what is meditation supposed to accomplish

honestly, if it is only supposed to help you relax, im pretty much tired of it... save me the time ill just smoke a bowl. for real.

i've had only one experience meditation that constituted to me as heightened awareness, and thats what im looking for really. i could see through my eye lids.


so really in the end of things what is meditation supposed to accomplish for us?

 

Serenity.
Tranquility.
Peace.
Nothingness.
Cessation.

 

for me personally, meditation is a way to get outside of myself and my ego and also away from the constraints of time. similiar to what a good mushroom trip does to your sense of time and self.

ive never been able to achieve this by sitting or lying down and closing my eyes. i'm too easily distracted so i need something to focus on. If i fix my eyes on a tree or something else in nature i'm instantly transported to a dimension of timelessness.

ive never studied meditation, just figured out traditional meditation doesn't work for me and i went out and figured out what does work. If heightened awareness is what you're trying to achieve out of meditation, there are other ways to do it besides in the traditional sense.

 

It makes my mind more structured so I'm less compulsive.

 

It lets my enter my mind on a euphoric level.
Empty my mind.
Feeling of being free.

 

yeah i don't do well with the laying and breathing thing, i get bored very quick and give up. i might try fixing my attention on something like a tree or image or something.

 

Its weird because I kind of stumbled on the idea of using things in nature to help me meditate but now that I know I can do that, all I have to do when the world starts moving too fast around me is fix my eyes on something I find beautiful in nature, like a tree, and everything becomes instantly still.

fishing is a great thing when you want to get into the meditative state of mind too. Something about being out in the sunshine by a quiet lake is very tranquil

i know i'm not very helpful as far as traditional meditation, but it sounds like you have the same problem with it as I do so i hope my suggestions help.

 

Freedom Man, many years ago (seriously about 20 to 30 - yikes that sounds like a lot!)
I began meditation, searching for answers.
Needing to know things, the why of certain things in my life. Which just goes to show you how young I was...for now I know not to ever get tempted or worried with that why question for it will drive you insane.
anyway...meditation can provide answers you literally cannot find anywhere else. For me, meditation on a certain large, flat rock that emerges from the ground (importance of this is it is a powerful spot physically AND psychically) in our "part of town" led to my first for-real physical kudalini experience.

 

Overall, meditation, is about more than being calm. I have a "place" I go. I thought it did not really exist, that it was just in my head...then one day I'm looking through some photos my friend had taken in the high desert of Oregon or Nevada (I forget which right now)...and THAT was "my" place.

 

Meditation can also be about giving out 'metta' that is focusing on good vibrations of world peace, sharing your love and good fortune with the world and bringing people into balance and harmony when you interact in daily life-

Im following the vipassana form of meditation

http://www.dhamma.org/

It is in 3 stages

1. clearing the mind and focusing on breath
2. Feeling sensations in the body and learning to deal with pain and cravings
3. Giving out 'metta'

There are course's around the world called retreats that are available on donation I would recommend them to everyone, even if you dont keep up the practice its a wonderful thing to do ...

 

meditation is there to help you stay calm, mentally focused and driven towards your goals. When you feel calm and better on the inside, you can achieve much more in your life.

all of life success relies on a high level of mental control

 

Hi Freedom_Man!

I encourage you to not give-up on meditation. If you try Googling "benefits of meditation" you'll discover many many benefits to meditating. Too many for me to list here. Good luck to you, my friend.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRGnofn_Osk&feature=related"]YouTube - The Vipassana Rap

meditation retreat rap so spot on-

 

O.P, I totally get where you are coming from.
You may be a better candidate for
"walking meditation".
Smoke a bowl (or not, whatever) and just go for a nice walk.
The trick is to try to shut off your 'internal dialogue'... Stop talking to yourself in your head and just witness the world without judgment. "Tie down the monkey", as I like to say...
In this way we may learn to rely on more than just our intellect and logical mind to gather and assess information. We develop and trust our intuition as our direct connection to the Tao. We heed the intelligence of our whole body, not only our brain.
This definitely isn't easy. We are all continuously blabbing to ourselves, this and that is so and so about the world and all things we perceive. :beatnik:

The benefits of this form of meditation can range anywhere from an interesting exercise, to new modes of perception, insights into yourself and life in general...

Wu wie man, wu wie

ZW

 

Some people don't value their time... or have too much.

 

double post

 

Bliss.

 

So, is this what walking meditation is? I've asked a few people and no one's really given me a good explanation.

 

Meditating while walking is the basic explanation. Creativity and imagination is the key...

I call it walking meditation only in reference to Yoga, because here in the west these are the terms that most people are comfortable with.
The kind of walking meditation I'm recommending is actually a synthesis of certain ancient western energetic practices, with a strong foundation in Taoist Yoga. The additional abstract task of attempting to shut off internal dialogue I believe serves to confound the rational, seeking mind...:sultan:

Just don't try this in traffic!

ZW eace:

 

Meditating while walking is the basic explanation. Creativity and imagination is the key...

I call it walking meditation only in reference to Yoga, because here in the west these are the terms that most people are comfortable with.
The kind of walking meditation I'm recommending is actually a synthesis of certain ancient western energetic practices, with a strong foundation in Taoist Yoga. The additional abstract task of attempting to shut off internal dialogue I believe serves to confound the rational, seeking mind...:sultan:
Just don't try this in traffic!

ZW
Edit; I forgot to add, you may notice I said nothing about watching your breath, as is prevalent in nearly all yogic meditative exercises... I believe the whole "focus on your breathing" thing began as a mis-translation and has evolved into one of the greatest stumbling blocks to the understanding of esoteric yoga...I may elaborate on this 'theory' here in the future (at the risk of offending a lot of guru's I'm afraid...)
The concentration required attempting to still internal dialog is the catalyst to proper breathing. You will naturally find yourself breathing gently and deeply without thinking. Maybe not at first but keep at it, casually though, with a kind of humorous attitude is best.


Good Luck!