Meditation Enthusaists

Kirtan Kriya (Sa Ta Na Ma Meditation)

03/24/2017 00:00:00 +00:00

In Kundalini Yoga, there is an exercise known as "Kirtan Kriya". This is also known as a meditation technique called "Sa Ta Na Ma." The reason why it is called "Sa Ta Na Ma" is because that is what the meditator chants throughout the meditation. It is a very easy and quick meditation that anyone can do. Its also a very symbolic meditation, where every chant and mudra (finger position) represents something.

The Technique

This meditation is a tad different from the techniques on this site. The other techniques, for the most part, have you sitting still in silence while you meditate. In this technique, you chant out loud during the majority of it, and move you fingers.

To begin this meditation, sit comfortably and put your hands in what is called gyan mudra. This is where you rest your hands on your knees and have the thumb and index finger touch. Close your eyes, and have your eyes focus to the center of your forehead.

Next, take in a deep breath, and on the exhale, chant "Saaa Taaa Naaa Maaa". When you chant "Saaa", touch only your index fingers and thumb stogether. When you chant "Taaa", touch only your middle fingers and thumbs together. When you chant "Naaa", touch only your ring fingers and thumbs together. Lastly, when you chant "Maaa", touch only your pinky fingers and thumbs together. Inhale, and repeat the cycle over again.

After a period of time, instead of chanting out loud, you now whisper "Saaa Taaa Naaa Maaa". The whisper should be soft, but still audible.

Then, after another period of time, you chant "Saaa Taaa Naaa Maaa" in your head and do not say it out loud. Eventually, you'll start to chant in a whisper again, and then you finally end the meditation by chanting out loud. All throughout this meditation, you are touching one finger with your thumb, depending on where in the chant you are.

How long you do each of the 5 stages of the meditation depends on how long you decide to meditate for. Below is a table of suggested times.

For beginners, 12 minutes is probably a good duration starting time, while more advanced practitioners can increase their time.

What does it all mean?

Sa Ta Na Ma is Sanskrit. When translated, each word means:

Sa - Birth
Ta - Life
Na - Death
Na - Rebirth

The three types of chants represent three languages:

Out Loud - Human, the world.
Whispering - Lovers, the longing to belong.
Chanting in Head - Divine, infinity.

The four hand positions represent:

Gyan Mudra (Index finger and thumb) - Knowledge.
Shuni Mudra (Middle finger and thumb) - Wisdom, Patience.
Surya Mudra (Ring finger and thumb) - Vitality, energy of life.
Buddhi Mudra (Pinky finger and thumb) - Communication.

Guided Meditation

Into guided meditations? Below is a good 32 minute guided meditation from YouTube user Sat Nam Europe.

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

Introducing Meditation Enthusiasts Sites!

03/04/2017 00:00:00 +00:00

Long-time viewers of Meditation Enthusiasts may remember many years ago, there was a spin-off site of Meditation Enthusiasts called Spiritual Blogs. Spiritual Blogs was a site where members of the Meditation Enthusiast community were able to submit their website about Meditation, Yoga, or Buddhism, and their website would be added to an online directory of similar sites. Each site got their own page, which showed the latest posts, social media links, and site information. Meanwhile, all the submitted site's RSS feeds were merged into a single RSS feed. Every new post was tweeted out on the official Spiritual Blogs Twitter. Spiritual Blogs was, in the end, retired when we changed domains.

Now, after a few weeks in the making, we are excited to announce its successor: Meditation Enthusiasts Sites. Meditation Enthusiasts Sites allows owners of websites about Meditation, Yoga, Buddhism, etc. to submit their website. If the website is accepted, a page containing information about their site will be added, which will include a description of the site, the site logo, links to social media, a comments section, and the most recent posts from an RSS feed. Their site's RSS or ATOM feed will also be merged with the global RSS feed, which is mirrored on our Twitter and https://www.reddit.com/r/MeditationSites/.

If you own a site about Meditation, Yoga, Buddhism, or something similar and wish to submit, here's how. If you want to see what your site's page would look like, take a peek at ours.

The way our site is generated is completely Open Source; you can view the source code and contribute to it here: https://github.com/MeditationEnthusiasts/sites/.

We're excited to finally have a maintainable way to carry on Spiritual Blog's legacy. I hope everyone learns something new from the new site! Know someone with a cool meditation site? Don't forget to show them!

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

What causes hallucinations and sounds while meditating?

07/18/2015 00:00:00 +00:00

If you spend any amount of time on any meditation forum, you will see posts such as the following:

On very rare occasions I start hallucinating during meditation.
Does everybody experience hallucinations, replayed memories and imagery during meditation?
Does anyone here experience visual hallucinations while meditating?
I experienced a few moments where my whole body started to vibrate. Thoughts?

(All of these were topics from /r/meditation)

So seeing or hearing things while sitting in meditation seems pretty common. But why?

In my years of meditation and running this site I have seen many explanations. Here's a few possible explanations:

The meditator's third eye is opening to a higher plane.
The meditator's /posts/interesting-stuff/my-experience-with-kundalini-yoga/ is rising, causing visions and sounds.
The mind uses these images or sounds to distract the meditator from their meditation.
The meditator's body released DMT.
The meditator is about to leave his or her body via astral projection.
Demons are infiltrating the meditator's mind.
The meditator is one step closer to achieving enlightenment/nirvana/samadhi.

Now most of those explanations seem a tad... outlandish... especially to those meditators who do not believe in such things. In my opinion, I believe the explanations is much simpler than that.

The meditator is falling asleep.

Wow, that's kind of boring compared to the other possible explanations. But, hear me out, it will make sense.

The Hypnagogia State

The hypnagogia state is the transitional state between being awake and being asleep. According to the Wikipedia article on Hypnagogia, this state can include a "wide variety of sensory experiences. These can occur in any modality, individually or combined, and range from the vague and barely perceptible to vivid hallucinations." Below are a few different kinds of hallucinations people can experience in this state.

Sights

Sight is one of the more commonly reported hallucinations. They can range from being a bunch of lines and shapes to faces to full blown landscapes. Movement through a tunnel is also sometimes reported as well. My boyfriend has told me that he has seen tigers in a forest during some of his meditation sessions. For me personally, I don't have sight hallucinations during meditation or falling asleep. Clearly I need to open my third eye more ;)

Tetris Effect

The tetris effect is one I have experienced. You know the feeling when you spend the day in a wave pool or in the ocean go home and go to sleep it feels like you're still in the waves? That's the tetris effect. Any repetitive task done while awake can trigger it such as jumping on a trampoline, or even working at a checkout counter for 8 hours moving stuff over the scanner. This is one I have personally experienced while falling asleep, though I'm not sure if I've experienced it during meditation.

Sounds

Hearing sounds is another hallucination that can occur during this state. These can range from static, to voices, to loud bangs and pops. While falling sleeping, I have heard my name called out to me and various other voices (younger me was kind of freaked out by this).

And More!

However, there are some more creepy experiences that can happen as well. Sleep paralysis, which is a state where your body is asleep and paralyzed but your mind is awake, can occur. During this state, you are awake, but can't move your body. You might be able to feel "tingles" or "vibrations" during this state. Some people report seeing and old hag or witch or demon sitting on their chest or feel a very dark presence while paralyzed. Luckily, I've yet to experience sleep paralysis. My boyfriend has, but he's never seen anything scary while paralyzed; he usually just falls back asleep. However, taking a stroll to /r/sleepparalysis and you'll see some of the scary experiences people may have during this state. If you do end of in sleep paralysis, just remember, anything you see is not real (though from what I've read, thinking that is easier said than done).

Conclusion

So there you have it! A logical explanation as to why you may be seeing or hearing things during meditation. You are simply in the hypnagogia state while meditating. No demons or third eyes awakening or anything like that. That's not to say that those other explanation's aren't possible. They might be! I personally don't believe in it, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't if you do believe.

But what should you as the meditator do during this state?

Interestingly, for both the "outlandish" explanations and this one, the general consensus from what I've seen is the same. They are a distraction. Acknowledge it, and return to your meditation technique. So regardless of what you believe in, its recommended to simply ignore it and refocus on whatever you were meditating on. And that's why meditation is awesome! Different backgrounds, different techniques, different beliefs, all leading to the same thing.

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

P.S. Have a site about Meditation, Yoga, Buddhism, or similar topics? Submit your site to Meditation Enthusiasts Sites!

My Experience with Kundalini Yoga

07/09/2015 00:00:00 +00:00

During my final semester at college I decided to sign up for a Kundalini Yoga class. I always wanted to take a yoga class, but never had the opportunity. I picked Kundalini Yoga since it fit in my schedule. I knew going in it was a mostly mental/meditative form of yoga compared to the other kinds of yoga as my boyfriend took it the previous year. For those who were curious about Kundalini yoga, here's my experience with it.

What is Kundalini Yoga?

If you already know what Kundalini Yoga is, feel free to skip this part.

Kundalini Yoga is the Yoga of awareness. It makes you more aware of your physical and mental bodies. This is done through chanting mantras, pranayama, meditation, and yoga asanas.

If you believe in such things, the Kundalini is said to be a life force that is coiled at the base of the spine like a snake. Kundalini yoga can awaken it. Your energy body (again, if you believe in such things) consists of energy channels known as nadis, which are small tubes that move energy. There are seven pools of energy known as chakras that exist at the base of the spine, the genitals, just below the navel, the center of the chest, the back of the throat, the center of the forehead, and the top of the head. The central nadi, the sushumna, connects all the chakras together. When the Kundalini awakens, it travels up the sushumna to the top of the head.

So basically Kundalini yoga prepares your body for a Kundalini awakening.

The standard class

The class was once a week for 15 weeks for about an hour and twenty minutes. There were about 30 or so students that entered the college's dance studio. We all signed in, took off our shoes (bare feet required), grabbed mats, and picked a spot on the floor. I being the tall guy was always in the back. The class composed of mostly girls, but there were 6 guys counting myself. If I recall correctly, the instructor was a Sikh. She wore a turban and was dressed in all white. She was awesome, and had a good sense of humor.

The class would always start by us "generating energy" by rubbing our hands together, and then chanting. One thing about Kundalini Yoga is there is a lot of chanting. Being a bunch of "cool" college students, it seemed like many students didn't want to chant or were shy about it (myself included); especially at the start of the semester. As the semester went on, the shyness went away.

We'd then do an energy reading to see how our "internal" energy was flowing. After, we usually did a warm up, which involved some stretching while standing up. After the warm up, we'd do another energy reading and compare it to our initial one.

Next usually involved some kind of breathing exercise known as pranayama. The most common exercise was the breath of fire, where we would inhale and exhale quickly, but evenly (think of a dog panting, but through the nose, not the mouth). Other pranayama included alternating nostril breathing, where we would inhale through one nostril and exhale out the other; and the 10 second breath, where our inhales and exhales were 10 seconds long.

Then we did a Kriya. Kriya in Sanskrit means "action, deed or effort", which is supposed to achieve a specific result. Mostly, these were physical yoga asana exercises. Every week was different. One week focused on preparing the body for meditation, another week was core work, and another week was for healing the body. Compared to other types of yoga classes, this Kundalini yoga class was much more tame in the asana department. The were no headstands, inversions, or legs behind the head. It wasn't terribly difficult (minus core week, that was tough). Some of the poses we did were archer, boat, cobra, rock pose, and easy pose. There were also days where we would slap the floor and clap our hands while chanting "har". To be honest, it looked absolutely ridiculous, but it was a lot of fun.

