Do you meditate?

Subject: Do you meditate? Mon Mar 23, 2009 11:35 am

What is meditation? I have the concept in my mind that meditation is any time that you can shut out various things and distractions around you to focus on an individual thoughtform or external thing.

Many people picture meditation as yoga, or self-hypnosis, but I think that meditation can be much simpler and easier to achieve than these schools of thought. I will explain.

When you are around running water, such as a stream or a waterfall, does the sound and motion of the water draw you in, until you focus on those to the exclusion of all else around you? You are meditating.

When at a bonfire or campfire, does the glow of coals, the radiant warmth and the crackle and pop of the fire draw you in, until your focus is only on the fire and all around you seems to fade and lose importance? You are meditating.

Have you ever watched a hawk or eagle floating on the air currents, slowly circling and effortlessly riding the air? As you gaze, and perhaps wish that you could join the bird in flight, does all else around you pale in importance as your mind carries you to flight? Not only are you meditating at this point, you are on the edge of astral travel.

If you live magickally, if you live in the moment, you meditate a great deal. Learn to appreciate and embrace the moments that you can be freed of the strife and life that hurries you along toward your end. Stop and smell the roses, and if the scent carries you to another place, you are meditating.

Subject: Re: Do you meditate? Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:01 pm

I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT BEFORE A YEAR AGO, I WAS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT BELIEVED THAT MEDITATION WAS AS IT IS OFTEN MISTAKEN FOR YOGA, SELF HEYPNOSIS AND OTHER SUCH IDEAS. AND I CHALK THAT UP TO PERHAPS IGNORANCE, LAZINESS, AND SKEPTICISM; IGNORACE AND LAZINESS IN THAT I NEER TOOK TIME TO THINK ON IT FOR MYSELF AND SKEPTICISM AS I QUESTIONED IF MEDITATION COULD REALLY DO ANY GOOD.

THIS PAST YEAR.. HAS BEEN AN AWAKENING FOR ME SO TO SPEAK.. MORE SO THE PAST FEW MONTHS BUT ALL THAT HAS, IS, AND WILL BE HAPPENING TO ME, I CAN ATTRIBUTE TO THE MEETING OF ONE PERSON. AND ITS NOT THAT I BELIEVE SHE GAVE ME SPECIAL POWERS, BUT I DO BELIEVE SHE KICK STARTED WHAT HAD LAID DORMANT IN ME.

HERE I GO OFF TOPIC A BIT SO LET ME REFOCUS. YES. MEDITATION.

BEFORE I GAVE IT MUCH THOUGHT LIKE I SAID I WAS ONE OF THOSE WHO FELL INTO THE COMMONLY PERCIEVED DEFINITION OF MEDIATION. HOWEVER, LATELY I HAVE NOTICED THERE ARE MANY INSTANCES WHERE IN FACT I DO MEDITATE.. AND HAVE MEDITATED.. BUT BECUASE MY DEFINITION WAS SO MAINSTREAM I NEVER NOTICED WHAT IT WAS I WAS DOING OTHER THAN WHAT I CALLED IT "RELAXING", MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS CALL IT MY MOMENTS OF ZONING OUT.

WHEN I FEEL ANXIOUS, SAD, MAD OR JUST FEEL THE NEED TO RFOCUS MY THOUGHTS.. I OFTEN REVERT TO 5 THINGS. WHICH I FIND ODDLY ENOUGH SIMILAR TO THAT WHICH ARI TALKED ABOUT. AND IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS I FIND ONE WORKS BETTER FOR ME THAN OTHERS.. AND IT COULD JUST BE ME.. *SHRUGS*

1. RUNNING WATER.. ANY TYPE OF RUNNING WATER I AM DRAWN TO AND CAN FOCUS ON THAT SOUND AND FOR LACK OF BETTER WORDS.. IT CALMS ME IT GROUNDS ME.. IT SOOTHES ME. MY HOUSEMATE INSISTS ON GETTING A DISHWASHER BUT I TOLD HIM ID RATHER DO WITHOUT AS HANDWASHING DISHES RELAXES ME.. HE THINKS IT IS REALLY ODD.

2. FIRE... JUST SITTING AND WATCHING THE FLAMES DANCE ABOUT CASTING SHADOWS AND TAKING NOTE OF THE EMBERS THAT WINK AND DIE OUT IT ALLOWS ME TO CLEAR MY HEAD OF ALL THOUGHTS CEPT FOR THAT WHICH I WANT TO FOCUS ON. LUCKY FOR ME I HAVE FIREPLACE INSIDE.

3. WIND IN THE TREES...IF I AM FEELING TIRED.. PHYSICALLY ANDMENTALLY.. I OFTEN WATCH THE TREES SWAY IN THE WIND. IT SORT OF RECHARGES ME A BIT.. NOT TO THE POINT WHERE I THINK I AM SUPERMAN.. BUT ENOUGH SO THAT I CAN GET THROUGH THE NEXT FEW HOURS OR THE DAY.

4. NATURE ITSELF.. IN ALL ITS BEAUTY.. I FIND THAT WHEN I HIKE I GET THE FEELING OF APPRECIATION FOR ALL THAT IS AROUND ME.. NOT ONLY IN MY SURROUNDINGS BUT ALSO IN MY LIFE..MY BOYS OFTEN FIND THAT THEY HAVE TO NEARLY THROW A ROCK AT ME TO GET MY ATTENTION AND ALSO ASK WHY I HAVE SUCH A GOOFY GRIN ON MY FACE... AND I TELL THEM AS MUCH. AGAIN LUCKY FOR ME I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS PLACES TO HIKE NEARBY.

5. AND LASTLY.. MUSIC AND SOUND.....MUSIC I FIND ALLOWS ME TO FOCUS MY THOUGHTS ON PARTICULAR PEOPLE .. PROBLEMS I AM HAVING WITH THEM OR JUST CERTAIN SITUATIONS THAT NEED ATTENTION BROUGHT TO THEM.
THERE ARE CERTAIN SOUNDS THAT MAKE ME WANT TO SLEEP.. LOL MAYBE THAT ISNT MEDITATION.. BUT THATS HOW IT IS. ANY CONSTANT NOISES SUCH AS.. WASHING MACHINE.. HEATER/AC.. VACCUM.. IT SEEMS TO CHASE ALL THOUGHTS OUT THE WINDOW.. LOL

NOW I KNOW I DO MEDITATE.. HOWEVER, BECAUSE I HAVE YOUNG KIDS, I ALWAYS HAVE ONE EAR CONNECTED TO WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND ME.. EVEN IN SLEEP SOMETIME. ITS THE MOTHERLY INSTINCT I SUPPOSE. IT IS SELDOM THAT I AM NOT CONNECTED TO THEM.. ONLY WHEN I KNOW THEY ARE IN CAPABLE HANDS DO I LET THAT CONNECTION WANE.. AND SMALL IS THE GROUP I TRUST THEM TOO. PERHAPS IF I CAN DISCONNECT FROM THAT I CAN EXPERIENCE MORE.

THESE ARE MY THOUGHTS. THESE ARE MY EXPERIENCES.. TAKE THEM AS YOU SEE FIT

Subject: Re: Do you meditate? Mon Mar 23, 2009 4:08 pm

I never realized that what I call relaxing (running water, a fire, nature itself) could actually be considered a form of mediation. I will have to remember that the next time I try to meditate the "formal" way. There are times where I zone-out at work (I have a desk job.... its not that difficult LOL) but I would have never guessed that I was meditating. Thanks so much for pointing these things out Ari & TBT