Interested in spirituality and meditation?

"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense." - The Buddha.

INTRODUCTION

This thread is a 2 parter. It will be long, but that is because I'm trying to give you a quality post. This thread is all for YOU. I want to inspire you. I will try my best.

In the first part I will explain what true spirituality means to me. I feel it is somewhat misunderstood. I want you to discover your inner wisdom, your inner potential.

As well I would like to give you some meditation tips and techniques that I started with. I remember when I first got into meditation, I bought a book and I still didn't know what it was or what exactly it did. Traditional methods can hard and may deter you. It's pretty hard to relax and probe your mind when you can't comfortably sit in a lotus position. . Only after a few years am I realizing the value in position and posture. So i devised my own techniques, which I would like to share. But first I want to try and interest you in meditation and spirituality.

PART 1 - The New Age and spiritual misconception

It's interesting how society has a way of putting a twist on things. How many of you cringe when you hear the words "New Age"?

There is indeed a very superficial, commercialized spirituality being marketed. Simple things like horoscopes, which vaguely apply to the 1/12th of the zodiac population you might fit in, as well as tarot, crystal healing, and palmistry kind of make spirituality look nothing more then..well.. party games. In reality, they are just misunderstood.

You might think.. surely this is not the way of the intelligent, logical, rational mind. In reality, spirituality is a path of truth and wisdom. Those whom I would call spiritual are some of the wisest, open minded, tolerant (and often humble) people I have met.

Through the search for truth, some may follow traditional means, that is..effective methods handed down by others. Some how along the way this has been grouped into religion. The true spiritual seeker doesn't believe what they do because a book told them to, they believe it because they searched for it within their own hearts and minds - digging as deep as they can, persistently.

In our society we criticize religions because it doesn't hold up to our scientific theories - which in fact change repeatedly. I love science because I like to know how things work, but sometimes I find science can be as dogmatic as religion. Either way.. how can one say they are the voice of rationality if they follow someone else's belief system? But that's right, we call those solid facts because that is what the "experts" say.

The path of wisdom becomes clearer as we open our minds to new possibilities.

I feel perhaps the biggest human fear of all beyond base survival is the fear of feeling "crazy". We feel we need to firmly plant ourselves in our accepted reality. But what happens is our position becomes too firm and we start deflecting other concepts, hindering our own growth. "Stay thinking in that box, and don't you dare think out of it."

This is where that wonderful quality humility comes in. If we're wrong / make mistakes, we take a fall, but it doesn't stop us. We get back up and keep trying. We can't let our pride stop us from evolving. This is the humble path of spirituality.

The search for inner wisdom has made me more loving, forgiving, confident, and happy with a sense of peace and purpose I never thought possible.

I spend my time making posts like this not to make me feel elevated to some higher, superficial level of status, but because I want others to feel as good as I do. That is my harmless agenda. If I can make you smile, it was worth it.

Find yourself, and you will find peace. When you find peace, you will find wisdom. But don't take my word for it, see for yourself!

Now let me share some meditation tips for you beginners, though I feel nothing begins nor ends, but is just realized.

PART 2 - My starter tips and methods

Any amount of time, anywhere:
I used to go to work every day in a bit of a miserable mood. I would eat my breakfast at work in a food court and just close my eyes. I would think about those who made me happy. I did this for maybe 15 minutes every day and it allowed me to be happy at work. What I did not realize was that after some time, I didn't need to do it anymore. I was happier. More then that, I noticed my focus / ability to empty my mind had increased.

Simple little exercises like this can go a long way.

As I sat there I would also observe people and a lot of concepts can come if you take the time to observe. You don't have to be sitting down in a trance to expand your awareness.

Aside from all that I would meditate on my bed. I would lie down as shown:


I would sit down with my legs folded then lean back on my bed. I found that keeping the legs folded was comfortable, yet not such a natural sleep position so I wouldn't doze off.. but also, I felt it helped circulate my energy. You could use a pillow but I don't recommend it. An arched neck over time will become uncomfortable. You might feel the urge to swallow/ shift around and it can break your level of "absorbtion". It is also good to keep a straight spine, if anything I urge you to sit the traditional way if you can, or in a chair with your feet firmly planted. But if you're new, more then anything your probably battleing physical and mental distractions.

