Meditation - a general interest thread.

First topic message reminder :

I started meditating about 20 years ago because, at that time,  I felt the need to find peace and I knew somehow that it was within. I read about meditation and got as far as the line that says....switch off your thoughts.... and found that I couldnt do that... my thoughts had a lot to say. Then I bought a guided meditation tape (yes a tape lol) but I found that I just listened to the soft voice and relaxed, but didnt find peace. I tried music to meditate to and that helped for a short while. 

Then I gave up tryjng to meditate, but I realised that just having that short time each day to sit quietly and relax felt good. So thats what I did and in time, I drifted quite naturally into a meditative state. Over the years the meditative state became deeper (or higher - depending on which way you look at it) and without defining any specific intention, my time out took me into some different states.

Sometimes I would enter a dream state and would go on a journey that would offer some teaching or understanding from it. Sometimes, I would feel lkke I was floating higher and higher and would reach a state that I felt was healing. Other times I would be in a state of concious notningness. And at times I would just fall asleep. Because of these experiences, Ive come to trust that time out to bring about what I need. So I am often a little dubious about meditating with intention to reach something specific.

I have tried different types of meditation practise and really enjoyed them. I particularly enjoy meditating with others... that is quite special. But more often than not, I still just sit quietly and trust.

Im interested in hearing about other peolles experiences with meditation.

Blueanchor wrote:

psychoslice wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:

Gemmy wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:
In what way?

Typical meditation narratives advocate controlling the mind.

Yes, there are few narratives that dont advocate a particular way but its only ever one way that one human being found beneficial and other people followed.

This is true, just because someone uses a way that helped them doesn't mean everyone has to follow that particular way, the Buddha is only a man who after quite awhile became enlightened, but he isn't the only one many have became enlightened without ever know the Buddha, or Siddhartha Gautama which is his real name.

Some dont even believe that enlightenment is any more that a moment of realising something that we didnt realise the moment before. 

Your own narrative is no different.

Whatever it is its wonderful to experience, your life will never be the same again, but it has to be experienced and not just conceptualized.

gigpdo wrote:We live the moment or present every second of our lives, my life is a meditation, or what's left of it, I'm on the wrong side of 60 now and I feel absolutely no pressure whatever to please others, and that is what we are doing every millisecond of every minute of every hour of everyday!, we seem to have this great need or urgency to be not accountable anymore, its like that with me anyway!, or "go with the flow", there is no need for me to be approved by others/peers anymore.
And, like KPB I too see every minute as being a meditation, even if I am not aware of it I know its happening!
What more peace could a person want than to be "sated", spiritually or otherwise, I am in a really nice headspace now and have been for a long long time, and its pretty cool when you can make a statement like that, its a freedom of spirit that does not need my constant attention!

I just "am" now!...and its very very cool!,lol, very cool!.

That's beautiful gigpdo, I really connect with what you are saying, but sadly to those who cannot see this it is nothing more than gibberish, they see it as if we have something they don't, when in fact they have everything we have, they just need to open their gifts under the Xmas tree lol.

psychoslice wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:

psychoslice wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:

Gemmy wrote:
Typical meditation narratives advocate controlling the mind.

Yes, there are few narratives that dont advocate a particular way but its only ever one way that one human being found beneficial and other people followed.

This is true, just because someone uses a way that helped them doesn't mean everyone has to follow that particular way, the Buddha is only a man who after quite awhile became enlightened, but he isn't the only one many have became enlightened without ever know the Buddha, or Siddhartha Gautama which is his real name.

Some dont even believe that enlightenment is any more that a moment of realising something that we didnt realise the moment before. 

Your own narrative is no different.

Whatever it is its wonderful to experience, your life will never be the same again, but it has to be experienced and not just conceptualized.

What I experience is wonderful to experience. My life isnt the same as it might have been yesterday, last year or ten years ago. But it would be naive to imagine that others need to experience my wonder and arrogant to imagine that you are missing the gifts I have to offer.

Neither a follower nor a leader be, but enjoy the moment of your own experience.

