getting into meditation

[Nichole]

I think lucastp meant to type tratak, which means "fixed gaze" in Sanskrit. This is used both as a meditation technique and as an Ayurvedic shatkarma (cleanse) for your eyes. If you are interested, you can see any copy of the Hatha Pradipika for the details on this.

Cheers,

[Pandara]

It is not about quantity (so many minutes or hours), but quality of the meditation.

[cyclezen]

Originally Posted by Pandara

Hi All,

... But then, my own teacher always said and I experienced it now again in India as well, you never meditate, what we mostly do is concentration, meditation is something that will happen to you when you are ready. Are we ready? ...

This is very perceptive and prolly quite accurate. In not a very broad range of reading, one can see the vast expanse of what 'mediation' is considered to be, by those held in high regard in different disciplines.
"concentration", "meditation", "mindfulness", "focus" all symantically lead to some confusion of reference. A confusion of words under which we all have to suffer
ALong the way, most of us will develop our reference based on what we 'assimilate' from teachers, writers, our own experience. So mediation and its purpose becomes a very personal thing, as it rightfully is. I'm sure some will take dissent with that notion - but then you'll just have to do my meditation for me.
More importantly, if we take our lead from yoga in general; not every yoga practice will find us 'in the moment', doing our asanas at our zenith of awareness and ability. Each practice may be varied like a terrain of a country landscape. And yet we are prompted to accept our practice for what it happens to be, at the moment, without judgement, without disapointment.
IIn that vein, if we bring 'expectation' to mediation, that expectation quickly pre-empts and blocks the path of experiencing in the moment. Setting parameters of 'how', 'how long', 'why' quickly funnels one down a narrow restrictive and less fruitful path - not what could be an expansive universe.
I say, seize the moment, by being open, even if its only for a few dozen breaths. Learn the things that help let your barriers fall, rather than build.
Accept that each journey into your meditative self is different and each will have a different mix of concentration, mindfulness, focus and therefore, realization.
It really is all good... if you can let it be

namaste

[Nichole]

Originally Posted by cyclezen

I say, seize the moment, by being open, even if its only for a few dozen breaths. Learn the things that help let your barriers fall, rather than build.
Accept that each journey into your meditative self is different and each will have a different mix of concentration, mindfulness, focus and therefore, realization. It really is all good... if you can let it be
namaste

Cheers to this Cyclezen!

[Pandara]

Thanks for adding Cyclezen, I hear what you say.

[lucastp_532]

Originally Posted by moth

I appreciate your advice lucastp, but....

I don’t think maintaining my chastity is going to happen. Too late. Also, while I think I might like to increase my meditation time to maybe an hour, sitting for 4 hours is never going to happen either. Too busy.

.

hi,
i understand that u r too busy, u can still try the yama and niyama, the 2 limbs of yoga ,
YAMA: Ahimsa (non-voilence) ,Satya (Truthfulness) ,Asteya (Non-stealing),Brahmacharya (Sense-control)
,Aparigraha (Neutralizing the desire to acquire and hoard wealth),
NIYAMA: sauca: cleanliness , Santosha: contentment. Tapas: austerity. Svadhyaya: self-study or study of spiritual scriptures. Ishvarapranidhana: self-surrender.
U DONT NEED TO PERFORM ALL OF THIS. just do what ever is possible for you. if u do all of this , ull end up being a saint.

[lucastp_532]

to add to what i have stated above , if you can become a pure veg, that would be great .