Any tips on "Clearing" the mind?

This is a problem i feel is shared by many. i cannot concentrate when trying to meditate. in fact i have quite a hard time concentrating on many things sometimes. now, i have heard that this is sometimes caused by negative thoughts, feelings and experiences, so bear with me while i give you a little background

Veteran ATSers may/may not remember, but approximately 14 months ago, i set up a thread, which stated that i was suffering from big-time depression. it was a desperate plea for help, and i was, and still am incredibly grateful for the support i recieved.

in particular though one member helped me by encouraging me to start meditating

Unfortunately though, i lost contact with ATS for a LONG time, and during this time i realised that i couldnt concentrate. it maybe took me a long time to reach this conclusion, because when i started i knew it would be unbelievably tough.

but is there anyone in ATS land who can help me? anyone who knows about depression knows that there is always a danger of sinking back into it, and this is a fate i would like to avoid at all costs. so by learning how to clear the mind and concentrate, i hope to get back on track (If indeed i was ever on it )

ANY help is welcome

Thanks

Daystar,

I hope you will find these tips useful. They work very well for me, and were given to me by someone with a very long meditation practice.

First, it is very important to do spine flexes before you sit down to meditate. Doing this in itself will improve your mood, as well as your ability to concentrate. A very good set can be found at healingsource.com...
Spend about 15-25 minutes doing these immediately before your meditation and you will notice the difference.

Then, when you sit down to meditate, put down your luggage. By this I mean all the cares, worries, things to do, etc. -- set it all down. For the duration of the meditation, you have to forget the world exists. It is your time for yourself, and there is nothing else, nothing to worry about and nothing to do but to sit an meditate. It's a matter of making a choice and setting the right intention. Don't worry, your luggage will still be there when you come back.

The next step is the meditation itself. Do you have a method, a way to keep focus? If not, I suggest counting numbers. Breathe normally, and as you breathe out, count mentally. From 1 to 10, going to the next number with each breath. When you get to 10, the next breath is 1 again. Your mind is fully focused on the number. If you find yourself going beyond 10, just regain focus and go back to 1 -- no self-judgement, no frustration allowed, just go back to 1 and continue as if nothing happened. If you find your mind wandering too much, count backwards from 10 to 1, this gives the mind a little more to play with and will be more effective at keeping it quiet.

Now here is a key to success: there is no success. You said your goal is a clear mind, but as long as you have a goal in mind your mind will not be clear. This sounds like some Zen riddle, but it is a very straightforward truth. As long as you have a goal, you will judge your performance in trying to reach that goal. As long as you are busy judging your performance, you will not be meditating. So the meditation itself has to be your goal: that is, to sit, to count the numbers (or use your method), and to go back to 1 without judgement when your mind wanders. As long as you are meditating, you are meditating perfectly -- that has to be your attitude.

If you need more advice, please feel free to e-mail.

Best of luck,
Mynaeris

Mynaeris has good advice.
Visualization helps me when it's hard to stop thinking of my problems.
One thing I do is picture a bright red balloon and I'm holding on to
the string.
The balloon is all my cares and worries. I let go of the balloon and
let it float away till it's no longer visible. Then I proceed to relax my
body starting from my toes and on up to my head. Relaxing each
body part separately to prepare for meditation.

I have to agree with Mynaeris. Concentrate on your breathing, counting and make sure that with each breath you tell yourself you are going deeper and deeper. Good luck!

Going to sleep helps clear my mind of whatever I used to be thinking about. Although my dreams may make me think about something else. I'm no expert on meditation or depression so take my words as just comments from the street (I may have a clue or may not.). So my words on depression are that I heard routine 3 or 4 times a week of vigorous exercise to get endorphines flowing naturally would be good. If you stay indoors in a northern climate, 15 to 25 minutes a day exposure to a special sun light or greenhouse (plant) light that has the full spectrum of light I heard may help avoid depression. If sunlight is available, some exposure to the skin would be much easier than messing around with artificial lights. Again I wish to state that I have no medical training so you should consult a doctor rather than listen to me.

Try Hemi-Sync availible from the Monroe institute. There are many forms of these CD's you can order.They align the hemispheres of the brain using a Bi-neural sound wave,I find them very relaxing. And i often use them as cool down before RV.