Blueanchor wrote:

psychoslice wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:

psychoslice wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:
Yes, there are few narratives that dont advocate a particular way but its only ever one way that one human being found beneficial and other people followed.

This is true, just because someone uses a way that helped them doesn't mean everyone has to follow that particular way, the Buddha is only a man who after quite awhile became enlightened, but he isn't the only one many have became enlightened without ever know the Buddha, or Siddhartha Gautama which is his real name.

Some dont even believe that enlightenment is any more that a moment of realising something that we didnt realise the moment before. 

Your own narrative is no different.

Whatever it is its wonderful to experience, your life will never be the same again, but it has to be experienced and not just conceptualized.

What I experience is wonderful to experience. My life isnt the same as it might have been yesterday, last year or ten years ago. But it would be naive to imagine that others need to experience my wonder and arrogant to imagine that you are missing the gifts I have to offer.

Neither a follower nor a leader be, but enjoy the moment of your own experience.

I don't understand why you are always on the defensive, you seem to take everything personal, why is that ?.

You can't even take a compliment without getting all shock up, you do really have a problem, do you want to talk about it ?.

psychoslice wrote:

gigpdo wrote:We live the moment or present every second of our lives, my life is a meditation, or what's left of it, I'm on the wrong side of 60 now and I feel absolutely no pressure whatever to please others, and that is what we are doing every millisecond of every minute of every hour of everyday!, we seem to have this great need or urgency to be not accountable anymore, its like that with me anyway!, or "go with the flow", there is no need for me to be approved by others/peers anymore.
And, like KPB I too see every minute as being a meditation, even if I am not aware of it I know its happening!
What more peace could a person want than to be "sated", spiritually or otherwise, I am in a really nice headspace now and have been for a long long time, and its pretty cool when you can make a statement like that, its a freedom of spirit that does not need my constant attention!

I just "am" now!...and its very very cool!,lol, very cool!.

That's beautiful gigpdo, I really connect with what you are saying, but sadly to those who cannot see this it is nothing more than gibberish, they see it as if we have something they don't, when in fact they have everything we have, they just need to open their gifts under the Xmas tree lol.

You know what mate, its too simple to explain what I have now, its just the most simple thing, and its been there all along, right beside me, right in front of my face!
Yet others keep asking "but what is it"?, well its nothing, in reality it cannot be explained here on this forum, why, because folk want complicated answers when there are none, there is no answer or explanation, it just "is" and that's it, simple eh!.

Psychoslice, I respond to your words as thats what is there. The rest you imagine.

Youve boasted in the past how good you are at tickling egos, youre not because you lack any subtlety and it just looks very obvious from where Im standing.

gigpdo wrote:

psychoslice wrote:

gigpdo wrote:We live the moment or present every second of our lives, my life is a meditation, or what's left of it, I'm on the wrong side of 60 now and I feel absolutely no pressure whatever to please others, and that is what we are doing every millisecond of every minute of every hour of everyday!, we seem to have this great need or urgency to be not accountable anymore, its like that with me anyway!, or "go with the flow", there is no need for me to be approved by others/peers anymore.
And, like KPB I too see every minute as being a meditation, even if I am not aware of it I know its happening!
What more peace could a person want than to be "sated", spiritually or otherwise, I am in a really nice headspace now and have been for a long long time, and its pretty cool when you can make a statement like that, its a freedom of spirit that does not need my constant attention!

I just "am" now!...and its very very cool!,lol, very cool!.

That's beautiful gigpdo, I really connect with what you are saying, but sadly to those who cannot see this it is nothing more than gibberish, they see it as if we have something they don't, when in fact they have everything we have, they just need to open their gifts under the Xmas tree lol.

You know what mate, its too simple to explain what I have now, its just the most simple thing, and its been there all along, right beside me, right in front of my face!
Yet others keep asking "but what is it"?, well its nothing, in reality it cannot be explained here on this forum, why, because folk want complicated answers when there are none, there is no answer or explanation, it just "is" and that's it, simple eh!.

