Is meditation really just a meme after all?

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>>40467413

Meditation + NoFap literally cured my autism.

No, meditation is extremely useful, especially for people with mood and focus problems.

>>40467413
No, it's been scientificially proven to rewire parts of the brain and increase white matter within the brain (whatever that means)

I meditate; I use an app called "insight timer" which is both a timer and has free guided meditations.

I find if I get into a really good meditation it's similar to an acid trip (without the visuals or erratic brain thoughts) in the way that thoughts just come and go. I feel calm and relaxed and thoughts I didn't know I had stored in my brain come into my mind.

For example, I might suddenly think about something my manager said to piss me off 4 months ago that I thought I had completely forgotten about and moved on from.

I still have frustrating sessions where I feel like it was a waste of time; other times I get into the zone.

>>40467413
the thing about meditation is that some people think they are doing it right, especially when they first start out. It has been proven to have neurological benefits though so it does have something going for it beyond religious/spiritual use.

Some techniques like TM are a meme though. Vipassana meditation is legit from what I've heard.

>>40467413
The only people who would claim that, are those who haven't researched it at all

meditation & long cardio sessions both make you focus on breathing & relaxing.

Cardio workouts also have health benefits.

>>40467528
TM isn't a meme idiot

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>>40467777
QQUUAADSSS FUKIN CONFIRMEEDD

Post meditation routines

>>40467413
I was very skeptical of it because it seemed to have no evolutionary basis.

but then I realized

>we arent meant to have so many stimuli around us
>our minds were meant to be in a more calm environment and are still tuned to that, are also too slow to change

so in a way, to get rid of all the excessive luggage in your mind, will make you healthier, at least mentally that is.

Its also good for cortisol control and some vague positive effects on your stress have been noted in the longer term.

So yea, do it if you are under stress or want to perform at your peak.

>>40467855
breath in, breath out, repeat

I go to a local yoga class, the meditation isn't anything deep or complex, but lying there keeping my mind clear does help me feel better. It's one small thing of many that helps me fight off the depression.

>>40467862
I agree with this guy, modern life, internet, constant connection, is very different than what we adapted for.

>>40467413
Yeah but it's a good meme.

What >>40467862 said is right. Hell, even 5000 years ago we were overstimulated, today is even worse.

Also it's good for some self exploration if you wanna get advanced with it, you'll be surprised at the shit you find out about yourself.

Does anyone meditate while running? I'd think the two would complement each other well.

>>40467504
Yeah, this definitely sounds like a meme. I did this zoning out while playing video games.

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Not a meme. Researched it heavily, majoring in psychology.

You'd be hard pressed to find something else that's as good for your mind and doesn't even take more than 20 minutes a day.

The more it sucks when you start, the better it is for you to keep it up.

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>>40468106
Only an autist could compare zoning out to meditation.

>>40468224
So then what's meditation? How it sounds like so far is that it's just staring at the inside of your eyelids and trying not to think.

>>40467413
yes it's a total time waste.

just sitting there thinking about nothing is useless, better spent sleeping

>>40468224
hes actually right zoning out is a form of meditation.

you can meditate anywhere

>>40468281
fucking your mother is an absolute time waster but everyone does it

>>40468024
>>40468052
at some point I couldnt sleep anyone because I was thinking of too many different things. The constant babbleing in my brain was too much, and then I realized, that its not healthy.

Some meta, lore forming and thinking about stuff is important, but not to the extent where your basic biological functions are impeded.

I think that if you were to love on the country side, with few people around you, no cars, few noises or whatever. Then the argument for meditation would go down.

But most of us dont live there.

You see, even things like constant car noise have a huge impact on our way of being. Loud noises are not natural, they create stress hormones I think.

And beyond that its not just noises, many of our mental systems connected to our many senses, even things like colors can cause problems. Like the color red has evolved quite stupidly. And if you see it, your mood is forcefully changed.

