Mindfulness Meditation

greatdane said:

I don't think there is a right or wrong way to meditate. Whatever works for you, makes you feel better, you're doing it right . I just wanted to share some things I thought others might like to look at. Basically, I just focus on my breath. In Out In Out. I neither try to just focus on one thing nor fight to keep any thoughts away. I just focus on my breath. As thoughts pop into my mind, like oh you need to go to the store or do this or that, I just release it and go back to In Out In Out. There are so many different types of meditation from so many religions.

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I agree and focussing on my breath is always what I start with and my fallback position.

I really believe there is a meditation technique for everyone and we should try lots of different ways. If I listen to hypnosis type tracks to relax, I feel unwell! I don't know why! these are tracks with "suggestions" but other meditation guides or visualisation meditations are fine for me. It's good to experiment what works for you and what doesn't

danieljuk said:

However I discussed this once with a friend who was training to be a family counsellor and she said her personal problem with Mindfulness is remembering it all or to do it. The clients she worked with whilst training seemed to really struggle to actually put it into practice. The failure rate to keep doing it was really high. She thought it was a skill that was hard to learn.

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I would suggest her difficulty lies in her approach ... to quote from the same article you linked to:

"We should keep in mind that the forms of meditation that were tested are all derived from Eastern traditions. In the context of these traditions, meditation was not meant to be a quick fix for any health problems. Rather, it is a path one travels to improve our awareness, and gain insight into our lives. This insight is the most important reason to meditate, and the health effects are really a side benefit of gaining this insight."

Ah Danieljuk...that's the practice!

I find it incredibly simple, yet not easy. The easiest form is to just follow your breath, in, out, or 1, 2. I found that set I got very nice, but I knew the basics before.

It's one of the simplest ways to meditate, to not FIGHT thoughts, to just set my timer and sit (and I close my eyes). No one is "perfect". Thoughts come and go, I just don't hold on to them. Tomorrow will be my seventh day, Monday I go to 20 minutes for a week, each week I up five minutes, which makes it easier. I just feel better when I do it. I'm so glad you got to experience it, danieljuk!

However someone wishes to meditate, for however long, it's all good . There is no test, no one holding one's feet to the fire, just gentle support and encouragement if one wants it.

ravenest said:

I would suggest her difficulty lies in her approach ... to quote from the same article you linked to:

"We should keep in mind that the forms of meditation that were tested are all derived from Eastern traditions. In the context of these traditions, meditation was not meant to be a quick fix for any health problems. Rather, it is a path one travels to improve our awareness, and gain insight into our lives. This insight is the most important reason to meditate, and the health effects are really a side benefit of gaining this insight."

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oooh and you know in therapeutic settings they want quick fixes! in my case it was 2 sessions and then you were proficient, you even got a certificate There was no teaching of it as a long term journey but like a quick solution. I wonder from her background if that was the issue. interesting

GreatDane perhaps we have to be in it for the long haul, something we do every day like exercise

danieljuk said:

oooh and you know in therapeutic settings they want quick fixes! in my case it was 2 sessions and then you were proficient, you even got a certificate

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lol. If only a certificate would free me from anxiety and depression and all others who suffer in the same way. Meditation certainly helps but sometimes I just have to remember that right here, right now there is nothing to be anxious about and have a deep sigh. Sustaining that mindfulness through everyday activities is the challenge for me. All the best Daniel.

I often do wu wei, except that you don't really 'do' it, because it is 'non-doing'; and the 'I' is not strategically involved. It involves living in the only reality there is: the present instant, or what T. S. Eliot called the 'still turning point.' To use a mathematical analogy (forgive please), nothing at all happens in an infinitesimal instant of time, but change can be observed when the infinitesimals are integrated. I.e., things are observed to happen when an infinity of consecutive infinitesimal instants are strung together. (Caution: 'common' sense doesn't apply to infinitesimals. As Bertrand Russell observed, common sense is what tells you that the earth is flat.)

It is best explained in Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching.

greatdane said:

I find it incredibly simple, yet not easy. The easiest form is to just follow your breath, in, out, or 1, 2. I found that set I got very nice, but I knew the basics before.

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yes, it is very simple doing this--concentrating on your breath--in the beginning. After you've done this for along time it just becomes a part that you don't give much thought to. It just seems to be an automatic happening. have you realized this yet, Greatdane? I was at this point before and unfortunately got out of meditating - so I'm back to square one again. But, I know in time--it'll again become like second nature to me.

It's one of the simplest ways to meditate, to not FIGHT thoughts, to just set my timer and sit (and I close my eyes). No one is "perfect". Thoughts come and go, I just don't hold on to them. Tomorrow will be my seventh day, Monday I go to 20 minutes for a week, each week I up five minutes, which makes it easier. I just feel better when I do it. I'm so glad you got to experience it, danieljuk!

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yes, very true. I recall reading something that I thought was really beautiful to remember--and then not really 'beat' myself up so much about all the thoughts that keep coming to me. Anyway, I read that one who begins meditation and has many thoughts coming into their mind should think of it as sharing this part of our lives (as our thoughts are generally about what is going on in our life and what we have to remember to take care of after meditation!) with the universe-God-who/what have you.

However someone wishes to meditate, for however long, it's all good . There is no test, no one holding one's feet to the fire, just gentle support and encouragement if one wants it.

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yes. I agree!

zhan.thay said:

lol. If only a certificate would free me from anxiety and depression and all others who suffer in the same way. Meditation certainly helps but sometimes I just have to remember that right here, right now there is nothing to be anxious about and have a deep sigh. Sustaining that mindfulness through everyday activities is the challenge for me. All the best Daniel.

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Yes, if a certificate could help free us all from our issues--that would be wonderful, eh? But meditation is like that certificate in a way. Only we don't get in just two days generally. but, in time, meditation can help free us from all our issues--all the stress we feel, teh anxiety and depression.

all the best to you, Zhan thay and to Daniel and everyone too. Enjoy your meditations. I am doing my best to meditate daily and hopefully will soon get back to where I was again.

oh yes, Celticnoodle...I agree...it becomes automatic

It becomes a little easier as you get more and more into the practice to come back to the breath. I don't fight thoughts, I hear something, I acknowledge it and then let it go. I can meditate anywhere. Actually some of the times that it's most helpful is when you ARE in a busy place! I find meditating in examination rooms while you're waiting for the dr. useful. Especially if they're about to take your blood pressure .
It's getting back into the habit. But so far, so good. Haven't missed a day since I started last Monday and tomorrow I up it by five more minutes. LOVE that online meditation "chime" timer, CD! I also have a little wood/metal chime I can hit before I start a friend gave me. I can strike that before I begin and then online timer ends with a wondrous sound, like a singing bowl. I just forgot to adjust my computer volume and the first time, I felt like I was INSIDE a bell lol.

zhan.thay said:

lol. If only a certificate would free me from anxiety and depression and all others who suffer in the same way. Meditation certainly helps but sometimes I just have to remember that right here, right now there is nothing to be anxious about and have a deep sigh. Sustaining that mindfulness through everyday activities is the challenge for me. All the best Daniel.

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I can supply (you - but not all others) with such a certificate ... Well it would STATE that you are now freed ...

Remembering is the key ... one can easily control oneself NOT to loose ones temper ... if we remember. The key IMO is early detection and application of a technique ... there should be a similar 'count to 10' for the symptoms of anxiety and depression (I know what mine is ) but we each need to develop our own.

As they say ; 'constant watchfullness' .