meditation

[Kris]

when i finish meditating i feel tired.. why is that?

[bloodsong]

When are you meditating?  If it is at the end of the day, it could be because you are getting all the mind babble out of the way and can realize exactly how tired you have gotten yourself.

Also, how long have you been meditating?  It could also be that it is still new for you and thus you have to strain a bit.  Kind of strange, having to strain at letting go, but until you get used to it, the act can take it out of you.

Bloodsong

[Kris]

since i dont have school til september, i meditate in the afternoon..

how long should i meditate for??

is 5 minutes too short?

[bloodsong]

I usually meditate right when I wake up for about an hour, but that is the time frame I learned on.  The best time is a variable from person to person.  Experiment.  Try different things.  Don't be afraid of going against what anyone tells you with this stuff.  If anything, you will understand the reason you were told what you were and have an important lesson learned!

Bloodsong

[Kris]

AN HOUR???

thats a bit too long for me.. lolz.. i'm a bit impatient.. hehehe

[bloodsong]

Well, honestly, if you are really impatient, that is the amount of time to devote to it in the early going.  It gets results fast and gets you used to it.  I tried the "take your time" approach, and found myself still at half-hours after two years.  Started a more disciplined approach, and got better a lot faster than I thought possible.  I think of it as semi-psychic cross-training.

Bloodsong

[Kris]

hmmm. ok.. i'll try that

[bloodsong]

Check your PM box.

Bloodsong

[Kris]

how do i see images when i meditate?

i don't see anything.. my mind is completely blank

[labouts]

Just relax and don't care if you see anything, you don't have to. If you try to visualize your training for something else and not fully mediating. If images come, good! if not don't force them.

"The beginner mediates to relax, the master relaxes to mediate" (not too relevant, I know but still..)

that's a bit too long for me.. lolz.. i'm a bit impatient.. hehehe

Umm, if your too impatient don't expect much results, or any imagery for that matter. If your reach a good stage in mediation time will go by a lot faster then you'd expect...or slower but whatever learn to enjoy it...personally I think 10 min. should be the min. for a beginner

[shekter]

So, the basic gist of meditation is to sit back and see what will come?

Because when I started, I "forced" myself down the rabbithole my repeatedly telling myself, "I am going down the hole." And it worked. For a while.

Once the "forcing" stopped to work, I've been letting my mind go as it willed when I meditate. I've had random images, random thoughts, random lyrics pass through my head, but I haven't felt that "deeper" sensation since the first way I tried to meditate.

[Shinobi]

...

[Wizard of Light]

Can you imagine stuff in your mind and see pictures when using your imagination?  Imagination is the key tool to seeing stuff in meditation.  Most people think that their imagination is irrelevant, but you would be surprised at what an amazing tool it is!

But not everyone sees, and you could be one of these people.  I know people who feel or know what is going on about them rather than seeing a scene.

Whatever way, you need to just be open to anything, try not to force things to happen the way you want them to.  Often we have this little box that we think that experience should fit into, and if we would only relax those boundaries, we would find that our technique is actually working for us, just in a way we hadn't expected.

[labouts]

whoops..I worded that very poorly, sorry. I'm not clueless, I just have a hard time getting my point across.

[shekter]

Thanks for the link Shinobi. I skimmed through your link really quick. It looks like it will be helpful. I'm going to take a closer look at what was posted in that thread tomorrow.

And Wizard of light--

Can you imagine stuff in your mind and see pictures when using your imagination? Imagination is the key tool to seeing stuff in meditation. Most people think that their imagination is irrelevant, but you would be surprised at what an amazing tool it is!

Does the part of the imagination involved in writing and drawing count? Or are you talking about the day-dreaming kind of imagination?

Since when is there more than one type of imagination?

[Wizard of Light]

Any.  If you can see when you are involved in writing or drawing or daydreaming, then you should be able to see in meditation.  It is using the same part of the brain, the same abilities.  It is just that many people "write off" their imagination when it comes to things like meditation, thinking that it's all "made up".  But the truth is, that is where it all begins - with the imagination.

[shekter]

Any. If you can see when you are involved in writing or drawing or daydreaming, then you should be able to see in meditation.

Awesome.

And thanks a bunch for the link, Shinobi. I read through it, but it seems that medittion is one of those strange things that has a different definition for each person.

But I'm definitly going to return to my old way of "focusing on a single thing" in hope of quieting that raving maniac in my head.