this may sound funny

[James S]

Half your luck!!
I'm such a PC games junky If I were able to improve my meditation with  games I think I'd be levitating by now. After a session of gaming I find I come away with my head buzzing. If its before I go to bed I so need to lie there for a while and read a book or else my head's full of rapidly moving sights & sounds.

Still, were all affected in different ways by different things, and I can see exactly how it would work. To successfully meditate you need to be able to shut out everything around you. Often playing video games that's exactly what you do.

If my wife's got the Playstation going I just about have to pull the plug on it to get her attention. Which does proove another point by the way,  to all the women out there - see its not just a guy thing




James S
(Fate amenable to change)

[jilola]

They do say videogames dull the mind http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/images/icon_Smile.gif" border=0>
Which games do you guys play esp. Alpha.
I've noticed something akin to quieting thought playin plain ol' Freecell.

Tetris? Simple shapes,simple controls, stays pretty much  the same...

Level jumpers? after memorizing the simple levels you don't have to think at all but just turn on the autopilot...

Flight simulators? Wit the settings so that you can't crash w/out trying. Just watch the scenery and try to feel the flight..


Jouni

[Tom]

Staring is not good for the eyes, especially at a CRT (cathode ray tube). Maybe a flat screen is healthier, but it is still staring. Even so, I've read in yogic texts of staring used to lock the mind on to one object better. The most common is to stare at the tip of the nose through half-closed eyes while in meditation. Staring at a point in a video game doesn't really sound much different.

[alpha]

My girlfriend is crazy about some games,and she actually has been playing more than me lately.I havnt had cable tv for maybe 5 months.I mean I dont even have one channel here.So games and rented movies is all we got to do in my home.Ofcourse the comp but I dont spend too much time on it.Its too slow for most games.

Heres the games I like.For playstation2 I have GT3.This is my fav racing game.And especially the longer races help me calm my thoughts.Some of them take like 2 hours to finish.Ive not finished them all yet.Ive got a ton of cars in my garage.And I like grand theft auto 3.I own quite a few more.But these 2 I play the most.When I dont have any rented ones.I was playing final fantasy 7 for playstation for awhile.But I guess I got sick of it.Ill go back to where Im at some day.

Also I like tony hawks proskater 3.I rent alot of games.I dont have the money to buy any right now.Games im renting right now.I have medal of honor.This game rocks.Its like saving private ryan.You storm the beach on d-day right in the first level.Its so cool.Im pretty far right now.Its funny the nazis are always saying things in german.And I also have now hot shots golf 3.This one is fun.And ive made some amazing shots.Its cool to play with my girlfriend.I love to tease her.She ends up hacking the shot.lol

And Ive got that crash bandicoot game.Ive not really played this one much.This is what my girlfriend plays alot.She likes these types of games.And will play and play till she eventually gets stuck somewhere.Than she gets ticked off and leaves it alone for awhile.lol....F1 2002 is another that I like.I have the steering wheel with pedals but I dont use it as much any more.My lap times are always faster with the controller.

I also own the xbox.Ive got DOA3.And im borrowing wreckless.I think thats what its called.I like them both.Max payne is real good.And ive rented halo this game I love and I want to get it someday.So I can hook it up to my cable modem,when I get that back.Pretty soon,I never really played a shooter online with other people.I cant wait.And I love ralisport challenge.I am a rally freak so that helps..hahah.Anything to do with cars.If its like a simulation Ill love it.
Ive rented a few others that were very good.But I cant think of them now.

This all started with atari.My first system I owned.Than I got nintendo.Than I got a sega.I traded that up for a super nintendo eventually.Than I got myself a nintendo 64.Than playstation.And playstation 2 came next.Than I got a gameboy advance.This thing is pretty cool and the graphics look like playstation 1,only smaller.

My girlfriend came home with the xbox one day,after I was at the store and decided I couldnt afford it.A few days after  I see it in a bag in my living room.It was like christmas in april.Im not sure if thats exactly when I got it though.Close...

This is like my secret life story here.lol

tom:Im not really sure if its bad for you or not.Ive been playing games all my life.But definetely not as much as I used to when I was younger.I dont think my tv is like one of those you mentioned.Its not a flat screen either.But I dont really stare at the same spot all the time.Most the games I play I have to look around.thanx for your concern,:)

Ah its to hot in this room.It must be like  95 degrees.Im sweating just trying to type this.GOOD NIGHT FRIENDS!! I slept too much yesterday..Im now going to bed.....Its almost 5:30....So I should be saying good morning huh.....
   


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"WAKE UP!WAKEUP!WAKE UP AND LOOK AROUND YOU!WERE LOST IN SPACE AND THE TIME IS OUR HOME"
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[James S]

Unfortunately I'd have to say Tom is right about staring at screens to long. I now wear glasses for correcting distance vision simply because of too many hours staring at the screen and not exercising my eyes properly. The eye muscles can become lazy.

As to games, my favorites are adventure games - I'm currently working thru Myst 3 - Exile. It's visually stunning and a good brain bender.

The other type I tend to play a lot are 1st person shooters, the last one of these being Jedi Outcast. I'm starting to go off these games though. They're getting a bit predictable and some are just getting freaky. This is why I couldn't even contemplate meditating after playing one.

Like most lovers of 1st person shooters I got hooked on Doom and Heretic. But I've seen the screenshots of Doom 3 due to be released soon - it's outright horror! I'm now starting to tune in more to the effects of things around me, as to wether their influence lifts me up or not. The screenshots of Doom 3 totally creeped me out, so I'll be staying away from that one.

Most of the games Alpha's into seem pretty good though. All of them requiring good skill & concentration and none of them would put you in a dark mood. Good fun, and it'd be pretty cool going into a meditation state on a mental high.

James S
(Fate amenable to change)

[cainam_nazier]

You want a game that will give you the willies after playing for too long.  

Get "Thief: The Dark Project"  put it in, turn out all the lights, use head phones or just turn up the speaker fairly loud, and play a couple of levels.

It starts out okay but gets more interesting within a couple of levels.



David Rogalski
cainam_nazier@hotmail.com
I am he who walks in the light but is masked by the shadows.

[alpha]

But this works for me,If i have trouble clearing my thoughts.And I find I cant meditate with them always flying around in there.What I do is I play some video games for awhile.I just try to play and not think at all.Eventually after awhile it will clear my thoughts.I think this builds your concentration and focus.When I play alot I can notice the difference.Especially hard games where you cant really lose your focus,they help me.
When I was younger I would play all day.And it was like I had the concentration skills of an astronaut..lol

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"WAKE UP!WAKEUP!WAKE UP AND LOOK AROUND YOU!WERE LOST IN SPACE AND THE TIME IS OUR HOME"
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