When we have been made suggestible by meditation or prayer, they teach their particular beliefs without any critical thinking.

It works.

 

[Mole]

What is the basis for your claim that it [meditation] puts the critical mind to sleep?

Read From Magic to Technology by Dennis Wier, to understand how meditation puts the critical mind to sleep.

For a place to start reading about meditation and the sleep of reason, click on Trance: from magic to technology - Magical Path

 

[Yuurei]

We have discovered that it is institutions that protect the perpetrators.

The institutions cover up the crimes.

The institutions continue to employ the perpetrators in positions of authority and power.

And now we have made it explicit: it is itself a crime not to report a known crime to the police.

The psychological problem is that many identify with the institution to which they belong, and don't believe it can do any wrong, and believe that whistle blowers are trying to destroy the institution, and so, by implication, are trying to destroy them.

Fortunately our Australian Federal Police (AFP) no longer have this problem nor do our Judiciary. So now we go after criminal institutions and their officer bearers.

Really? Do you personally know many Buddhist Monks ( or people of authority in any other religions for that matter). Because I know quite a few. I used to study at a Buddhist temple and every day the monks would complain about the corruption of those who held higher positions. They did what they could to keep it out of their own temples and the minds of their followers-did a pretty good job too.

Now I know " Then why don't they fix it?!"

For the same reason your Average American does not attempt to take up the many,many,many issues of this country into their own hands: the problems are too deep seated, too multi-layered. There is no single "End Boss."
So, like most of your average citizens in country lead by corrupt individuals they just focus on what they can control and that's their own behavior. They do what they can to teach the goodness of the religions in hopes that good people will listen and not be swayed by the corruption at the top.

 

[Mole]

Really? Do you personally know many Buddhist Monks ( or people of authority in any other religions for that matter). Because I know quite a few. I used to study at a Buddhist temple and every day the monks would complain about the corruption of those who held higher positions. They did what they could to keep it out of their own temples and the minds of their followers-did a pretty good job too.

Now I know " Then why don't they fix it?!"

For the same reason your Average American does not attempt to take up the many,many,many issues of this country into their own hands: the problems are too deep seated, too multi-layered. There is no single "End Boss."
So, like most of your average citizens in country lead by corrupt individuals they just focus on what they can control and that's their own behavior. They do what they can to teach the goodness of the religions in hopes that good people will listen and not be swayed by the corruption at the top.

Gosh, we have done something about institutional criminality and corruption.

We started with a nine year Judicial Enquiry into Child Abuse in Ireland. Have you read it? If not, why not? Are you covering up the crimes of your own institutions, and saying, it's just too difficult.

And then we followed up with a Royal Commission into Institutional Child Abuse in Australia. It is sitting at the moment. Have you read their reports? If not, why not?

Are you asking your government for a national Judicial Enquiry into Institutional Child Abuse? If not, why not?

 

[Mole]

Really? Do you personally know many Buddhist Monks ( or people of authority in any other religions for that matter). Because I know quite a few. I used to study at a Buddhist temple and every day the monks would complain about the corruption of those who held higher positions. They did what they could to keep it out of their own temples and the minds of their followers-did a pretty good job too.

Now I know " Then why don't they fix it?!"

For the same reason your Average American does not attempt to take up the many,many,many issues of this country into their own hands: the problems are too deep seated, too multi-layered. There is no single "End Boss."
So, like most of your average citizens in country lead by corrupt individuals they just focus on what they can control and that's their own behavior. They do what they can to teach the goodness of the religions in hopes that good people will listen and not be swayed by the corruption at the top.

Although it goes against the grain, let me be fair about this.

We had to elect an atheist to be our Prime Minister before we could get our Royal Commission into Institutional Child Abuse.

We had to elect the Hon Julia Gillard, an open atheist, as our Prime Minister to get our Royal Commission.

Naturally the criminal religious institutions opposed her and opposed the calling of a Royal Commission into Institutional Child Abuse.

The choice seems to me to be pretty plain: we choose the rule of law or we choose corrupt criminal institutions.

Interestingly, a change of government changes the country, and now our Australian Federal Police and the Australian Judiciary pursue and convict corrupt criminal institutions and their office bearers.

Why don't you follow suit?

 

[Yuurei]

I don't know who this " you" you're reffering to is. I do what I can with my vote - and you see how well that went- but I'm not allowed to own anything that can be considered an asset or even a savings account. So I really don't have much power in this ultra-capitalistic society. Let alone the power to control what other people do.