Im pretty sure its www.monroeinstitute.org...

[edit on 11-12-2004 by parker]

When I first started meditating, especially when I began seriously looking inward, I was plagued by all sorts of memories and thoughts of unresolved issues in my life.

By that, I mean everything from "Did I pay the phone bill this month?" to "It must have been Jimmy who stole my baseball bat in the 4th grade," to memories of lost loved ones and unjustices past.

You name it, it popped into my mind.

At first, all that noise was basically locking me out. Your mileage will definitely vary, but what ended up working for me was adopting a stance of acceptance.

The reason these things kept bugging me was that I kept pushing them away, not wanting to confront them. So they kept nagging at me, demanding attention.

I finally realized that they wouldn't go away until I finally gave myself closure, so I decided to take a different approach, and give myself permission to accept these things as part of my life, good or bad.

Each issue has its own characteristics: anger over feeling cheated, guilt and shame over hurting someone else, embarrassment for doing stupid things, etc. etc. So one size does not necessarily fit all -- although I have determined that all such noise is a manifestation of some form of fear, and that realization helped me a lot.

With the benefit of perspective (mentally take a few steps back from life and look at it as a whole), and having forgiven myself for not being perfect, I was actually able to plow through a huge number of these in a relatively short time. Every now and then another issue surfaces, and when it does, instead of trying to push it away, I try to confront it and make peace with it.

I still have plenty of issues -- everyone does and everyone always will. However, by clearing away some of the emotional clutter, I was able to "see" things I hadn't seen before, and I am very happy with how it has been going (although granted it's been a wild ride).

Between that and making sure I am physically relaxed and free of the possibility of unwanted intrusions, I have found my meditations very rewarding.

Here's hoping you may achieve and exceed the satisfaction I have obtained in meditation.

I am one of those that cannot meditate, the harder I try, the more I struggle.

My suggestion is to read a "comforting" book e.g. "Bringing Out the BEST in People" by Alan Loy McGinnis, in a relaxed quiet atmosphere.

"Life is too short to pack apples" - a quote from a friend who landed up in Australia after doing a six month around the world trip.



[edit on 11-12-2004 by jgbjgb]

thank you to Mynaeris and majic for this advice.

Mynaeris i will certainly try the counting method, and i will take note that i should not have a goal. i understand that my goal of a clear mind will only serve to distract.i will also have a look at the link you posted thanx

and thanks to parker for the link

elaine, i have tried visualization, but always messed up. i used to imagine myself in a place well known to me. it was always full of distractions. i used to try and visualize the place with just me in it, but after only a couple of seconds (literally), something would happen to distract me

anyway, thanks in general to all the "good lucks"

This is why I do energy work at time of trying to go to sleep. I only feel the energy - no thinking at all, just feel.

The thing is trying to not think is, indeed actually thinking...
you cannot desire to not desire...
Try listening to everything like a song.. like something in the backround.. and when you start, 'talking in your head' then, as hard as it is... LISTEN to yourself..
you notice how you breath?.... no .. lol (I love my funny questions)
You do sometimes realize yourself breathing and you control it.. much like your thoughts... but its best to allow your deeper self control your thoughts instead of allowing our symbolic mind control our thoughts, but thats impossible, somewhat... So just listen to everything, no sound is good or bad.. nothing has a lable, it just is....
Some people use aids... like sound... or breathing techniques..
concentrating on one sound like using the AUM, because it also helps with the breathing techniques because it starts at the back of your throat and works its way to your lips.. and people who use that technique repeat AUM over and over, not fast... just steady... (like kids, when their parents are vacuuming.. they try to immitate the noise.. ) it removes your chatter and you can more easily focus.. Hope that helps.. if you want more help U2U me.. I can help if you explain things in detail... I'm a good person to talk to if your having problems..

Originally posted by AngelaLadyS
This is why I do energy work at time of trying to go to sleep. I only feel the energy - no thinking at all, just feel.

Sleep is a natural anti-depressant. A lot of women manage to avoid postpartum depression by getting plenty of sleep.

