Sitting vs. Lying

Originally Posted by Dream Angel

I like your comment, about meditating while laying on your back, makes you drift. Do you astral project when you are drifting ? And if you don't mind, may I ask you - what is one- pointedness or mindfullness meditation ?

Hi Dream Angel

Hmm, I can't do conscious astral projection in the sense that I'm in control. But I get plenty of weird experiences that I feel is because I'm tuning in to other frequencies. A more conventional view would be that the closer I get to sleep, the more I tap into my subconscious. But this, in my opinion, is where and how we tune in to all that is not our own immediate experiences, so it's all part of the same field or dimension. I'm also becoming more open to the idea that I'm open to communication in this state, be it from guardians or other entities, but this is a new field to me so I try not to define and judge it very much and to stay open to whatever happens instead. Who knows, maybe I'm just tuning in to what takes place elsewhere or other people's experiences. I have plenty of revelations and insights anyway and that's what I enjoy about it

I suppose there are different views on this, but my understanding of one-pointedness and mindfulness is this:

One-pointedness in meditation means the ability to focus on one thing. I normally do this in the simplest way possible, which is to focus on my breath. I just feel how the air enters the nostril(s) and exits the same way. Nothing more fancy than that. I usually start my meditation like that to sharpen my concentration. I suppose mantra-based meditation (which I have limited experience with) could be included in this as it's a fairly passive way of meditating. Focusing on different chakras or energy movement, which I also do sometimes to balance myself and strengthen my feeling of energy, is a more active meditation that I wouldn't call one-pointedness although the focus is always on one thing at a time.

Mindfulness meditation is a (Zen) Buddhist form of meditation, I believe, that means sitting in perfect stillness with no particular focus. The idea is to never attach sentiments or analyse what happens, be it sounds in your surroundings or feelings that arise inside. It means to just observe everything with acute attention, but not to "think" about them. If you hear a sound, for example, you just hear that sound. You don't start thinking about what caused it or whether it is pleasant or unpleasant etc.

Did this make sense? My meditation practice is a bit mixed up as you can tell, but I spend most of my time in mindfullness, although my attention is turned inwards more than outwards. This way of stilling the mind (one-pointedness is just as effective, I believe, but right now this is what feels most right for me) I feel is a prerequisite for other spiritual practices so as not to clutter the mind with ego chatter and selfish ideas. There are enough spiritual people with so much self-importance that it's pretty obvious that their ego is very much involved. So I try to avoid that pitfall :)

How do you meditate?

Much love and light
R

[Adrienne]

hi Resonance,

I'm also becoming more open to the idea that I'm open to communication in this state, be it from guardians or other entities, but this is a new field to me so I try not to define and judge it very much and to stay open to whatever happens instead.

Excellent idea ! I find that when one is open to a variety of ideas, experiences and possibilities happening... then they will experience so much more ! I have specifically found this to be so in receiving signs from above.

Thank you for sharing your views on the one- sidedness and mindfullness meditations, after asking you the question and now reading what you wrote, you must have thought I really know nothing about meditation ! and I feel rather silly for asking as it makes so much sense, when I stop and think of even the wording - almost self explanatory.Of course, the breathing is one of the main focus points one always hears about. I am not real good with that.

I would not say your meditation is mixed up, I would say that you have " variety " in your meditation ! I like variety in meditation , back to that in a minute.

Mindfulness meditation is a (Zen) Buddhist form of meditation, I believe, that means sitting in perfect stillness with no particular focus.

yes, here again, now that you have mentioned this, it rings a bell ! lol ! I went to a class on a Buddist meditation and it was just as you say. In the beginning of the meditation as they were talking about letting go of your thoughts, it was mentioned to let your thoughts enter your mind and exit your mind, and for some reason, as my thoughts entered my mind, I pictured them going thru my mind and out the door of the classroom ! they just left the room, lol !

