NationStates Jolt Archive

I've always been interested in meditation but never actually went for it and tried it out. I've done some research into it but I want some opinions.

Do you believe their is a benefit, for example, healthier body or mind?

Do you believe its possible to perform tasks like martial artists and monks and the like, such as breaking cinder blocks, all because of meditation?

Do you believe in that we can transmit ''messages'' like ESP kinda thing when we meditate?


Note - I don't plan on going out and smashing cinder blocks or trying to transmit messages, I'm just curious is all.
Have you ever tried Lucid dreaming? (I know its not meditation per say but it relates)

its just sitting there chilling out making sure your actually relaxed, same affect as having a cuddle-fest ;)

no you can't break cinder blocks with your mind because science says so

Have you ever tried Lucid dreaming? (I know its not meditation per say but it relates)

tried it but never succeeded I'd say its more just at thing to keep in mind

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucid_dream


The wake-initiated lucid dream "occurs when the sleeper enters REM sleep with unbroken self-awareness directly from the waking state"...During the actual transition into the dream state, one is likely to experience sleep paralysis, including rapid vibrations,[9] a sequence of loud sounds and a feeling of twirling into another state of body awareness, "to drift off into another dimension". Also there is frequently a sensation of falling rapidly or dropping through the bed as one enters the dream state. After the transition there may be the sensation of entering a dark black room from which one can induce any dream scenario of one's choosing, simply by concentrating on it. The key to success is not to panic, especially during the transition, which can be quite sudden.


I've experienced sudden and "loud" auditory hallucinations, and I swear I've seen the empty darkness of closed eyes expand into a 3D space in which I can see depth, but I have yet to get past the "falling through space" sensation as the hypnogogic state really kicks in. I have a stronger than normal fear of heights (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_of_heights), so the sudden sensation of falling tends to make me panic. :eek:

I've experienced sudden and "loud" auditory hallucinations, and I swear I've seen the empty darkness of closed eyes expand into a 3D space in which I can see depth, but I have yet to get past the "falling through space" sensation as the hypnogogic state really kicks in. I have a stronger than normal fear of heights (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_of_heights), so the sudden sensation of falling tends to make me panic. :eek:

Now that I read this I remember having the sensation of falling through space while lying in bed. Problem is, I was wide awake. I didn't know what was going on at the time and I freaked out. When I ''snapped too'' I was dizzy and had jelly legs.

Now that I read this I remember having the sensation of falling through space while lying in bed. Problem is, I was wide awake. I didn't know what was going on at the time and I freaked out. When I ''snapped too'' I was dizzy and had jelly legs.

Hypnogogia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnogogia) is actually extremely common; most people will experience it at least once in their lives, probably many more.

The trick to doing it on purpose, however, is understanding what it is so that one does not panic when it happens.

its a natural part of existence really, just as much as like sleep. i've never understood how anyone stays sane without it. maybe they don't.

maybe that's why mundania is so un sane.

its like for the mind what fasting, that your body needs once in a while is for the reast of that too.

now as for the psychic internet so to speak, yes there's something like that too, and we do sometimes interact with it and with each other when we're asleep and dreaming.

but that's one of those things, where you getting into that area, that you can only make happen by letting it happen on its own terms instead of trying to force it.

and well that is one of those things miditation does for us, as its in a way a kind of exercise that helps us developt being able to let go of trying to force everything yet with out preventing our how should i say, stearing it a little bit without pushing or trying to.

you know, there's all sorts of tecniques, some you can even do while walking arround. it's just sort of a calm place state of detatchment, which doesn't mean not caring but rather caring in a way that doesn't prevent objective understanding.

its just really calming the constant inner yammering at yourself that most people don't notice or realize their doing. and when you do that, you've basicly removed your own internal interfearance from being able see and think more clearly and objectively, most of which comes from what other people have convinced us of, which may have nothing to do with what we're actually experiencing.

and with that out of the way, yes, we then are more able to choose how and what we do in our dreams as well.

and of course its a spirit thing. its all about spirit really. some even describe it as getting mind out of the way of spirit, but i for one don't see that as entirely accurate as mind is kind of the interface between spirit, which is our true self, and all of our physical aspects we walk arround in.

all, everything i can say, is of course my own perceptions, and others, wiser then me, may express such things differently.

sitting and breathing exercises, are a good way to start, but there isn't anything absolute about any of it, other then, stilling the inner dialog, giving yourself a break from it for a little while.

