What is meditation?

I, for one, do not know.

 

you always ask this

and you already know the answer

*sigh*

 

My friend!

Where have you been all these years!

 

meditation is the lineage of the teaching

 

away, in a corn field.

 

The ability to find the eye of the storm.


x

 

Too metaphoric

 

silence, being, sound, light

 

escaping the limitations of your physical body

 

Not if you've been there.


x

 

I think just the opposite.

Meditation is of the body. That's why I don't like the term meditation-

 

There's a spirit within the body. It uses the mind as it's interface with the physical world.

Since the mind resides in the brain, it is subject to the physical world and it's attraction to bodily sensation.

Until you can control these impulses from the outside world, the inner world will elude you.



x

 

"Meditation is a systematic way of making our mind quiet so that we can contact our true identity -self, which is the source of everlasting joy, bliss and peace."

 

I don't agree with the idea that meditation is making our minds quiet and peaceful either.

Just being is many things- true peace is to be found only in turmoil.

 

if it wasn't for meditation
you would not know what you know now,
and neither would I
we all meditate (eh, Most of us..)
and have our own methods.
It's just most effective when you can calm it and think clearly, IMO.

 

This morning I couldn't find my posture. I spent about 15 minutes (out of 20 mins.) fidgeting and being worried about my work commitments.

15 minutes in, spontaneously or almost so, my posture locked in; my breathing deepened; my eyes went into R.E.M. for a couple minutes and then quieted down; my thoughts about work went on for a little while but without causing me anxiety; until I simply was ---.

But all of it; the whole process was simply being-

 

try meditating in the same place you always do, if you don't already.

 

How are you doing today, pal?

Yeah. I meditate in my futon 20 minutes before going to work, and 20 minutes upon my return home. Always the same spot-

When I'm rushed out the door, I meditate on the train or crossing Queensbridge on foot into work. In that case, I am in motion therefore it's hard to establish whether I'm practicing in the same place all the time or in a different place everytime.

 

doing mighty fine...yourself?

that's good you have a designated space.

 

I'm doing better now that I understand that what we are talking about is simple being. Or direct experience- nothing more.

It ain't peace or this that, or transcending anything, or relieving stress, or God this that. It's being who we are; and for no other reason than to be who we are-

It is hard to describe it as a verb isn't it? "I'm going to go in here and do simple being for 20 minutes!"