Need Meditation Help

Good evening all,

Its been years since I've composed a Topic here on ATS. I check in all the time but rarely post. I've missed everyone.

I have been having trouble meditating. I have watched YouTube videos, read books and still I have not been able to quiet my mind long enough to do any good. Can any members recommend a beginners guide to properly meditate? I can search thousands of YouTube videos but I am always wary of someone else's agenda. I'm just looking for good advice on how to begin, what to look for while doing it and stuff like that. Is there a certain scent that helps? Music? What challenges did you have? What were your experiences when you first began?

Thank you for your time.

a reply to: Event Horizon

Instead of attempting to quiet my mind I like to be the observer or watcher of mind. I have found that trying to quiet my mind often makes it nosier. Perhaps just sit and meditate on the question who is aware of my thoughts?
See if you can notice that you are not your thoughts because you have awareness of them. I like to keep it simple beyond that there are many more types of meditation from breathwork to chakras to various visualization s I'm sure other posters will fill you in on their favorite flavor of meditation.

a reply to: Event Horizon

just meditate. Don't force anything. Force breeds resistance. So watch, you are not a player in the thought game.

words someone else will tell you about meditation are more thoughts for you to think about silly.

ok focus on your breath, and when a thought comes in go "I see you" and let it back into the water like a slippery fish. The I that notices the thought is you, you are not the one thinking.

it's just a practice thing. At first most people make it like 2 seconds without a thought. Don't worry about it.

AND don't feel the need to do it sitting up uncomfortably. Do it in a fluffy ass chair with a blanket and some tea.. Or in bed before you go to sleep.

Also go through your head during the day take stock of your thoughts.. Note all your worries, things that need to get done.. make decisions. so that later your brain doesn't feel the need to remind you, since you already took care of it or made a plan that makes sense.

And DO NOT expect anything. Expectations are more thoughts..

I have not meditated in some time, but It changed my entire life. For the first time I was ahead of the game. the rest of my life was like this running car and the pistons kept firing and I had to keep up and there was never a break.... And then I started going through my head and my life and I amde it all work.. Now I am the one behind the wheel.

originally posted by: SolAquarius
a reply to: Event Horizon

Perhaps just sit and meditate on the question who is aware of my thoughts?

What do you ask yourself? Can you tell me how you first began doing it? Can you talk me through you first started? Do you remember? Was there a uh huh moment?

originally posted by: Reverbs
a reply to: Event Horizon

just meditate. Don't force anything. Force breeds resistance. So watch, you are not a player in the thought game.

Can you talk me through some of your first meditations? What were you doing? Feeling? I usually just lie on my bed and fall asleep.

a reply to: Event Horizon

Ok.

One day I was talking to my mom about consciousness. (I grew up hippie)

and she mentions meditation and gives me just a basic idea. What she says is pick a mantra and just repeat it..

Here's was issa... Well I picked mine as OHM. so I vibrated the tone of OHM through my bones, and that was enough to focus on that the rest of everything fell away. for like a minute.. LOL..

It just takes practice.

Don't rush it.

originally posted by: Reverbs
a reply to: Event Horizon

just meditate. Don't force anything. Force breeds resistance. So watch, you are not a player in the thought game.

words someone else will tell you about meditation are more thoughts for you to think about silly.

ok focus on your breath, and when a thought comes in go "I see you" and let it back into the water like a slippery fish. The I that notices the thought is you, you are not the one thinking.

it's just a practice thing. At first most people make it like 2 seconds without a thought. Don't worry about it.

AND don't feel the need to do it sitting up uncomfortably. Do it in a fluffy ass chair with a blanket and some tea.. Or in bed before you go to sleep.

Also go through your head during the day take stock of your thoughts.. Note all your worries, things that need to get done.. make decisions. so that later your brain doesn't feel the need to remind you, since you already took care of it or made a plan that makes sense.

And DO NOT expect anything. Expectations are more thoughts..

I have not meditated in some time, but It changed my entire life. For the first time I was ahead of the game. the rest of my life was like this running car and the pistons kept firing and I had to keep up and there was never a break.... And then I started going through my head and my life and I amde it all work.. Now I am the one behind the wheel.

Great

Try meditating when your mind is less likely to be churning. For some first thing in the morning is the golden time for others just before sleep is the best.

Meditation is not easy. I think the best thing is to read the quote above and really take it on board. Look at the small victories. Meditation is weight lifting for the mind. so if you only have one minute of total meditative silence. keep going and next week perhaps you make it to two minutes that progress.

keep going!

a reply to: Event Horizon

Patience! Just find a relaxing spot, i would prefer somewhere in nature where u can relax and really sink into the natures energy. Just let thoughts come and go, no need to identify with em but just be aware they comes and goes. Eventually it just stops.

Sometimes i lay down and focus on different muscles from head to toes, one by one, relaxing em and do some deep breathing same time and eventually whole body is quite balanced, then when body lets go of tension, mind can follow quite easily but i fall into sleep with this method more easily too.

I like to think of it this way..
The thoughts are rushing in from the corners of your mind's eye towards the center. Simply do not engage with them. Allow them to float by and fade away.

Forcing the thoughts to "go away" is bound to be unsuccessful as the others have hinted at.

Time, practice, and patience. One of the greatest lessons learning meditation has taught me was and continues to be patience.

Nam Myho Renge Kyo

Is the Mantra I use...it works!
www.sgi.org...

a reply to: Event Horizon

YouTube and books doesn't really help: just informs and opinionates: too much information diverse enough to confuse. Stop it.

Relax and go within... Expect nothing... but observe everything. Single long tones with headphones works well. As in listening and going into one long held "E" below middle "C" note held for say... 20 minutes... Record it... and get some phones on...

Trying too hard is bad as well... That's not medtatively letting go... But expectantly "holding on" looking for something instead of letting it flow....

MS

a reply to: Event Horizon

Generally I sit in some way that my back is straight. If I lie down there is a chance of falling a sleep.
Its good to be comfortable but not so comfortable that you risk falling asleep.
You want to keep a nice center and just stay aware.
Asking questions is meditative inquiry for example you could ask just focus on these questions.

Am I my thoughts? If I am my thoughts how can I be aware of them?
See if you notice an awareness of thought.
Am I my emotions? If I am my emotions how can I be aware of them?
Am I my body? If I am my body how can I be aware of it?

I find some times guided meditations can help if you need some help I find Mooji very Helpful

a reply to: Event Horizon

I think you should look into spiritual exercise and meditation, cause meditating without spirituality is useless..
For me meditating can be as simple as hiking for a couple of hours.. Find the best solution for your spiritual exercises it doesnt have to include meditating..

Thank you everyone for the good advice. I will experiment and report back here.