How to Empty the Mind

[Adrienne]

What is the benefit of an empty mind ?

[Uma]

Originally Posted by Dream Angel

What is the benefit of an empty mind ?

freedom, bliss, self-mastery for starters

Affirm who you truly are. Once you know this, the viciousness of the ego dissolves. Who are you really..? Draw some pictures to help the process. Or write.

I'm sure you already understand (At least in some capacity) that you are God. You are consciousness-energy; the life force. Now you need to inform your mind of this! ;-)
It's not enough to be told this on a message forum. You really must realise it too. It must be personal.

You probably still have karmic identifications you need to untangle. Identification is when we associate the whole with a part. For instance, "I am a man... I do manly things.".

Read Osho's 'Tantra - The Supreme Understanding'. It will really help with this issue. :-)

[Xanth]

Originally Posted by Dream Angel

What is the benefit of an empty mind ?

You finally get the listen to the consciousness that you are. :)

Originally Posted by Uma

How do I empty this mind?

Start simple.
General meditation practice tips (the How):

• A quiet place is preferred, but not required.
• A meditation cushion helps in both comfort and posture, if not available use rolled up bath towels to achieve the appropriate height.
• Wear comfortable and loose clothing.
• Close your eyes: Breathe naturally. Sit for a moment before you begin and unwind.
• Allow your heart and breathing to slow.
• Don’t slouch – sit up straight.
• Slowly rock back and forth a few times before you begin – side-to-side – forward and backward. Come to a stop in a position that feels solid. Don’t rush this step!
• Breathe in and out through your nose.
• Find the spot within your nose where you can feel the air entering and leaving as you breathe. Feel it, remember it so you cal easily locate it.
• Gently bring your attention to this area of your breath and begin the meditation session:
• There is no particular goal. Just sit and breathe. Allow yourself to be absorbed in the practice.
• Allow your thoughts and feelings to come and go without attachment. Don’t try to control your thoughts in any way. Don’t follow them. Just note them and return to your awareness of the breath at the spot in your nose. You may experience a deep state of relaxation, but it is fine if you don’t.
• Meditate in this way for 5 – 20 minutes (beginners and children for less time):
• It is more important and beneficial to meditate for 5 minutes each day, rather than an hour every two-weeks. Daily practice is an essential element of effective meditation.
• When your practice time is completed, take a moment to slowly return to normal awareness. Be kind to your body when opening your eyes or standing-up after a meditation. Don’t be in a rush to jump up and start other tasks.
• During meditation your goal is simple awareness, nothing else.

http://www.emergingpath.com/classes/...Meditation.htm

Originally Posted by Uma

freedom, bliss, self-mastery for starters

A literal empty mind is actually a dead mind. Some backwards people in India have Yogic processes for killing the cells in the brain that generate thoughts. They basically stand on their heads till the blood's pressure bursts certain neuro circutry. :-(

Trick is to allow the thoughts, but never to get down on their level.. or they'll begin with their dictatorship. Osho calls it cultivating a 'No-mind'.

[Kontufuto]

Originally Posted by wstein

Neither the mind 'chatter' nor the ego is who you are.

I suggest you start with quieting the mind. This will greatly reduce the hold the ego has. Possibly it will get the hint that you are taking control again and return to its proper role.

As to how to quiet the mind chatter, I used the observe the thoughts method. Simply sit and note each thought as it passes. There is a thought about tomorrow. Do not announce the thought, as announcing is a thought too. Simply note that it was a thought. This method won't work for everyone but as this is the meditation section, it will work for most mediators. Note that if your mind is full of thoughts all the time, it may take a while to empty it. Don't despair as any reduction in excess thoughts has benefits.

I think the mind chatter IS who you are. You certainly want to quiet it down so you can reflect on more pressing concerns e.g. contact with your higher self or your guardians but your thoughts are your thoughts though as random as they may be they belong to you. The mind is just another dimension of what is out there that belongs to you so I would want to know it intimately so that I can control it to master it.

[Xan]

Originally Posted by Uma

Oh my mind - so full of thoughts!
Where is a bulldozer when I need one!
How do I empty this mind?
How do I let go and surrender this ego?

Ideas..........anybody?

Fighting the mind is just more mind, fighting the ego is just more ego.

Instead, notice the silent open space that is already and always empty of thought... underneath and all around the tiny noisy mind.

The ego is not one thing so it cannot be surrendered all at once. It's a collection of conditioned beliefs and familiar patterns that can be let go / surrendered bit by bit. now... now... now...

What is the benefit of discovering what lies beyond the mind and ego self-identity? You can only know by going deeper within and feeling the pure silent presence for yourself.


Xan

Olympic level athletes often do this.......

They attain a single point focus, and everything extraneous drops away, but for their goal at that moment.
A form of meditation that many fans understand.... and one, that athletes cultivate after much practice,

Was watching a doc on Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn.

She described her winning World Cup downhill run...
And said she felt an unusual calm, at the starting gate... and had no thoughts whatsoever
during the run itself (one she had practiced in imagination dozens of times)

She couldn't describe the experience with words, but I imagine it was a zen moment.

[peteyzen]

totally agree with emerging paths meditation above,
The only difference I would offer, is to the part about how to handle thoughts
Im not saying EP`s version is wrong by the way , it isnt, but for those with active minds this is the quickest way to slow them down.
When thoughts arise , or anything (a sound, an itch) that takes your focus away from the nostrils, internally say `thank your self for the test, without it I cant learn` and then return your mind straight away to the nostrils, do this warmly not with irritation. If your mind moves ten times in a minute, keep doing it the same way every time. slowly the mind will move less, all the time tho you are meditating.