After the kriya, we would lie on our backs in corpse pose for about 10-15 minutes, and then we'd do a meditation. Like the kriya this also varied every week. Some weeks was meditating in silence, while others involved chanting and moving the hands in a certain way.

After, we'd do one last stretch and ground ourselves. Grounding was done by pounding our hands and feet on the floor. Lastly, we would sing one more chant before putting our shoes on and leaving.

And that was my Kundalini yoga class in a nutshell.

Conclusion

Kundalini Yoga is the yoga of awareness. If you are looking for an epic workout where you sweat and are out of breath at the end, this is probably not the yoga you want. In the 15 weeks, there was perhaps only two classes that were really taxing physically.

Meanwhile, if you want a meditative experience that gets you more in tune with your body, this is the experience for you. Even if you don't buy into the whole chakra thing (I'm skeptical myself), its still a good way to destroy stress and become more in tune with yourself. This class made my stress levels zero when I left it. I felt extremely calm for hours after I left the class. My instructor told us the theory behind chakras and what not, but didn't force us to believe it, or expected us to.

Although you probably won't get a six pack doing Kundalini Yoga, you will learn more about your physical and mental body. I recommend all meditation enthusiasts at least give it a shot.

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

Motionless Meditation

06/26/2014 00:00:00 +00:00

Introduction

In my middle school days, I used to hang out on a Forum called PsiPog.net. For those of you who are unaware of it, it was a site that focused on Parapsychology; that is stuff like telekinesis, remote viewing, psi balls, astral travel, etc. Although I have since stopped believing in stuff like telekinesis, PsiPog was instrumental in getting me started down the meditation path. This meditation technique was one of the first ones I tried. The technique was created by PsiPog forum user MartialArtist.

The Technique

The technique is very simple.

Set a timer for a predetermined time. For beginners, 10-20 minutes will suffice.
Get into a comfortable position; one that can be maintained easily.
Sit in meditation, and DO NOT MOVE YOUR BODY AT ALL until the timer goes off.
If a desire to move your body comes along, take note of it, and let it go.

That's it. No really, that's it. Sounds simple right? But, in Step 3, when it says "Do not move your body at all," it means "DO NOT MOVE YOUR BODY AT ALL." That is, no blinking, winking, moving the big toe, adjusting the body, scratching an itch, etc. You pretty much must become stone.

When your body is not moving, you mind will try to make it move. You might get itches, cramps, limbs falling asleep, the desire to move or to get up. However, once the mind realizes it is not going to get what it wants, it will eventually quiet down and relax. To quote MartialArtist:

If you sit quietly for that long, and you stay focussed and conscious while meditating, you will automatically become aware of the demands of the mind. The desires it throws at you. It will recieve outside stimulants, it will react to that by creating a desire, so that you complete the demanded reaction. For example the mind will percieve a tingling sensation in your feet, accordingly it will try to make you move the feet. Or it will smell some nice food and create a feeling of hunger and it will demand you with its desire to get some food. But remember, the mind can never complete this process without the body. It needs the body to go and do something somewhere. So if you control your body by not moving for a long period of time, eventually the mind will just have to obey you. It will become quiet and you will be master again.

The most important part of this meditation is that you do not stop meditating until the timer expires. Do not give in to your mind's desires. It will try its hardest to get you to stop, but you can do it!

The original PsiPog forum has since disappeared from the internet. However we have archived the post! The link below will take you to the original forum post regarding this technique if you want more information:

See Archive.

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

Counting Meditation Techniques

06/04/2014 00:00:00 +00:00

We, as humans, have counted ever since we were in preschool. Counting, for many of us, was the first step into the very important world of numbers and mathematics. However, it can also be the first step into meditation. Many techniques online say to focus on the breath, body, mantra, or the something else entirely. However, for beginners, these techniques might be difficult. So, why focus on something that we've done since we were young? Counting! Starting with counting meditations can enable the new meditator to practice focusing on something before moving on to the breath, mantra or other points of focus. Counting meditation is a great way for beginners to get started on the meditation path!

Here's one way to do it:

Get into a comfortable position.
Take a few deep breaths.
Start counting from 1.
For each inhale AND exhale, increment the count by 1. For example when starting the meditation, the first inhale will be 1, the first exhale will be 2, the second inhale will be 3, etc.
When your mind gets distracted, wanders, or you lose count, start over from 1.
Continue for as long as you wish.

That's it! Its as simple as counting up. Another way to do it is to only count up to a certain number (e.g. 10 or 20) and then start over, even if you didn't lose focus, as opposed to counting up indefinitely. You can also try only counting the inhales and exhales instead of both. Do whatever feels right for you!

Another technique is to count down:

Get into a comfortable position.
Take a few deep breaths.
Start counting from 100.
For each inhale AND exhale, decrement the count by 1. For example when starting out, the first inhale will be 100, the first exhale will be 99, the second inhale will be 98, etc.
When your mind gets distracted, wanders, or you lose count, start over from 100.
When you reach zero, stop counting, and only focus on your breath
Continue for as long as you wish.

If you manage to count down from 100 successfully, you are probably ready to only focus on your breath at the start instead of counting. You can read more about this technique here!

So that is it! The counting technique for meditators just starting out! I hope it will be useful to you!

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

A Peace of the World

04/13/2014 00:00:00 +00:00

So in my usual internet browsing, I discovered something cool. Its called "A Peace of the World!" According to its creator, Taylor Powell

A Peace of the World is a visually stunning, multi-city video experiment to see what the effect of meditation has on masses of people.

It started with a video called "A Peace of NYC." Talyor asked 10 people to meditate for 30 minutes in public in New York City, and filmed them doing so. The results are in the video below:

According to Taylor:

The exposure of someone stopping their day and resigning 30 minutes to quiet and still peace affected each participant, the throngs of people around them, and me. The participants found a startling quiet on some of the loudest environments.

Now he wants to expand it to the world, and has started a Kickstarter to help fund it. This expanded video will be called "A Peace of the World." A video explaining it is below.

Last but not least, here is the Kickstarter page if you are interested in making a contribution:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/649883031/a-peace-of-the-world

This looks like a cool project, and look forward to seeing the results!

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

P.S. This is NOT a sponsored post. I just found this cool and wanted to share.

Meditating at College

03/13/2014 00:00:00 +00:00

College.

It can be the best four to six years of your life. It can also be the most stressful. After long nights, homework, projects, LAN parties and trying to juggle a social life; things can get very hectic very quickly. Luckily there is a very easy way to ease the stress, and that is meditation!

But, there is one big problem in college, private time can be a luxury. You may have roommates, or you may be stuck on campus for hours at a time surrounded by people. How can you meditate with no privacy? How can you mediate in such a big place as a college campus? Read on my friend!

Try the library

The library most likely has a quiet floor or section somewhere in it. Go to a quiet table, sit in the chair, and have at it. If you are afraid of what people will think of you, don't. Most passersby will just assume you are sleeping or something. No one in college cares; they're busy with their own lives.

Nooks and Crannies

College campuses can be huge. If the library is not an option, there are probably several quiet spots you can go. Take a good look around your college campus, you'll probably find a quiet hallway with a bench you can sit in. You might be able to snag an empty classroom, or sit under stairs. Maybe there's a balcony you can go and sit on, or a quiet corner somewhere? Go exploring! But don't go anywhere you are not allowed!

Religious Centers

Some colleges have non-denominational prayer rooms that can be used as a meditation space. See if your college has one, and consider going there. Its probably a nice quiet spiritual place to go. Some colleges may even have a dedicated meditation center as well.

Your room

Of course, your roommate is not going to be there all day, I mean, he or she needs to go to class at some point! When they are gone, break out the zafu and sit for a bit. If your roommate never leaves his or her room, you could also ask them for 20-30 minutes of quiet while they are in the room while you sit. Or, you can ask them to join in!

The problem I have had with dorms is that my neighbors could be loud. Of course, you might take that as a challenge while you sit.

Outside

Why be cooped up all day? If the weather is nice, consider going outside somewhere to mediate. Sit under a tree in the shade, go for a walk in the woods (assuming your school has some), or sit near your college's fountain. Nervous what people will think of you? It's college, no one cares; you'll probably never see any of those people again anyways.

Start a club

Most schools allow clubs to be created. If you create a club for meditators, you'll make friends, get some meditation time, and maybe even a meditation space! The requirements for a club may vary, but usually you just need interested students, and a faculty adviser. Colleges have a lot of students and faculty, you should be able to find someone!

Do not make the same mistake I did, which was to stop meditating once college hit. It is probably the time you need it most! Now what are you waiting, for, finish that homework, and get meditating!

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

YouTube Video: First Experience with meditation

02/18/2014 00:00:00 +00:00

So in my usual internet browsing, I discovered this simple video on YouTube. The synopsis is a young man learns meditation from the great resource that is the internet, and decides to try it. Watch the video below:

Video was created by YouTube user Cecam Taller

So why did I post this video? The video was a good representation on how I discovered meditation. I did a bunch of research online, and I decided to just sit down and try it. As the young man in the video discovered, it is awesome! I was hooked ever since!

So how did you discover meditation, what was your first experience like? Comments are always welcome!

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

Eraser Technique

03/05/2012 00:00:00 +00:00

As I mentioned before, we have a Tumblr now! While exploring it, I discovered this picture:

So, of course I tried it out naturally. However, I did put my own spin on it. Here's the technique I used:

Get into a comfortable position (1), close your eyes (if you wish), and relax your body.
Once you calm down a little, focus on the weight of the air on your body (2).
Do step 3 in the graphic: Feel the surface of your skin. I mean, really notice and feel your entire skin (it is the largest organ after all).
Follow step four and imagine an eraser that is erasing your outline. Personally, I started with the legs, and worked by way up to the pelvis, then I erased my arms to the shoulders, then I erased my abdomen, chest, neck, and then head from the bottom up.
Now this is where my technique differs from the graphic. Do a body scan, that is look throughout your body, and see where there's tension. This is where a "boundary between you and the universe" still exists, and must be erased again.
Continue body scans and erasing boundaries wherever you feel tension.
Once you no longer feel any boundaries, bring your focus inward, and focus on your breath. If any body tension comes up, simply erase it.
Continue doing step 7 for as long as you wish. If any thoughts pop up, or you get distracted, simply return your focus to your breath. Eventually your mind will also relax.

And that's it. Personally for me, the technique in the comic was a quick and easy way to relax the body, which therefore enables the mind to relax. If it helped me, it can help you! Also remember, feel free to experiment with the technique like I did; you never know what can happen!

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

Picture Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/yumisakugawa/5097662251/

Tripod Focusing

06/24/2011 00:00:00 +00:00

For those who do not know, a tri-pod has three supports that create greater stability than one or two supports (of course). There are two tripod-like things that can aid in meditation-especially for beginners. They are a physical tripod and a mental tripod, what I call: Tripod Sitting and Tripod-Focusing. Today is going to focus on Tripod-Focusing.

One common way to meditate is to focus on the breath, or mantra, or something else. Interestingly, its the one and only thing someone is trying to focus on. By focusing on one thing, everything else melts away, and relaxation and inner peace sets in... at least until you lose focus. Although experienced meditators may be able to focus on one thing for a long time, new meditators might not be able to. They might focus on something for a little while, and their focus goes off and thinks about something else. Its not for a while before their focus returns to what they were originally focusing on.

