Entering Meditation

[crazyharry]

Meditation has always fascinated me.  Partly because there are so many different ways, and partly because it's so hard for me to get to that state.

Some people clear their mind of all thoughts, others let the thoughts run wild, and still others create an entirely new place.

I'm curious what/how it's like for some of you folks get to your meditative state.  For the purpose of this thread, I'm not interested in "this one time" type of things. Rather, I'm more interested in how things normally tend to go.

 
I'm more of a create an entirely new place person; a couple of years ago I could just sit and focus on my breathing and clear everything out, but I'm a lot more stressed now and that rarely works now. Sometimes I can just sit and relax and focus on wiping away my thoughts and can get in that way, but sometimes that doesn't work and then I just go through mental doorways until I've managed to get away from everything. In any case, for the past few months I've never been able to hold it for long, but I usually get what I need. And sometimes nothing works and I just give up and try to do something productive to release some stress.

[brad]

I've never been able to hold it for long, but I usually get what I need. And sometimes nothing works and I just give up and try to do something productive to release some stress.

I hear ya on that!  I think over the next week, I'm going to try exploring my idea more of different meditations for different purposes.  Somehow, I think I might be on to something there.

[Chatelaine]

I'm curious what/how it's like for some of you folks get to your meditative state.  For the purpose of this thread, I'm not interested in "this one time" type of things. Rather, I'm more interested in how things normally tend to go.

I'm too fidgety to sit still for long, so I tend to meditate while walking. I keep a rosary in my jacket pocket and go through the beads repeating a short mantra or prayer. It takes me less than a round (50 reps) to zone out. I keep just enough awareness to mind where I'm going. The rest of my head is just... clouds scudding through.

Perhaps that has to do with my first meditative experiences, before I knew what I was doing, sprawled out in the garden cloudwatching.

[maerecatha]

I'm curious what/how it's like for some of you folks get to your meditative state.  For the purpose of this thread, I'm not interested in "this one time" type of things. Rather, I'm more interested in how things normally tend to go.

 
I can't focus on "nothing." There has to be something to do. The energy work I've done with folks in my massage therapy program (this is separate from the actual science part, lest you worry)... I have to focus on continually moving the energy, forming it, etc.

Part of me purposefully won't let me "fully relax" because I'm terrified of letting go. So, instead, I just focus on something simple, such as a chant. When I was Christian, this was oft in the form of the "Jesus Prayer" and my prayer rope. Now, it's usually something along the lines of "Earth, Air, Fire, Water" or some such. Something simple, and I say it over and over again, usually silently, and focus solely on the words.

[Sobekemiti]

I'm curious what/how it's like for some of you folks get to your meditative state.  For the purpose of this thread, I'm not interested in "this one time" type of things. Rather, I'm more interested in how things normally tend to go.

The only way that tends to work for me is just counting breaths. Count as I inhale, count as I exhale. Keeping track of those numbers allows me to get into a meditative state, though I don't do it as often as I'd like. I'm still trying to figure out how to include it in my daily practice. Thinking of nothing, or trying to clear my thoughts, just doesn't work for me. My brain needs something to do that's repetitive enough to shut the rest of it up.

Walking meditation is the only other thing that's really had any effect, where I just put my headphones on and just wander around the streets lost in thought.

[Vitkyng]

The only way that tends to work for me is just counting breaths. Count as I inhale, count as I exhale. Keeping track of those numbers allows me to get into a meditative state, though I don't do it as often as I'd like. I'm still trying to figure out how to include it in my daily practice. Thinking of nothing, or trying to clear my thoughts, just doesn't work for me. My brain needs something to do that's repetitive enough to shut the rest of it up.

Walking meditation is the only other thing that's really had any effect, where I just put my headphones on and just wander around the streets lost in thought.

I need a 'focal point' too, I can't simply empty my mind. Instead listening to someone's voice, or drumming or chanting, or focussing on something like a rune, flame or scrying bowl, anything to pre-occupy my conscious mind until it settles,is needed.

[Sophia C]

I need a 'focal point' too, I can't simply empty my mind. Instead listening to someone's voice, or drumming or chanting, or focussing on something like a rune, flame or scrying bowl, anything to pre-occupy my conscious mind until it settles,is needed.

 
I'm with you. Meditation music can help me with that (there are a few free podcasts that have relaxing music tracks of various lengths). I also listen to binaural beat tracks - I started using these to help me get better sleep, and found that they also helped me stay in a meditative state a bit longer. The science is disputed, but some people find they work for them.

[Vitkyng]

I'm with you. Meditation music can help me with that (there are a few free podcasts that have relaxing music tracks of various lengths). I also listen to binaural beat tracks - I started using these to help me get better sleep, and found that they also helped me stay in a meditative state a bit longer. The science is disputed, but some people find they work for them.

Youtube is full of meditative tracks, just run a search for guided meditation or simply meditation. I use them for sleep when insomnia strikes.  Plug my phone into the charger, and pull up an appropriate vid on yotube and off I go.