=^^=
.../\...

I've always been interested in meditation but never actually went for it and tried it out. I've done some research into it but I want some opinions.

Do you believe their is a benefit, for example, healthier body or mind?

Do you believe its possible to perform tasks like martial artists and monks and the like, such as breaking cinder blocks, all because of meditation?

Do you believe in that we can transmit ''messages'' like ESP kinda thing when we meditate?


Note - I don't plan on going out and smashing cinder blocks or trying to transmit messages, I'm just curious is all.
Have you ever tried Lucid dreaming? (I know its not meditation per say but it relates)

what science fiction novel have you been reading?

Meditation is basically a way of stress relief. I doubt ESP or Lucid dreaming has to do with anything with mediation

I doubt ESP or Lucid dreaming has to do with anything with mediation

ESP is pseudoscientific nonsense.

Lucid dreaming, however, occurs where one remains conscious or "awake" when the brain otherwise enters the sleeping state. Again, anyone who has been laying in bed and startled by the sudden sensation of falling has experienced hypnogogia, which is the initial stage of this state of consciousness.

The key to getting to this state on purpose is keeping the mind active enough to maintain awareness, while still relaxing the body enough in order to bring on sleep. I would imagine that someone skilled in meditation would be able to achieve this relatively easily.

Do you believe their [sic] is a benefit, for example, healthier body or mind?
I believe that it can help you to relax and take the time for calming down physically and mentally, and to tackle all the "mental" and "emotional" things you might not pay enough attention to during "regular life". If you want to call that a "healthier mind", go ahead, and if someone stresses themselves out enough to be physically affected by it in a negative way, reducing said stress could probably be said to lead to a "healthier body" too.

I do not, however, believe that meditation has any "spiritual" qualities that magically transform neither body nor mind in any way beyond the one explained above and below.

Do you believe its possible to perform tasks like martial artists and monks and the like, such as breaking cinder blocks, all because of meditation?

I believe that a lot more is possible for us physically than we usually explore in everyday life, which is e.g. demonstrated in the extraordinary feats people are reported to achieve when e.g. under life-threatening danger. I also believe that apart from such external stimuli tapping into that "special resource" potential, we might also be able to access that from within in special conditions, and I wouldn't necessarily exclude meditation as one way for some people to condition themselves suchly. I don't think that this is something the majority of people practising meditation can ever achieve, nor do I think it's particularly healthy to artificially bring oneself into a biochemical physical state of über-alertness and alarm all too often (quite despite the fact that the usual understanding of meditation is that it is an end in itself and oughtn't be done to achieve another end).

Do you believe in that we can transmit ''messages'' like ESP kinda thing when we meditate?

I think that, and other beliefs of the "meditation has some sort of magical/spiritual/metaphysical qualities" rather than the "meditation is one, psychologically explainable way of bringing oneself into a certain mindset" category are utter bullshit.

Meditation is profoundly boring. Everything else seems fun by comparison.

Yes.
Much of that crap is real. However, anyone that claims to "talk to the dead", is a douche, who wants your money.

I've had the odd experience with Lucid dreaming. I get through some of it then start to panic and wake myself up. I really need to focus more on it. The falling sensation is particularly weird especially when your lying down but qyour back or something hurts as if you had fallen...

I quite often meditate when lying in bed, it helps me relax and fall asleep, though I've never really tried lucid dreaming. The dreams I do have are always just before waking and are quite lucid but rarely happen.

Interesting stuff, i've tried meditation to go to sleep but it just doesn't happen to me, my body decides when it want's to sleep, and i struggle to sleep in anywhere but my own bed.

But meditation in general is useful, just don't expect instant results, i think it's a way of creating happy feeling in your head because it does less thinking, allowing it to process stuff you've already thought of.

Hypnogogia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnogogia) is actually extremely common; most people will experience it at least once in their lives, probably many more.

The trick to doing it on purpose, however, is understanding what it is so that one does not panic when it happens.

I've actually had other sensations mentioned in the article too, such as the sensing of a ''presence''. It almost feels like a gust of wind with a shape to it. It's really hard to describe.

I've always been interested in meditation but never actually went for it and tried it out. I've done some research into it but I want some opinions.

Do you believe their is a benefit, for example, healthier body or mind?