This isn't surprising when you think about it. When you sit down in a chair, you notice the feeling between your body and the chair. This happens because the feeling is new, and your brain must wonder "huh, what is this?" Eventually, however, you begin not to notice it; that is, you no longer feel the feeling between your body and the chair. My guess as to why this happens is because the feeling is constant, so the brain gets bored, and doesn't notice it until you bring your focus back to it. It's a similar idea to the fact that the body feels acceleration (changes in velocity), not constant velocity.

So, focusing on one thing can get boring, and cause your thoughts to wander and distract you. How can one remedy this? Through what I call Tripod Focusing. When you focus on one thing, you have one "support." When you focus on a second thing, you have a second support, and a third one creates a third support, or tripod. When you shift your focus to different things, you brain will think "This is new!" and focus on that without wandering off. If you switch focusing before your brain gets bored, your mind should, in theory, never wander.

You can focus on:

Your Breath touching your nostrils
Your Breath filling your lower stomach
Your Heartbeat
Ambient Sounds
If your eyes are closed, the blackness you see
Ringing in your ears (if you can hear it)
Parts of your body
Mantra
Visualization
Etc.

How To Do It

What you do is you focus on one thing for as long as you can. Once you notice that your focus is slipping, your mind is getting bored, so switch over to something else, and focus on that for as long as you can. Rinse and Repeat throughout your meditation. In addition, you can focus on two things at the same time, or all three. Play around with it and see what works best for you. There might come a time during your sitting when you no longer need to apply tripod focusing; focusing on one thing comes easy. Congratulations! Just focus on what you want then.

Example:

One good example of tripod focusing is by using the Right Brain Meditation technique. For information, click the link. You can focus on your left side for awhile, then focus on your right hemisphere lighting up, then back to your left side, and occasionally your breath. You can also focus on two or three things at the same time.

Conclusion

So in conclusion, by switching your focus, your mind should not wander as badly as if you stayed focusing on one thing. By keeping a tripod-like focus, your focus is a lot more stable than focusing on one thing. By keeping your attention on your tripod, your mind will not wander and get distracted. Eventually, everything else will melt away, and you will feel peaceful. Tripod focusing has helped me, and I hope it can help you!

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

Tripod Sitting

06/19/2011 00:00:00 +00:00

For those who do not know, a tri-pod has three supports that create greater stability than one or two supports (of course). There are two tripod-like things that can aid in meditation-especially for beginners. They are a physical tripod and a mental tripod, what I call: Tripod Sitting and Tripod Focusing. Today, however, let's focus on Tripod Sitting.

Most people who meditate usually sit cross-legged; usually in some form of lotus position (half, quarter or full), Burmese position, or Indian style. In my opinion, cross-legged positions create the most stability in meditation. However, some people (myself included when I started out) sometimes sit in these positions in a way that will make it uncomfortable and unstable over time. Say for example, you sit in the half-lotus position on the floor. Weight is distributed on every point from your behind to your knees and lower leg is touching the floor. Oddly enough, having every point touching the floor sounds the most stable. In practice, it is not (at least for me). For me, sitting cross-legged on the just the floor caused my body to shift constantly since I got uncomfortable, and sometimes pain set in; especially in my lower back. What I found stable is having three points sharing the majority of the weight (a Tripod if you will). The three points when sitting cross-legged are the two knees and the buttocks.

It is simple to achieve the tri-pop effect; raising the buttocks off the ground. By raising the buttock, it puts the weight on it and the two knees, and helps keep the weight off of everything in-between. It also takes weight off the lower back. Simply sitting on a pillow can create the tripod effect. However, the thing about pillows is that they flatten overtime. Instead of a pillow, one can use a folded blanket, or a Zafu. In my experience, a higher pillow or Zafu is more comfortable for sitting in the Burmese position and Indian Style. For everything else, just being raised up slightly works just as well. As long as the knees are touching the ground, the tripod effect is created. If your knees do not touch the ground, add another pillow, or try some butterfly stretches to loosen up the hip muscles so they do.

The Tripod effect creates stability and comfort, and allows the meditator to meditate longer. It also makes sitting cross-legged easier, as it takes pressure off the thighs and the lower leg. In my experience meditating, figuring out the tripod effect was perhaps the most important discovery I made. I could finally meditate without pain :). I hope it will work for you too!

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

80 Meditation Quotes

05/24/2011 00:00:00 +00:00

"When we meditate, what we actually do is enter into the deeper part of our being..." -Sri Chinmoy
"Meditate Silently. You will be able to create a totally new life for Yourself." -Sri Chinmoy
"I meditate so that I can inundate my entire being with the omnipotent power of peace." -Sri Chinmoy
"My meditation is my soul's soundless sound-conversation with my innter pilot" -Sri Chinmoy
"Meditation is silence. Silence is God in his infinity's smile." -Sri Chinmoy
"You are never alone or helpless. The force that guides the stars guides you too" -Shrii Shrii Anandamurt
"Meditation is the tongue of the soul and the language of our spirit" - Jeremy Taylor

"Cry within. Meditate within. Dive within. Your inner achievements will far outweigh your outer imperfections" -Sri Chinmoy
"In deep meditation, the flow of concentration is continuous like the flow of oil" -Patanjali
"When you meditate, the silence of the senses illumines the presence of God within" -Gurumayi Chidvilasananda
"First you try to meditate and after a while you become meditative." - J.Kleykamp
"In the beginning you will fall into the gaps in between thoughts - after practicing for years, you become the gap." - J.Kleykamp
"Meditation is painful in the beginning but it bestows immortal Bliss and supreme joy in the end." -Swami Sivananda
"Practice meditation regularly. Meditation leads to eternal bliss. Therefore meditate, meditate." -Swami Sivananda
"The affairs of the world will go on forever. Do not delay the practice of meditation." -Milarepa
"We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection." -Dalai Lama
"Whenever anyone has offended me, I try to raise my soul so high that the offense cannot reach it." -Rene Descartes
"As meditation deepens, complusions, cravings and fits of emotion begin to lose their power to dictate our behavior"-Eknath Easwaran
"In meditation, we are continuously discovering who and what we are"-Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche
"Meditation is the gateway, through which you arrive to the world of freedom"-Remez Sasson
"Meditation is the discovery that the point of life is always arrived at in the immediate moment"-Alan Watts
"Still the bubbling mind; herein lies freedom and bliss eternal."-Swami Sivananda
"Sit quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself"-Zen Koan
"Peace comes from within"-Buddha
"To be at peace with ourselves we need to know ourselves"-Caitlin Matthews
"Enjoy doing nothing without falling asleep - meditation"-J.Kleykamp
"The real sign of serenity is not seen so much in the face, as found in the depth and stillness of the eyes."-Unknown
"Constant inner peace and serenity can be yours. Take the first step today"-Remez Sasson
"Meditation is listening to the Divine within"-Edgar Cayce
"It's not about having any particular experience. The practice is about opening to whatever presents itself"-Joel Goldsmith
"Meditation is not about some state, its about the meditator"-Charlotte Joko Beck
"Do not lose your inward peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset."-Saint Francis De Sales 1567
"Find peace with yourself by accepting not only what you are, but what you are never going to be."-Anon XXX
"Nothing can bring you peace but yourself." -Ralph Waldo Emerson 1803
"The mind is never right but when it is at peace within itself." -Seneca
"Happiness is not a matter of events; it depends upon the tides of the mind"-Alice Meynell
"Human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind." -William James 1842
"During meditation your metabolism and your breath rate go down to a level of rest, twice that of deep sleep." -Mike Love
"If you are doing mindfulness meditation, you are doing it with your ability to attend to the moment." -Daniel Goleman
"Meditation is such a more substantial reality than what we normally take to be reality." -Richard Gere
"Meditation is the soul's perspective glass."-Owen Feltham
"The more intense the nature of a man, the more readily will he find meditation, and the more successfully will he practice it." -James Allen
"The seated lotus postures are an amazing way to go into meditation, or simply just to take a moment to ground oneself." -Christy Turlington
"There are different things one can do to establish and hasten the peace process. Meditation is one way."-Mike Love
"Through meditation and by giving full attention to one thing at a time, we can learn to direct attention where we choose." -Eknath Easwaran
"We tend to think of meditation in only one way. But life itself is a meditation."-Raul Julia
"Without meditation, I'd probably be dead." -Mike Love
"Yoga is a great thing and meditation is also great to get connected to yourself more."-Ziggy Marley
"You want a love which is born out of meditation, not born out of the mind." -Osho
"The moment you go in, all connections with the outside world are broken; all bridges are broken. In fact, the whole world disappears." -Osho
"Meditation helps you do less and accomplish more."-Deepak Chopra
"Meditation is about the awareness of what is going on-not only in your body and in your feelings, but all around you." -Thich Nhat Hanh
"You should not allow yourself to get lost in action. Action should be meditation at the same time."-Thich Nhat Hanh
"Consciousness and meditation are methods where you can actually obtain GOD perception" -George Harrison
"Life can be pleasant or miserable. To lead a fruitful life, and to make it positive, practice analytical meditation."-Dalai Lama
"You don't have to be some sort of freak to meditate"-John Lennon
"Mind concentrates: it acts out of the past. Meditation acts in the present, out of the present."-Osho
"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." -Dalai Lama
"Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace." -Buddha
"Look within, you are the Buddha." -Buddha
"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment." -Buddha
"Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely." -Buddha
"Seek truth in meditation, not in mouldy books. Look in the sky to find the moon, not in the pond." - Persian proverb
"A man of meditation is happy, not for an hour or a day, but quite round the circle of all his years." - Isaac Taylor
"When meditation is mastered, the mind is unwavering like the flame of a lamp in a windless place." - Bhagavad Gita
"Through meditation you will become master of your mind instead of being the slave of your mind." - Michael MacKenzie.
"Meditation is the way to a life of joy and serenity." - Michael MacKenzie
"By constant meditation you rise above your mind and awaken into true spirituality." - Remez Sasson
"Take the time to come home to yourself every day." -Robin Casarjian
"Meditation is to the mind what exercise is to the body, it warms and invigorates." -John Thornton
"The most weighty truths may strike, but without meditation cannot enter and influence the mind." -John Thornton
"Delight in mediation and solitude. Compose yourself, be happy. You are a seeker." -Buddha
"Meditate. Live purely. Be quiet. Do your work with mastery. Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds! Shine." -Buddha
"Meditation is to be aware of what is going on in your body, in your feelings, in your mind, and in the world." -Thich Nhat Hanh
"Meditation is the action of silence." -Krishnamurti
"In dwelling, be close to the land. In meditation, go deep in the heart." -Lao Tzu
"Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom." -Aristotle
"When I meditate, I feel I am vast, very vast." - Sri Chinmoy
"Meditation stops the sound-loving mind." - Sri Chinmoy
"Yoga is the fountain of youth. You're only as young as your spine is flexible." -Bob Harper

Who's Searching for Meditation and Yoga?

03/23/2011 00:00:00 +00:00

For those who do not know, Google has a service called [Google Trends](http://www.google.com/trends; a service that can show how many people have been searching for a topic at a time, and where the searches were most popular. Just for fun, I did a trend search for both meditation and yoga. Below are the results (you may need to click on the pictures to see them clearly).

