Meditation

[freespirit]

I know a lot of people meditate in conjunction with this lifestyle, and i use bikram as my form of meditation. But, Im curious about doing more seated meditations...any meditators have any advice? I have read a couple books, but I would still like some feedback from the great raw foodist community.

Aleesha- i am particularly interested in what you have to say. ive read before that you meditate for two hours a day, so any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

[Revvell]

I do the Osho meditations. Currently doing the kundalini daily.

Revvell (http://www.Revvellations.com/shopping)

[Aleesha Sattva]

i sit for an hour in the morning. i get up to pee and then i sit on my bed with my back leaning against the headboard for approx an hour. i don't time myself i just allow myself to sit till i'm done. i do the same at night.

if i'm a little twitterpaited (as my mother calls it when you are distressed) then i sit again for about 20-45 minutes depending.

when i sit... i allow myself to focus on my breath. taking jacqueline kramer's free classes has made such a tremendous change/growth in my meditation... it's amazing to think back to who i was before i began studying with her 18 months ago.

here's a link to her site:

http://www.hearthfoundation.net/

and her latest column on my magazine:

http://www.timelessspirit.com/JAN09/breathe.shtml

i also read a lot of Thich Nhat Hanh books: this is in my opinion by far the BEST book i've ever read on meditation. although i do love many of his other books as well.

http://www.parallax.org/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?preadd=action&key=BOOKBYA

this is a great book as well:

http://www.timelessspirit.com/NOV08/review3.shtml

[JennaBoBenna]

I would love to start meditating...every time I have tried, I can never seem to clear my mind. I always had so much buzzing around. Tried to imagine throwing my thoughts into a well with a lid, but didn't really work. Maybe I just need more practice, I haven't tried it in years.

[Aleesha Sattva]

meditation isn't about forcing... it's about allowing and flow. if you sit and your mind is racing that allow that. the next time you sit perhaps your mind will not be racing.

the success is meditation is not where your mind is, it's that you sit!

[Ilse W.]

Well, I must be meditating most of the day. My butt has left an imprint in my favorite chair (although I must admit it's a much smaller one lately, LOL)

[Revvell]

That's why the Osho meditations are so good. They usually start of with 40 minutes or so of movement in preparation for meditation. Meditation actually means being in the moment in awareness ... it doesn't mean just sitting and being quiet. Throughout the day bring awareness to your thoughts. Allow yourself to let them go and come back to the present moment.

Artists especially tend to be in the moment ~ when they are painting, creating jewelry, sculpture, etc. I did a lot of meditating when I rode a motorcycle. On the ride up I'd be thinking (or, running tapes as I call it) and on the way back from a 350-525 mile ride, my thoughts would cease and I'd be just in the moment on the ride. It was fabulous.


I would love to start meditating...every time I have tried, I can never seem to clear my mind. I always had so much buzzing around. Tried to imagine throwing my thoughts into a well with a lid, but didn't really work. Maybe I just need more practice, I haven't tried it in years.

[Aleesha Sattva]

ah yes, being mindful. this is what i work on being throughout my day. gently bringing myself back to the moment and to my breath.

well said rev

[freespirit]

I love Bikram because it is a moving meditation- if you arent thoroughly in the moment, your practice suffers immensely.

Thanks aleesha and revvell for sharing- both of you are incredibly inspiring.

[Revvell]

Let's expand that... Life is a moving meditation ~ with mindfulness. If you aren't thoroughly in the moment, you life suffers immensely. :)

All meditation is good. Thank you for sharing what you do. You're inspiring.


I love Bikram because it is a moving meditation- if you arent thoroughly in the moment, your practice suffers immensely.

Thanks aleesha and revvell for sharing- both of you are incredibly inspiring.

[curlygirl82]

I love hearing how you all practice. I've tried meditating off and on for a few years... it always seemed forced. Now that I've been raw for a few months, though, it's so much easier!! It seems to just Happen, instead of me having to sit down and force myself to do it. My every movement has become infused with this joyful, grateful, meditative mindfulness. Granted, it's not all the time, but it's wonderful!

What I've just found really wonderful for me is to focus on my heart chakra, and just Feel Love. That's it. It sounds ridiculously simple, I know... it is. But it's made the biggest change in me, very quickly. I've started making time to just sit and do that, but mostly I just bring my awareness/intention to it whenever I can - when I'm driving or waiting in line or whenever I have a moment. I highly recommend - it feels so beautiful.

You all inspire me so much, thank you for sharing.

[Ilse W.]

Curlygirl82 - Ridiculously simple. Isn't that how all of life seem to be? The same thing with getting and being healthy. Were we every taught that all we have to do is pick up a fruit or vegetable and eat it, and that is what will make and keep us healthy? I guess I am meditating a lot, although I never thought of it as such. When I wake up in the morning, I stay in bed on my back and just feel myself in the warmth. I can stay there for another hour after waking, just being without really thinking much. I hear my pulse in my left ear all the time, so often I just listen to that. I also do breathing exercises when I go to bed. Simply taking deep breaths, and letting the air out forming the letter "s", which slows down the exhale. I count the seconds it takes. After a few of these, I'm very warm and ready to fall asleep within a couple of minutes. As I mentioned before, knitting is meditative for me, and so is chopping vegetables, massaging my cabbage into kimchi, making juice. I will add the sitting and concentrating on the heart chakra. Thanks.

[RaeVynn]

In November 2007 I attended a 10-day Vipassanna meditation retreat.

It was amazing. Totally worth the time.

Currently, I try for an hour each day. Even manage once in awhile! I'm not as focused on the Vipassanna technique, as I am the actual benefits of just sitting and focusing on breathing for an hour. It is amazing.

[green jeanie]

vipassana has been a great fit for me. By doing a ten day introduction sit you really get a solid foundation into a practice.

I have been practicing almost 5 years and as I progress the technique just makes more and more sense.

depending upon where you live there may be a local center. they offer year round / continual courses at no charge (donation only)

it is a really beautiful tradition and has helped me tremendously

love to all you meditators!! and isn't the raw the most incredible synergy with that subtle consciousness!!!

[freshlight]

I love meditating while walking or running. Sitting wouldn't work for me......the LIGHT meditation is very freeing. If you read Jasmuheen's books you'll know what it's all about.

Peace,

Eva

[dimamuzhetsky]

Guys!What is bikram meditation to be exact?Plus what do You think of pranayama?I find meditation & pranayama somewhat similar to each other

[Eva]

Guys!What is bikram meditation to be exact?Plus what do You think of pranayama?I find meditation & pranayama somewhat similar to each other


Have you tried Bikram yoga? It's also called hot yoga sometimes (although not all called hot yoga is Bikram)... The room is heated to 104-105 degrees, with 60% humidity, and there are 26 poses in the 90 minutes. It is really difficult to think of ANYthing but the poses during this class (in my experience)... so perhaps that is what she means by Bikram meditation?

I personally have a hard time (sometimes) with totally focussing on my breath and meditating. I'm working on it, but I have a lot of work and life cluttering up my mind. I actually have to say that I love Bikram yoga for this exact reason. :)

[czpinky]

every day, after school, i do at least 1 hour of asana practice. in the morning i like to meditate too, but usually for only 10-20 minutes. also, i find that reading spiritual books and contemplating on them helps to calm my mind before meditation.
peace and love! :)