So lying in this position, legs folded, spine reasonably straight, arms at the side with palms up and hands in a natural relaxed position, you can do one of two things, or combine both. First I want to explain the hands. Here's a picture of how I position them, in a relaxed manner:


Relax the hands, relax the body, then focus attention on the hands.. be aware of them but don't concentrate on them. Just feel them, and keep feeling them. You might start to feel a tingling, perhaps little electrical sensations. This is a good way for cultivating ones awareness of the body, in this case the hands. Another good way is through Tai Chi or Qi Gong. By cultivating awareness of your body/energy field, in this case - hands, you may start to become aware of your pulse, your flow of energy, sensations you felt before but didn't give much thought. In time these feelings can become very strong and you can sense and affect energy fields.

You can even use your hands to sense your chakras by hovering them above the area. I find this a good way to sense ones chakras, and convince yourself of their existence. Of course there are other ways... if you want to feel your solar plexus/ sacral / dan tien area... an angry confrontation with someone can leave you feeling scattered, with an electrical or intense burning sensation in your navel.. though I would not recommend this. I am stating by putting chakras to their extremes, we can easily become aware of their existence. If you work with sound, you might feel you are able to feel certain tones as sensations in your body, as well as the emotions and such.

No matter where you are, you can be aware of your body. It's good to make a habit of it.

When walking I let my arms swing naturally and sometimes put my hand in this mudra:


By touching the tips of your thumbs to your index finger, while also being aware of the hands while walking, it can give you grounding, a sense of calmness and oneness with the earth. Take time to explore your body. Perhaps a simple crossing of toes makes you feel relaxed?

When you walk, learn to look at things differently.. do you see solid colors, or do you see fluctuating static? Do you hear nothing, or do you hear subtle sounds and perhaps a ringing in your ears? Take time to explore these things.

But back to meditating on the bed...Get comfortable, close your eyes. Focus on breathing... breathe in through your nose and out through your nose/mouth. Breathe deeply so that you don't fall asleep, and importantly, breathe rhythmically. Breathe in deep, and in a pattern if you can. By counting the seconds in the inhales and exhales, it helps focus and empty your mind. Once you feel you're breathing is natural and you feel comfortable, you can try focusing your attention to something else, like a simple object in your mind. Chances are your mind WILL wander, a lot. By focusing on a single object in your mind, over time with consistent meditations, you will find your mind less cluttered and you be able to get in a deep trance in mere minutes from what seemed like an hour or more.

If you empty the mind and put aside distractions, you might notice your body feels a bit paralyzed. You might notice a higher state of mind you're not used to. You can go deeper if you want, or if you like.. explore a concept.. ask yourself a question, see what happens.

Beyond that I won't fill your head with expectations, your meditation is your own, i'm just trying to give some tips. If you can rid your mind of distractions, it can put more energy into one area.

Doing excercises like Tai Chi or Qi Gong in the morning can wake you up in mere minutes from what seems to take a couple hours and a couple coffees. If it feels uncomfortable, breathe deeper. It will get more comfortable. With practice this can become very relaxing.

In this world there are so many distractions. So much can be learned about ourselves by searching our minds.

I will wrap this up because I've reached my word limit. I hope this will be of some help to someone. It took me many hours and it's all worth it if it can help just one of you!

- Caveman.


[edit on 26-12-2008 by CavemanDD]

Thank you!
I appreciated that and will try tonight.

A very nice post, thank you for sharing.

"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense." - The Buddha.

This is an excellent quotation. Follow your inner self, it will take you where you desire, even if you do not know it. If things don't resonate with you, they are not for you.

Find yourself, and you will find peace. When you find peace, you will find wisdom.

Knowledge is to know, while wisdom is to be. Search for knowledge and understanding because it will bring you closer to wisdom and who you really are.

The search for inner wisdom has made me more loving, forgiving, confident, and happy with a sense of peace and purpose I never thought possible.

