Secular meditation
Sobriety is Traditional
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Orcas Island, Washington
Posts: 9,066
Your questions are not easily answered. Almost everyone meditates, or "stops and thinks," at some time. And there are some individuals with certain mental conditions for whom the act of trying to meditate is very harmful.
I guess the two "schools of thought" on meditation are 1) to clear your mind completely, or 2) to concentrate on one thing. But isn't trying to clear your mind an act of concentrating on one thing? And doesn't concentrating on one thing involve clearing your mind of everything else?
Meditation is central to the Buddhist religion. If you do a Google search, there is a Buddhist temple in Phoenix and Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (Society for the Promotion of Buddhism) will send you a free copy of The Teachings of Buddha if you send them an email with your shipping address.
I guess the two "schools of thought" on meditation are 1) to clear your mind completely, or 2) to concentrate on one thing. But isn't trying to clear your mind an act of concentrating on one thing? And doesn't concentrating on one thing involve clearing your mind of everything else?
Meditation is central to the Buddhist religion. If you do a Google search, there is a Buddhist temple in Phoenix and Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (Society for the Promotion of Buddhism) will send you a free copy of The Teachings of Buddha if you send them an email with your shipping address.
Recovered
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,129
I do movement meditation. The yard (almost 1/3 acre) is my domain and I spend hours per week in it, mowing/edging/pruning/tending gardens. My mind is clear. When I am done, I have the best sense of serenity.
I have found several activities I can do this with: yoga, walking, and folding laundry to name a few. I focus on breathing and let my mind empty of its thoughts. The mind-body connection and very real and very important to me.
I have found several activities I can do this with: yoga, walking, and folding laundry to name a few. I focus on breathing and let my mind empty of its thoughts. The mind-body connection and very real and very important to me.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 3,359
I stop at noon daily to meditate for 3 minutes. I started at 1 minute and have worked up to this. Now thoughts, focus on a dot in my mind.
I too find meditation working my land. I have several acres of land and love stewarding it.
I too find meditation working my land. I have several acres of land and love stewarding it.
Laozi Old Man
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Detroit, MI
Posts: 6,665
Originally Posted by Threshold 
Do you use a particular type of meditation? Follow a "school" or established practice
Idiot!
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 556
Originally Posted by Boleo
Grateful to be free
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Arizona
Posts: 3,680
Similar to some people who've posted, I tend to do "mobile" meditation, hiking, and walking labyrinths, dancing.
I also tend towards contemplation rather than emptying the mind practices.
I'm an artist and some of the techniques I use in my art become a sort of meditation because of the nature of them, requiring full concentration, or alternatively, some being absolute "busy" work.
A hike on a rough trail, where i have to plan every step carefully..really clears the mind of everything else, it's a powerful experience to "come to" and realize that I literally thought of NOTHING for that long.
I've gotten into binaural beats lately too, and that's a nice change up.
Certain spiritual rituals and related art are also a sort of deep meditation to me. There are certain types of art I create especially as spiritual practice and that entire process takes me to some very honest places within myself.
Guided meditations, shaaman journeys I've had some interesting experiences with.
Gotta admit, though I've been involved in a number of zen meditation groups, never really clicked with that school of practice.
I also tend towards contemplation rather than emptying the mind practices.
I'm an artist and some of the techniques I use in my art become a sort of meditation because of the nature of them, requiring full concentration, or alternatively, some being absolute "busy" work.
A hike on a rough trail, where i have to plan every step carefully..really clears the mind of everything else, it's a powerful experience to "come to" and realize that I literally thought of NOTHING for that long.
I've gotten into binaural beats lately too, and that's a nice change up.
Certain spiritual rituals and related art are also a sort of deep meditation to me. There are certain types of art I create especially as spiritual practice and that entire process takes me to some very honest places within myself.
Guided meditations, shaaman journeys I've had some interesting experiences with.
Gotta admit, though I've been involved in a number of zen meditation groups, never really clicked with that school of practice.
Laozi Old Man
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Detroit, MI
Posts: 6,665
Originally Posted by Threshold
Gotta admit, though I've been involved in a number of zen meditation groups, never really clicked with that school of practice.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Huntington Woods, Michigan
Posts: 465
Originally Posted by Coldfusion
Your questions are not easily answered. Almost everyone meditates, or "stops and thinks," at some time. And there are some individuals with certain mental conditions for whom the act of trying to meditate is very harmful. I guess the two "schools of thought" on meditation are 1) to clear your mind completely, or 2) to concentrate on one thing. But isn't trying to clear your mind an act of concentrating on one thing? And doesn't concentrating on one thing involve clearing your mind of everything else? Meditation is central to the Buddhist religion. If you do a Google search, there is a Buddhist temple in Phoenix and Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (Society for the Promotion of Buddhism) will send you a free copy of The Teachings of Buddha if you send them an email with your shipping address.
