How to meditate?

Originally Posted by Forsythia

Thank you Gem! Stardust, that puts it into a perspective that really clicked with me. That makes so much sense!! Thank you :-)

Sure. One more thing. Most of the time we are either living in the past through memory or the future through imagination. Meditation puts us in the present moment, now. Verbal thinking is always conceptual, symbolic representation, therefore always at least once removed from reality and necessarily either in the past or the future (even if only sometimes for seconds). After about the age of six, + or -, thinking becomes our natural and normal state. However, normal only in the sense that's it's our usual state. I think meditation is actually our natural state, it takes some effort to get back our attention from being trapped in the conceptual maze. Persistence.
sdp

[sunsoul]

Originally Posted by Gem

So many will instruct how to mediatate, like mantra this, imagine that, visualise like so, beath in this way or that, count breaths and so on, but I don't think these are meditation, they are activities of one sort or another.

Medititation is like more fundamental, and if one is undertaking an activity of sorts, one is aware of that activity, so the activity isn't meditation; meditation is the awareness of activity. As activity takes place, one is also aware of activity taking place, and the meditation is more within the spectrum of of being aware of said activity, and less involved in the doing of it. It's in the being moreso than in the doing.

While true to an extent the fact is that these 'activities' which would be better described as techniques (and tried and tested over the ages) can allow beginners and anyone with a busy mind to find the stillness that allows for meditation proper to start to work. Many experienced meditators will use breath counts at the beginning of a meditation, too.

In this regard it isn't particularly helpful to be overly philosophical about meditation (especially with newcomers).

I will start a thread up at some point about meditation for those starting out... All are welcome to contribute, and I will send the OP some suggestions.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by sunsoul

While true to an extent the fact is that these 'activities' which would be better described as techniques (and tried and tested over the ages) can allow beginners and anyone with a busy mind to find the stillness that allows for meditation proper to start to work. Many experienced meditators will use breath counts at the beginning of a meditation, too.

In this regard it isn't particularly helpful to be overly philosophical about meditation (especially with newcomers).

I will start a thread up at some point about meditation for those starting out... All are welcome to contribute, and I will send the OP some suggestions.

I don't care about being helpful, and I don't consider this forum an appropriate venue for helping anyone, so I just say what I think. If someone finds that helpful or they don't, I don't care either way.

Meditating is in all its simplicity a certain kind of paying attention. You are not actually doing anything but paying attention to what your mind does in the present moment.

You suspend judgement, even judgement about judging. So this implies noticing thoughts as "thoughts" wether they are good or bad you notice them, because they are there. Meditation starts with concentration, you can go with the breath, it's always with you, you always breathe so you always have the "next breath" to pay attention to which ties you to the present.

Just breath naturally, don't fiddle with it and pay attention to the next inbreath, how does it feel? Do you struggle? Notice the struggling, how does "struggling" feel? Try to really "feel" each in breath and out breath, where are you feeling the sensations of skin moving as air enters your body. What thoughts are crossing your mind at that time? Do this without any judgement, anything including good or bad is welcome because IT IS THERE. Try to think of yourself as a witness, rather then a player. Completely neutral.

You will find that even paying attention to the breath is not easy and you get lost in thought. Noticing you get lost in thought is a really great sign of massive progress. You don't need to feel bad about that, it doesn't mean you "can't" meditate. Even the greatest zen monks get lost in thought. The key is noticing it and then simply paying attention to the next breath.

For posture I advice an erect spine and a position that feels comfortable, try to avoid paying attention to the body or doing the "right" (judgement!) thing. Just pay attention to what is happening. Basically, you will automaticly train concentration this way, and meditation is nothing more then the extended act of concentration. Good luck :)

[Gem]

Originally Posted by Woa93

Meditating is in all its simplicity a certain kind of paying attention. You are not actually doing anything but paying attention to what your mind does in the present moment.

You suspend judgement, even judgement about judging. So this implies noticing thoughts as "thoughts" wether they are good or bad you notice them, because they are there. Meditation starts with concentration, you can go with the breath, it's always with you, you always breathe so you always have the "next breath" to pay attention to which ties you to the present.

Just breath naturally, don't fiddle with it and pay attention to the next inbreath, how does it feel? Do you struggle? Notice the struggling, how does "struggling" feel? Try to really "feel" each in breath and out breath, where are you feeling the sensations of skin moving as air enters your body. What thoughts are crossing your mind at that time? Do this without any judgement, anything including good or bad is welcome because IT IS THERE. Try to think of yourself as a witness, rather then a player. Completely neutral.

You will find that even paying attention to the breath is not easy and you get lost in thought. Noticing you get lost in thought is a really great sign of massive progress. You don't need to feel bad about that, it doesn't mean you "can't" meditate. Even the greatest zen monks get lost in thought. The key is noticing it and then simply paying attention to the next breath.

For posture I advice an erect spine and a position that feels comfortable, try to avoid paying attention to the body or doing the "right" (judgement!) thing. Just pay attention to what is happening. Basically, you will automaticly train concentration this way, and meditation is nothing more then the extended act of concentration. Good luck :)

Well said.