Meditation - Page 2

West491 · 09-09-2010, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Sternwallow wrote

In fact I frequently meditate when I am stuck somewhere having to wait for hours, unable to go anywhere and where sleeping is inappropriate or impossible.

So in other words, you meditate when you have no choice.

Quote:

Sternwallow wrote

My meditation takes the form of focused thought on some trivial and irrelevant puzzle, conundrum or problem, in the mathematival problem sense. Sometimes I direct the imagination that would have produced an undirected dream if I were sleeping, to concoct a story about something. Sometimes I do memory-stretching exercises (known commonly as nostalgia).

I agree. I do the same thing. I can be seated on a bus and then I start making up stories in my head, sometimes of a sensual nature.

Well maybe that's just lusting.

Quote:

Sternwallow wrote

I take the existence of dreams as strong evidence that relaxation for the brain involves a special kind of (sloppy) thinking and not the absence of thinking. If you want to rest your heart, do you stop it for a few hours?

That's an interesting perspective; but how do we invoke this "sloppy thinking", other than dreaming. Some people don't dream. My mom says that she never dreams. Do people who never dream get the chance to relax their brains?

psychodiva · 09-09-2010, 01:39 PM

you might want to explore mindfulness as it takes a little less time than this meditation lark and achieves the same degree of relaxation if that is what you are after - it also promotes concentration and can be done without any of the spiritual 'higher plane' crap

West491 · 09-09-2010, 01:49 PM

Quote:

psychodiva wrote

you might want to explore mindfulness as it takes a little less time than this meditation lark and achieves the same degree of relaxation if that is what you are after - it also promotes concentration and can be done without any of the spiritual 'higher plane' crap

All meditation doesn't deal with "spiritual crap". Some forms of meditation simply require that I take the time out and..well meditate. I'm not trying to become a buddha.

Do you want to explain what "mindfulness" is ?

psychodiva · 09-09-2010, 01:58 PM

Quote:

West491 wrote

All meditation doesn't deal with "spiritual crap". Some forms of meditation simply require that I take the time out and..well meditate. I'm not trying to become a buddha.

Do you want to explain what "mindfulness" is ?

or you could google it?

Mindfulness

I am well aware that all meditation doesn't deal with the spiritual crap- if I were not aware of this I would not perhaps have suggested that mindfulness would be a good thing to try? I was also not suggesting that you were seeking the spiritual crap or trying to become a buddha

Sternwallow · 09-09-2010, 06:56 PM

Quote:

West491 wrote

So in other words, you meditate when you have no choice.

Not really. In those situations I often fret and stew and worry about this looming deadline or that bill coming due or symptoms that may be the onset of flu or dread over the next family gathering ...

Quote:

I agree. I do the same thing. I can be seated on a bus and then I start making up stories in my head, sometimes of a sensual nature.

Well maybe that's just lusting.

For me, the difference between daydreaming and meditating a story is that the latter will have some fairly definite plot line.

Recently I caught on the idea that if, in Heaven, the streets were paved with Gold, then Godl would be worth no more than gravel. From this developed a story in which one of the very last old-time style prospectors found a godawful big buried mountain of Gold in nugget form. Gold prices dropped from $1K/Oz to half a buck a pound. Cheaper than Copper, Gold would make an excellent low resistance electrical conductor. How about Gold flashing on all your soffits?

Quote:

That's an interesting perspective; but how do we invoke this "sloppy thinking", other than dreaming. Some people don't dream. My mom says that she never dreams. Do people who never dream get the chance to relax their brains?

Yes dreaming is the kind of sloppy thinking I meant. Ordinary undirected daydreams would be deliberate sloppy thinking.

Even though many people do not remember having dreamed, almost every one does. Experiments that automatically wake people up when REM sleep is detected, deprives them of dreams even though they get plenty of aggregate sleep hours. These experiments show all the psychological and personality problems that come from simple sleep deprivation.

There was a sign beside my lounge chair that said "Whosoever dare disturb my sleep risks loss of or damage to their most critical anatomical features."

West491 · 09-09-2010, 07:30 PM

Quote:

psychodiva wrote

or you could google it?

Mindfulness

I am well aware that all meditation doesn't deal with the spiritual crap- if I were not aware of this I would not perhaps have suggested that mindfulness would be a good thing to try? I was also not suggesting that you were seeking the spiritual crap or trying to become a buddha

When first mentioning mindfulness, you said "takes a little less time than this meditation lark". All it took was a little implication.

In any sense, meditation works for me. I will read more on mindfulness.

West491 · 09-09-2010, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Sternwallow wrote

There was a sign beside my lounge chair that said "Whosoever dare disturb my sleep risks loss of or damage to their most critical anatomical features."

That's classic. This is now how I imagine you.

Sternwallow · 09-09-2010, 10:21 PM

Pretty close, West, though I'm told that I usually smile when I sleep, a rather unsettling and slightly ghastly smile.

Also scratch the dog.*

VladTheImpaler · 09-10-2010, 12:51 AM

OOOO I love naps. Eat something with a bit of sugar first and then sleep for an hour and I'll dream extremely insane and lucid dreams. Fun times. Too bad that for some stupid reason its frown upon napping at work.

psychodiva · 09-10-2010, 03:23 AM

Quote:

West491 wrote

When first mentioning mindfulness, you said "takes a little less time than this meditation lark". All it took was a little implication.

In any sense, meditation works for me. I will read more on mindfulness.

and the implication was all yours my dear

Sternwallow · 09-10-2010, 03:39 AM

Quote:

VladTheImpaler wrote

OOOO I love naps. Eat something with a bit of sugar first and then sleep for an hour and I'll dream extremely insane and lucid dreams. Fun times. Too bad that for some stupid reason its frown upon napping at work.

It is a pity the theists cannot achieve lucid wakefulness.

Captain Relativity · 09-10-2010, 06:06 AM

"Thinking, the one shining thing in all of nature that humans can do (somewhat) better than all [the other] animals, it is the key to our survival and prosperity."

ILOVEJESUS · 09-11-2010, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Eva wrote

the ultimate form of meditation?

just fucking take a nap.

Meditation did cure my insomnia, that is true lol

Jimble · 10-05-2010, 05:42 AM

Speaking as one brought up by Buddhists, I have to sing some praises for meditation. I don't believe in anything supernatural, but my dad used to take me into nature, tell me to sit quietly and think of nothing but the passing moment, feel the sunshine, etc. Which I found very enjoyable

I don't think there's anything magic about this, but I did find it an excellent way to relax.
And cheaper than a bottle of gin, Sterny!

It was when he'd slip from meditation or martial arts training into Chi and Karma my eyes would glaze over..

psychodiva · 10-05-2010, 11:49 AM

what you describe is what I was blathering about to Westy- mindfulness is based on meditation but is used in a slightly different way and has no spiritual stuff