thinking or clearing your mind? Purpose of meditation?

I've read different articles and parts of books on meditation and not completely understanding. I've started to meditate daily and after some period of time i can somewhat quiet my mind to silence. i guess thats good?

but what about the type of meditation were you need to focus on something and really go deeper into it???

should i clear my mind and seek answers? What if h ave no questions and seek something i simply dont know of???

so i can basically make this more simple into a few questions:

1) should i try to clear my mind and look for something?
2) if so, what?
3) should i focus on something and keep telling myself something? ( a number, a scene, a problem, anything)
4) i dont really have problems or big questions per say, i am just seeking personall greatness and a higher intuition to guide me, my soul, my spirit, w/e it is i want to communicate with it.

Your inputs?

 

Hi there,

Meditation is done so many ways and there are no wrong ways. Even if you study a particular kind of meditation, you will still develop your own 'style'. From the books you have read, choose one that goes through some meditations. I have one book that focuses on Buddhism, but it gives different things to focus on. Another book, is Inner Peace by Paramahansa Yogananda. Right now I'm reading a section of it before I meditate. Somedays when things have been hectic all day and I feel really stressed, I meditate without focusing on anything.

Many people use music and many people do not. Some people focus on a word or thought and some focus only on the breath. Try keeping a journal. Nothing major to distract, but jot down what music, if any, you listened to; what word, thought or breath you focused on; time of day; and how you felt. Doing this for a few months may help you find what tunes you in.

 

i do both types, thinking, and clearing the mind. there's no problem with going between them.

there are many types of meditation, each have their purpose. TM is by far the easiest to learn that i've heard of (letting all thoughts fall away except your mantra)

 

Firstly, there ARE wrong ways of meditation in the sense that your not metitating to your potential. With that said, learning at least basic knowledge of how to meditate and how to reach a more enlightened self is very important. Once this is done, the next delema for you is knowing what to concentrate on. If you want to seek answers, understand problems from different points of view, etc, then you should clear your mind and concentrate on your problem while keeping things like emotion out of the picture. Also, there are times when you may just want to achieve mental stability. This can be done by simplying meditating, relaxing, and shutting out worries or concerns you may have. But like I said before, it is most important to understand the actual process of meditation before practicing. Good luck...

 

I have tried many meditations and have been doing the same one now for 30+ years. It is 4 techniques where you focus on an energy that is already inside of you and you do not create it. Parahansa Yogananda did kriya meditation but he mentioned having experienced this energy in one form which is inner light.


The purpose of this meditation is to feel your inner self which is in a state of perfect peace and limitless happiness all of the time. The site below has information on a state of conciousness which is perfect peace and it tells about famous top psychologists having found it and who teach about it, in a short article. The short article is a scientific approach to meditation and happiness which mentions the science of cosmology (combo of astronomy and physics).

Also it has general info about meditation, in the epilogue (concluding section) of the short article called, What is Enlightenment. It tells about meditation according to one of the oldest scriptures known to man and how a national treasure of China, Jet Li, practices meditation at least one hour a day. A famous MD (Harvard professor of medical school) also tells now meditation creates a unique physiological state and how this is being taught at medical schools.

 

Such an amazing saint.
His words are so brilliant
and he is responsible
for starting me on the
path the God-realization

 

The above posts have all been fantastic. I believe that one must practice meditation for a little while to see what works for him or her. If your heart is pure and your mind ripe, you should feel yourself closer to happiness, closer to peace, closer to total awareness, consciousness, and all of that, as you begin to figure out how to meditate.

When I started I meditating, I focused on counting my breaths. I quickly realized that this method is not for me. Now, I don't really focus on anything when I meditate. I personally just let go of everything, and I love it. I will probably change techniques one day, or at least experiment with mantra or an image of my guru, but for now, I am experiencing tremendous results with a Zen style meditation. I would say take your time... don't worry too much about method. What's really important is that you are relaxed, at peace, and your heart is open. I think relatively soon you will gravitate towards a suitable method for your development

Hope everyone is having a great day, as I am (jamming to The Beatles when I should be writing a paper! wooooo hooo!)

 

I find I get the most out of meditation by just "listening". Occassionaly I will use a breathe mantra or music, but the best experiences come with I just remove myself, clear my mind, and listen.

 

Meditation is a word defined by many meanings. For this reason, the subject of meditation is so often mystifying and confusing for the truth seeker. In its purest definition, meditation refers to the way, the method, path or process by which one is led from within, to a universal center of calm awareness and inspired intuition. Therefore, the word meditation is best understood as a verb or action taken toward an ultimate objective, rather than as a noun describing a state of being or a goal in and of itself. This booklet advocates the means to an end approach over the various purposes and meanings of other less complete forms of meditations available to the seeker today.
The chanting of repetitious words, songs and mantras of any culture, as well as focusing the attention on an outer or inner image, mandala or candle flame, are most often used as a means to assist the practitioner with their desire to transcend the general field or train of thought-forms, and to interrupt its perpetual presence in the conscious thinking mind. Yet these activities and practices which developed from and are more suited to past generations, only penetrate to the surface levels of spiritual experience and transformation of act and attitude, leaving the deepest of today's needs undiscovered, non-confronted and unresolved.


go to this site to learn more about meditation --->
http://meditationforbeginners.org

 

what most people fail to realise is that meditation is not just for sitting down in a lotus position and doing "mind control" and thought control exercises. Meditation is a state of mind which you can use for your whole day - Its something that can enhance your success in all areas.

All of work and business success is a form of meditation. Here, you are meditating with your focus on your task. All of relationship success is meditation - you are focused with your mind on your partner.

So meditation is extremely comprehensive

 

Meditation is a means to enhanced consciousness. The ultimate purpose of meditation is to attain the highest level of consciousness possible to one.

 

1) should i try to clear my mind and look for something?

- Practice trataka (concentrated gazing at a symbol), on an external symbol to develop the state of dharana, inner concentrated state.


2) if so, what?

- Your symbol could be anything, a dot, a flame, the Om mantra.


3) should i focus on something and keep telling myself something? ( a number, a scene, a problem, anything)

- Chant a mantra. The mantra Om (pronounced Aum) is the most sacred. Allow the sound to concentrate in the center of the head, location of the Ajna cakra.


4) i dont really have problems or big questions per say, i am just seeking personall greatness and a higher intuition to guide me, my soul, my spirit, w/e it is i want to communicate with it.

- God realistion is the goal of meditation.


Yoga is more than postures and philosophies. It is the origin of the entire tradition of meditation. It is practiced to facilitate the awakening of the Kundalini Devi.

namaste

 

Meditation is a state of consciousness that brings serenity, clarity, and bliss. There are a lot of reasons for meditation such as for stress reduction, improved health emotional stability, positive thinking, and happiness and for success or quality of life. Meditation is a way of relaxation and enlightenment. If we dissolve our attachment to the outside world and bring our minds to rest, well-being, positively and enlightenment (inner happiness) arise. All negativity vanishes. We think positive again and suddenly live in the light. We see God (the positive) in the world, in our fellow men and ourselves.