Indeed, you are at peace with yourself when you know who you are and accept and love yourself for what you are, with all the goods and the bads. You have to forgive and love yourself before you can offer it to the world. The battle is always with yourself first and then with the rest. Once you conquer your own self, by knowing who you are, you are ready to conquer the whole world.

In this world there are so many distractions. So much can be learned about ourselves by searching our minds.

The purpose of mass media, television, religion and many other forms of entertainment and dogma is meant to distract you and keep you away from your true nature, or if you will, from knowing yourself.

It takes effort and commitment to want to know yourself, while being distracted takes no effort. There is a purpose in all this. It is a hidden battle. The world will remain covered in a dark veil as long as we are kept distracted.

Do not think we live in an enlightened age, because we are not. Technology is not a sign of enlightment, only of intelligence. Inteligence and thus technology without spiritual enlightment leads to self-destruction.

I don't want to end in a sad note, but once you start searching for answers, this is what you will find, the more you know the less likely you will be happy with the world around you. The more you know the more aware you are of the problems and thus you feel the need to act. Many people today are passive, thus the conclusion that may people are closed and unaware of their own world.

But there is no reason to be sad since the only constat in this existance is change and in reality nothing dies, just changes. This world will change, with it its people too. Or maybe its the other way around.

Great Thread S & F

this is a very well put together thread and im sure alot of people including myself will get alot of help from it

Beautiful Thread!!!

Even if they did this for just one week to try it out..they would never go bqck to not doint it! This has thoroughly changed my mind, thoughts and the negativity i carried for so long!

Also, thanks for the tips on walking and how to position your hands. Great idea!


I would like to also recommend that upon wakening you say outloud that today is going to be a wonderful, blessed day, and all good things will come to you for the good of you, your friends and family and the Universe.
And thank your higher power and the Universe for all that you have.
When you make this statement, BELIEVE IT. MEAN IT.

Again,, thank you for posting something so meaningful and i am blessed to see this as my first thread this morning!!!

Originally posted by Pericle
Knowledge is to know, while wisdom is to be.

Excellent point.

I've always thought of it as an equation.

Knowledge² = Wisdom

or to put into words...

Knowledge multiplied by the knowledge gained from the application of that knowledge equals wisdom.

Someone may have knowledge but if they haven't applied it then they don't have wisdom.

The next step then is to constantly apply that gained wisdom.

I'm glad my thread got noticed, and I hope it will be of some help to people.

It would be also helpful to discuss meditation tips for beginners if anyone has any, as well as their thoughts on living a spiritual life. These things can seem mysterious and foreign to some people, that is why I created this thread.

We the spiritual people are not a religion nor a cult, we do not want your soul, or your money, just to encourage you to look within.

Don't let a couple bad experiences leave an uncomfortable feeling or a bad taste in your mouth.

hey im new here and really happy to come across this thread! I have been able to make my hands feel like repelling magnets for a couple years now and just started figuring all of this out...im now making energy balls, but what cool stuff can i do with them? thx for your time!

-Ryan

reply to post by ziggyproductions05


I could tell you what some people can do with them, but only you can know what you can do with them.

I'm glad you found the thread useful.

I kind of stumbled upon meditation and spirituality too, i had no interest in it before. Now I meditate every day, for hours sometimes, practise qigong, astral projection, I read the books. It seems it is my calling.

I just want to open this possibility to others, it can be confusing getting into it. People can help out, but to know oneself is a personal path.

A great introduction, thanks, I might try your technique tonight, I've always wanted to get into meditation and such.

Star and flag, and keep up the good work!

Excellent post! Good stuff about humility as well. I think this is something that is tricky, because we know there is a spirit within or at least that is a part of us that is pretty much perfect. But at the same time we notice as human beings we most certainly are not perfect. Anyone with awareness will see that their human side is far from perfect. It's part of why we become humble, because we notice all kinds of stuff, especially when we were wrong about someone which I know I am at least once a day.

It leads to humility, the evidence for a lack of perfection is overwhelming once you start getting to know yourself! But you let that be and move on. And at the same time we can't forget there is this perfect spirit that is a part of us and all of us and yeah, that part of us is perfect!

