Non-traditional forms of meditation?

Hello, I'm looking for some 'nontraditional' ways to meditate. By this I mean something like walking meditation. I know you can meditate in a hot relaxing bath or hot spring or any relaxing place, even under a weak waterfall. But what is the best way of doing this? Also, are there any ways to meditate when you are near sleep? I know it is not recommended to meditate laying down because you can easily fall asleep, but are there any methods in which you use the transition into sleep as a tool for meditation and stay slightly conscious through the deeper brainwaves? (Similar to methods used to achieve astral projection) Can this be used as meditation?

[Gem]

Originally Posted by Zekkry

Hello, I'm looking for some 'nontraditional' ways to meditate. By this I mean something like walking meditation. I know you can meditate in a hot relaxing bath or hot spring or any relaxing place, even under a weak waterfall. But what is the best way of doing this? Also, are there any ways to meditate when you are near sleep? I know it is not recommended to meditate laying down because you can easily fall asleep, but are there any methods in which you use the transition into sleep as a tool for meditation and stay slightly conscious through the deeper brainwaves? (Similar to methods used to achieve astral projection) Can this be used as meditation?

Why not just watch 'yourself' falling asleep?

Greetings..

Originally Posted by Zekkry

Hello, I'm looking for some 'nontraditional' ways to meditate. By this I mean something like walking meditation. I know you can meditate in a hot relaxing bath or hot spring or any relaxing place, even under a weak waterfall. But what is the best way of doing this? Also, are there any ways to meditate when you are near sleep? I know it is not recommended to meditate laying down because you can easily fall asleep, but are there any methods in which you use the transition into sleep as a tool for meditation and stay slightly conscious through the deeper brainwaves? (Similar to methods used to achieve astral projection) Can this be used as meditation?

Ultimately, the result of would be 'clarity', as i understand meditation.. the still quiet mind expands its awareness and is clear, open, and available during most activities not requiring cognitive exchanges.. Taiji (Tai Chi) is often referred to as 'meditation in motion', where after studying and practicing the form for a while, you are able to do it without engaging the mind's 'think-talking'.. this practice trains us to move about in the mundane world with a still mind, clear, bright, and very aware.. i hope this is helpful..

Be well..

What is the difference between meditation and contemplation?

Originally Posted by Zekkry

Hello, I'm looking for some 'nontraditional' ways to meditate. By this I mean something like walking meditation. I know you can meditate in a hot relaxing bath or hot spring or any relaxing place, even under a weak waterfall. But what is the best way of doing this? Also, are there any ways to meditate when you are near sleep? I know it is not recommended to meditate laying down because you can easily fall asleep, but are there any methods in which you use the transition into sleep as a tool for meditation and stay slightly conscious through the deeper brainwaves? (Similar to methods used to achieve astral projection) Can this be used as meditation?

As you said "something like walking meditation" is possible. Meditation is a condition where the mind goes still and stays undisturbed whatever be the external situations / happenings. One can achieve the kind of meditation you are talking about by Conscious living. Staying Conscious about what you do every moment coupled with developing the wisdom of letting go at times will eventually get you into a "walking meditation" state..In fact, that should be the ultimate aim of meditation i.e., a state where you cannot come out of meditation state - here meditation should happen efforlessly.

[athribiristan]

Originally Posted by Zekkry

Hello, I'm looking for some 'nontraditional' ways to meditate. By this I mean something like walking meditation. I know you can meditate in a hot relaxing bath or hot spring or any relaxing place, even under a weak waterfall. But what is the best way of doing this? Also, are there any ways to meditate when you are near sleep? I know it is not recommended to meditate laying down because you can easily fall asleep, but are there any methods in which you use the transition into sleep as a tool for meditation and stay slightly conscious through the deeper brainwaves? (Similar to methods used to achieve astral projection) Can this be used as meditation?

I use walking meditation all the time. I also use a variant I call working meditation. In either case the goal is to give the mind/body something to keep it busy, while the spirit can sontemplate unencumbered by the phsycal and mental processes. In my opinion, this form of meditation (at least the way I practice it) is more on the advanced end of the spectrum. You really need to have realized full detachment for it to work, which requires a great deal of meditative work beforehand. Or, at least it did for me.

As far as your sleep-state meditation, this is what I would consider an intermediate skill. I usually use this in the morning as I am waking rather than when falling asleep at night. I like to take advantage of that semi-waking state to meditate and get my day in order. I go through my day in my mind, visualizing all the things that need to happen and working through potential problems or surprises until I have the day I want to create firmly planted in my mind, then I get up and go make it happen.

One last technique that seems to tie into what you want to know about dreams and meditation is lucid dreaming. That is, being asleep but conscious. A good technique to help develop this it to continually ask yourself if you are awake. Set a wris****ch to beep every hour and ask if you are awake, more often if you can remember. The idea is that you develop a mental habit of doubting your mental state. This 'habit' can jolt you out of a dream and into a lucid state where you are in complete control, but are still sleeping. The real trick here is staying asleep and staying in the 'sweet spot' between awake and unconscious.

[Autumn Ascent]

They say you shouldn't meditate while lying down but i do it anyways because sitting up is so uncomfortable and if i fall asleep i fall asleep oh well. i recently started staring meditation as it minimizes falling asleep. only thing is my eyes can get tired easily. best time to do meditation lying down is when you're wide awake like after you had a lot of sleep.if you lie down visualizing something can help you stay awake as well. in my opinion there is no "right way" to do meditation. people should do what feels right for them. some people say you shouldn't listen to music but i do that too. personally i'm not that into the whole breath thing so sometimes i need music as well or i get soooo bored.

il tell you what, this might sound simplistic, but, if you can, meditate on everything you do, as you are doing it. Just observe it, observe your reactions to it,

i mean everything, from pruning the flowers to sitting on the toilet, even intimate moments. Some things, in accordance with your interest will naturally draw you into a state of absorbtion, others wont.

observe clearly everything you do, or perhaps another way to look at it

imagine something you do that you enjoy. basketball perhaps? you know that state of mind when you are practicing shooting the ball for instance.

practice what you do.

in this, your life becomes the object of meditation, and that provides brilliant variety. this does not take away the usefulness of deliberate seated practice, but ultimately, you meditate so that you may in the end discard it and live life with the same accepting clarity and focus that you would find during practice. allowing us, hopefully, to just be there to fully live, to fully savor whatever life serves us. also, in doing so its useful to pay attention to the beginning and end of activities. This can help the mind accept the transient nature of experience more fully. everything comes everything goes, and the more we reinforce this in our minds, the more we are conditioned to accept different phenomenon as they arise. Meditation, is familiarization with mind. Impermanence is fundamental to this and activities are GREAT at reinforcing this.

have fun! hope this proves useful

kavon