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EMPTY MIND MEDITATION ?

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jilola

It's a tricky thing to explain.
What you should be aiming at is not thinking about anything at all, not even thinking about not thinking. Just observe, don't interpret or comment you sensory input or feelings. If you've ever sort of faded out into starting into the blue then that's a good strat if you can do it intentionally.
Actually you need to lose the intent as well :-)

That's my rather pragmatic approach to meditation, YMMV.

2cents

jouni

Nimzomyth

Thank you for your comments.  Is this the idea that you allow your thoughts to go by without getting emotionally involved in them, as if you are simply an observer.  I read about this in one of the books.


jilola

That's the idea.
At the beginning you should examine the thoughts that come into your mind and one by one dismiss them. OOnce you get that mastered you'll find that the active thoughts disappear and you only think actively when something unexpected happens (sudden sound, cold etc).
Now try to do the same to these thoughts. Observe, acknowledge and push away until you don't have any active participation in your surrroundings and experiences.
This is when, in my opinion, you've reached the "empty mind".
For me, the last part is still giving trouble. I just can't help starting on a stream of consciousness when something unfamiliar happens (last time it was a baby downstairs who suddenly started to cry.)

The ultimate goal is to not even sense anything physical but I think it's only a necesary goal to get over actively sensing and interpreting the sensory input.

2cents

jouni

Nimzomyth


Thank you very much, that should be a real help.  Now I know what direction to head in.  I am looking forward to my meditation tonight.  I'm hoping to make some real progress with my magical development.

Nimzomyth


Bhikku

Here's what I do- use your breathing as a base, breath in deep and count 1-2-3 in your head, exhale and think of nothing, then repeat. I do this over and over so the counting and breathing cancels out all other thoughs. Once you master that, leave out the counting and only think of the breathing, then from there try for the "nothing". Hope that helps!

"The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness does not understand"

Nimzomyth

Thanks Bikkhu -

Like the quote at the end there.  (Biblical).


rodentmouse

trying to descrie to someone how to meditate is basically trying to describe a state of mind,  like trying to tell someone what being high on drugs is like,  it obviously must be experienced.  
I found myself constantly  doing stop checks when i first began to see if i was meditating,  (e.g "am i meditating yet"??)   of course its stupid but i learned with practise....
to me its existing.... nothing more, nothing less, just existing.

Do you have a method???   i suggest breath awareness as i have found this  the easiest so far,    or try focusing on one of your senses but without consious aknoledgement and interpretation,   e.g.  detune a radio station and listen to the fuzz,   obviously dont have it to loud, but loud enough for it to  lure your complete focus on it.


distant bell

Hi!

I agree with Rodentmous- explaining how to meditate would be like explaining
hoe to be in love...

It´s a state of mind. I have never done any speciall exercises to meditate.
I have never counted the breaths or used mantras- for me personally it
gets in the way of the meditation. I just sitt down and breath slowley-
and then stop thinking. Of course this is not entierly easy..
But somehow, whe I get thoughts I simply ignore them, and try to feel my breathing. It works well for me.
The Asana or posture can be of much help to. Try sitting cross leged on the flor- that is a really good help.

Frater Felix

--Low is the law- Love under will--

Adam Kadmon

Bhikku: you know vipassana... i like the choice in name.

Nimzomyth: thinking of an empty thought is not a thought if there is no intention involved. It is more a lack of thought. Thinking is more an action verb with a goal or solution in mind.  Empty mind meditation focuses on regaining the base consciousness without direction or evaluation, the state that children and animals abide in (my own interpretation). By sitting with no goal in mind you slowly break down the egositic walls your "I" consciousness builds around the root universal consciousness. Look up vipassana/shikantaza/jnana yoga on google for more information.

a.k.



kifyre

Here's an emptiness meditation that I might partially adopt eventually:

http://www.chentaiji.com/Qigong.htm

Mark


Fenris

Not thinking is a matter of dicipline and can be learned at any time during the day not just when your trying to meditate. Simply whenever you have a free minute do your best to not let any thoughts creep into your head. They will and you just have to stop them as soon as you recognise them. Doing this a lot will speed up your ability to do this when you actually meditate. It can be pretty hard at times to just stop thinking about a seemingly important issue when it pops into your head however.

An exercise that works great for me is to go into your favourite meditative possition and start to deep breath (a count of sevenish seconds works for me). On the in breeth focus on the word IN and on the out breeth just the word OUT. Only focus on these words and only on one word at a time, you cant be thinking in the back of your mind about the next word. This teaches you how to stop thoughts entering your mind and is easier then just going without thought cold turky. If you mess up and think about anything else just gently go back into the pattern again. The deep breathing helps you slow down your mind a little too.

Once that ones as easy as bakin a cake there is a great exercise with numbers. On the in and out  breath think one, on the next breath two and so on until you reach twenty. The catch is if you think outside of the number your on or if you lose count you start at one again. You need to honest with yourself. Once you can (or if you already can) reach twenty you are doing pretty well.

In my opinion concentration excises like these or the ones in astral dynamics are the key to learning to quieting the mind. Also after ten minutes of a tedious exercise its much easier to attempt the blissful state that is simply not thinking.

best regards

David

Veni Vidi Vici

kifyre

Besides working with breathing, you can also shift your awareness to other things. Expanding your awareness to you entire body, how it's positioned, how it feels = "Fully inhabiting your body."

Also, expand your senses, become aware of everything, see with your entire field of vision = "Open focus."

These two practices tend to quiet thoughts. Anything where you're "listening" or perceiving. So during an OBE attempt, fully inhabit, become aware of your energy body? Listen (don't strain!) to feel vibrations? I think these things would have a tendency to quiet the mind naturally. Just another approach.

Mark


Nimzomyth

I have ready a few meditation books and magic books and they talk about the need to empty the mind or achieve a state of not thinking etc... .  How is this achieved.  What does it actually mean.  I mean, if I think of an empty space it's still a thought, right!.  I would appreciate comments and help here.

Thanks Nimzomyth