The only way to undo all of these horrific effects on the brain is with meditation yea. It may eventually give rise to other problems, or just ways where you could be less efficient, since the manual halting of these processes still could have some effect on you. But overall I think that its mostly beneficial.

also this dude kinda persuaded me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLjelIPg3ys

but yea, the scientific argument in favor of this, or even just theorizing along these lines to explain it should hopefully push more people into it.

>>40468279
Focus on everything, but on nothing. Let thoughts flow, dont force a thought out. Inhale slowly, exhale slowly and focus on listening to the rhythm of your breaths.

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>>40468328
You sounds like an angry pajeet.

>>40468207
Serious question, do I have to sit with my legs crossed on the floor? Can I sit on a chair?

Legs start to hurt after like 5mins with them crossed on the ground.

>>40468207
>thoughts not full of "I hate myself" at some time
0/10 unrealistic depictment

>>40468334
there IS NOTHING SPECIAL ABOUT THE BREATH
stop spreading misinformation

>>40468334
> Focus on everything, but on nothing. Let thoughts flow, dont force a thought out. Inhale slowly, exhale slowly and focus on listening to the rhythm of your breaths.
Honestly, what kool-aid did you drink to make you fall for this?

>>40468351
>>40468366
Why dont you try it? Works for me :^)

You guys couldn't be anymore sheltered and westernized

>>40468279
Generally, you focus your attention on something (usually breath is used) and try to hold it. After enough tries (maybe several months of meditation), your attention becomes more stable, both in meditations and in general life.

>>40467431
>NoFap
Didn't do anything except increase your chance of getting testicular cancer

>>40468396
why don't u learn how 2 meditate :^)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IFvablc6EI

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>>40467777

>>40468396
See >>40468106
I used to spend hours upon hours like a brain dead zombie racing circles around some track on GranTurismo 4. I'm not going back to that.

>>40468408
Going by that description, couldn't I just apply my focus on some task? I could take up carpentry, for example. Put all my focus into working with the materials and tools, and making something beautiful in the process. Wouldn't that qualify as meditation?

Or even reading a good book. And focusing on the characters and what they're experiencing.

It sounds like a waste to spend your efforts focusing only to just lay they're as if comatose.

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>>40468535
Nobody is forcing you to meditate capn no-wit.
It's obvious you don't really know anything outside of playing video games and manual labour.

Go lift your weights buddy, you gotta eat big to get big remember!!

>>40468598
not him but this passive aggressives from you show you need to meditate more and kill your ego.

>>40468535
>couldn't I just apply my focus on some task
Not quite. The task, as long as it is engaging enough, will hold your attention naturally. What you're trying to do in meditations, however, is to be able to hold your focus on something irregardless of its interest. Which may sound strange, but it trains certain unconscious patterns of thinking (which they call mindfullness: being aware of what you're doing and thinking at the moment), and that is a very, very useful skill to have.

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>>40468617
>kill your ego
>he hasnt realised the ego is a tool

I'm not being passive-agressive.
The man doesn't want to meditate, brought up other options and clearly is uninformed. We're on 4chan my dude, a click away from google. With the wealth of the internet at his hands there is no point in offering the path if the layman would rather lay down and sleep.

You do not have to be an egoless, empty tool to be a practitioner of meditation. I did mock him though I will admit to that.

It helped me a lot, I also know a few peeps that claim that it didn't do jack shit for them. The thing is, there's really no reason not to try for yourself

>>40468409
>still believing high school meme's

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>>40468668
>filename

>>40467431
this

>>40468667
Okay, then. That's an answer I can appreciate. Thanks.

>>40468598
>>40468668
Might as well not come to 4Chan at all. I mean you can just Google all your porn. Google all your fitness advise. Google all your memes.

I try to meditate for at least one 10 minute session per day. Sometimes I feel like I'm wasting my time because I can't focus, but sometimes I feel really great about it and can focus very easily, which results in some awesome body and mental high that is very relaxing. I feel I perform best in the night hours and for long sessions. When I do 5 minutes it isn't enough, but for 10+ minutes I can get into the groove and make progress.

