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meditation

I hope this works out better than when I tried to find my true self hiking in Tibet.

trueself22.png
 
Found out the other day I've in a way meditated most of my life as when I go to sleep before I do it I am able to clear my mind and just have no thoughts at all, loose all conception of my bodily functions or feelings, etc. I said to my friend "Just stop thinking" and he found the idea you could just turn off your brain and think of nothing bizarre, but it turned out that most people are like this and I was the weird one. Not really done much long focused meditation past that though.
 
Observing the gradual dissolution of thoughts, on purpose, while in a vigilant state of awareness, is interesting on any levels.
First, one becomes almost painfully aware of the incessant mental chatter.
Second, one becomes aware of the generally crappy tone of the chatter, and its basic pointlessness.
Third, one becomes aware of impulses that don't even quite register as a thought...like an impulse to have a thought.
As these impulses are allowed to exhaust themselves, a radically different mental state can be experienced. Bliss.

Perhaps more significantly, we are afforded the opportunity to see the relationship between our self and our thought. More than that, it becomes apparent that there is something of a butterfly effect in thought. Big things can be traced back to minute impulses in the brain, and 'we', whatever that is, can have conscious control over the initial impulse, and its endless permutations.

Experiencing self without thought is like stumbling into a background state of awareness that is probably shared by all organisms.
We generate the concept of self, through constant effort and reiteration.
Upon thorough examination, there's nothing there, and yet it feels blissful.
 
casebro said:
So does primal screaming, drumming, dancing, 'speaking in tongues' (abble gobble?), jogging, and sex. It's probably that there 'being in the now' thing again. Not worrying about the rent, or the kids, or retirement savings.

I guess I could cancel all that drumming, and all that jogging and dancing while speaking gobbledy gook, If I could just get laid. :^) The neighbors would sure appreciate it.
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It depends, mindfullness of the cognitive situation is one of the steps in CBT, be aware of the thought, divert or replace thought.
 
Zeuzzz said:
Found out the other day I've in a way meditated most of my life as when I go to sleep before I do it I am able to clear my mind and just have no thoughts at all, loose all conception of my bodily functions or feelings, etc. I said to my friend "Just stop thinking" and he found the idea you could just turn off your brain and think of nothing bizarre, but it turned out that most people are like this and I was the weird one. Not really done much long focused meditation past that though.
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I fall asleep like that too.
 
quarky said:
I couldn't get here yesterday.

.....

I'll be back, hopefully, with the interesting part.
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Why am I expecting a second verse to:

"Yesterday upon the stair
I saw a man who wasn't there.
He wasn't there again today,
gee I wish he'd go away"
 
As mentioned, I expected snideness and derision.
I would hope that it wouldn't dominate the thread, and I'd be good to go, as per describing something interesting in regard to the study of consciousness and awareness.

I'm not picking on you. You be cool.

Yet, one would hope there would be some curiosity concerning adventures from a member that still has the wherewithal to write a coherent sentence, and has a solid background in hard-ass science.

Its a wonder I even have a willingness to engage here.
(Masochist?)

Anyway, I have notes to share.
Take it as you may.

Shall i continue?
 
I feel naked now.

Before I continue, I must request that you all take off your clothes.

I'm sure you understand why.
 
OK. I've taken off all my clothes.
I'm sat in front of the computer.
Now what?




Hurry up. It's chilly in here.
 
Read this years ago:
"What's the difference between a Taoist and a Buddhist?"
"If invited, a Taoist might sit down to meditate with a Buddhist. But he'd get up when his legs started to hurt."
 
Zeuzzz said:
What nonsense.

Meditation might not be for everyone but it's not a cult.

All those papers are very dated too.
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Why nonsense? Any arguments?

Agree meditation is not cult. I said that it might be used in cults.

Have you read these sources before marking them outdated?

BTW, Margaret Singer is an expert (read Skepdic link)
 
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The type I was doing had no religious affiliation. For me, it was more of a science experiment. Certainly its true that various religions and cults engage in versions of it, but for me it was all about exploring my brain without having to cut into it. There was a goal; to experience mental quiet without losing awareness. It took a few years to actually manage it. I sat still from 9pm until 6am, engaged in a very subtle process. The culmination of that experiment was profound, much, much more than any psychedelics I'd ever done, and I've done a lot.

I'll attempt to describe that event when I get back.

(Sam, you can put a blanket over your body for now.)
 
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