Do you meditate?

Oh gosh...ive asked this question.

I struggle with it.....i think.

I always assumed it was this zen state of a still mind.
But its not.

...its almost like my mind gets busier.

However - others have helped set me on a good track.

We cant really stop our thinking - our brains are wired to do it.
What we can do is become aware of what we are thinking ...
....and enact control over NOT thinking it.

To do this we can focus on our breath, or the wind in the trees or the ticking of a clock - something calming.

The idea is - the more you notice you are thinking , and the more you bring it back to something relaxing - the better you get at it.

You may do this heaps and heaps of times while meditating - but that's ok, that's the point of practicing.

And this is where the 'peace' comes in.

It means that in normal everyday life, wjen you start to stress out or get anxious or angry or whatever - you can draw on your brain training during meditation - and let those thoughts go .

You also dont have to sit to meditate.
Allow yourself to find the best way that suits you - some do it while walking🤷‍♀

Its also not something you have to do for hours - just 5 or 10 minites when you can .
(Regularly is good tho)

Usually once a day for an hour, Vipassana, as taught by Syadaw U Janaka.
- peace
- better understanding of how my body functions
- deeper observation and pattern recognition
- directly understanding the sequence: perception, feeling, interpretation, emotion
- seeing the link between volition and action
- developing a degree of equanimity towards pain and pleasure, both pass,
- seeing that the ego is just a construct, necessary for functioning in this conditional world, but a potential danger or trap if one identifies with it, eg toxic shame, pride, arrogance, anger
- greater compassion and empathy for others by fully experiencing one's own pain without evasion, and learning from it
- applying one's full attention to what ever the task at hand might be.
- ever so slowly creeping towards maturity
- emnity dissappears, friendships develop

Never. I contemplate. Much better than an empty mind.

Sometimes.

And I am interested in techniques from both Buddhist and Hindu traditions. But honestly it's hard for me to find time and space to get deep into formal practice.

What does seem to work for me is a kind of movement exercise that combines yoga & tai chi in sort of a flow that keeps me fit and relieves stress. On some level the "mindfulness" thing is there, and maybe higher consciousness will come later.

Or not ... 😎

I try to. It slows me down and I am able to clear my mind enough to realize there are certain thoughts I don't want. I practice daily so maybe in 20 years I'll be good at it.

I hear the word "meditate" thrown around an aweful lot. Let me just ask two questions. First , how do you meditate? Secondly, what do you meditate on?

Well, not like sitting down. I think about God and my Storylines all the time.

I do. To try and bring peace and healing and it helped me process a lot of trauma.

When I was going through major depression it helped me .

Yes I do. It gives me an immense sense of inner peace

No, I will chill out listening to music

i've never been able to master it.

I do, sometimes.

How does one meditate?

Kinda sorta.
Not the close your eyes and thinking of nothing stuff. I do mindfulness.
My anxiety is like a quarter of what it used to be.

I fail to do that.. each time I try, I smell something burning on stove or laundry to be done or dishes, or last date of bills