Why practice meditation?

[Scarlett Wampus]

For those who practice meditation (or not, if you see something you can relate to) I'd like to ask an open question. Wasn't sure where to put this. The Buddhism section seems appropriate enough.

I went to see a close Catholic friend tonight. During a conversation about meditation she recalled something she heard at a retreat or read in a book (typically I wasn't being mindful enough to remember!): -

"You can no more gain knowledge of God than you can force the sun to rise."

"So why do we do we pray? Meditate? Do all this stuff?"

"So you'll be awake when the sun rises."

What does that mean to you? (if anything)

Why do you practice meditation?

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Being aware of the sun rising is a perfect metaphor for why I meditate.



I practice because it is a practice: start by being more fully aware with your breath, expand your awareness toward other physical sensations, expand the awareness toward feelings, then thoughts, then concepts, and continue to include awareness of more and more subtle existences.




Brilliant, SW.




Peace,
Mystic

 

[white_wolf]

We get lost in paints,
And forget the white canvas.
Just be.

Meditation is the playful art of discovering the source,
And being of that emptiness,
So that all art and expression may pour through,
Paint the sunrise with your eyes.

 

[1nharmony]

I meditate to quiet the noise inside my head.

 

[Nehustan]

I saw this question 'Why practice meditation?' and immediately the reply came into my mind in the form of an overused axiom 'For practice makes perfect.'

That really says it all for me, but when I was far younger I was given the nickname Zen by one of my martial arts intructors (another high ranking martial artist called me 'little testicle' but no need to go into that now :areyoucra)....so in keeping with my teenage name and the fact that this appears in the Buddism section I of course will have to cite Joshu in relation to questions with a hearty 'MU!!!!!!'

 

[Ramacharaka]

I think that some of the highest "psychology" (still a fairly undefined science) is to be found in meditation. tensing muscles in differant parts of your brain when mental processes happen and being mindful of what parts of your brain are being used when emotions come into play etc. this sort of thinking can lead to higher states of mind and can help develop defensive reactions when situations start to spiral away from your liking. meditation is a wonderful thing.

 

[c0da]

Mystic Sangha summed it up well. Meditation is a way to cultivate our awareness , beginning with little things, like the sensation of the breath as it enters the nostrils, then expanding our awareness to that of bigger things.

Then there is the fact that meditation, like other breathing excersises, can help us become more centred and less prone to irrational and angry thoughts.

 

[michel]

Being aware of the sun rising is a perfect metaphor for why I meditate.



I practice because it is a practice: start by being more fully aware with your breath, expand your awareness toward other physical sensations, expand the awareness toward feelings, then thoughts, then concepts, and continue to include awareness of more and more subtle existences.




Brilliant, SW.




Peace,
Mystic

Nice one!

I meditate for so much more though. I meditate to calm my body down, to ease pain, to think clearly, and yes, as you say, Heather, for "being aware". That works both for the physical, and the mental, as well as the spiritual.

There is nothing quite like feeling that you are becoming one with nature, with life......it is almost as if you hit the same frequency, and you suddenly see everything with complete clarity and understanding.

 

[white_wolf]

Nice one!

I meditate for so much more though. I meditate to calm my body down, to ease pain, to think clearly, and yes, as you say, Heather, for "being aware". That works both for the physical, and the mental, as well as the spiritual.

There is nothing quite like feeling that you are becoming one with nature, with life......it is almost as if you hit the same frequency, and you suddenly see everything with complete clarity and understanding.

Become?
What is to become?
Breath the sunrise,
it is you.

 

[bill]

For those who practice meditation (or not, if you see something you can relate to) I'd like to ask an open question. Wasn't sure where to put this. The Buddhism section seems appropriate enough.

I went to see a close Catholic friend tonight. During a conversation about meditation she recalled something she heard at a retreat or read in a book (typically I wasn't being mindful enough to remember!): -

"You can no more gain knowledge of God than you can force the sun to rise."

"So why do we do we pray? Meditate? Do all this stuff?"

"So you'll be awake when the sun rises."


What does that mean to you? (if anything)

Why do you practice meditation?

Meditation is the key to unlocking the paradox presented here. For some it might give clues to God. Personally it has changed my life by showing me conclusively that my mind is a fallible tool, and the intellect need not be a prison

 

[Master Vigil]

I meditate to make the world a better place, a place of balance, peace, and hopefully oneness.

 

[uu_sage]

I meditate to increase awareness, deepen consciousnes of things inside of me and around me, to relieve stress, kick off the baggage that's happening, to relax, clearer breathing, and to be harmony with myself, others and the greater web of life we are apart. An extension of meditation is also avaliable to me in Yoga where I can not only meditate for the above reasons using things like walking meditation or sitting meditation but it allows me to cultivate the opposite where from our actions and thoughts we develop more constructive attitudes and feelings.

 

[cardero]

For those who practice meditation (or not, if you see something you can relate to) I'd like to ask an open question. Wasn't sure where to put this. The Buddhism section seems appropriate enough.

Why do you practice meditation?

Because it is the only time of the day I can get 30 Minutes alone with myself.

 

[michel]

Being aware of the sun rising is a perfect metaphor for why I meditate.



I practice because it is a practice: start by being more fully aware with your breath, expand your awareness toward other physical sensations, expand the awareness toward feelings, then thoughts, then concepts, and continue to include awareness of more and more subtle existences.




Brilliant, SW.




Peace,
Mystic

Yes, well said. To me, meditation is becoming aware of every fibre of your being, so that you can then leave your body on "auto pilot", and just let your higher being take you where it needs to take you.

Problems you weren't even aware of suddenly come into focus, as the answer stares at you in the face.

I love guided meditations too. One I particularly like is the 'escape into the skies' one; you litterally fly off to an imaginary castle way above; you then take a good look at yourself. Every corridor is full of mirrors and as time passes you shed the blankets, one by one .

You finally get in tough with the 'real you'; I saw 'me' once. It was so incredible; I was watching this guy (me) rushing about like a headless chicken...........

All I could think of was "What a waste"...........

 

[Banjankri]

Why do you practice meditation?

Because it gives hope.

 

[BSM1]

I don't meditate to find God, I meditate to find me. Every now then God shows up.