Meditation Worldwide:

This graph above shows how often the term "meditation" was searched (top half), while the bottom half shows how often it showed up in the news. The graph goes all the way back to 2004. It shows that meditation searches have declined since 2004 (oh no!), but are appearing more in the news.

Here is the break down on who is the most popular country and cities searching for meditation (you might need to click on it to see it more clearly):

India comes in first with the most searches (the top two cities are also in India), followed by Australia, New Zealand and the United states is in fourth. The other top cities are in the US and Australia.

Now because I personally live in the US, here is the breakdown from the United States:

Interestingly, the states with the most meditation searches are mostly "Blue States" (States that usually vote Democrat or Liberal), with the exception of Colorado (which is a swing state) and Arizona (which is a red state, and tend to vote Republican or Conservative).

Now let's take a look at the results for the search term "Yoga":

Worldwide searches:

Looking at the search trends from the past few years, one will notice that there is a spike every new year. Sounds like some people are trying to make yoga a New Years Resolution (I wonder if they stuck to it). Interestingly, yoga appearing the news has also made an increase the past few years.

When we break the searches down by country we get this:

India is once again in the lead (no surprise really, it is in the area where yoga was born), followed by Canada, Singapore, and then the United States. Although India is the most popular country searching for yoga, all of the top cities are in Canada and the US.

Speaking of the US, here is the breakdown by state:

The most popular states are once again blue states, with the exception of Arizona and Colorado. The most popular state is New York (YAY! MY STATE!).

Anyway, just some interesting results I wanted to share. Remember, these results are based on searches-not necessarily who meditates/does yoga the most.

If you want to try Google Trends for yourself, here's the link:

http://www.google.com/trends

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

Tips for Meditating in a Noisy Environment

03/05/2011 00:00:00 +00:00

The ideal place for meditation is a nice, secluded place, that is quiet, has no immediate distractions, and is peaceful. Although some people may have access to places such as these, most of us live in cities, or with noisy families, or noisy neighbors. Although experienced meditators can usually ignore the sounds, new meditators could potentially get frustrated and distracted by the noise. Being frustrated with something while starting out is NEVER a good thing. First impressions are important after all! So what can be done? Read on! Most meditators have probably been in this situation: When they are just starting out to meditate, it is usually in their home, during the day, with 3 other family members running around the home making all sorts of noise. One of the first things you notice while meditating is just how much noise there is in a home; noise you would never have noticed while you weren't in meditation. So what can you do to ignore this noise? Try the following tips:

Noisy Home

Our homes themselves obviously isn't noisy; but the things inside it can be. Family members running around, dogs crying, cats meowing, etc. etc. etc. So what can be done?

Change your meditation time to when other family members are asleep, or when you know they are not home. I live in a noisy house, and I usually meditate when my parents are at work, or after they go to sleep. This worked best for me.
Take care of your pets first. Before meditating, make sure your pets have water, food, and did their business. This way they are less likely to bother you. Also, one of my observations with my own dog is try not to meditate behind a closed door. If you are the only one home, they might want to get close to a human. Meditating behind a closed door makes them want to come in, and they'll scratch until they are allowed in. When the door is open, they can come and go as they please. If they notice you just sitting there, they will probably leave you alone, or curl up next to you : ).
Noise cancelling headphones. These headphones can decrease the noise volume considerably. Putting these on with relaxing music can almost completely drown out any noise. If you want a silent meditation experience, you might want to consider earplugs, or earphones, as noise cancelling headphones sometimes cancel sound by interference; which means you'll still hear a static type sound.
Have them join in! Meditating in a group can be more powerful than meditating alone. Have your family join you in meditation, that way you get to meditate, and have a peaceful environment while you do it!
Go outside. Some people live in the middle of nowhere. Although it means slow or no internet, it also means a quiet outdoor environment. If your house is noisy, go outside, find a nice, quiet spot, and meditate in nature. Oddly enough, the sounds in nature are not as distracting as they are in a house.

Noisy Environment

Some people just started on their own, they moved into an apartment, and are looking forward to start their life. There is one thing they notice however: It's a lot noisier in the apartment with neighbors, or the outside (most likely city-like) environment. So what can be done to decrease the noise factor?

Change your meditation time to late at night/early in the morning. This is perhaps the easiest thing to do. If you meditate late at night or early in the morning, the odds of your neighbors sleeping are good, plus some places may have "quiet time policies." Take advantage of these times to meditate at.
Earplugs/headphones. When you need to drown out the noise, this is a simple way to do it. Make sure, however, that they are comfortable for long periods of time. If they are not, you're most likely going to be more frustrated with the headphones than with the noise.
Leave. No, I don't mean move out. I mean go somewhere else to meditate. It can be a yoga center, meditation center, or even at a local park. Although you might get weird looks meditating in public at a park; being outside, even in a city-like-place, can still be more relaxing than inside a noisy building.

Conclusion

Those are my tips for meditating in a noisy environment. Although, as you go further along the meditation path, you will eventually get a tolerance to noise, and will no longer need to follow these tips. However, for those starting out, want to get a good start on the path to meditation, and live in noisy environment, try these tips out. Hopefully they help you :).

So, what have your obstacles in terms of noise been on the path of meditation? What did you do, and did you gain a tolerance to it? Comment below!

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

Right Brain Meditation

02/27/2011 00:00:00 +00:00

As many people know, your brain is made up of two hemispheres; your right and left hemisphere. Your left hemisphere controls the right side of your body, and your right hemisphere controls the left side of your body. The left hemisphere deals with logic, thinking in words, and where the majority of your thoughts come from. Meanwhile the right hemisphere deals with creativity, thoughts in pictures, and in the here in now. To allow your mind and body to relax, your brain should not be thinking, or worrying about things. Which side of the brain then do you think would help with this?

The right side of the brain of course! If your right hemisphere is activated, it will cause your thoughts to disappear, and also give your ever busy left side a break.

So here is a technique I have used, give it a shot if you want:

First, get in a comfortable position, take a few breaths, and relax your body. Then, focus on the left side of your body. Your left hand, arm, leg, foot, etc. Just observe your left half. Notice how it feels. Remember, your right hemisphere controls the left side of your body, so focusing on it will activate your right hemisphere. Feel your right hemisphere activating, while focusing on your left half of your body. If you want, you can visualize your right hemisphere lighting up, or glowing, or be like a muscle tightening. Continue to focus on the left side of your body. Eventually, your thoughts will being to disappear, and your mind will relax. When this happens, focus on your breath, and just be in the moment. Continue for as long as you want.

That's it. It's a simple technique that anyone can do. Feel free to try it out!

Further Reading:

http://www.meditationiseasy.com/mCorner/techniques/zen_meditation.htm

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

Youtube Video: Meditating in Public

02/04/2011 00:00:00 +00:00

Below is a cool video I found on Youtube (where else would I find this stuff).

The guy in the video meditates in public while people walk by. It is interesting to see some of their reactions.

I thought it was cool, so play the video!

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

Lightheadedness during meditation

01/08/2011 00:00:00 +00:00

Recently on our (old) forums, a user who was new to meditation complained that they were feeling lightheaded and dizzy during meditation and had to stop. They then asked whether or not they were doing something wrong.

First, we need to understand what causes lightheadedness. According to Wikipedia, lightheadedness can simply be caused by a shortage of oxygen or blood to the brain, low blood sugar, or hyperventilation.

So why would meditation cause this? When we meditate, our pulse and breathing rate slow down. Sometimes, however, we make purposely slow down our breath before our body is ready for this low breathing rate. This could, in theory, cause lightheadedness while meditating. So what can be done about this?

Let your body breath naturally. Do not try to control the breath. Let your body inhale and exhale naturally. No force is necessary. Your breath will slow down on its own; there is no need to slow it down manually. If you do slow it down manually, it could cause this lightheadedness.

Interestingly, the forum user altered their breathing to a more natural rhythm, and had a successful meditation session with no lightheadedness.

If it is not the breathing, however, that is causing lightheadedness, try drinking some water before meditating. Also, I personally get lightheaded when I haven't eaten anything for awhile. If you have not eaten anything in a while, try eating something, and in theory, your lightheadedness should go away (If it doesn't perhaps you should seek professional help).

So in conclusion, breath naturally while meditating; don't try to shorten it on purpose. Doing so may make you lightheaded.

If you remain lightheaded during meditation, or at any other time during day, perhaps seek professional help.

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

Tips for an In-Home Meditation Retreat

12/27/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

Recently, I mentioned that I was going to do a week long meditation "retreat" at home. I also invited others to join in at some point. If you want to do a meditation "retreat" at home, then here are a few tips.

Decide how serious the retreat will be

How serious do you want to make this in house retreat? Do you want to take time off from work, and meditate all day? Maybe instead of watching TV or going on the computer during your leisure time, its pure meditation. Do you want to ban all electronics, stay locked inside, keep silent, change your diet, change sleep schedule? These are decisions you need to consider.

Set up a schedule

Pick days when you are not busy, or have time to meditate extensively. Then, on those days, decide when you will wake up, when you will meditate, when you will eat, and when you will sleep. STICK TO THIS SCHEDULE. It will be very easy to ignore it, especially at home.

Preparing for your retreat

Limit the amount of distractions as possible. This can mean to get everything you need to get done that week done BEFORE your retreat starts. Pay your bills, cash your checks, get groceries. These tasks can put meditation aside. If you need to, unplug your internet, shut down your computer, unplug the TV, and/or xbox during your meditation times. Your mind will try to convince you to do this stuff instead of meditating.

It begins

The first day arrives! Before meditating, here are some tips to make sitting as comfortable as possible

Use the bathroom before meditating
Drink some water before meditating
Do some butterfly stretches. That way, sitting cross-legged is more comfortable.
Make sure what you are sitting on is comfortable. 3-4 hours is a lot different than 30 min.

While you are meditating, your mind is probably going to beg you to get up and go on the computer or turn on the TV. Don't give up.

Other Tips

Other tips

If you live by yourself, you are good to go! However, living with other people can be troublesome. Obviously, no matter how much you ask them, they won't keep it down. You can change your sleep schedule so that you meditate when they're sleeping and at work, and sleep when they're home. That, however, is annoying and inconvenient. A better idea is to try to get them to join in. Meditating in a group is more powerful than alone.

DON'T GIVE UP!!! It will be very tempting to give up, say "screw this" and return to life. This will not be easy, especially at home with all your distractions. You wanted to start for a reason, so finish it!

If you don't give up internet, tell us about your experience during your retreat in the comments.

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

What you can expect from meditation?

11/27/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

You want to start meditation, but are unsure what to expect from it. The truth is, everyone experiences meditation differently. Your experience will differ from someone else. So what can you experience? Read on.

Pain/discomfort

"Pain first?" you may ask yourself, "are you trying to scare me?" No, just being honest. Physical pain or discomfort is one of the first things a new meditator can experience, especially if it's the first time he or she sits cross-legged. If you experience discomfort, consider changing positions, and continue meditating or try stretching before meditating. If you experience actual pain; stop before you hurt something. With practice, along with some yoga poses, the discomfort should go down.

Busy mind

When your body relaxes, your focus turns inward. You'll be surprised how many thoughts race through your head when you are aware of them. These can be distracting, but with practice, your thoughts will decrease, and your mind will relax.

Becoming Bored

Yes, it is possible to become bored while meditating. If this happens, perhaps you need to remind yourself why you are meditating, and the benefits of doing it. At first, meditation may seem boring, but it will grow on you, and you will look forward to doing it.

