The Role of Meditation in the Work

[Ellipse]

Re: WHAT IS MEDITATION??

Here is what is meditation from Cayce point of view :

From Cayce’s perspective, we are essentially spiritual beings who – at the moment – happen to be in the earth. We are not simply physical bodies with souls but are instead souls who happen to be in physical bodies as a means of gathering experience. [It is interesting to note that in the Bible a spiritual being was created (Genesis 1) before a physical being (Genesis 2).] Since part of our purpose in the earth is to come to know our true relationship with God, perhaps more than anything else meditation is a key to understanding that relationship.

Edgar Cayce began recommending meditation as early as 1921, long before many even knew what it was. Most of us began to hear about meditation during the 1960s and ‘70s. At first, we might have thought it was something unusual or even bizarre, or else we might have thought it was something practiced only by Eastern religions. However, a great deal of clinical research has proven that meditation can - at the very least - positively affect our health and well-being. By practicing this method of becoming silent, individuals can reduce their anxiety levels and learn to become more relaxed. Many physicians now recommend meditation as an effective way for their patients to lower their blood pressure.

In simplest terms, meditation is the practice of quieting our physical bodies and our minds, and focusing our attention inward instead of upon the outside world. It promotes coordination at three levels: physically, we begin to relax; mentally, our busied thoughts become quiet and, spiritually, we become re-energized and are able to deal more lovingly and effectively with the people and events around us. As we take the time each day to put away from our thoughts the countless cares with which we’re bombarded, we can begin to reestablish an awareness of our own spiritual nature. In one respect prayer is talking to God, but meditation is listening to that portion of our being which is in constant communion with the Divine.

By following a few simple steps, anyone can meditate. Even a beginner can experience the calming effects of a few moments of purposeful silence.

If you would like to try to meditate, the first step is to get into a comfortable position. It’s probably best to sit in a chair, keeping your spine straight, your feet flat on the floor, and your eyes closed. Find a comfortable place for your hands, either put them in your lap or at your sides. Slowly take a few deep breaths and begin to relax. Breathe the air deep into your lungs, hold it for a moment, and then slowly breathe it out. With your mind, search your body for any obvious tension areas or tight muscles. You can try to relieve the tension by deep breathing, imagining the area as relaxed, or gently massaging any tight spots with your fingertips. When you have finished getting comfortable and relaxed, then you are ready to move on to the next step.

The second step is to begin to focus your mind on one, single, peaceful, calming thought. Instead of thinking about what went on at work today or what has to be done with the remainder of your day, try focusing on a thought such as “I am relaxed” or “I will be still and feel at peace.” You can also use a Biblical verse or a phrase with a spiritual focus, such as “God is Love.” These thoughts are also called affirmations. The first way to work with them is to try to clear your mind of everything else.

The first “stage” of actual meditation involves thinking about the message of your affirmation. In the last example cited above, you would think about the words God is Love. After a few moments of thinking the words, you should be able to move on to the second stage of meditation, which is feeling the meaning behind those words. For example, you can say the words “God is Love”; however, the feeling of those words can be much more meaningful than the actual words themselves.

The third step is to hold the feeling in silent attention, without needing the words of the affirmation. Gently bring your focus back to the words of the affirmation every time your mind begins to wander; that is to say, first begin thinking of the words of the affirmation, then try to concentrate on the feeling behind them. Don’t let yourself become discouraged when you find yourself thinking more about distractions than focusing upon the affirmation. It will take time to teach yourself to be able to think about only one thought. Spend from three minutes to fifteen minutes trying to hold the affirmation silently. The longer meditation periods are for when you have built up some experience.

The fourth step is to send out good thoughts or prayers to other people when you feel your meditation time is coming to an end. If you have been focusing on peace, then try to send a sense of that peace to someone about whom you’re concerned. As you begin to practice meditation daily, it will become easier. You might also notice that the sense of peace inside you during meditation will begin to carry over into the different parts of your day.

Cayce’s approach to meditation differs from that of some schools of thought that contend that because the mind gets in the way of the meditator, it should be blanked out. The readings suggest that mind is a constructive force, allowing for the closest attunement possible if used in the right way.

Through the regular practice of meditation we can begin to heal ourselves in body, mind, and soul. As we focus on a positive affirmation, we may find that our negative habit patterns begin to change to be more in keeping with a positive direction. It is while practicing the silence of meditation, by relaxing our physical bodies and quieting our conscious minds, that we can set aside our daily concerns for a moment and attempt to attune ourselves to the spiritual side of our nature.

From the standpoint of the Edgar Cayce readings, the most important relationship each of us has is that relationship with God. One of the most beneficial ways we can come to know that relationship is through the regular practice of meditation. For this reason, the readings suggest that meditation is something that every single soul should learn to do.