Yes this is the strategy of the ego, it wants something hard to chew on, the longer it does this the longer the ego survives.

Blueanchor wrote:Psychoslice, I respond to your words as thats what is there. The rest you imagine.

Youve boasted in the past how good you are at tickling egos, youre not because you lack any subtlety and it just looks very obvious from where Im standing.

Of course it does from where you are standing, that's the problem.

psychoslice wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:Psychoslice, I respond to your words as thats what is there. The rest you imagine.

Youve boasted in the past how good you are at tickling egos, youre not because you lack any subtlety and it just looks very obvious from where Im standing.

Of course it does from where you are standing, that's the problem. 

The problem that youre percieving is part of your personal experience in that moment. 

 Its not a reality or part of my experience.

Blueanchor wrote:

psychoslice wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:Psychoslice, I respond to your words as thats what is there. The rest you imagine.

Youve boasted in the past how good you are at tickling egos, youre not because you lack any subtlety and it just looks very obvious from where Im standing.

Of course it does from where you are standing, that's the problem. 

The problem that youre percieving is part of your personal experience in that moment. 

 Its not a reality or part of my experience.

So why do you continue questioning my experience ?.

psychoslice wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:

psychoslice wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:Psychoslice, I respond to your words as thats what is there. The rest you imagine.

Youve boasted in the past how good you are at tickling egos, youre not because you lack any subtlety and it just looks very obvious from where Im standing.

Of course it does from where you are standing, that's the problem. 

The problem that youre percieving is part of your personal experience in that moment. 

 Its not a reality or part of my experience.

So why do you continue questioning my experience ?.

Ive never questioned your experience.... this is from another thread but your perception is ongoing so it has become relevant again.  
 The realisation, our experience is as one, experienced by many as one. But our responses... and yes, they are of the mind, but they are different.

You know what!, I wrote a thread about this exact problem!,.and it was all about "contradictory" members on forums, always contradicting another's posts or their experiences in leading à spiritual life,.and this is a classic example of that?
People giving a good honest reasonable answer to a posed question then getting "hammered" continually for more information!

Why do folk do that?
All it does is cause friction,.and again I side with KPB on this, he has more than answered the questions posted by another member but just continually gets contradicted to the point of frustration, I can feel it through my 7" el cheapo tablet!

Why are folk not satisfied with what others say??
Its because they want to force you to think like they think, you can't change people!,.so stop trying, its very frustrating to see some folk pushing the  same agenda on different threads, it gets done to me all the time, you answer a question thinking "that's it" only to find another question about the same issue, an issue you thought was satisfactorily answered!

Its unreal, it really is unreal!

gigpdo wrote:You know what!, I wrote a thread about this exact problem!,.and it was all about "contradictory" members on forums, always contradicting another's posts or their experiences in leading à spiritual life,.and this is a classic example of that?
People giving a good honest reasonable answer to a posed question then getting "hammered" continually for more information!

Why do folk do that?
All it does is cause friction,.and again I side with KPB on this, he has more than answered the questions posted by another member but just continually gets contradicted to the point of frustration, I can feel it through my 7" el cheapo tablet!

Why are folk not satisfied with what others say??
Its because they want to force you to think like they think, you can't change people!,.so stop trying, its very frustrating to see some folk pushing the  same agenda on different threads, it gets done to me all the time, you answer a question thinking "that's it" only to find another question about the same issue, an issue you thought was satisfactorily answered!

Its unreal, it really is unreal!

It is very unreal indeed.

Do you meditate gigdpo?

Blueanchor wrote:

psychoslice wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:

psychoslice wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:Psychoslice, I respond to your words as thats what is there. The rest you imagine.

Youve boasted in the past how good you are at tickling egos, youre not because you lack any subtlety and it just looks very obvious from where Im standing.

Of course it does from where you are standing, that's the problem. 

The problem that youre percieving is part of your personal experience in that moment. 

 Its not a reality or part of my experience.

So why do you continue questioning my experience ?.