Nothingness

You feel nothing, you think nothing, you feel empty, both physically and mentally. Sounds weird, but it is a very calm, and stress free feeling. Think of having zero stress, no worries, no concerns, or no problems. Its an interesting feeling that can be felt through meditation.

Calmness/peacefulness

You can feel peaceful or very calm while meditating. Its hard to explain in words, but when you experience it, you'll know what I mean.

Sadness

Sometimes while meditating, a thought will pop up. A depressing thought that will make you feel sad and miserable. Sometimes, you need to come to terms and be at peace with this thought before moving on. If this persists to the point where you feel depressed, perhaps seek professional help.

Anger

Like with sadness, while meditating, a thought might pop up that REALLY makes you FURIOUS. While in meditation, learn to come to terms with this thought, forgive what makes you angry, and move on. Grudges are never a good thing.

Happiness

Sometimes, you may feel happy during meditation. This is good :D

Bliss

Sometimes, you feel very good feelings while deep in meditation. Almost orgasmic feelings. I'm not sure what this means when it is experienced (perhaps someone does, in which case leave a comment)

Scary Images

You may see scary images while meditating. Yes, these can be terrifying, and, well, scary. These images, you have to remember, are not real. It is your mind fighting back because it does not want to be silenced. Meditate through the scariness; after all, its not real.

Astral Travel (unconfirmed)

Some people have experienced leaving their bodies while meditating. I have not as of yet. Just something to keep in mind. It could also be a lucid dream. Moving on.

Nothing

That's right! Most of the time, you'll probably not experience any of these. This does NOT mean you are doing anything wrong. The path of meditation is long, and even though it seems like you are accomplishing nothing, you are actually doing a lot. Do not be discouraged by literally NOTHING! Although all of the experiences above happen, and can be very pleasing, they can also be distractions from the path.

What is at the end of the path, I do not know, and may not know in this lifetime. But through practicing meditation, and experiencing what ever comes from it, and over coming obstacles, we may reach the end some day.

May our paths cross some day.

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

The Best Yoga Ppse for Meditation

11/15/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

Can't sit for long periods of time cross legged while meditating? If you can't consider the following:

Meditation and Yoga go together like peanut butter and jelly (lame metaphor, but you get the point). They compliment each other, as one deals with the body, and the other the mind. Although you do not need to do yoga to meditate, or meditate to do yoga, there is one yoga posture that is very beneficial to meditators, especially those that sit cross-legged.

The Butterfly pose

The butterfly pose is when you sit on the ground, bend your legs are your knees, and put the bottoms of your feet together. Below are the steps to do it:

Bend both legs so that the bottoms of the feet are touching each other
Enclose your feet with your hands
Move the feet towards the groin as close as it is comfortable
Breath using deep, long breaths or the breath of fire.

An alternate way to do it is that after you move your feet close to your groin, slowly; while keeping your back as straight as possible; bend forward as much as is comfortable. Again, use deep breaths, or breath of fire.

Another alternate way to do it is to gently bounce the knees up and down, like a butterfly flapping its wings (a simile to!? I don't even like poetry).

In stead of clasping your feet around the toes, you can also clasp them around the ankles as well.

If you want to see the pose in action, see the PowerPoint below:

So what does this do exactly?

There are several positions to meditate in. It doesn't matter which one someone chooses, as long as they are comfortable. However, the most common way most people meditate is cross-legged in some way, shape or form. One day, you'll be able to stay sitting in the full lotus, or half lotus, or burmese poses, and the next you realize you can not anymore. Or, you just started meditating, and can not get comfortable in any of the cross legged positions. The butterfly pose opens up the hips and keeps them flexible. If the hips are open, sitting cross-legged should not be a problem, and you'll be able to sit cross-legged in meditation longer and more comfortably. Remember, in order for your mind to relax, your body must also relax, which is almost impossible to happen unless your body is comfortable.

So no matter which cross-legged position you meditate in, it can not hurt doing a few butterfly stretches prior to meditating. That way you can stay comfortable longer, and make meditation more enjoyable.

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

The Buddhist Flag

10/12/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

Did you know that Buddhism has a flag? I certainly didn't! What does it look like and what does it mean? Read on!

The flag was designed in the late 19th Century to symbolize and universally represent Buddhism. Like most flags, there is a lot of symbolism to it.

The Blue represents loving kindness, peace, and universal compassion.
The yellow represents the middle path; that is avoiding extremes and emptiness.
The red represents the blessings of practice-achievement, wisdom, virtue, fortune, and dignity.
The white represents the purity of Dharma-leading to liberation, outside space or time.
The orange represents the Buddha's teachings-wisdom.
These 5 colors represent the six colors that emanated from Buddha when he attained Enlightenment.

Its a cool flag, and thought it was interesting to share.

I know the posts have been scarce, but I am still online, so feel free to comment or email me on anything.

Happy Meditating

-Seth

Modern Meditations-Meditation Music that sounds familiar

09/06/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

Modern Meditations takes some famous rock songs, and transforms them into meditation music. What, don't think that's possible? Check the video below when they do Guns n' Roses' "Knocking on Heaven's Door".

They also do artists such as Nirvana, U2, The Beatles, Radiohead, The Rolling Stones, R.E.M. etc.

You can get them on the Zune Store, probably Itunes, amazon, and from their website: http://www.modernmeditations.com/web/page.asp.

Even if you do not like meditating with music, it is still worth looking at the songs. They sound really cool. If you do enjoy meditating with music, then here are some more songs that can be added to your collection

Here are some more of their work on youtube:

So what music do you meditate to? Were these songs awesome? Feel free to comment and rate!

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

P.S. This is NOT a sponsored post. I just found this cool and wanted to share.

Tips to Meditate Regularly

09/01/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

Generally, when a meditator gets more into their meditation practice, they want to meditate everyday! Easier said than done, as life gets in the way, or you feel like you need to do other, more important things than meditate. So how can we become more motivated to meditate more often?

Pick a meditation time

Sometimes, putting a certain time aside each day for meditation can motivate you to meditate. This time can be whenever you want. It can be when you wake up, before or after school or work, and/or before bed. During this meditation time, meditate! Do not do anything else. Do not do homework, do not watch TV, do not go on Facebook, do not put off the meditation. If you are worried about doing homework or doing something else instead of meditating, it is okay to put it off for 20 minutes or so. The thing you are going to do is not going anywhere. Plus meditation can rest your mind and body so doing your impending task can be easier! Once you are used to meditating during this time, it will be easier to get used to meditating everyday.

You can meditate for however long you want. If you can only give 20 minutes to this meditation time, then give 20 minutes. If an hour, then give an hour. Even 5 minutes is fine. The point is to meditate for some amount of time during your meditation period. Doing this will allow meditation to become a major part of your life.

Have a meditation space

Another tip to meditating regularly is to have a space only for meditation. If you have a space already to set up for meditation, you just need to go over to the space, sit down, and start meditating. If, however, you do not have a space for meditation, then you think to yourself "Ugh, I need to bring out the meditation pillow, set it up, and then put it away." HURRAY LAZINESS! Sometimes that can be a hinder to meditation. If you have a meditation corner, then this is no excuse to not meditate.

So what is generally in a meditation corner? Whatever you want! Generally however, there is something you sit on, (such as a pillow, blanket, Zafu, Zabuton, etc.) and whatever else you want. Some common things, in addition to something you sit on, that you see in a meditation space are candles, incense, Buddha statues, small plants, small fountains, etc. When making a meditation space, make whatever is best for you!

Also, a meditation space can make you feel more relaxed and more calm, as you are in a peaceful spot. So take an unused corner of your bedroom or in your house and feel free to make one (maybe post a picture in the comments?).

In Conclusion

These two tips can help you meditate more regularly, and make meditation a big part in your life. They will probably motivate you to meditate more often, and make yourself more peaceful, more happy, and a better person!

So do you have any tips to meditate regularly? Have a meditation corner or a meditation time? Feel free to rate and comment!

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

Binaural Beats: What are they and can they help you?

08/28/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

Beginners in meditation may wonder: I wish there was an effortless way to get deeper into my meditation. There may be a way for this wish to come true through binaural beats. Binaural beats are sounds played through stereo headphones. They are actually at two different frequencies, but the brain perceives them as one sound. It is actually very interesting stuff. If you click on the youtube video below, you can hear a sample of a binaural beat.

Sounds weird right? What exactly does it do? Binaural alter your brain waves in a way to relax your body and mind. They can bring your brain to the alpha level and the theta level (some even the delta level). People have reported getting high and achieving astral projection through certain types of binaural beats. There are also binaural beats made specifically for meditation. So can they help the meditator go deep in meditation? Yes, to put it shortly.

Binaural beats and meditation

I personally have tried binaural beats during meditation. Here is my advice for using them:

If you are a person who can not get their mind to relax, and always gets distracted from whatever you are focusing on, binaural beats can help. The correct binaural beat can get your mind to finally relax. You will love using binaural beats. When I first started out, they helped relax my out of control 14 year old mind. They are, however, training wheels.

There is nothing wrong with using them for training your mind for meditation, but there will come a time where you must get off of binaural beats. You will notice that the beats seem to not enable you to go deeper into your meditation; they lock you in place. You may notice that you may be able to relax quicker than the rate the binaural beats try to relax you by.

So my advice is this: If you are new and your mind can not relax, try a few sessions with binaural beats to get your mind under control, then try a few sessions without and see how it goes. You may notice your mind will not be as noisy.

AWESOME! Where can I get some?

Good question. If you Bing or Google "Binaural beats meditation" you will find A LOT of things. Even youtube has stuff. You will notice that some binaural beats cost money. I advise you not spend a lot, as you may not use them very long to get your moneys worth (learned that one the hard way). There are free ones out there to try, but if you decide on buying a few, read reviews first, and make sure you're not getting ripped off. You can find a whole bunch of MP3s for your ipod or Zune and Amazon for prices that won't break your bank.

Other Uses?

I've stated before that binaural beats could get you high and have out of body experiences. Although all over the internet, you hear people saying "IT WORKS!" for me it does not. I've yet to have an "out of body experience" from a binaural beat (and I have not tried any of the ones that are supposed to get you high. I meditate, there's no need). They do relax the body and mind, which is what the meditation binaural beats do. So if you buy one, but have no effects with leaving your body, you can use it for meditation instead for similar results.

I don't know, I may be immune to those other uses, but I will say that the ones for meditation did work for me when I started out, and they may help you too.

So are these dangerous?

They can be dangerous if you suffer from seizures, have heart problems, or listen to them while driving or operating heavy machinery (wow, I sound like a commercial). I've never had a problem; of course I don't have any of the above conditions, so if you do, consult your doctor or listen at your own risk (disclaimers are scary aren't they?).

Conclusion

So in conclusion, if you need something that can relax your mind, try some binaural beats (unless you suffer from seizures) and see how it goes. They might be the thing that can finally get your mind to relax if you are just starting out. Just don't become dependent on using them-they are training wheels remember.

So have you ever tried binaural beats? How were they or did they help for you? Do you have any recommendations for good ones? Comments are welcome.

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

The "Right Way" to Meditate

08/16/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

Online, you will see websites and youtube videos that say "Meditate the right way" or "The right way to meditate." They usually then give you a technique and instructions. Is this, however, the right way to meditate?

The way I see it is this. There is no universal "right way" to meditate. There are so many meditation techniques - Mindfulness, Mantra, Transcendental, Vipassana, and Zen - that vary in technique. All the techniques are widely used, but is there one that is "correct?"

