Shutting up the mind?

[Links Shadow]

Basically any kind of meditation is geared toward quieting the mind.  One that is very easy for most people is to count breaths.  Count each time you inhale as one and count to ten (not out loud but in your mind).  When you get to ten start back at one over time you will notice fewer thoughts are distracting you when this starts happening you can progress to counting every other breath and eventually you can "follow the breath" as some sources call it, where all you are doing is being aware of the breath.  With time and practice your mind will learn to quiet its chatter.

Respectfully,
Link's Shadow

[nthjbam]

Umm yeah ok breath awareness is good.  But I wonder if anyone has a more effective method, that doesn't take your attention away from APing.  Everyone always has something different to say, but I would like to know what a solid focus point is.  Like something to quiet your mind and send all of your focus on astral projection.  some universal image, like an astral doorway or something of this nature that couldn't be cunfused for anything else.  Waiting at the bus stop for the astral express.....

Be well,
J

[Links Shadow]

Quieting the mind is a step along the path to projecting.  The meditation is intended to train you to achieve the quieted mind at will from there you can then shift your focus on projecting.  Also, there is not universal method, everyone is different.  If you desire a method why don't you make up your own.  If you do so it will have the intent on projecting already incorporated in it and the only thing it would really have to achieve is the quiet mind.

So many people seek the techniques of others as if they are the easiest way to succeed which is somewhat true but not entirely. The reason the common techniques work is because people believe that they will based on the fact that so many have succeeded with them, but really anything that you believe in can work for you just as well if not better.  Just like you described sitting at an astral bus stop.  I would consider that to be a busy scene for trying to quiet the mind but if you believe it will work it can.  But as with the common techniques such as the rope technique it will take time to succeed, and because of that many people abandon their own ideas before they have given them the necessary time to achieve the desired results.  Then by the time they switch to a common method they have already progressed so far that the time it takes to succeed is greatly reduced in comparison.  I hope that made sense.  Trust your instincts and you will eventually succeed.

Respectfully,
Link's Shadow

[xander]

quote:Originally posted by Ramiel

The one problem I seem to have more than anything is trying to quiet my mind. What techniques does everyone else use, and does anyone have any links to resources I could peruse for suggestions and practial tips?

Stare into a mirror, lit only by candlelight, for 5 minutes in absolute silence then SCREAM "Shut up! for the love of god shut up!"
It's preferable to do it very early in the mornin, say around 4:30am.

Xander (who learned this by observing psychotic neighbors)

[OverDriven]

The way I do it is by just shutting my mind up.  Theres no "technique" although breath awareness can help if you can't "just do it".  For me, it is just like stopping talking.  You just don't talk...thats it.  Practice and you will learn it.  It can be very hard.  Don't fight yourself, because the thought of "BE QUIET, MIND!" is mental dialouge as well.  Just relax and...well...shutup! []

-Joe

[Centa Five]

There may not be a "quick fix" to dispel the random thoughts that seem to be constantly bombarding us but a good start would be to practice awareness on a daily basis. Get in the habit of fully focusing on each routine task that you perform each day to the total exclusion of any other thought that doesn't pertain to that task. If you can become really involved with each task then it should work. Just like getting absorbed in a good book or watching a favorite TV espisode this blocks all other thoughts.  Eventually your mind will get used to this conditioning and you should rid yourself of much of the chatter.  I agree that focusing on your breath is a good method and you might use it to fill in the moments between tasks. Awareness works quite well when eating as you can focus on the joy of actually tasting your food instead of wolfing it down while thinking about some activity that is scheduled for next week.  You get the idea.  Good luck!!

[Mustardseed]

I think RB covers it well in his book. I use his tecnik but with the name of Jesus instead of the Aum. It works for me. Consentration is the key. It also takes a gradual downwinding of thoughts, sort of a gradual change over a few hours.
Regards MS

[Mustardseed]

As a sailor I also do that. The wind in the sails and fishing really helps. Sounds wierd but it woirks. I also tried to have a OBE once while hunting very interesting experience. I actually talked to a deer. Yep sounds wierd but I think it is true. Not talking but sort of communicated.

[nthjbam]

Ok ok ok.

The here and now is very zen.  I have also heard of this method.  To me it sounds like completely seperating your every day actions in reality from your mind's errant thoughts, desires, dreams etc.  Like setting a time and a place to let your mind walk on uncharted avenues.  I tried it out for a bit and I must say it's freaking incredible.  Like when you take a drink of water, only thinking on your five senses.  Feeling the cold of the water rushign past your teeth and down the esophogus (spelled wrong), the floor on your feet, the bottle in your hand, the sound it makes, even the lighting.  It's like I AM HERE, I AM NOW.  Very exciting for such a mundane event, but it made it so much more, much more involved.  I am now trying to do this, simply immerse myself in whatever I am doing, but I'm finding it difficult with complex things, because your mind wants to run and do many things.  Gen Y'er, super multi task.  which makes it had to AP.  Anyways I will continue along this vein.  Simply telling my mind to be quiet is like screaming at an angry mob, they just keep going.  Breath awareness is good, I think I will try the AUM, the resonance of the word is pretty awesome.  I will AP.  If not tonight then tomorrow.  I appreciate the input from all of you.  If any of you have different techniques that work really well for simply turning the chatter off, I would love to hear them.  Thanks.

Be well,
J

[jilola]

When you want to quiet your mind forget all about any and all specific goals. As long as you're seeking to do something you canät get it to quuiet down.
Just focus on quiet until you get it then put in the focus, whatever it may be, AP, mu, yopu name it.
But until you are able to be quiet as yourself all goals are irrelevant. Actually, once you are able to quiet down and be the goals disappear.

2cents & L&L
jouni

[The AlphaOmega]

I too use the breath awareness.  It seems to be the most effective without any use of visualization.  When visualizing I sometimes have a tendency to drift off into other thought.  When I'm counting breaths there are no distractions, just me and my breathing.  Then I ususally pass out and in the morning wonder when exactly I lost conciousness [].  This helps me to do it just a little longer each time.

[Ramiel]

The one problem I seem to have more than anything is trying to quiet my mind. What techniques does everyone else use, and does anyone have any links to resources I could peruse for suggestions and practial tips?

Thanks,

-Alex