Ive never questioned your experience.... this is from another thread but your perception is ongoing so it has become relevant again.  
 The realisation, our experience is as one, experienced by many as one. But our responses... and yes, they are of the mind, but they are different.

You don't understand, I have always said that, when you read what I say, try to understand what I say and not jump to conclusions.

gigpdo wrote:You know what!, I wrote a thread about this exact problem!,.and it was all about "contradictory" members on forums, always contradicting another's posts or their experiences in leading à spiritual life,.and this is a classic example of that?
People giving a good honest reasonable answer to a posed question then getting "hammered" continually for more information!

Why do folk do that?
All it does is cause friction,.and again I side with KPB on this, he has more than answered the questions posted by another member but just continually gets contradicted to the point of frustration, I can feel it through my 7" el cheapo tablet!

Why are folk not satisfied with what others say??
Its because they want to force you to think like they think, you can't change people!,.so stop trying, its very frustrating to see some folk pushing the  same agenda on different threads, it gets done to me all the time, you answer a question thinking "that's it" only to find another question about the same issue, an issue you thought was satisfactorily answered!

Its unreal, it really is unreal!

Exactly, I feel the same frustration, its like they want to drag you down to their level.

psychoslice wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:

psychoslice wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:

psychoslice wrote:
Of course it does from where you are standing, that's the problem. 

The problem that youre percieving is part of your personal experience in that moment. 

 Its not a reality or part of my experience.

So why do you continue questioning my experience ?.

Ive never questioned your experience.... this is from another thread but your perception is ongoing so it has become relevant again.  
 The realisation, our experience is as one, experienced by many as one. But our responses... and yes, they are of the mind, but they are different.

You don't understand, I have always said that, when you read what I say, try to understand what I say and not jump to conclusions.

You have asked why I question your experience, I pointed out simply that I dont. That is fiction. The quote demonstrates this. 

What is it your referring to when you say that youve always said that? Said what?

psychoslice wrote:

gigpdo wrote:You know what!, I wrote a thread about this exact problem!,.and it was all about "contradictory" members on forums, always contradicting another's posts or their experiences in leading à spiritual life,.and this is a classic example of that?
People giving a good honest reasonable answer to a posed question then getting "hammered" continually for more information!

Why do folk do that?
All it does is cause friction,.and again I side with KPB on this, he has more than answered the questions posted by another member but just continually gets contradicted to the point of frustration, I can feel it through my 7" el cheapo tablet!

Why are folk not satisfied with what others say??
Its because they want to force you to think like they think, you can't change people!,.so stop trying, its very frustrating to see some folk pushing the  same agenda on different threads, it gets done to me all the time, you answer a question thinking "that's it" only to find another question about the same issue, an issue you thought was satisfactorily answered!

Its unreal, it really is unreal!

Exactly, I feel the same frustration, its like they want to drag you down to their level.

When you stop imagining people to be on different levels, then that frustration might dissapear.

Geez there is no imagination!, its real, for some strange reason when folk start threads other members ask questions and they get answered, fair enough, so the thread starter waits "with bated breath" I might add to see if anyone else questions their viewpoint, low and behold the same poster who you think you gave a satisfactory explanation to is not happy?, why, well because its not to their liking of course, so instead of being content they seem to go on the offensive against you because you disagree!, and if you try to get out of it they then take offence!, they take it personally and then try to shoot you down, if they can't then they blame you for not giving them enough information in the first place??.

And on top of it all they then try to make you feel guilty, make you feel as though you have done something wrong!
It happens all the time with certain folk, I know if I start a thread that someone will find offence and start carrying on "like a pork chop".

Its not imaginary its alive and prospering!. 

Blueanchor wrote:

psychoslice wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:

psychoslice wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:
The problem that youre percieving is part of your personal experience in that moment. 

 Its not a reality or part of my experience.

So why do you continue questioning my experience ?.

Ive never questioned your experience.... this is from another thread but your perception is ongoing so it has become relevant again.  
 The realisation, our experience is as one, experienced by many as one. But our responses... and yes, they are of the mind, but they are different.

You don't understand, I have always said that, when you read what I say, try to understand what I say and not jump to conclusions.