>>40467504
Wow an actually helpful response.

Do you meditate in the evening or at night?

>>40467504
I thought the point of meditating was to not think..

>>40468345
Doesn't matter, senpai. I like to sit on my bed with my legs crossed, but in a chair is fine. Try to keep your back straight but relaxed.

For anyone starting out I recommend Headspace. Guided meditation that helps you get started. It's on piratebay.

>>40468729
>high school meme
Like No fap

>>40468991
The point isn't to force yourself not to think (impossible), but to not pay attention to every little thought your brain farts out. It's about your mind becoming something higher than your thoughts instead of being their bitch. You meditate long enough and you realize there's something in you that's beyond the ego-narrative you tell yourself. You see for yourself that you always had a choice whether or not to "buy" what a thought is selling, that the only reality they have is the reality you give them.

>>40467855
1. Go to your local Hare Krishna temple and get Japa beads.

2. Chant Hare Krishna once for each bead (108 beads is one round).

Initiated devotees chant 16 rounds a day, which takes about two hours.

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somewhat related but does anyone do yoga? i want flexibility gains to the point of the guy who used to be the picture for wikipedia entry "autofellatio".

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I'm giving meditation a shot, but what about advancing to Kyudo at some point?
I've always wanted to pick up archery and combining the two seems like a good idea.

Its also sufficiently weebshit, without being too obviously so.

>>40470370
Do it. Not a lot of anons can boast of killing a pigeon at 100 paces.

>>40469768
>impossible

you are clearly a super novice

you dont know how to meditate at all before you can stop your thoughts, if only for a moment. Id say you are mildly experienced if you can go for a few minutes with complete focus.

Believe me, it's not impossible, it's literally the goal of meditation (sustained attention and non thinking)

>>40467413
>do nothing
>this somehow helps you????

>>40468857
To add to >>40468667 : when something holds your attention because it stimulates you, it is very easy to get lost in it, and not be aware of the processes of your mind. Focusing on breathing is very uncomplicated, and it's easier to tell when your thoughts start wandering. Tangentially, it's useful because if you notice your thoughts constantly returning to a certain subject, it can tell you if something is bothering you more than you thought. A more engaging activity will probably distract you, which can keep you from noticing those things.

Having said that, almost any activity can be done in a meditative state of focus and clarity. You can think of it as the difference between doing lifts to trains specific muscle groups, and playing a sport that uses those groups.

Lifting, even if you don't participate in sports, has health benefits. And just about every athlete lifts and works out independent of their practice, because deliberate training the body will augment your chosen skill. The skills themselves are definitely workouts, but they aren't necessarily *targeted* in the same way.

Likewise, meditating to train your focus, gain insight into your thought processes, and develop more calm and mental fortitude is going to help you with the multitude of mental skills you use every day (and, in my opinion, one of the greatest joys of meditating is applying it in your actual, real life and seeing the benefits).

>>40468535
>Put all my focus into working with the materials and tools, and making something beautiful in the process. Wouldn't that qualify as meditation?

Actually, yes it would. The goal of meditation is not "halting thoughts" like some anons are claiming in this thread, but simply to cultivate mindfulness(i.e. being aware). To meditate is to be aware of your thoughts, your bodily sensations, etc.

For example, when I lived as monk for a month, Bhante(meaning: venerable sir) would recommend being mindful while performing household chores, ie meditating.

If you look into the zen monk lifestyle, you'll see how they perform hours of chores in the morning before meditation.
Don't listen to anons like this:

>>40468598

They're simply misguided.
Also, you can pick up some free books on the subject at Abhayagiri.org

They usually come in the mail about 5-6 days

>>>""memes"" XDDDDDDDD

>>40471100
> those dubs

>>40471182
>chem em dubs XDDD!!
go back [s4s] you literal autist

>>40470571
re re re retarrrd