As I said, I like variety in my meditations. Sometimes I listen to a cd that takes me thru a visual guided meditation, sometimes I do my own guided meditations - following some of the meditations that Spirit Guide Sparrow has provided (he has some excellent meditiations if you are into visuals ...here is the link to Sparrows Meditation Compendium http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4070 ) sometimes I just sit in silence and see what comes to me, and other times I have questions that I ask that I want answers to. I always have questions !

sorry for the mini novel

love & blessings,
Dream Angel xx

[Gem]

Thanks for the cool explanations resonance.

There is a purpose to meditation, and it is not to relax, although relaxation aids meditation. Neither is the purpose to be comfortable, although it may help.

If one cannot sit, and by this I mean even sitting on a chair, then this points to the person using the wrong muscles to keep upright, the mobilizers instead of the stabilizers, and possibly also not using visualization to keep the spine erect. These are simple, practical problems which can be resolved.

Sitting is the preferred position simply because the spiritual energy travels vertically. In the sitting position the spine, and thus the core of the nervous system, is aligned with the natural direction of the energy flow.

Originally Posted by Dream Angel

Thank you for sharing your views on the one- sidedness and mindfullness meditations, after asking you the question and now reading what you wrote, you must have thought I really know nothing about meditation ! and I feel rather silly for asking as it makes so much sense, when I stop and think of even the wording - almost self explanatory.Of course, the breathing is one of the main focus points one always hears about. I am not real good with that.

Haha, I have a tendency to over-explain, but I figure it might be of use to someone or give them some inspiration, so I just keep writing :) I bet there are plenty of different names for these techniques in different traditions, and those two names are the ones that have stuck with me.

Like you with breathing, I'm not very good at visual meditation and I have trouble keeping my concentration in this way. But that's the beauty of meditation: there are so many different techniques we can use that there's always several that will work for some people and not for others. Trying to tell people that they should try only one way can possibly just turn people away if it doesn't resonate with them. I recently spoke to an acquaintance who can't visualise, so no wonder he was exasperated with the visualisation technique his teacher had told him to use

Originally Posted by Dream Angel

As I said, I like variety in my meditations. Sometimes I listen to a cd that takes me thru a visual guided meditation, sometimes I do my own guided meditations - following some of the meditations that Spirit Guide Sparrow has provided

I have a regression meditation cd that I've tried, but for some reason I can't get any clear ideas of previous lives this way. That either tells me that this has no importance for me at this point in time (maybe I don't have any issues from previous lives that I need to work out?) or I should find another way of doing it. Either way, there's enough learning to be done in this lifetime :)

Have a great weekend full of love, guys!

Resonance

[Adrienne]

hi Resonance,

I didn't think you were over- explaining. I was just commenting that I should have known some of what you mentioned. I do appreciate your replies to my questions .

But that's the beauty of meditation: there are so many different techniques we can use that there's always several that will work for some people and not for others.

I like this idea, and I think you are right. And it is nice to have a variety of techniques to choose from, if one is looking for variety in their mediations. I like variety and can't really imagine having or using only one particular meditation method.

May I ask the name of your regression meditation cd ? I have one that I have used on a few occasions and have had glimpses of past lives. It is called " Mirrors in Time " by Brian Weiss MD. Sometimes I think it is interesting to just have these glimpses even if one doesn't have anything specific to learn from the past life.

A great weekend full of love, a delightful idea !

love & blessings too
Dream Angel xx

[Gem]

Originally Posted by pre-dawn

There is a purpose to meditation.

What is the purpose?

Originally Posted by Gem

What is the purpose?

To sit - with awareness.

Originally Posted by Gem

What is the purpose?

"Meditation is not a way to enlightenment, nor is it a method of achieving anything at all. It is peace and blessedness itself. It is the actualization of wisdom, the ultimate truth of the oneness of all things." Dogen

[Shabda]

i dont meditate, i contemplate...i usually lie down because i have a very hard time relaxing, but sometimes i sit up backwards over a chair, using the back to rest my arms on...i never fall asleep because i only have to do this for 20 minutes at a time in most cases...sometimes once a day, but other times 2 or 3 times a day...