Note that this text had been written by someone from the ARE (Edgar Cayce Foundation) interpreting Cayce readings and I'm not sure Cayce give explicitly the point four.

 

[abstract]

Re: WHAT IS MEDITATION??

Note that this text had been written by someone from the ARE (Edgar Cayce Foundation) interpreting Cayce readings and I'm not sure Cayce give explicitly the point four.

even so, it is a thing to consider. Thank you for posting this, my brain just inflated a little bit. :)

 

[Eongar]

Re: WHAT IS MEDITATION??

I'm not sure that meditation is based only on silence.Ha be something deeper than quiet the mind. Silence the mind is trying to take over, and I'm not sure the control is related to the flow of things. It is not the same quiet the mind to have it really quiet, so I think that that is not truly a form of meditation, the vo more like a "patch", not as something transcendent, I think there is something deeper than this, I repeat. Maybe the mind can be used to recite mantras, but otherwise is to remain located in the mind trying to control it, is not it?

On the other hand, step four do not know who wrote it, I can say about that is that I will not ask or send anything to others unless you have asked me, as it would somehow interfere in the learning and way of others, and likely to remain mind doing this exercise

 

[abstract]

Re: WHAT IS MEDITATION??

On the other hand, step four do not know who wrote it, I can say about that is that I will not ask or send anything to others unless you have asked me, as it would somehow interfere in the learning and way of others, and likely to remain mind doing this exercis

I'd agree about that, you should not give when not asked to. It's important to compare and contrast like you have done, Eongar. :)

 

[Eongar]

Re: WHAT IS MEDITATION??

Searching on the subject discussed in this post, I read a response from Jiddu Krishnamurti to what could be called meditation, and also not least, what is not meditation, and I want to share with you (It's translated from Spanish, apologies if something is not understood).


Extract from the book "The self-knowledge" of Jiddu Krishnamurti, the question is meditation? (Compilation of the 1949 conference)

Question: Would you explain in detail what true meditation? There are many subjects of meditation. Are they really different in the background, or their differences are due to personal idiosyncrasy of his supporters?

Krishnamurti: This is indeed an important question, and if I may take the hint, examine it together. Because meditation is of great importance. You can be the door of true self-knowledge, and can open the door to reality, and in fact open the door and experience directly is the possibility of understanding life that is interrelated. Meditation? The true type of meditation? is essential. Let us find out what is the right kind of meditation and to find out what is true, we must address it in a negative way. Simply saying that this or that is real meditation, you give only one rule, which adopt and put it into practice, but will not be the true meditation. So, while talking about it, take kindly to follow closely and experience as we continue together. Because there are different types of meditation. I do not know if any of you has been implemented or has been delivered to them? Retreating into a locked room, sitting in a dark corner, and so on. Then examine the whole process of what we call meditation.

First of meditation in which discipline is included. Any form of discipline only strengthens the "I" and the "I" is a source of strife, conflict. That is, if we discipline ourselves to become something, as many people do? "This month I will be kind, I will practice kindness", etc. .-, such discipline, such practice can only strengthen the " I ". You might be kind on the outside, but there is no doubt that a man who practices kindness and aware of your kindness, not kind. So that people practice also called "meditation" is not obviously true meditation, for, as was clarified yesterday, if you practice something, the mind that is trapped, and so there is no freedom. Then comes the whole process of concentration which is also called meditation. You sit with legs crossed (because it is used in India), or in a chair in a dark room in front of a painting or picture, and you try to concentrate on one word or one sentence or one image mental, excluding all other thoughts.

I'm sure many of you have done. But other thoughts continue to flow, and ye reject it, and you continue this struggle until you are able to concentrate on a thought to the exclusion of everything else. Then you feel happy: at last you have learned to set your mind at one point, which believe essential. Again I ask you, you discover something through exclusion? Can the mind quieted by excluding, repressing, denying? Because, as I said, there can be understanding when the mind is really quiet, not repressed, not so focused on an idea that it will become exclusive? Whether the idea of a master, or of some virtue, or what you please. The mind can never be quiet through concentration. Superficially, in the first layers of consciousness, may you attain quietude by force, which perfectly aquietéis your body, your mind, but, surely, that's not the quiet of your whole being. Again: this is not meditation. That is mere coercion: when the machine wants to run at full speed, the sujetáis, putting him brake.