That question varies for everyone. Typically, meditators have a technique that works for them best. They usually pick a technique because it is the one that is most comfortable for them to use during meditation. So what if you are new to meditation, and need to figure out the right path for you?

My advice is try the different meditation techniques, and see which one you like best. There is no "best" technique, as all meditation techniques relax your mind and body. Once you think you found the technique that seems to work with you best, feel free to use it. Also, do not be afraid to continue to use the other techniques as well. If one way you feel like doing Vipassana meditation, then do that. If another day you feel like doing mantra, do that. Do what works for YOU-that is the right way to meditate.

So what meditation technique do you use? Feel free to comment :)

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

Meditation Vs. Sleep

08/09/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

When a meditator asks a non-meditator whether or not they meditate, they will occasionally joke by saying "Yes, every night, I zone out for about 8 hours." In other words, they say that meditation is simply a form of sleep. Although they both recharge and relax the body, sleep and meditation are two completely different things.

A common misconception of meditation is that meditation is just conscious sleep. Although this is a close description of what meditation is, it is not completely accurate. Let me put it this way. Your body is like a car. A car needs gas to run, and you need to refill it regularly. But with a car, just putting gas in it over and over again isn't enough to keep it running efficiently. You also need to get the oil, filters, and spark plugs changed, along with other maintenance done to keep it running efficiently. Sleep is like filling your car with gas-it keeps your body running. Meanwhile, meditation is like maintenance-it keeps your body running efficiently.

So what exactly is the difference? I mean, both meditation and sleep relax and rejuvenate the body. Here are a few differences.

While you sleep, your body may be relaxed, but your mind is still racing around with thoughts, dreams, and is never resting. In meditation, your mind does have a chance to relax.
You can meditate for 15 minutes and feel better, but if you sleep for 15 minutes, you feel more tired than you did before you fell asleep.
You can meditate anytime, anywhere, but to sleep, you usually need a quiet, dark place so you can actually fall asleep.
It takes some people a while to fall asleep (30 minutes for me personally), while meditation takes little "prep time."
Meditation involves less "tossing and turning" (usually).
You are conscious during meditation.

So it appears that meditation has many benefits over sleep. This begs the question: Can meditation replace sleep? Personally, I have never tried replacing meditation with sleep (that's an experiment for another day), but remember the car metaphor. If you just do maintenance on your car, and not put gas anywhere, it will not go very far. So if you just meditate, and not sleep, it will could not be helpful. But like I said, its an experiment for another day.

So do you think meditation and sleep are similar? Have you ever tried replacing meditation with sleep? Comments are always welcome!

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

What you can Sit on for Meditation

08/08/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

Generally when someone sits and meditates, they sit on something soft. This something can be an old pillow, or a folded up blanket. Now these can work fine for a meditator-as long as he or she is comfortable. The problem, however, with an old standard pillow is that it will flatten out over time. So is there a type of pillow that is comfortable for meditation, and will not fatten out severely over time?

Zafus are a type of pillow used for sitting meditation. It can be round, crescent, or even square shape. Meditators usually sit on a zafu cross-legged, with their legs in front of the zafu. The point of the zafu is to raise the body up above the legs. This straightens the spine more, and makes for a more comfortable meditation. It also creates a stable Tripod effect between your two knees, and your behind.

Generally the Zafu is sitting on top of what is called a Zabuton. A zabuton is a big pillow that a meditator sits on. The zabuton provides comfort and support to the legs and knees while meditating-that way they are not on the hard floor.

The Zafu works great for cross-legged positions-but what if you like to kneel while meditating?

That's where a meditation bench comes in handy. The meditator sits on the bench, and their legs go under the seat of the bench. This way, you can meditating while kneeling with no pressure being applied to your legs. Sometimes, meditators put the bench on top of a zabuton so their legs are not on the hard floor.

So where can you get these benches, zafus, or zabutons? I recently purchased a zabuton and a meditation support pillow from http://zafustore.com. They also sell zafus, yoga mats, and meditation benches. I bought the meditation support pillow instead of a zafu because I don't need to be high up to meditate-just raised slightly. The products I bought from there are really comfortable and high quality. I recommend them if you want to buy a Zabuton or Zafu (note, this is NOT a sponsored post, I bought this with my own money, and this is my own opinion).

Although you do not need a Zafu or Zabuton for meditation, they can help in making the meditation more relaxing and comfortable for your body. Let me say that they are more comfortable than an old pillow; but if an old pillow works for you, then keep using it.

So what do you meditate on? Is it a blanket, a Zafu, or a bench?

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

Tips for High School

08/07/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

My last post, before my vacation, about whether or not schools should introduce meditation into their curriculum made me think "Schools are probably not going to introduce meditation within the next month, so how can high school less stressful than it needs to be?" I've been through high school, and it was a good time. It was hard, but it was a great time. Here are some tips I have found that can make high school more enjoyable, and slightly less stressful. (Yes, I will relate it to meditation too).

I remember my first day of high school. I was nervous about the new environment, all the scary upperclassmen, and the impending "Kill the Freshman Day" (tip #1: it doesn't exist). The upperclassmen can be very intimidating, but they can also be the nicest people you can meet. If you get involved in clubs or sports, you'll probably meet a lot, and realize that they are not so bad. So do not worry about the upperclassmen, they're only scary for a little while.

The classes

So how hard are high school classes? Depends on what you take. In most high schools, throughout your career, you will probably take some kind of earth science, biology, chemistry, and possibly physics as sciences; Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, or even Calculus if you're advanced enough, for math; World History, US history, economics, and government for social studies; and four years of English. Sprinkle in electives, gym, and a possible secondary language class, and you have high school. Doesn't sound so bad does it? Okay, yeah, some do sound scary, and are, in fact, very scary (Calculus... shudders), but there are ways to be successful in these classes.

The number one way to be successful in the classes is to ask questions when you do not get something. Don't be afraid of looking stupid, I'm sure there would be at least three other kids in that class with the same question. The teacher is there to help, use them. If you are still confused, stay after, or visit them during a study hall. If they are good teachers, they should be willing to help you (if they refuse, why the heck are they teaching?). Visiting my math teachers whenever was confused got me through math, and actually made me like math. Not only does visiting your teachers give you help, but it also shows them that you actually care about the class. Sometimes that can come in handy; for example, if you forget your homework once, they probably won't punish you if you show that you care about the class.

Speaking of homework, its going to happen. Trust once of the masters of procrastination when I say: DO NOT PROCRASTINATE. It will drive you insane. The rare days when I got my homework done at a decent hour were always better than the day when I finish my homework late at night. So yes, do not procrastinate. If you have study halls, use them wisely. Do not fall into the trap I fell into... its not fun.

Get involved

High school isn't just about pens, pencils, and books. There are also several clubs, sports, and activities to do. If you see a club that interests you, join it! I remember my freshman year, I wasn't in any clubs. High school was miserably boring. Sophomore year, I joined a few, and high school turned into a much more fun experience. If not clubs interest you, see if you can make a club that does. Most people that come to this page have an interest in meditation; so why not have a club for meditation/yoga? It will be a cool way to find fellow meditators, and a possible way to meditate during the stressful school day (the only obstacle here is to prove that meditation isn't religious). Usually, to start a club, you just need to find an adviser, preferably someone who has an interest in the club, go in front of the principal, and possibly the board of education for funding, and the club exists! Clubs and sports are a great way for you to meet new people, and meet new friends. I know in my experience clubs made high school bearable. So get involved! Meet new people! You never know who you will meet.

Time management is key

You need to manage your time well in high school. You need time for clubs, sports, homework, dinner, and possibly a job. Be sure to make time to relax and goof off too. Those can be just as important so you do not go insane, or become a freaky stressy person. So be sure to manage your time well, and get ready to move your time around too in case something takes longer than expected, or your bus breaks down (of course, this can be a perfect opportunity to do homework). Keep an agenda, a smart phone, or a notepad to remember what you need to do, and when you need to do it.

Cool tips! But what does this have to do with meditation?

I'm getting to that part. I started meditating right before high school started. Here is what meditation can do for you if you do it regularly during high school:

Lowers stress, which is important, especially since high school can be an incredibly stressful time
If you meditate the night before a test, it can lower test anxiety, which can help you on a test
I have found that meditation makes you more friendly, and therefore people like you as a person
I have also found that meditation makes you more carefree, so drama doesn't get to you as much
A quick way to escape the world for a little while, which is something we all need to do
Recharges, and rejuvenates your body. Tip: If you meditate when you get home from school, you can relax your body and mind, and get it ready and willing to go do homework

So yes, meditating did help me out in high school. It can also help you!

So have any questions on high school? Any other tips you would like to share? Feel free to comment!

Good luck in school, and happy meditating!

-Seth

Should They Teach Meditation in Schools?

07/30/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

High school: it can be the best, but also the most stressful time in your life (although college can be better, but more stressful). Can there be a way to end the whole "stressful" part? Students today have to deal with school, tests, homework, clubs, sports, preparing for college, drama (eww), and countless other responsibilities-I know, I was a high school student just over a year ago. So what can be done to lower the stress levels (hint: its in the title)?

If you guessed meditation, YOU ARE CORRECT! Meditation helps calm the body and mind, and can reduce stress levels, so why not teach it in school? Let's list some reasons why they should, along with obstacles that need to be overcome to incorporate it in to any school curriculum.

Students need relaxation time

School's tough, and you never have time to relax during it. You were always worried about getting your homework done, preparing for the next test, or nervous about your oral presentation coming up. When I was in high school, and even now in college, I never had time to relax during the school day. If an opportunity came up, it was to get a head start on homework, or study for the next calculus test. The problem was that there was never a time set a side for just relaxation. Study halls were about homework, and lunch was about quickly eating your meal in the 20 minute period after spending 17 minutes in line. The bus ride home has a bunch of noisy elementary school kids jumping around. I don't know about you, but if my school offered a meditation session, I would do it in a heart beat to escape it all, even for a little while.

Couldn't nap time work?

I remember hearing my fellow students in high school saying "I wish our school had nap time." In high school, I would have loved a nap time, but here could be a few potential problems with just napping at school. Your brain does not stop working just because you are asleep. It is still working, thinking, worrying about the oral presentation on the Hubble Telescope. The other problem with nap time is that schools usually can only offer an extra 20 minutes or so for a relaxation time. I don't know about you, but I can't fall asleep in 20 minutes, and even if I did, it would not be enough for me. I would wake up being MORE miserable than I was when i fell asleep. With meditation, however, your mind does relax, along with your body; plus 20 minutes is usually enough time to de-stress, recharge, and get ready to finish off the school day!

SOUNDS GREAT! Who's paying?

Ahh, yes, the problem for most things: Price! Think about it, if a school added a 20 minute meditation session, its an extra 20 minutes of electricity, and wages for any hourly employees. Plus, the school probably needs to bring in someone to actually teach the meditation, what can be done?

Although I can't think of an idea to get over the extra 20 minutes in electricity or wages (other than shutting down the power for 20 minutes), I might be able to help with the finding a teacher problem. Out of everyone in a school, there must be someone who is willing to teach the students in meditation. It could be a student, a teacher, or a volunteer. Someone will be willing to teacher a simple meditation to the students for free, they just need to do a little bit of preparation. Plus, a teacher is probably only necessary the first few days, to teach the basics of meditation. Once the students learn how to do it for themselves, there's no need to teach them anymore.