Overall great post, I've always felt you had your stuff together CavemanDD. Many experiences we don't share though as I don't go as deep into it as you. Holding the hand over the chakra to feel it is something I will try soon. Feeling things when I meditate is something I never seemed to have much talent or ability for.

I guess I'm more of a dreamer, the lazy man's way perhaps... I am basically mindful throughout the day and watch my breathing pretty much every moment of the day now and basically feel it during everything now. Shoot at this point it almost hurts not to you know what I mean lol. Things are going very well.

Lately my mind is on gaining a better understanding of grace (a christian idea which makes sense when not taken to extremes) and equality (always), and further trying to understand love applied generally to all (which I actually posted about recently).

I'm curious, what are the big things that are in the back of your mind, what do you ponder on at this point?

reply to post by Novise


Thanks for the reply, and you too GrooveCat, i'm glad this has been useful for both of you.

The hands over the chakra thing is something I picked up in this tiny book in the store.. i just flipped to it and it was there. You get these little ideas all the time, to me its part of our own plan. Checking out the occult section in the book store is good for skimming and getting some tips.

---- whoops and there goes my phone,

I will answer your question after i promise, i gotta go!

Really good thread Op, thanks for your time and honesty of sharing your spiritual growth.

How to Breathe

S+F

Some might find the following helpful to,


Grounding for those who forget,

New for those have not tried yet.

Namaste

Elf

You have really been posting some great stuff lately Caveman.

The "New Age" field has become so convaluted. (and not by accident, I sometimes think.) It's rare to find a guide like yours that is not intermixed with some kind of distracting crap.

Personally I prefer to meditate on a couch or floor or something that is NOT my bed... less chance of falling asleep if it isn't actually morning or bedtime, hehe...

Thank you very much Caveman! I've been really struggling with the mental/physical distraction lately...or I just flat out fall asleep. Haha, but I'm trying a new place to put into practice some of what you wrote about.

Thank you!
JR


ps You DID make me smile

reply to post by asmeone2



Thanks for the effort. May I ask some personal questions? Roughly how old are you please? About how long now have you been on this "feeling good" state? Is it still there? Do you anticipate the rest of your life to be this easy to be happy?

I am interested in your thoughts. Thanks.

I did not read your whole post, as it was too long for me. But judging from the response of the others, it must be a pretty good one which took time and effort to produce. Just a bit of correction. I've been doing meditation for very long now, and we ( my spiritual group ), never ever do meditation lying down in bed. The great yogis from India also do not recommend this. Sitting in the lotus position or sitting on a chair with the spine straight are the recommended methods. For some reason, the spine has to be perpendicular to the ground. That is the only fault in the article that I noted, as I quickly glanced through it.

Excellent thread, star and flag from me.
It is nice to see a thread not only about spirituality, but a guide to showing others meditation tips. I have been meditating for about 6 yrs now, and if there is one thing I could tell people to help them in any way, it is to meditate regularly. When meditating you come in touch more with your inner self, and "everything" in your life will become clearer. What helped me at first was to use Brain Sync cd's to get me use to the feeling, and then I was much better at clearing my mind on my own. Also, if there is something I could recommend to anyone reading this thread, it is to check out any books by Abraham Hicks Publications. I have everything by Abraham, and all you can do is take from it what you want, and leave the rest. Great stuff, and thanks again!


Stealth

I found this pretty interesting. I've been interested in this for a while now. One thing I should say though, I would not suggest suppressing the urge to swallow. Saliva is said to contain lots of chi. Swallowing is one of the essential actions in marrow washing. Other than that all I can say is focus on your breathing, learn different types of breathing techniques. As long as you have good focus on your breath you won't fall asleep. I actually find it impossible to fall asleep while meditating. One love.

reply to post by carlosox


He was speaking of whatever works for us as readers. Not the always recommended positions, he addresses it as well in the post.

"only later did I realize the true importance of posture and position" something like that.

aha!

Only after a few years am I realizing the value in position and posture.