Meditation

Mediation isn't about not thinking about anything, it's about metathought, which is thinking about thinking.

So for example, when you find yourself thinking when mediating, a metathought would be "A thought has automatically arisen into my consciousness; I accept it".

Concentrate on your breathing. Focus on the ins and outs. If thoughts arise, you acknowledge the thought and accept that it has arisen.

>>18685579
I meditate. I started with random generic self calming mantras. Started out by focusing on breathing. Read somewhere that we tend to breathe in more than we breathe out, so when meditating, you breathe in 5 counts and breathe out 10. Focus on that for a few minutes, then start a mantra. Some relaxing generic but true thought like "death is inevitable and a part of life." While it kinda sounds morbid, it's actually very enlightening.

I switched gears after a couple of years and took up kundalini (the one you have picture in your OP) for more of a guided meditation. I swear by this meditation but it takes at least an hour or two to complete and reach nirvana.

I also use the "pink bubble" method for stray thoughts. Any time a thought comes to your mind, imagine a serene place (I always thought of being near a tree on a hill at sunset, and any thought you have, imagine putting it in a bubble, letting it go, and watching it leave while doing a 5/10 count breath.

I highly suggest kundalini when you go into guided/healing meditation. It changed my life completely.

>>18685603
Also, always meditate in a quite room with absolutely no clutter. I live in an apartment, which is annoying for meditation. Found that the best time for meditation is between 4am and 6am as that is when it is most quite and peaceful. But that's probably for a much longer meditation when you are more comfortable and experienced in it

>>18685595
>>18685603
>>18685607
Wow, it seems much more complex than I thought it was. Maybe I should pick a book on it.

Either way, I'll try meditating while having in mind your metathought advice and the 5-10 breathing trick, thank you anons.

Mindfulness is a joke. But hey, if the placebo works, guess it doesn't really matter.

>>18685629
As someone who meditates, I don't doubt it. Meditation is a placebo. You are systematically tricking your brain into a thought process that may be easier to achieve for some people. But, as a person who has always struggled with frequent negative racing thoughts, this seemed to be an alternative to being loaded up with meds by a psych.

If this process has no negative side effects, is it bad? Personally, I don't see this as any prayer to a higher power, I see it as a way to organize my brain to live a calmer, easier life than I had before.

>>18685629
>Mindfulness is a joke. But hey, if the placebo works, guess it doesn't really matter.

How qualified are you to make that judgement?

1) There are real, tangible benefits to breathing and relaxation exercises.

2) Self awareness is how we become aware of our feelings and our motives. Meditation is a chance to step back and observe (though not analyse) your thoughts as they come and go.

>>18685650
Prayer is a form of meditation, is it not?

>>18685663
prayer is an appeal to a higher power to do dumb shit for you. not the same at all

>>18685663
It can be. But it does not mean all meditation is prayer. It really depends on what kind of meditation you choose to practice. Some meditations say that if you believe in a god, you can reach out to that god during the meditation, but if you do not, you can skip it. I don't know too much about meditation with prayer because I am an atheist.

As I said, my views on meditation are basically that it is a mind trick that works.

>>18685677
You've never had any experience with religion before, right? Since that's not what prayer is at all.

>>18685663
Depends on how you pray, but overall yes.

>>18685684
You must not live in the South