Meditation and Relaxation
 

I've been thinking about it went to some sites.

http://www.learningmeditation.com has some stuff thats interesting (music).

Just wondering about anyone else that has tried it, etc...

Thanks

I find that listening to some trance music, appropriately enough, puts me into a meditative state. I'll notice that I've been rocking back and forth slightly and thinking...nothing!...for about 20 minutes. Better than a nap! There are other techniques I use for "presencing" myself in my body - total progressive relaxation, breathing exercises, yoga.

A good way to start is just to find a comfortable position and do nothing but pay attention to your breathing for 5 minutes. Notice when your mind goes somewhere else and just bring it back to your breathing.

Good luck!

yea i try the breathing when i cant sleep but i gotta work on that. thanks

I've done much contempletive prayer which is intense meditation.

I was getting into meditation years ago, it really did calm me down alot. I checked my pulse before and after one time, went from 76 to about 60. I felt alot better, too. Just can't find the time anymore to do it, so I take kava.

Years ago I went to a holistic doctor -- he was an actual MD -- for a checkup and he took my blood pressure, which was maybe 25 points too high (I'm hyper). So he walks me through some guided meditation right there (close your eyes, relax, visualize something, etc.) and takes my blood pressure again. It's down 15 points in just a few minutes.

So he says, "You've got to learn to meditate to get that blood pressure down." I told him I'd never stick with it. So he thinks for a moment and says, "OK. Buy a La-Z-Boy recliner and sit in it for at least 20 minutes once a day; just sit, don't do anything, talk, watch TV or anything else. That'll help keep your blood pressure down." I couldn't believe any chair could actually make that kind of difference, but he said it could. So I eventually got one and --- damn -- he was right. Call it La-Z-Boy meditation, but it works. Relaxes the hell out of me, and my blood pressure is lower, too.

La-Z-Boy Chairs are MAD comfy!!! haha we are gettin one soon :p cool

I used to mediatate a lot. now i just try to sit and clear my mind for 5-10 min a day, it's amazing how relaxing and clarifying such a small amount of time may be

One technique I found was a frequency generator that supposedly tuned your brain to whatever frequency it was making, and focused your mind at deeper levels of concentration or something. I listened to the sounds for awhile, and after concentrating on them, my mind started to pulse to the frequency, and I went into a really relaxed state with my eyes closed, and it felt like I was asleep, byt I could still feel my entire body, like I knew I could move at any time, but It was more peaceful to just sit and rest in that comfortable state. After like 20 -30 minutes of this, I'm sure my pulse was probably a lot lower than when I started, I was much more relaxed, calm, and focused. My mind is usually very unfocused, I lose concentration easilly, and my trains of thought are easilly derailed. But after doing this technique every night for 5 days, my mind was very clear and focused. As I kept doing it, it became easier and easier to fall into the trance, and each time I just felt better and better. I dont know where you could get the program now, but I'm sure there are some free frequency generators out there if someone wanted to try it.

I dont do it anymore, just lost my focus on it after awhile, but I think if I had stuck with it, it would have been good, Maybe I'll start again. I need to do something to get my mind clear again, I need to focus. Anyway, enough rambling, just thought I'd share my experience a little bit.

Im not a big religious nut, but I have found listening to some praise/worship music on low volume really helps. Its positive and refreshes me. On the other hand, I love listening to some metal while driving ;)

i have tried to meditate, but have not been too successful personally, though i must admit to not putting a lot of time into it. i think (generally speaking) that truly learning to meditate can take some dedication to the practice.

this link is to a REALLY great book on meditation (called "Mindfulness in Plain English") from a Buddhist monk's perspective. a super place start regardless of your religious affiliation (or lack thereof.)

http://www.realization.org/page/name...ipe/mipe_0.htm

"The complete text of this popular book is online here. Some people say it's the best book ever written for beginning meditators. Using down-to-earth, nuts-and-bolts language, it explains how to practice Vipassana meditation (also called insight meditation). The result is increased mindfulness (also called bare attention or witness consciousness)."

good luck!
c_b

i am currently studying meditation sitting with the buddhist monk. for those who think i am a joker, this is the true!

i must meditate every day for peace and so i sit, and my mind is not in such a rush to think. this is superior for the ideas are better when there are not so much and too crazy.

all should sit and breathe. this is crackerjack.

I've tried a few things, self hypnosis, binural beats, mantras, breathing/muscle excercises - and they do work. The key is to keep doing them, and to take them very seriously!

thank you... I've been trying to use Meditation in a New York Minute: Super Calm for the Super Busy

It's been effective so far...

I LOVED taking my meditation class in college. Look in your local alternative paper (if you live in a city big enough to have one) and see if there's any local meditation groups that meet (here in Asheville we have bajillions). It's a good way to meet people who are more into meditation, who know more about it, and who will be willing to help you get started.

Meditation is all about finding what works for you- do you need to be in a chair? on the floor sitting? on a cushion? lying down (don't recommend this cause you'll fall asleep if you're not careful!)? Music on or off? Headphones or not? Do you need a tape for a guided meditation, or do you prefer to just sit peacefully by yourself?

The more you explore meditation and meditation techniques, the better chance of finding something that works just right for YOU! Keep at it, meditation has helped me IMMENSELY and was vital to surviving my first year of college!

I do little meditation "naps" in the middle of things throughout the day when I feel I need to be centered. It's amazing how well it works somtimes.

my wife became a yoga instructor year ago. the whole reason was so she could meditate more effectively. in fact, she tells me that yoga was first developed to help those folks that meditate for long periods of time have the stamina and strength to do so.

I tried listening to these on the train this morning - it was a nice quiet train.. it should have been easy.. I got to the exercise about shutting off all thoughts for 30 seconds.. As got as my witness.. i thoughtthe cd stopped and an hour had passed by... I couldn't last more tha 2 seconds...

its an interesting cd though... the guy has a great speaking voice and wicked cute Aussie accent...

everyone who does has their own way of "meditating". It can be anything from sitting criss-cross, toes and fingers up, eyes closed, humming- to taking a nice long warm bubble bath.
Music does help greatly- and it's whatever helps soothe and clear the mind. I like monk chanting, maybe some ambient........nothing with beats, really. Although I go out almost every weekend to a DrumNbass night which is heavy, offset beats that I can just groove to and I think of that as one of my "meditations" because I am a pretty restless person and sometimes it's hard for me to just slow down. I can escape with some good beats.
I also like taking long hot showers, walking, or sitting by the water.