I meditate using a meditation that is free of dogma or doctrine. It is effective for me. One need not think they believe in a higher power in order to practice it, but might find out they aren't God.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Huntington Woods, Michigan
Posts: 465
Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: it's complicated
Posts: 99
I've studied Insight Meditation via these online resources.
Insight Meditation Center: Insight Meditation Center
The online classes (be be taken or audited) are very good for building technique.
Online Courses: Insight Meditation Center
The major caveat is that the mindfulness techniques are AWESOME at bringing up buried trauma. Which most of us have. I wouldn't study this kind of meditation without having already in place some real skills for self-care during flooding and processing traumatic memory (I use adult child-focused stepwork, myself).
I've had to stop sitting and work on trauma more than a few times, and it has been very uncomfortable, but the benefits have made it worth it.
Different schools of meditation have different goals and techniques for reaching them... I don't even know how I would sort it all out if I was a beginner.
Insight Meditation Center: Insight Meditation Center
The online classes (be be taken or audited) are very good for building technique.
Online Courses: Insight Meditation Center
The major caveat is that the mindfulness techniques are AWESOME at bringing up buried trauma. Which most of us have. I wouldn't study this kind of meditation without having already in place some real skills for self-care during flooding and processing traumatic memory (I use adult child-focused stepwork, myself).
I've had to stop sitting and work on trauma more than a few times, and it has been very uncomfortable, but the benefits have made it worth it.
Different schools of meditation have different goals and techniques for reaching them... I don't even know how I would sort it all out if I was a beginner.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Bath, England
Posts: 12
Physical exercise as meditation
Originally Posted by jdooner
I stop at noon daily to meditate for 3 minutes. I started at 1 minute and have worked up to this. Now thoughts, focus on a dot in my mind.
I too find meditation working my land. I have several acres of land and love stewarding it.
I too find meditation working my land. I have several acres of land and love stewarding it.
Two ideas that work for me:
1. Exercise of any sort that does not involve any danger or overly strenuous effort tends to be a pleasant platform for clearing the mind and sweeping out the mental cobwebs.
2. Looking at a light bulb for a second or two, closing my eyes, then focussing on the resulting bright retinal image until it fades. I often find that my eyeballs tend to rise upwards in their sockets (sorry to sound a bit odd, but that's what happens to me, and it is not very relaxing); thus I make a gentle mental effort to keep the fading light spot down towards the ground. This tends to help me focus my attention and thus allow me to stop or at least slow down the washing machine in my head.
Hope this is of some use to someone.
J
Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Bath, England
Posts: 12
If it makes sense, it ain't spiritual!
Boleo, your quote "if it makes sense, it ain't spiritual" made me giggle. Thanks for that. Also it made me think pretty hard and that's nice as well.
Keep not making sense!
J
Keep not making sense!
J
Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 3,359
Originally Posted by Jbfoggy
Thanks for your comments.
Two ideas that work for me:
1. Exercise of any sort that does not involve any danger or overly strenuous effort tends to be a pleasant platform for clearing the mind and sweeping out the mental cobwebs.
2. Looking at a light bulb for a second or two, closing my eyes, then focussing on the resulting bright retinal image until it fades. I often find that my eyeballs tend to rise upwards in their sockets (sorry to sound a bit odd, but that's what happens to me, and it is not very relaxing); thus I make a gentle mental effort to keep the fading light spot down towards the ground. This tends to help me focus my attention and thus allow me to stop or at least slow down the washing machine in my head.
Hope this is of some use to someone.
J
Two ideas that work for me:
1. Exercise of any sort that does not involve any danger or overly strenuous effort tends to be a pleasant platform for clearing the mind and sweeping out the mental cobwebs.
2. Looking at a light bulb for a second or two, closing my eyes, then focussing on the resulting bright retinal image until it fades. I often find that my eyeballs tend to rise upwards in their sockets (sorry to sound a bit odd, but that's what happens to me, and it is not very relaxing); thus I make a gentle mental effort to keep the fading light spot down towards the ground. This tends to help me focus my attention and thus allow me to stop or at least slow down the washing machine in my head.
Hope this is of some use to someone.
J
Laozi Old Man
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Detroit, MI
Posts: 6,665
Originally Posted by Jbfoggy
Keep not making sense!
You must suffer to get well
You must surrender to win
You must give it away to keep it
You must die to be reborn
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