Do you believe its possible to perform tasks like martial artists and monks and the like, such as breaking cinder blocks, all because of meditation?

Do you believe in that we can transmit ''messages'' like ESP kinda thing when we meditate?


Note - I don't plan on going out and smashing cinder blocks or trying to transmit messages, I'm just curious is all.
Have you ever tried Lucid dreaming? (I know its not meditation per say but it relates)


The martial arts feats (breaking cinder blocks etc) are much more a product of body hardening and correct striking technique. Boxers and such (who generally don't meditate) can be as effective at these tricks as traditional martial artists.

The ESP stuff doesn't really merit a response.

The benefits to the body and mind come from the relaxation of meditation. I can see it reducing stress levels, certainly.

I meditate occasionally. It's relaxing and helps a lot. I don't think we "transmit messages" though. The breaking cinder blocks thing has to do with technique rather than meditation. And there are definitely benefits to meditating- less stress being a big one.

First off, let me qualify my responses with my experience. I'm a practicing Buddhist. I do "tranquility meditation (what most people here are talking about - either just sitting or "mindfulness of breath" techniques) at least once a week, as well as Tibetian visualization meditation.

I've always been interested in meditation but never actually went for it and tried it out. I've done some research into it but I want some opinions.

I would highly reccomend finding a reputable teacher.

Do you believe their is a benefit, for example, healthier body or mind?

Absolutely, primarily psycological wellbeing, which in turn promotes physical wellbeing. In addition to things like reduced stress and relaxation, already mentioned, one of the early benifits is an increased mindfulness and awareness of what's going on around you.

Do you believe its possible to perform tasks like martial artists and monks and the like, such as breaking cinder blocks, all because of meditation?

One doesn't need meditation really to do that, although it doesn't particularly hurt. I've done martial arts, including breaking, and the others are correct in stating that it's about technique.

Do you believe in that we can transmit ''messages'' like ESP kinda thing when we meditate?

Nope.

Have you ever tried Lucid dreaming? (I know its not meditation per say but it relates)

Haven't tried it.

Meditation is profoundly boring. Everything else seems fun by comparison.

Many practitioners (myself included) go through this in the early stages. Unless one is a particularly boring person, you get over it.

I've always been interested in meditation but never actually went for it and tried it out. I've done some research into it but I want some opinions.

Do you believe their is a benefit, for example, healthier body or mind?

Yes. Meditation promotes a calm attitude and is essentially the opposite of those "punching a pillow" exercises which only increase aggression and stress. If you are prone to stress then meditation will be of benefit because it will keep your blood pressure down and offset the damage to the immune system brought about by long-term stress.

Do you believe its possible to perform tasks like martial artists and monks and the like, such as breaking cinder blocks, all because of meditation?

No. There are forms of "moving meditation" in which low impact exercises are performed for long periods. The meditation helps keep you from getting impatient or giving up because of the discomfort. Some of these exercises will have the side effect of enabling you to perform certain parlour tricks. Meditation itself will do no such thing.

Do you believe in that we can transmit ''messages'' like ESP kinda thing when we meditate?

No. When you meditate your mind relaxes and you shut out sensory input (mostly by going somewhere quiet.) In such a situation your brain tends to "stretch its cramped muscles" and it will briefly revive recent sense-memory input. I once had a job in which the training session was 8 hours of lectures a day. After a few days several of my fellow trainees said that they "heard" the lecturers voice when going to sleep at night. Meditation induces the same state of mind that those people were experiencing.

This is not the goal of meditation and is something you are supposed to work through, not into. The Buddhist phrase for this is "when you meet the Buddha you must kill the Buddha." It means, you're not achieving enlightenment or gaining magic powers. You're having a mild hallucination.

Note - I don't plan on going out and smashing cinder blocks or trying to transmit messages, I'm just curious is all.


Good.
[QUOTE]Have you ever tried Lucid dreaming? (I know its not meditation per say but it relates)

I have lucid dreams from time to time, but not so much these days. It doesn't really have anything to do with meditating. When you meditate you do not in any way reduce your consciousness. Meditation is not a form of waking nap and is as much the opposite of sleep as dancing is.

Have you ever tried Lucid dreaming? (I know its not meditation per say but it relates)

I have done that as a child. I however did not know until my later teens what exactly it was. I haven't tried though since my 20's when I did it and I thought that I lifted up and touched the ceiling. Kind of freaked me out a bit so I stopped trying it.