Members of the previous forum can retrieve their temporary password here, (login and check your PM).

Reply to thread

Message

My meditation practices have evolved over the years. I would like to explain that evolution a bit if I may. First off, I have been meditating daily for three years and was a dabbling meditator for quite a few years before that. I have tried many forms of meditation over this time. I thought I would write about my experiences in hopes that others may feel a sense of validation or find some direction in which to approach meditation.

When I first started to meditate I found myself very uncomfortable and irritated by the whole practice. I would sit down and would feel constant itches and frequent aches here and there in my body. My mind would race and seemed to just become agitated by sitting this way. I was afraid to move to scratch an itch or ease an ache because I thought that the point was to sit still with an upright back. When I would finally give into the ache or itch I would feel like I had failed. What a terrible approach! I watched videos on meditation. I read books about meditation. I learned everything I could on meditation. I thought I had everything I needed enable to make it work, and it just never felt like it did anything for me. So there is the dabbling for years like this. Off and On, off and on......

One day I made a choice to really get a practice going and quit with the dabbling. I bought a nice zafu and zubutan. I bought some alter itens and created an area just for meditating. I got my candles and incense. I bought a meditation blanket. I got everything I needed. I began. Every single day I would meditate for at least 20 mins. I did this every day for two years, I think I missed a couple days during the holidays, but overall, every day. Some days I would meditate 20 mins and other days I could make it to an hour.

During this time I had a thought during meditation while feeling an itch coming. I thought what harm will it do to itch? What harm will it do adjust and get rid of the ache in my behind? I mean I have to swallow saliva build up from time to time as a normal bodily function so what if I have to itch. Ignoring the body is good to a certain point, after that point it becomes ignorance I feel. I mean I sit there trying not to itch an itch that just will not quit. Sometimes a whole meditation wasted by constantly feeling this itch. 20 mins of having an itch or ache and not doing anything about it. I thought... that is just ridiculous.. just start itching and adjusting. And I did... I threw everything out the window and started meditating my own way.

I now would move and sway. I would adjust and itch to my hearts content. I would stand and walk around. I would return to sitting when ready. I started taking a day or two off from it from time to time. I found that on these days off, the meditation would continue or follow me. I ended up somehow meditating anyway... without all my trinkets, blankets and comfy zafu and zebuton.

I started to meditate while doing anything really. Simply weeping the floor and I would allow the sound to trance me into being here and now. Fixing the car I would suddenly find myself with no thought whatsoever and completely into the task at hand. I would paint and disappear into my painting. Pick up my guitar and disappear into the music. Every chirp of a bird suddenly became a reason to be present. Every thing became beautiful all of the sudden. All of these beautiful and wonderful things were all around me the whole time. I never really saw them before as I was now.

I still make time to meditate with my trickets and blankets and candles and incense and what not. I still make time for it. I take more from the time I meditate and I don't even know I am doing it just from constantly switching off those constant and repetitive thoughts. There is a certain letting go with meditation. A willingness to be present and accept everything as it is in the here and now. Example.. I would meditate and hear neighborhood dog barking and it would piss me off. Dang dog ruined my meditation. Now.. I hear a dog barking during my meditation and it becomes the meditation. A dog barking is a wonderful sound when it is acccepted for what it is. No longer an annoyance but accepted in a grateful way. I feel that it is meditation that taught me this certain gratitude. I apply this gratidude to every aspect of my life as best I can now. More and more I can remain in the here and now.

Meditation can happen anywhere... anytime... just don't tell your mind what your up to.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread!!