You have asked why I question your experience, I pointed out simply that I dont. That is fiction. The quote demonstrates this. 

What is it your referring to when you say that youve always said that? Said what?

I have always said that we all experience awakening in our own way, there is no true way, my way was my way, simple.

Blueanchor wrote:

psychoslice wrote:

gigpdo wrote:You know what!, I wrote a thread about this exact problem!,.and it was all about "contradictory" members on forums, always contradicting another's posts or their experiences in leading à spiritual life,.and this is a classic example of that?
People giving a good honest reasonable answer to a posed question then getting "hammered" continually for more information!

Why do folk do that?
All it does is cause friction,.and again I side with KPB on this, he has more than answered the questions posted by another member but just continually gets contradicted to the point of frustration, I can feel it through my 7" el cheapo tablet!

Why are folk not satisfied with what others say??
Its because they want to force you to think like they think, you can't change people!,.so stop trying, its very frustrating to see some folk pushing the  same agenda on different threads, it gets done to me all the time, you answer a question thinking "that's it" only to find another question about the same issue, an issue you thought was satisfactorily answered!

Its unreal, it really is unreal!

Exactly, I feel the same frustration, its like they want to drag you down to their level.

When you stop imagining people to be on different levels, then that frustration might dissapear.

I know there is only one level, but there are those who believe they are on another level, and hence ignorance.

psychoslice wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:

psychoslice wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:

psychoslice wrote:
So why do you continue questioning my experience ?.

Ive never questioned your experience.... this is from another thread but your perception is ongoing so it has become relevant again.  
 The realisation, our experience is as one, experienced by many as one. But our responses... and yes, they are of the mind, but they are different.

You don't understand, I have always said that, when you read what I say, try to understand what I say and not jump to conclusions.

You have asked why I question your experience, I pointed out simply that I dont. That is fiction. The quote demonstrates this. 

What is it your referring to when you say that youve always said that? Said what?

I have always said that we all experience awakening in our own way, there is no true way, my way was my way, 

And Ive never questioned that. Could it be possible that it is you that has read something and jumped to a conclusion?.

psychoslice wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:

psychoslice wrote:

gigpdo wrote:You know what!, I wrote a thread about this exact problem!,.and it was all about "contradictory" members on forums, always contradicting another's posts or their experiences in leading à spiritual life,.and this is a classic example of that?
People giving a good honest reasonable answer to a posed question then getting "hammered" continually for more information!

Why do folk do that?
All it does is cause friction,.and again I side with KPB on this, he has more than answered the questions posted by another member but just continually gets contradicted to the point of frustration, I can feel it through my 7" el cheapo tablet!

Why are folk not satisfied with what others say??
Its because they want to force you to think like they think, you can't change people!,.so stop trying, its very frustrating to see some folk pushing the  same agenda on different threads, it gets done to me all the time, you answer a question thinking "that's it" only to find another question about the same issue, an issue you thought was satisfactorily answered!

Its unreal, it really is unreal!

Exactly, I feel the same frustration, its like they want to drag you down to their level.

When you stop imagining people to be on different levels, then that frustration might dissapear.

I know there is only one level, but there are those who believe they are on another level, and hence ignorance.

Could you explain the comment further then please?

Blueanchor wrote:

psychoslice wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:

psychoslice wrote:

Blueanchor wrote:
Ive never questioned your experience.... this is from another thread but your perception is ongoing so it has become relevant again.  
 The realisation, our experience is as one, experienced by many as one. But our responses... and yes, they are of the mind, but they are different.

You don't understand, I have always said that, when you read what I say, try to understand what I say and not jump to conclusions.

You have asked why I question your experience, I pointed out simply that I dont. That is fiction. The quote demonstrates this. 

What is it your referring to when you say that youve always said that? Said what?

I have always said that we all experience awakening in our own way, there is no true way, my way was my way, 

And Ive never questioned that. Could it be possible that it is you that has read something and jumped to a conclusion?.

I have said what I wanted to say, I'm not going to drag it on and on.