How to meditate?

[Molearner]

[quote=Miss Hepburn]Let me be clearer - you said some profound stuff!
More in context:

"IMO this experience of no time means that one has stepped into eternity.....where time does not exist.
This is the domain of God.
In His domain, God, in my mind, becomes the Great Physician."

Yes, in silence is where we find God - and where does He dwell?
/QUOTE]

Miss Hepburn,

I can understand why you are perplexed. It revolves around the idea of the 'domain of God'. In the end we might have to adhere to our different understandings. The right or wrong cannot be determined in this forum. I will suggest this: Consider NDE experiences. They seem to contain a common thread. One is transported to a different realm....heaven if you will. Those that have this experience are often reported to have a choice. Do you wish to stay here or return to earth? Obviously those that can report this have made the choice to return to earth. As such, it can be said that they were 'visitors' to this other realm/universe/heaven....etc. Earth is characterized by the reality of death......eternity is characterized by eternity...:)

I am simply suggesting that we can briefly experience or step into eternity, essentially as visitors. This can either be through the silence of meditation or perhaps NDE's as presented. From my personal point of view it is illogical for me to believe that God is the ruler of this earth.....otherwise life would be much different here than what we experience. Whatever the case, I would wish that all might at least try 'visiting'.....:)

[iamthat]

Originally Posted by Molearner

I can understand why you are perplexed. It revolves around the idea of the 'domain of God'. In the end we might have to adhere to our different understandings. The right or wrong cannot be determined in this forum. I will suggest this: Consider NDE experiences. They seem to contain a common thread. One is transported to a different realm....heaven if you will. Those that have this experience are often reported to have a choice. Do you wish to stay here or return to earth? Obviously those that can report this have made the choice to return to earth. As such, it can be said that they were 'visitors' to this other realm/universe/heaven....etc. Earth is characterized by the reality of death......eternity is characterized by eternity...:)

I am simply suggesting that we can briefly experience or step into eternity, essentially as visitors. This can either be through the silence of meditation or perhaps NDE's as presented. From my personal point of view it is illogical for me to believe that God is the ruler of this earth.....otherwise life would be much different here than what we experience. Whatever the case, I would wish that all might at least try 'visiting'.....:)

This seems to presume that the after-death state is an eternal state, unlike our temporary experience on Earth. Perhaps the after-death state is not eternity, but is in fact another temporary experience.

Yes, life on Earth is characterised by the reality of death, but death can be considered as a change of consciousness. Who knows what further changes in consciousness may await us after physical death, including the possibility of rebirth back in the physical.

There is also an assumption that if God ruled the Earth then life on this planet would be very different. That is one perspective. Another perspective is that life on Earth is a work in progress, unfolding according to a Divine Plan. The imperfections of humanity exist within a greater state of Perfection.

Meditation is a key to eternity, not necessarily just as visitors but as permanent residents. But very few meditators attain the state of Sahaja Samadhi.

Peace.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Molearner

Let me be clearer - you said some profound stuff!
More in context:

"IMO this experience of no time means that one has stepped into eternity.....where time does not exist.
This is the domain of God.
In His domain, God, in my mind, becomes the Great Physician."

Yes, in silence is where we find God - and where does He dwell?

Miss Hepburn,
I can understand why you are perplexed.

Texting, emails and posts are funny things... I am not in any way perplexed, btw. AND I agree with most of what u say.

[Starman]

Originally Posted by JRL09

How do I not think about something during meditation?

If you think about not thinking you are still thinking. Meditation is all about letting go, especially about letting go on the inside. If you are thinking then you are holding on, holding on to whatever you are thinking about.

Some people use a mantra, chanting, as a way to distract their mind from thinking, but then at some point you let go of the mantra. Some people use concentration; they will concentrate on and external object, like a candle flame, and every time their mind wanders they bring their attention back to whatever they are concentrating on.

It might be best to slow your thinking down during the day when you are doing whatever you are doing and then you may have better success at diminishing your thoughts when you sit to do meditation. If we let our thoughts run wild for most of the day it is more difficult to quiet those thoughts when we meditate.

With practice you will get to a point where quieting your thoughts become effortless. Silence is always there, it is just a matter of letting go to it. We do not add silence to our lives, all we do is let go of the noise. Taking a relaxing bath, or doing some stretching, before meditating may also help.

Approach meditation as a solemn practice, say a prayer and ask for guidance, or bow in humble respect, before doing meditation. Approach it with gentle relaxed humility. In meditation you are attempting to open yourself to a greater, more expansive, reality that is within you. It is a divine practice.

[Unseeking Seeker]

***

Meditation being simply internalising our attention
Dynamic stillness without memory drawn anticipation

We are attentively poised having seemingly stilled the transient outer
Observer observing observed both us merge in nothingness of our inner

Consciously thus choosing to enter the inner void of our heart in silence
Yet signals presence of a doer so choosing and thus not pristine innocence
Our heart beat and breath operate in unattended effortlessness
Why then is our meditational orientation not an ever present being-ness

Stilling not our stillness let us simply allow stillness to still our being
Without any doing or searching save the incessant burning yearning for connecting
With what else but Love manifesting within as Divine magnetism in silence rising
Taking us on a joy ride through hidden pathways both enlivening & surprising
Bubbling joy to compassion and purity in an unending explosive blissful rapture
Wherein we vaporise to become That looking at mind-body as a mere caricature

Meditation then being we as bliss ever flowing in dynamic stillness
Of inexpressible completeness in the void of seeming nothingness

***

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by Starman

If you think about not thinking you are still thinking. Meditation is all about letting go, especially about letting go on the inside. If you are thinking then you are holding on, holding on to whatever you are thinking about.

Some people use a mantra, chanting, as a way to distract their mind from thinking, but then at some point you let go of the mantra. Some people use concentration; they will concentrate on and external object, like a candle flame, and every time their mind wanders they bring their attention back to whatever they are concentrating on.

It might be best to slow your thinking down during the day when you are doing whatever you are doing and then you may have better success at diminishing your thoughts when you sit to do meditation. If we let our thoughts run wild for most of the day it is more difficult to quiet those thoughts when we meditate.

With practice you will get to a point where quieting your thoughts become effortless. Silence is always there, it is just a matter of letting go to it. We do not add silence to our lives, all we do is let go of the noise. Taking a relaxing bath, or doing some stretching, before meditating may also help.

Approach meditation as a solemn practice, say a prayer and ask for guidance, or bow in humble respect, before doing meditation. Approach it with gentle relaxed humility. In meditation you are attempting to open yourself to a greater, more expansive, reality that is within you. It is a divine practice.

Once again, you have posted some excellent information.

You wrote "With practice you will get to a point where quieting your thoughts become effortless." I was just discussing this with a meditation buddy this morning. There is indeed a point where the thought-free state becomes so natural and effortless and peaceful that one does not even want to disturb it with idle thoughts and unnecessary conversation. The "normal" thought-free state is thus restored.

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Yes, in silence is where we find God - and where does He dwell?
That's right - fill in the blank, guys!

Amen !

[Miss Hepburn]

Internalizing our attention - yes.

I never knew til this forum yrs. ago that the USA uses 'z' where others use s.

[Serrao]

Originally Posted by JRL09

How do I not think about something during meditation?

I think thinking is natural.
In my opinion meditation is more about not giving energy and attention to the thought then to stop thinking.

I can finally post URLs. Yay!

This is a playlist comprised of five short videos and one long video. It's a very basic guide to Buddhist meditation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoPU...a&index=2&t=0s

A very good PDF with instructions for Calm Abiding meditation.

https://www.vipassanaforum.net/meditation/Shamatha.pdf