I can personally recommend those Hemi-Sync CDs...well, I've tried one of them anyway...the one I'm using has a few occassional spoken instructions, but the rest is just "white noise", and really helps clear the mind. There's nothing "funny" going on, no subliminal messages, no hypnosis.

Originally posted by sen5e

Originally posted by AngelaLadyS
This is why I do energy work at time of trying to go to sleep. I only feel the energy - no thinking at all, just feel.

Sleep is a natural anti-depressant. A lot of women manage to avoid postpartum depression by getting plenty of sleep.

It's very odd, your choice of words here. Very odd. These things keep coming up - pregnant, baby, baby girl. Depression - Due to the loss of my baby brother, but I 'think' I'm dealing with it well.

Huh? You lost me.

I didn't mean anything in particular. The example came up because that was something Cindy Crawford said. And I think alot of people with anxiety/sleep problems also have depression. (Only meant as general statement).

Originally posted by sen5e
Huh? You lost me.

I didn't mean anything in particular. The example came up because that was something Cindy Crawford said. And I think alot of people with anxiety/sleep problems also have depression. (Only meant as general statement).

LOL! Sorry. I didn't mean you ment something in particular. It has just been popping up all over the place this last several months. (And my tubes are tied So I'm safe!)

To me the most easy and effortless way to clear the mind is to drop your brainwave level down.

There are numerous methods but the one i use is to simply do the following.

Imagine that there is a Giant pitchfork shoved through your head. At the end of this pitchform imagine there is a giant block of hard ICE at that end. Within a few mins your brainwave will drop and your mind is now cleared!

There is also some free software that you can use which flashes intervals of certain colors of lights on the computer screen. You close your eyes and you sit infront of your PC screen. The rest happens in a few mins as your brainwave drops automatically.

I would suggest the following method....which will take a bit to master....but works...

First find a comfortable position.....attempt to observe your thoughts from a third person perspective.....Do not involve yourself at all.....just let them flow without entertaining them. You will notice that as time goes on the thoughts will begin to arrive at a much slower pace....When you get to the point where you can go about 10 minutes without involving yourself in thought...move on to the next step.

Next, attempt to hold one thought in your head.....it could be any thought....preferably something that you won't necessarily be able to relate to in a direct manner.....A mantra of some sort will work, such as AUM. You must adamantly reject all other thoughts...You will notice that once this thought is maintained you will feel a pulsating in the center of your forehead....When you get to the point where you can maintain one thought for 10 minutes without any other thought being involved move to the next step...

Finally attempt no-thought......hold one thought in your mind...then dismiss that thought....you will be in a magical trance of sorts and at this point quite anything is possible....

You will need to practice about twice a day.....once in the morning...once at night.

I'd suggest checking out Franz Bardon's Initiation into Hermetics....

www.ami.com.au...



[edit on 13-12-2004 by cursed]

[edit on 13-12-2004 by cursed]

When one is conscious and in control of faculties, the brain functions.

It must function. That is why you are conscious.

It cannot be cleared of everything, every thought.

It is built to think or concentrate on something whilst one is conscious. So, the trick is to visualise and concentrate on something specific and simple.

Maybe a red box, or a plain brown bag. The longer you concentrate the clearer your mind will become.

Remember, meditation is a state. It takes time to reach that state.

So, take your time and visualise and you will drift to that state. Some people will use simple soothing chants. Works as well.

Two fold mission: Get the mind to relax and flow freely. Get the body to agree.

Mind/Spirit - Find a place with low or no light and is absolutely quiet without interruption. Close your eyes. Breathe slowly. Pray (asking for help). Breathe again. Let you mind go where it wants to. Open your eyes when you feel refreshed. Repeat as needed (once per day or week). The mind will stack things up if you let them and that can weigh you down.

Body - Exercise 15 mins/day or 30 mins three times a week. Your body needs to be able to move to an excited state in order to truly relax. Good circulation, blood flow, and sweat helps wake up the mind and improve concentration.

Don't let depression follow you. I had a year of it some time ago but refuse to let it re-enter my life. You can deny depression.

Hope something here helps.

Pray, train, study.
God Bless.

[edit on 13-12-2004 by saint4God]