Then there's the problem of getting enough cushions for everyone. Actually, this doesn't have to be a problem. Students can meditate right in their desks, sitting down, in their chairs. You do not have to sit cross-legged, on the floor to meditate.

But isn't meditation religious?

Another problem is that many parents believe the misconception that is: Meditation is strictly religious. With separation of church and state, that means no religious things are allowed in public schools. Yes, meditation can be used in religion, but it is not strictly religious. Anyone can learn and practice meditation regardless of religion. Now some parents think that meditation is against their religion. Most, if not all, religions have some form of meditation built in; whether its prayer, or actual meditation. So, yeah, meditation can be religious, but it does not have to be inside a school. And if students really do not want to participate, the school can make it optional.

Conclusion

If 15-20 minutes was put aside each day to allow students to meditate, it could recharge their bodies, calm them down over the impending advanced algebra trig. test, get rid of test anxiety, make the students calmer, and could reduce bullying. Although it would be hard for schools to start up a meditation period, it would probably be worth it in the end. I used meditation after I got home from school, and it helps recharge after a long day of school. But if I had a session during school, it would have made the school day more enjoyable, and less tiring. Some schools already introduced meditation, and have seen great results.

Yes, there will be obstacles, yes it will be hard getting it started, but once it is started, it would be worth it.

So what do you think, should there be meditation introduced in schools? Comments are always welcome :)

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

How to Meditate: Video

07/27/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

Below is a video on how to meditate. It covers what posture you should sit in, and how to practice meditation.

First, you get into a comfortable position, close your eyes, relax your body, and focus on the inhalation and exhalation of your breath. If you get distracted by thoughts, return your focus to the breath. Eventually your thoughts will slow down, and your mind will relax.

That's it. You now know how to meditate. I wasn't kidding when I said it was easy to learn. I will tell you, however, if you are just starting out, that it will be tough in the beginning for your thoughts to calm down, but give it time and it will happen. It will seem boring at first, but in time it will become more enjoyable :)

Feel free to comment, and Happy meditating!

-Seth

Is Meditation Hard?

07/20/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

Learning meditation is not hard, a simple Google or Bing search can give you ple nty of techniques. Even clicking the "Meditation Techniques" category on this page can give you techniques. However, many people say that they can't practice meditation because "its too hard." So is it hard?

A lot of people say that meditation is hard because they "get too distracted." They get too into their thoughts, and do not focus on the breath. This can happen with beginners (myself included when I first started), and it can be very discouraging. As someone who as been through it before, allow me to give you this advice is you are having trouble "clearing your mind." Do not try to force your thoughts to stop, as that is a thought in and of itself. Accept that you will have thoughts, and return your focus to the breath. If you get distracted, again, do not be discouraged, just gently return your focus on the breath. If a thought comes, just let it be. Eventually, your thoughts will slow down, and your mind will relax. It takes time though, but it does become worth it in the end, and meditation becomes enjoyable.

So is this hard? Let's just say meditation is as hard as we make it. If we try to control the meditation; as in controlling the thoughts and the breath (let the breath flow naturally); it will be difficult for your mind and body to relax. If we just relax, and let whatever happens, well, happen, your mind and body will relax. So just let go, and meditation will be easy. If you try to be in control at all times, it will be hard.

So have you ever found meditation hard? How did you make it easier. Comments are always welcome of course :)

Happy (easy) meditating!

-Seth

Why Meditate?

07/18/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

You might be asking, "Why should I meditate?"

Allow me to answer that question with another question: "Why not?"

No seriously? Why not? Meditation can really only help you, there's not many, if any, negative side-effects. If it can only help you, why not do it?

Meditation can lower stress, blood pressure, increase the quality of life, along with several other benefits. And it only takes a few minutes of your time a day!

So why do I meditate? It is an answer that is hard to put into words, but I will try. It allows me to escape the crazy stressful world for a little while, calms me down, and gives me an additional energy boost to get through the day. Also, I enjoy doing it, that's reason enough.

Meditation has also made me more calm, friendly, and overall nicer to people.

So what are you waiting for? There is nothing holding you back from meditation except for YOU!

So why do you meditate? Comments are always welcome :)

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

Meditating with Music: Harmful or Helpful?

07/17/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

I am everywhere on the internet. On the internet, there seems to be an argument over whether or not meditating with music playing in the background is helpful or harmful. Some people say that it relaxes the mind and body quicker, while others say it is a distraction, and will interrupt the practice. Who's right?

They're both right. Usually when people argue over this, it is because they are talking about their own experiences. People who find music calming will say to meditate with music, others who get distracted will say not to because it is, well, distracting. They're not wrong in terms of talking about themselves, but they may be wrong when talking about yourself.

The truth is that listening to music while meditating is different for everyone. Some people need total silence for meditation, and others need music to calm down. Do whatever is best for YOU! If you are unsure whether or not music helps or not, try a few sessions with music, and a few without, and see which works for you.

Need to find meditation music? No problem, a simple Bing or Google search will allow you to find some. The internet knows (almost) all :)

So do you listen to music while you meditate? Why or why not? Comments are always welcome :)

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

When can you Meditate?

07/16/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

This question is simple to answer. You can meditate at anytime that is comfortable for you. This could be in the morning, afternoon, or evening. You can meditate once a day, or twice a day, or more if you are up for it.

Some websites that you should meditate around the same time everyday so that it becomes routine. If meditation doesn't become boring because of this, go right ahead and do it at the same time everyday. The problem with using the word "routine" is that is may make meditating boring, and just another thing to do on your to-do list. For me, I meditate whenever I feel like to, and therefore at random times. It makes meditating less boring, and less like a chore. But do whatever is best for you.

Now when you sit to meditate, how long should you meditate? As long as you want! For beginners, they may not be able to last for more than 15 minutes, whether its because they get bored, or uncomfortable, or too distracted. That is fine, in time meditating will become less boring, and more relaxing. If you are just starting out, start meditating for about 10-15 minutes, and then slowly add time as you become more comfortable.

Its fine if you don't meditate for hours at a time. 15 minutes a day is enough to notice a calmer self.

So in conclusion, meditate anytime you want, and for however long you want. It is all up to you!

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

What is Meditation?

07/15/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

This is a tough question. Meditation is different for everyone. According to dictionary.com meditating is:

Buddhism & Hinduism To train, calm, or empty the mind, often by achieving an altered state, as by focusing on a single object.

To engage in devotional contemplation, especially prayer.

To think or reflect, especially in a calm and deliberate manner.

These are not bad definitions of meditation. Generally, when people meditate they focus on a single object (usually breath or mantra) until the object is the only thing they focus on, and the mind relaxes. Meditation can be used in a prayer-like fashion, and it can be away to reflect on your life.

But this definition, like most dictionary definitions, is dry. It makes meditation seem boring. So I will say what meditation is to me:

Meditation to me is a way to escape the world for a short period of time. It brings your mind into the present moment. You do not worry about the future or the past while meditating, you are only in the moment. It is a time to relax your body and mind, and a time to try to understand more about yourself. It is a way to become a more calm, peaceful, and loving person. It can bring people, friends, and family together.

Meditation does mean a lot to me. I can tell it changed me as a person. I find myself more calm and more focused than I was before I started meditating.

So what does meditation mean to you? Feel free to leave a comment.

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

Where can you Meditate?

07/14/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

If you see meditation in popular culture (movies, books, etc.), you may think that you need to meditate in seclusion, in a cave, in a temple, etc. Although you can meditate in these places, you do not have to.

You can meditate anywhere that you are comfortable meditating. You can meditate in your house, outside, and many other places. The point is your surroundings should be comfortable for you.

Some people are comfortable meditating out in the open and in public. Others are not. Some people like to meditate outside, while others like to be inside only. Where ever you choose to meditate, just be sure that you are in an environment that you can relax in.

If you need to de-stress during the day, but you can't figure out a good spot to meditate, here are a few ideas:

In your office while on break, in school during a break, in a car (not while you are driving), on a train, in a plane, any where where you can close your eyes for a few minutes, and focus on your breath or mantra. Remember, you can meditate in any position that is comfortable, you do not have to sit cross-legged!

So if you want to meditate, do not let location stop you (assuming its safe, and legal). As long as you are comfortable meditating there, you can meditate at that location. You can even have other people join you!

So remember, you can meditate anywhere, at anytime, with anyone.

Where have you meditated before? Any interesting locations? Comments are welcome.

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

Who can Meditate?

07/12/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

When some asks you "Who can meditate?" what do you think of? If you never meditated before, you would think buddhists, people who practice yoga, and people who practice martial arts. You would usually never answer "you" or "me".

We all can meditate!

It does not matter what religion, background, age, or personality. Anyone can learn and practice meditation. One of the common meditation techniques is observing your body breathing. We all breath all the time! So observing your breath is something anyone can do! Including YOU!

You can be Buddhist, Catholic, Jewish, or Atheist. You can be a child, a teenager, an adult, or a senior. Anyone can experience meditation.

So in short: Who can meditate? YOU CAN! Not sure how? No problem! Check out the Meditation Techniques articles for more information on how to. Its easy, and can be enjoyable. Trust me.

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

Misconceptions of Meditation

07/10/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

There are a lot of misconceptions floating around about Meditation. So let's clarify a few shall we?

You must contort yourself by sitting in the lotus position in order to meditate

No! This is incorrect. In order for you mind to relax, your body must also relax. It is near impossible for your body to relax if it is uncomfortable. You can meditate in any position, pose, etc. that is comfortable. You can even lie down if you need to (just be careful of falling asleep). You can even do walking or standing meditation! So no, you do not have to sit in a position that is uncomfortable. Always be comfortable in meditation!

You can find more info on some sample meditation positions here.

Meditation is just conscious sleep

Meditation is similar to conscious sleep, with one exception. When you are sleeping, you are thinking of what happened that day, what is going to happen tomorrow, etc. You are thinking about the past and the future while you are lying in bed waiting for sleep to overtake you. In meditation, however, you focus on the present, not the past or future. You focus on your breath or your mantra; both of which have nothing to do in the past or future.

Another thing about sleep: Your mind is not at rest during sleep. You have dreams and have thoughts while you are sleeping. In meditation, your mind relaxes, and thoughts die down. That way you can fully relax both mind and body.

You need to be alone and be in a secluded area for meditation

You do not need to be alone in a cave, or deep in the jungle in order to meditate. You can meditate anywhere, at any time, with anyone. Meditating outside is a lot different from meditating inside. Also, meditating with a friend or a group can make the experience deeper, as everyone near you at that time is also searching for inner peace.

Meditation is only for religious reasons

Before we get a misconception about a misconception going, let me say that meditation CAN be used for religious reasons, such as prayer. It does not have to though. Meditation is not strictly for one religion, as all religions can have some kind of meditation done in some way, shape, or form. Meditation is for everyone, not just for people in one religion. So what are you waiting for? Its awesome :)

Learning meditation is hard

This is a huge misconception. Meditation is simple, anyone can learn how to do it. Just look at the techniques tab on this site, and you'll see several ways you can meditate right now if you wanted to! Keep meditation simple, just like it is supposed to be. Why complicate such an easy thing?

Meditation is boring

I will admit. When I started meditating, I kept thinking "My god this is boring!" The problem with doing this is that I would not let my body and mind relax. When I let my mind and body relax, meditating became enjoyable. Meditation is anything but boring if you allow it to happen. So let go, and let it happen, and peace will follow.

