Poll of the Day > Do you or have you ever tried to meditate?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I do it often, like when I'm driving, working, drinking, eating and sleeping. So basically all the time.

I start with being aware of the air and imagining the air is aware of me.
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I meditate regularly. I know there's a lot of misconception around it though and people don't really realize how it works.
They think it's about a poses and chanting om.
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ZBug_ posted...

I meditate regularly. I know there's a lot of misconception around it though and people don't really realize how it works.
They think it's about a poses and chanting om.

*meditating high five*
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It's not for me. I'm like a bizarro person and feel less relaxed.
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I tried a meditation class at a temple in Hamamatsu. The monk instructing us even smacked our backs with a stick. :D
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Meditating while driving isn't particularly safe, especially when you're "imagining the air is aware of you.", fairly sure saying that shit would get you hit with a DUI.
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Kyuubi4269 posted...

Meditating while driving isn't particularly safe, especially when you're "imagining the air is aware of you.", fairly sure saying that shit would get you hit with a DUI.

Mediation is about self awareness. Being aware of you, how you're breathing, how your heart's beating, which of your muscles are currently working, which ones aren't, what's around you, what you can see, what you can smell, what you hear, what you can feel, even what you can't feel but you know it's there.

The experience is different for everyone but I'd arguing that meditating while driving is actually safer then letting your mind wonder.
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When i gaming i felt relax. My gaming habits is my meditation
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ZBug_ posted...

Mediation is about self awareness. Being aware of you, how you're breathing, how your heart's beating, which of your muscles are currently working, which ones aren't, what's around you, what you can see, what you can smell, what you hear, what you can feel, even what you can't feel but you know it's there.

The experience is different for everyone but I'd arguing that meditating while driving is actually safer then letting your mind wonder.

Being hyper-aware isn't a good thing when you're not being attentive to the task at hand, and meditation is letting your mind wonder, you experience what's around you to clear your mind so your mind wonders from thought to thought unrestricted. When driving you have a task at hand, keeping your mind clear to meditate is detracting your attention from assessing your next safe move.
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Kyuubi4269 posted...

ZBug_ posted...

Mediation is about self awareness. Being aware of you, how you're breathing, how your heart's beating, which of your muscles are currently working, which ones aren't, what's around you, what you can see, what you can smell, what you hear, what you can feel, even what you can't feel but you know it's there.

The experience is different for everyone but I'd arguing that meditating while driving is actually safer then letting your mind wonder.

Being hyper-aware isn't a good thing when you're not being attentive to the task at hand, and meditation is letting your mind wonder, you experience what's around you to clear your mind so your mind wonders from thought to thought unrestricted. When driving you have a task at hand, keeping your mind clear to meditate is detracting your attention from assessing your next safe move.

My mind wonders why you two don't know it's wander.

I've never tried it but I'm not against the idea. It may help with these anxiety issues I've been having afterall it is all in my head.
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Kyuubi4269 posted...

Meditating while driving isn't particularly safe, especially when you're "imagining the air is aware of you.", fairly sure saying that shit would get you hit with a DUI.

I'm trying to comprehend looking inward rather than outward while driving. Not the smart option, probably texting or watching TV while driving is safer.

Meditating while working does explain some of the apparently braindead customer service reps I've had on the phone lately.
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I do, but not with any regularity.
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dancer62 posted...

Meditating while working does explain some of the apparently braindead customer service reps I've had on the phone lately.

Meditating increases brain activity so that's not their problem.
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dancer62 posted...

Not the smart option, probably texting or watching TV while driving is safer.

Nppe. So nope.
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Yeah. Being a stressed out more than 50% of the time bipolar mess, it is a necessity to ground myself from time to time, to remember what is truly important again and let go of any negative emotions or thoughts I am having.
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SunWuKung420 posted...

Meditating increases brain activity so that's not their problem.

The problem is they're directing their increased brain activity toward the water flowing from the kettle in to their fifth mug of tea and the air around their bollocks rather than the sound emitting from the headset in their ear.
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RIP_Supa posted...

Yeah. Being a stressed out more than 50% of the time bipolar mess, it is a necessity to ground myself from time to time, to remember what is truly important again and let go of any negative emotions or thoughts I am having.

Great!
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Forgot to describe the process.

Basically I usually just close my eyes and do what is described as anal breathing, (no homo(but that's fine too don't mod me)) sitting or laying in a comfortable position where my limbs are relaxed, slowly regulating my breathing with a simple visualization such as inhaling a clean white energy (but i visualize smoke), and exhaling a dark black smog (negative energy) while I pretty much just put my body to sleep, and it's weird to people when I get high and do that and it looks like I'm falling asleep, but I'm just relaxing my ass off

It's kind of cool as you clear your mind and quickly begin to feel better
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Tried it on multiple occasions, both in structured (ie, classroom) and non-structured environments (ie, group setting), but never really got anything out of it. I don't find it particularly relaxing and I have difficulty zoning out because my mind is continually active.
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RIP_Supa posted...

do what is described as anal breathing

I started with this but switched to what I call full body breathing. Essentially, with every inhale my lungs and my skin are breathing in and the reverse when I exhale.
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Tried it. It felt like I was missing the whole point.
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SunWuKung420 posted...

RIP_Supa posted...

do what is described as anal breathing

I started with this but switched to what I call full body breathing. Essentially, with every inhale my lungs and my skin are breathing in and the reverse when I exhale.

why not try breathing with your stomache?
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Sure, it was during my "angsty teenager" phase, so I listened to Tool while meditating, of course.

Krazy_Kirby posted...

SunWuKung420 posted...

RIP_Supa posted...

do what is described as anal breathing

I started with this but switched to what I call full body breathing. Essentially, with every inhale my lungs and my skin are breathing in and the reverse when I exhale.

why not try breathing with your stomache?

Because breathing with my whole body is much more invigorating.
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ive done shamanic journeying before

I thought the idea behind meditating was to think about nothing at all and that was why you have the mantra in the first place... to distract your mind from your thoughts

I feel like if I stop thinking altogether that somehow I'll think less when I start thinking again.

Kind of like how Robert Downey Jr. put it in Pineapple Express. "Never go full ***"
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I actively try and calm myself down through methods I've developed over the years, which in a way are similar to meditation but I do not follow a school of thought.
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OhhhJa posted...

I thought the idea behind meditating was to think about nothing at all and that was why you have the mantra in the first place... to distract your mind from your thoughts

That's the intro to meditating.
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OhhhJa posted...

I thought the idea behind meditating was to think about nothing at all

That's a big misconception.
You can't think about nothing unless you're dead or "enlightened" (Bhudda).
You can still medititate with a busy mind.
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The amount of douchiness in this thread could be distilled into a vial of douchiness so potent that it could power every Dave Matthews Band concert from now until the end of time.
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Smarkil posted...

The amount of douchiness in this thread could be distilled into a vial of douchiness so potent that it could power every Dave Matthews Band concert from now until the end of time.

I'm sorry you feel that way? I didn't see any douchey comments. Just people who said they meditated and people who said they tried but didn't care for it.
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