Meditation

[Master Vigil]

The balance is not in your breath, it is in your mind. many claim that the constant switching is requiring more energy and taking away from the all that is happening in your center. But of course, if it is difficult for you to breathe out of your nose, than do what you must to be comfortable.

When one does six inches, they lie on their back, pick up their legs (which are straightened), and hold them six inches above the ground. The exercise has you raise your legs and lower them without touching the ground. It is for your abs and your lower back muscles. But shoulder blade six inches are different in that your lower back is not touching the floor. Only your shoulder blades are. Which of course requires you to hold on to something. But the meditation requires you to hold your legs out and meditate with them that way. Without moving them. It is very difficult.

 

[Chandi]

Dear Friends,

There are indeed so many ways to meditate. The key is getting the active mind to quiet itself. I think there is an old Zen addage that says, "the quieter you are, the more you hear." And breathing and the use of a mantra is one of the fastest ways towards doing do. In the yogic/vedic way, we breathe for the most part only through our nose, slow, subtle breaths that you can't even, or can barely feel if you put your finger under your nose. There is one method that I find really nice during meditation, or just during a moment of stress: it is to breathe as if you are breathing through your eyes, slowly, inhaling and exhaling through your nostrils, keeping your mouth gently shut. Take a minute to do this. I find it quite nice. It also helps you to focus on your third eye: the place where the top of your nose meets your eyebrow area. The ancient texts say it is best to concentrate there during meditation, and this has been backed-up by medical science: Brain scans were taken of meditators during their practice. During the peak of their practices, scientists learned that all parts of the brain pretty much turned off, except for the spot at the third eye, which was lit up like a christmas tree. Pretty amazing.

I can give some other techniques if anyone is interested.

Warmly Yours,
Chandi

 

[Master Vigil]

Chandi, you are indeed correct. And of course, to be able to quiet the active mind is to control it. And we control it by learning focus. Also, one of my masters took a similar scientific test, but he was able to make different parts of his brain active, at different times, on his command. That is control. Above all, it is for peace. Peace of mind, and from mind, body. Many techniques can be used, some may work better for some, and worse for another.

 

[pagan_irish]

I do a little Med myself.

 

[jewscout]

Judaism has a long history of meditation in it. I tend to meditate on the weekend, normally after i do my Torah study. I'll put on Rebbe Soul or Chris Cornell's lone solo album "Euphoria Morning" (which is an excellent album that shows Chris's musical range i highly advise everyone to take a listen it kicks butt!) and just sort of reflect back on the things going on in my life and try to make sense of it all by trying to tap into the Divine. I'll recite the Shema a few times. I also tend to rock and sway when i meditate (i've been thinking about buying a rocking chair because it is very relaxing and i use one at my gf's house for Shabbot dinner).