Meditation....what makes it so easy and so hard?

HIguy88

thanks House of Fox, I will go check those out!

LOL re: inner/outer dogs - have that too, hard to concentrate when the outer dog stares at the inner dog :)
 

BodhiSeed

HIguy88 said:
LOL re: inner/outer dogs - have that too, hard to concentrate when the outer dog stares at the inner dog :)
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:D
I have "outer cats" - no wonder my inner yappy dog goes nuts! :p
 

House Of Fox

BodhiSeed said:
I think the biggest hindrance for me in meditation is my expectations. It has helped to accept that one day I might have a peace-inducing meditation, while the next is pure monkey-mind.:p
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:D :D Monkey-mind... bwahahahaha. I'll have to remember that. PERFECT description of scrambled brains bouncing thoughts around! Love it!!

BTW... "moving at the speed of guidance" - so very clever! You are quite the word-smith! :)
 

canid

You're being too regimented & goal oriented but that's the zen in you that I love heehee! If you're fantasizing about something, concentrating on something, you're meditating. No other thoughts are intruding while you're doing that, eh? No need to 'push' thoughts away on a schedule, which is nigh impossible for us simpleton humans. *It* just happens...as the saying goes. Sure, you can set aside a time to do so, but...doesn't always work. Make it easy, not organized. Do it while you're falling asleep. Or waking up. Ask the lamas...glasshoppa
 

greatdane

Until it begins a habit, I have to make time for it

It's too easy to slide off the meditation wagon, if I don't "regiment" myself for awhile. If I don't set a time each day to just do it, pretty soon, I'm NOT doing it.

I agree one can meditate while lying down, I just count my breaths. But there's a BIG difference to me from just relaxing to meditating. Meditating to me is being focused on my breath, not forcing thoughts away, just going with the flow of my breath. That helps both my focus and my relaxation, which is pretty cool. It's like a two for one :).
 

Laura Borealis

I like your in the moment "Here... now" mantra, greatdane. I'll try that.

I sometimes use a mantra like "Om mani padme hum," but I feel like I'm not as able to clear my mind when I do. I still use mantras as a calming thing though. I got one in a dream, it's just a nonsense fragment really, but it calms me.

For meditation, just focusing on my breath works better for me. At first I counted my breaths, because it was recommended in a book on meditation, but I found it made me competitive with myself! :p So I tried counting just to ten, then starting over. Better, but it was still too much of a game. Now I just count to one. Over and over. Breathe in, "One," breathe out. That's what works best for me.

I'm still pretty rubbish at meditation, and I have monkey mind all too often, but it helps me anyway. If I keep at it maybe someday I'll learn to levitate. ;)
 

greatdane

To be honest, Laura Borealis

The HERE...NOW just helped me stay on track the best. Because I'm CONSTANTLY reminding myself to think here, now. That is the best way for me to stay in the moment. I usually use a free online meditation timer that starts with a chime for your prep time (like if you need 20 seconds to get ready) chimes, then chimes half way through your meditation (ONLY if you wish it to or you can just set for like an hour).
I love mantras and have done the Om mani padme, but like you, it doesn't quite keep me in the moment.
Meditation and playing chess with my computer help my focus :). Meditation I love for the relaxation and focus benefits. I have started combining it with placing a crystal on my third eye and it's amazing because I feel the effects of that going through my body, as well as the meditation benefits.
Thanks for sharing what works for you. I know we all should do whatever works for us and helps us keep on, keeping on :)).
 
holy wood???? symbols coming to you