NAMASTE

<blockquote data-quote="DmnStr8" data-source="post: 3794491" data-attributes="member: 30258">My meditation practices have evolved over the years.&nbsp; I would like to explain that evolution a bit if I may. First off, I have been meditating daily for three years and was a dabbling meditator for quite a few years before that.&nbsp; I have tried many forms of meditation over this time. I thought I would write about my experiences in hopes that others may feel a sense of validation or find some direction in which to approach meditation.When I first started to meditate I found myself very uncomfortable and irritated by the whole practice.&nbsp; I would sit down and would feel constant itches and frequent aches here and there in my body. My mind would race and seemed to just become agitated by sitting this way.&nbsp; I was afraid to move to scratch an itch or ease an ache because I thought that the point was to sit still with an upright back.&nbsp; When I would finally give into the ache or itch I would feel like I had failed. What a terrible approach! I watched videos on meditation. I read books about meditation. I learned everything I could on meditation. I thought I had everything I needed enable to make it work, and it just never felt like it did anything for me. So there is the dabbling for years like this.&nbsp; Off and On, off and on......One day I made a choice to really get a practice going and quit with the dabbling.&nbsp; I bought a nice zafu and zubutan. I bought some alter itens and created an area just for meditating.&nbsp; I got my candles and incense.&nbsp; I bought a meditation blanket. I got everything I needed.&nbsp; I began.&nbsp; Every single day I would meditate for at least 20 mins.&nbsp; I did this every day for two years, I think I missed a couple days during the holidays, but overall, every day.&nbsp; Some days I would meditate 20 mins and other days I could make it to an hour.During this time I had a thought during meditation while feeling an itch coming.&nbsp; I thought what harm will it do to itch?&nbsp; What harm will it do adjust and get rid of the ache in my behind?&nbsp; I mean I have to swallow saliva build up from time to time as a normal bodily function so what if I have to itch.&nbsp; Ignoring the body is good to a certain point, after that point it becomes ignorance I feel.&nbsp; I mean I sit there trying not to itch an itch that just will not quit.&nbsp; Sometimes a&nbsp; whole meditation wasted by constantly feeling this itch.&nbsp; 20 mins of having an itch or ache and not doing anything about it.&nbsp; I thought... that is just ridiculous.. just start itching and adjusting.&nbsp; And I did... I threw everything out the window and started meditating my own way.I now would move and sway. I would adjust and itch to my hearts content.&nbsp; I would stand and walk around.&nbsp; I would return to sitting when ready.&nbsp; I started taking a day or two off from it from time to time.&nbsp; I found that on these days off, the meditation would continue or follow me.&nbsp; I ended up somehow meditating anyway... without all my trinkets, blankets and comfy zafu and zebuton.&nbsp; I started to meditate while doing anything really.&nbsp; Simply weeping the floor and I would allow the sound to trance me into being here and now.&nbsp; Fixing the car I would suddenly find myself with no thought whatsoever and completely into the task at hand.&nbsp; I would paint and disappear into my painting.&nbsp; Pick up my guitar and disappear into the music.&nbsp; Every chirp of a bird suddenly became a reason to be present.&nbsp; Every thing became beautiful all of the sudden.&nbsp; All of these beautiful and wonderful things were all around me the whole time.&nbsp; I never really saw them before as I was now.I still make time to meditate with my trickets and blankets and candles and incense and what not.&nbsp; I still make time for it. I take more from the time I meditate and I don&#039;t even know I am doing it just from constantly switching off those constant and repetitive thoughts.&nbsp; There is a certain letting go with meditation.&nbsp; A willingness to be present and accept everything as it is in the here and now.&nbsp; Example.. I would meditate and hear neighborhood dog barking and it would piss me off.&nbsp; Dang dog ruined my meditation.&nbsp; Now.. I hear a dog barking during my meditation and it becomes the meditation.&nbsp; A dog barking is a wonderful sound when it is acccepted for what it is.&nbsp; No longer an annoyance but accepted in a grateful way. I feel that it is meditation that taught me this certain gratitude.&nbsp; I apply this gratidude to every aspect of my life as best I can now. More and more I can remain in the here and now.Meditation can happen anywhere... anytime...&nbsp; just don&#039;t tell your mind what your up to.Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread!!NAMASTE</blockquote>

[QUOTE="DmnStr8, post: 3794491, member: 30258"] My meditation practices have evolved over the years. I would like to explain that evolution a bit if I may. First off, I have been meditating daily for three years and was a dabbling meditator for quite a few years before that. I have tried many forms of meditation over this time. I thought I would write about my experiences in hopes that others may feel a sense of validation or find some direction in which to approach meditation. When I first started to meditate I found myself very uncomfortable and irritated by the whole practice. I would sit down and would feel constant itches and frequent aches here and there in my body. My mind would race and seemed to just become agitated by sitting this way. I was afraid to move to scratch an itch or ease an ache because I thought that the point was to sit still with an upright back. When I would finally give into the ache or itch I would feel like I had failed. What a terrible approach! I watched videos on meditation. I read books about meditation. I learned everything I could on meditation. I thought I had everything I needed enable to make it work, and it just never felt like it did anything for me. So there is the dabbling for years like this. Off and On, off and on...... One day I made a choice to really get a practice going and quit with the dabbling. I bought a nice zafu and zubutan. I bought some alter itens and created an area just for meditating. I got my candles and incense. I bought a meditation blanket. I got everything I needed. I began. Every single day I would meditate for at least 20 mins. I did this every day for two years, I think I missed a couple days during the holidays, but overall, every day. Some days I would meditate 20 mins and other days I could make it to an hour. During this time I had a thought during meditation while feeling an itch coming. I thought what harm will it do to itch? What harm will it do adjust and get rid of the ache in my behind? I mean I have to swallow saliva build up from time to time as a normal bodily function so what if I have to itch. Ignoring the body is good to a certain point, after that point it becomes ignorance I feel. I mean I sit there trying not to itch an itch that just will not quit. Sometimes a whole meditation wasted by constantly feeling this itch. 20 mins of having an itch or ache and not doing anything about it. I thought... that is just ridiculous.. just start itching and adjusting. And I did... I threw everything out the window and started meditating my own way. I now would move and sway. I would adjust and itch to my hearts content. I would stand and walk around. I would return to sitting when ready. I started taking a day or two off from it from time to time. I found that on these days off, the meditation would continue or follow me. I ended up somehow meditating anyway... without all my trinkets, blankets and comfy zafu and zebuton. I started to meditate while doing anything really. Simply weeping the floor and I would allow the sound to trance me into being here and now. Fixing the car I would suddenly find myself with no thought whatsoever and completely into the task at hand. I would paint and disappear into my painting. Pick up my guitar and disappear into the music. Every chirp of a bird suddenly became a reason to be present. Every thing became beautiful all of the sudden. All of these beautiful and wonderful things were all around me the whole time. I never really saw them before as I was now. I still make time to meditate with my trickets and blankets and candles and incense and what not. I still make time for it. I take more from the time I meditate and I don't even know I am doing it just from constantly switching off those constant and repetitive thoughts. There is a certain letting go with meditation. A willingness to be present and accept everything as it is in the here and now. Example.. I would meditate and hear neighborhood dog barking and it would piss me off. Dang dog ruined my meditation. Now.. I hear a dog barking during my meditation and it becomes the meditation. A dog barking is a wonderful sound when it is acccepted for what it is. No longer an annoyance but accepted in a grateful way. I feel that it is meditation that taught me this certain gratitude. I apply this gratidude to every aspect of my life as best I can now. More and more I can remain in the here and now. Meditation can happen anywhere... anytime... just don't tell your mind what your up to. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread!! NAMASTE [/QUOTE]