 

[Riva]

Dhyana? Is that a concentration meditation or something alike?

Yes. It's what you achieve when you properly meditate. According to Buddhist teaching one who has attained Nirvana is able to enter Jhana stage whenever that person wants to. Others can also achieve it too of course.

You have to do concentration meditation (Samadhi) to achieve it. However, 'concentration' isn't the best word to describe it since the purpose of Buddhist meditation is awareness. In Samadhi - which you call concentration for convenience - after 'watching/being aware' of your breath for a while, you'd be able to watch you emotions, feelings, sensations too.

However, like I've said I have zero experience in Jhana since that I haven't been committed to.

The Method for Jhana - Ajahn Brahm - YouTube

12. Nimittas & Jhanas - YouTube

This monk is pretty good at explaining things; however he does go off tangents quite a bit. Both videos above explains the same thing (Jhana).

 

[Riva]

The Jhanas | Meditation

Download the book above and read the pages from 5 to 16. It's worth it, I guarantee. This is the monk I have been taking lessons on meditation recently.

Jhana is the 8th aspect of the noble eightfold path.
Mindfulness is the 7th aspect. I have been doing mindfulness ALONE for the past few years. Recently a few people pointed out that all steps of the noble eightfold path has to be followed for bliss/nibbana. I was an IDIOT not to see that. It's the basics of Buddhism (being only Buddha's second suttra.)
If you are wondering 'holy shit there are 6 more,' don't worry it's mostly about living without hurting or cheating others. You can read them up.

I haven't realized any nimithies yet, let alone Jhanas. Going to keep trying.

 

[Kas]

After more than half a year break, I'm going to meditate again. So I figured out refreshing thread would be a good idea...

 

[Mole]

I meditate by dancing to rock and roll for three and a half hours once every two days.

About half way in I find my ego disappearing. At first I feel mild panic, but as I continue to meditate I enter a safe, free, and timeless world until I end my meditation and fully wake up relaxed and refreshed, playful and creative.

 

[Riva]

After more than half a year break, I'm going to meditate again. So I figured out refreshing thread would be a good idea...

I have been consistently meditating - during weekends - and although I've seen a bit of progress I am unable to continuously meditate for more than 30 mins. I was thinking of joining a guided meditation class. There are plenty here where I come from, but I am too lazy to spend a whole day in a class. Let's see.

 

[Riva]

I want to try meditating while high on marijuana. It might help me get less undistracted. Unfortunately marijuana is illegal here. Sigh .

 

[Kas]

I have been consistently meditating - during weekends - and although I've seen a bit of progress I am unable to continuously meditate for more than 30 mins. I was thinking of joining a guided meditation class. There are plenty here where I come from, but I am too lazy to spend a whole day in a class. Let's see.

You think it's a matter of concentration? I think 30 minutes was the longest in my case and usually I was meditating 10-20 minutes.

I think regularity, length and perhaps advice would be benefits of group. But on the other side it's kind of private to me (as many things) so I don't know if I would feel comfortable.

 

[Riva]

You think it's a matter of concentration? I think 30 minutes was the longest in my case and usually I was meditating 10-20 minutes.

I think regularity, length and perhaps advice would be benefits of group. But on the other side it's kind of private to me (as many things) so I don't know if I would feel comfortable.

Ooooops I've missed this one.

The best description of Samadhi is probably undistractedness, not concentration. Concentration would be to concentrate on something, undistractedness would be to be undistracted by sensory and mental stimuli for a while until the mind settles on the meditation object - breath , loving-kindness mental repetition etc.

But I am a amatuer. I have not managed to reach a level where I am undistracted for long enough for the mind to SETTLE on the breath or meditation object.

Once you reach a level you'll be able to be undistracted fast enough for the mind to comfortably settle on the meditation object - according to sutta.

Maybe some technical knowledge is missing in my practice, perhaps I need to learn to be less distracted, perhaps I need more time. I don't know yet.

 

[Mole]

I can go somewhere external by walking, an I can go somewhere internal by meditating. I go on a small journey, external ln one case, and internal in the other. I enjoy the journey rather than the destination..

 

[Riva]

Any books/sources?

Don't know whether I mentioned this earlier - my favourite book on meditation is 'the experience of Samadhi by Richard Shankman.'

It not only covers his points of view on meditation it covers people with opposing views - it has interviews of famous meditation gurus from all around the world who has different opinions on how to develop jhana (to develop meditation).

It goes from basic meditation to advance. I am just reading on the basics.

The author has another book which simply covers meditation called art and skill of Buddhist meditation.