So if any of these things has kept you from meditating, then there is nothing holding you back!

Go ahead and meditate! It does become enjoyable, I promise :)

-Seth

Mantra Meditation

07/09/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

Mantra meditation is meditation on a phrase, idea, or word. The word can be anything that means something to the meditator. Some mantras include god's names, or sanskrit words; but it can also be anything such as "love" and "peace" or something similar. Some common mantras include:

OM (Aum)
So'ham (so-haum)
ram (raum)
vam (vaum)
ham (haum)
etc.

Although these are common mantras, mantras, can be anything you want them to be; not matter how long or short it is.

Mantra meditation is simple (as are most meditation techniques). Get into a comfortable position, relax your body, and then repeat your mantra.

There are several ways you can repeat your mantra.

One way is to repeat it out loud. If the mantra is one syllable long (such as OM), then you can breath in, and then breath out the mantra. If it is two syllables (such as So-ham), you can breath in and say one half (soooooo...) and then breath out and say the other half (hhhaaaaauuummmmm.....). If the mantra is more than two syllables, than its really up to you when to breath in and out. The mantra is important to YOU! So say it in whatever way is possible. Once you say it once, then repeat. Sound is very powerful, and the mantra may "strike a cord" with you if it is said out loud. Your mind will focus on the mantra, and will become calm and peaceful.

You do not have to say the mantra out loud if you do not wish to. You can say it in your head. Say it slow in your head, let the meaning come to you. If you want, you can also synchronize it with your breath. Repeat the mantra mentally, and your thoughts will quiet down, your mind and body will relax and be calm as you repeat your mantra.

You can also combine the two above techniques. Start out by saying the mantra out loud, and then slowly, get quieter and quieter, until you are at an inaudible whisper, then continue to repeat it in your mind, and even then get quieter, and quieter, until its nothing. This is a very easy way to relax the body and the mind if you need a de-stressing during the day.

The most important part of mantra meditation is that the phrase is one you choose. You should meditate with it however you want. It is your own meditation.

So do you have a mantra you use? Do you say it aloud or mentally? Comments are welcome :)

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

Meditation Postures

07/08/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

One of the first things someone does before they meditate is that they must get comfortable so the body relaxes. When the body relaxes, the mind transcends. You don't have to contort yourself uncomfortably in order to meditate like you see Buddhist Monks do. No, you can meditate in any posture that is comfortable. Meditation is what you do with your mind, not your body.

There are many postures that can be used for meditation, and here are a few:

Easy Pose

AKA Cris-cross-Applesauce. It is an easy posture that practically anyone can sit in. To do this posture, put your left foot under your right thigh, and your right foot under your left thigh (or vice versa, whatever is more comfortable).

This position is great for beginners and/or people who are not very flexible. Although, this position may be good if you are only spending no more than 20 minutes. meditating, If you plan to go more, this position may start to get uncomfortable as your thighs may put pressure on your feet. If you plan to go for more than 20 minutes, and aren't that flexible, you should also check out the next two positions.

Burmese Position

This posture is another simple posture. It involves putting one foot close to the front of the pelvis, and the other foot in front of the first foot.

Again, this position is great for beginners and for people who can not get into the other positions. This pose does, however, require some flexibility of the hip and knee joints. It is also recommended that you place a cushion under your rear for more support. This pose can be comfortable for a time period greater than the cross-legged position, as there is no body parts putting pressure on your feet.

The "Perfect" Pose (Siddhasana)

This requires a little more hip and knee flexibility than the Burmese position. It is done by bending one knee so that one foot will touch the perineum by the heel, and then bend the opposite knee so that the other foot is placed on top of the first foot, and the heel should be touching the the area above the perineum.

This is a pretty comfortable pose to meditate in when you get used to it, and should remain comfortable throughout the meditation. A small cushion could be placed under your rear for more support if needed.

The Quarter Lotus Position

This pose is slightly similar to the perfect pose, except the higher foot is on top of the calf instead of the opposite foot. To preform the quarter lotus position, place one foot on top of the opposite calf, with the other foot tucked underneath the opposite leg. You can do this by starting out in the Burmese position and placing one foot on top of the opposite calf.

The Half Lotus Position

This is like the Quarter Lotus Position, except instead of the raised foot being placed on the opposite calf, it is placed on top of the opposite thigh.

This pose provides stability while meditating, and it can be used for those who have a good deal of flexibility, but do not have enough to go full lotus. This and the quarter lotus can remain comfortable throughout the sitting, depending on the meditator's flexibility.

The Full Lotus Position

The most advanced cross-legged position is the full lotus. It gives plenty of benefits, such as stability and stillness, but it is hard to sit in it comfortably for long periods of time. DO NOT ATTEMPT UNLESS YOU ARE LIMBER ENOUGH, you don't want to pull or rip anything do you?

To get into the Full Lotus Position, you got to get into half lotus, by placing one foot on top of the opposite thigh. Then take the other foot, and place it on top of the other thigh.

Obviously this position easier said than done. Use caution when trying to get into it.

If you do want to (slowly) work your way up to sitting in the lotus position, or if you want to increase flexibility to sit cross-legged more easily, you can check out this page: click

For any of these cross-legged positions, even if you are flexible enough to get into a position, and sit in it for awhile, it may become uncomfortable after time. Before attempting to get into a position, you should stretch the hip and knee joints. If any of these positions begin to hurt, STOP, and drop down to an easier position. You do not want to hurt yourself.

Now there are several other positions that you can use if cross-legged isn't for you.

Seiza

Seiza is done by kneeling. The feet should be under your rear, or moved slightly to the sides of it.

Now, I can almost guarantee that this will make your feet fall asleep. So what you can do to prevent this is to get a seiza meditation bench. The bench will put a barrier between your rear and your feet, so that your feet do not fall asleep.

In a chair

You do not have to meditate on the floor, but you can do it in a chair. Sit in the chair, feet flat on the floor, and spine straight, and put your hands in your lap. This is a simple way to meditate while at work, or if you don't want to sit on a floor.

Lying Down

You can also lay down, flat on the floor, in what yogis call the corpse pose. For this pose, you lye down, keep your spine straight, put your hand at your sides, and meditate.

This pose is, perhaps, the easiest pose to get into, but it can also be the most troublesome. One can fall asleep quite easily while doing it.

Conclusion

For all the above positions, remember to keep your spine as straight.

And remember, pick the position that is right for you, and most comfortable.

If you decide to go into the more advanced positions, take it slow, and stretch first.

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

P.S. Confused what do to next? No problem! Click here

The Lotus Position, and How to Prepare for it

07/08/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

The lotus position.

Padmasana.

Whatever you call it, it is a difficult position to get into, let alone sit for a long time in. You do not have to meditate in the lotus position (and you should not if your aren't limber enough), as meditation is what you do with your mind, not your body. However, the lotus position, at least in my experiences, does have benefits such as stability and stillness during the meditation, and increases flexibility in the hips, knees, and ankles. Some people want to try to get into the lotus position because it is a challenge, and humans love challenges. Perhaps you are a similar person? There is nothing wrong with challenging yourself, as long as you do it SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY, especially when dealing with joints as delicate as the knees. So how can you prepare your body for the lotus position?You can prepare your body for the lotus position by using a series of yoga poses. A website called "Some Southern Zen" which is "Just another Zen Buddhist site..." (they called themselves that, not me) lays out a series of yoga asanas you can try to increase your hip flexibility, and eventually work your way up to the lotus position. Link: http://zenmontpellier.voila.net/eng/lotus/lotuseng.html

I like this site. It helped me get into the lotus pose, and I hope it will have the same effect on you.

Obviously, take each pose slowly, and DO NOT FORCE YOURSELF. If you feel ANY pain or discomfort, you should probably stop before you tear or twist something.

Even if you are comfortable with sitting in the lotus position now, you should take a look at the site anyway. Just because you can sit in the lotus position now, does not mean you will be able to in 10 years.

Also, if you meditate in any cross-legged position, it couldn't hurt to check out the page either. This way the position, no matter how difficult it is, will be easier to sit in.

The only last bit of advice I can offer is this: Getting into the lotus position will not be overnight for most people. Take it slow, and do not expect immediate results, or you will be disappointed. It is not a race, and there are plenty of other positions to meditate in.

I think I will have the author of the site have the last word:

In practicing Padmasana, remember that the body and the asana must meet on their own terms in their own time. If you inflict the asana on the body, you may set up a dichotomous relationship between what you think the body "should" be and what the body is. The body then becomes an enemy to be conquered rather than a companion on the journey. By giving up your preconceived idea and images of how far you think you should go, you free yourself to explore the asana in the present moment, just as a lover might give full attention to his beloved. Practicing with true affection, let the pose become a journey rather than a destination. Then even a difficult posture like Padmasana will become enjoyable.

Here is the link again: http://zenmontpellier.voila.net/eng/lotus/lotuseng.html

Good luck, have fun, and Happy Meditating!

-Seth

A Quick Story

07/07/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

I remember a story I read online one time (I can't remember the site though), and I would thought I would share it.

Back in the beginning, when god (or gods, depending on your religion) created man, he also created the "ultimate power" so that man could become perfect, and godlike. But he wanted to hide it well, so that not everyone had access to it. He thought of several ways to hide it.

He thought of hiding it far underground, but if man figured out it was down there, they would just dig for it until they got to it.

He thought of hiding it in the sky, but man would just figure out a way to get to it easily.

So he finally figured out one spot where man would never look for this ultimate power: Inside man him(or her)self!

I like this story. Maybe its not a perfect retelling (I'm trying to remember content I read once online a few years ago), but I think the message is clear. We all have this power inside us. Meditating can help us get to it.

But what is this power?

If you are Buddhist, this power may be Nirvana or Enlightenment. If not, it could be inner peace, or the power to heal.

Or maybe this power is simply that as humans, we can do what we want if we believe in ourselves. We can achieve our goals is we truly work towards them. We can get out of any bad situation is we persevere. Maybe that is the power.

Whatever the power is, we can access it, we just need to look deep inside ourselves, which is something meditation can help us with; as meditation makes us look inward.

So what do you think this "ultimate power" is? Did you like the story? Comments are always welcome :)

Happy Meditating!

-Seth

Focusing on the Breath

07/07/2010 00:00:00 +00:00

You got yourself into a comfortable position for meditation, you close your eyes (or leave them half open). Now what? People who have never meditated before would probably think there's some complicated mind exercise that needs to be done, or they think you chant a mantra. Although you can chant a mantra if you want, it is not required. No, when you sit down to meditate, you only need to focus on the breath.

That's it.

Relax your body, and just observe the inhale and exhale. Don't force it, but just let the breath flow naturally. What works for me is a slow, silent, but full breath; this type of breath really relaxes both my mind and my body, but do what's best for you.

If you get distracted by thoughts, just let your attention return to the breath. This will take some time to get used to. That's okay though, since eventually, your thoughts will quiet down, and your mind will relax. When your mind and body relax, you will feel a nice, calm, peaceful feeling.

Do this technique for as long as is comfortable. For beginners, sometimes 5-10 minutes is enough. Even for experienced meditators, just doing this technique every day for 5-15 minutes will produce a calmer self.

Although there are many ways to meditate, I feel like this is the simplest to learn, as we breath all the time!

Happy Meditating!

-Seth