Over that, if you are able to examine all interest, all thought to come to your mind, if they so ahondáis full, complete, if all thought reflect upon, then the mind wander no longer because she will have discovered the value of every thought . Cease, therefore, to be attracted, which means there will be no distraction. A mind capable of being distracted and is resistant to distraction, is not able to meditate. What, in effect, the distraction? I hope that you put to test what I'm saying, who experience it as I speak, to discover the truth about it. It is the truth that brings liberation, not my words or our views. We call any movement distracting us away from that in which we think we should be concerned. You choose well, an interest? What is called a "noble interest" - and fijáis your mind in it, but any movement away from you it's a distraction, and therefore resist the distraction. Why, however, you choose this particular interest? Because he is agreeable to you, obviously, because he gives you a feeling of safety, wholeness, a sense of being another. You say so: "I set my mind on that," and any movement away from you it is a distraction. You spend your life struggling with the distractions, and fijáis your mind on something else.

While, if you examine all distractions and not just your mind fijáis a particular attraction, you will see that the mind is no longer capable of being distracted, because he understood both as the attraction distraction. And therefore the mind is capable of extraordinary perception and extended without excluding anything. Thus, the concentration is not meditation, and discipline is not meditate. Then there are the prayers all this trouble to pray and receive. Also it is called meditation. What do we mean by prayer? In its crude form, prayer is prayer, and there are subtle ways at different levels of prayer. We all know how rough. I'm in trouble, I feel desagraciado, physically or psychologically, and I need help. Then beg, plead, and, obviously, there is an answer. If no answer, people do not pray. Millions of people pray. Just pray when you're in trouble, not when you are happy, even when you are in that extraordinary feeling of being another. But what happens when you pray? You have a formula, does not it? With repetition of a formula, the mind becomes calm surface, right? Try it and you will see. Repeating certain words or phrases, gradually you will see that your being is quieted.

That is, your conscience is calm surface, and then, in that state, you are able to receive overtures from something different, is not it? Thus, by calming the mind through the repeated word, through prayer calls can instructions and hints that you may be not only the subconscious, but from any of the things that surround you, but that certainly is not meditation. Because what you receive has to be nice, otherwise it would repulse. So when you pray, thereby quieting the mind, your desire is to solve a given problem, or confusion, or something that causes you pain. Therefore seek an answer that is satisfactory. And when you see it, you say: "I will not seek satisfaction, I'll open it to something that is painful." To this extent the mind can be played tricks on itself, one must realize that total content of this issue of prayer. One has learned a trick: to quiet the mind so that you can get some answers, pleasant or unpleasant. But that is not meditation, right? Then there is the matter of devotion by someone prodigáis love God, to an image, a saint or a Master. Is it meditation? Why your love flows toward God, why can you not know? Why we feel so attracted by the unknown and we consecrate our lives, our being? Does this problem does not indicate that devotion, being unhappy in our lives, not taking vital relationships with other human beings, is focusing on something, the unknown, and we worship the unknown?

You know that people devoted to someone, some God, into one image, a teacher, are usually cruel, stubborn. They are intolerant of others, willing to destroy them, because they have greatly identified with that image, with such a teacher, with that experience. Therefore, I repeat, the flow of devotion to an object, created by oneself or by another person, is certainly not meditation. What then is meditation? If none of these things is? Discipline, concentration, devotion? What then is meditation? These are the forms that we know, with which we are familiar. But to discover that with which we are unfamiliar, we must first be free of the things we are familiar, is not it? If they are true, they should dry out. Only then will you be able to discover what true meditation. If we are accustomed to false values, must stop these false values? to find the new value, not because I say so, but because ye yourselves what you thought and felt. And when those values are gone, what do you have? What residue is the consideration of such things? Do not show them on your own thought process?

If you have given to those things and see that they are false, you discover why you have given to them, and therefore, the exam itself all that reveals the direction of your own thinking. So the examination of these is the principle of self-knowledge. Meditation, then, is the principle delconocimiento own. Without that knowledge, you can sit in a corner and meditate in the Masters, develop virtues, all is illusion and has no meaning for the person who really wants to discover what true meditation. Because, without the knowledge yourselves proyectáis own an image that you call the teacher, and that image becomes the object of your devotion, for which you are willing to sacrifice yourself, build, destroy. Therefore, as I have explained, there is only one possibility of knowing ourselves as we examine our relationship with these things, which reveals the process of our own thinking, and therefore emerges clearly throughout our be. This is the beginning of understanding, knowledge of oneself. Without knowledge there can be no meditation itself, and without meditation there can be no self-knowledge. Shut yourselves up in a corner, sit in front of a picture, develop virtues month after month? A distinct virtue each month: green, purple, white and everything else-go to church ceremonies: none of those things is true meditation or life spiritual. The spiritual life is born to be understood the relationship, which begins with self-knowledge. Now when you have been through it and have abandoned all these processes, which only reveal the "I" and its activity, there is a possibility, that of the mind can be quiet to not only surface but also inside, because then cease all demands. No sensation is sought, there is no sense of becoming, it becomes something in the future, in the morning.

The Master, the initiate, the disciple, the Buddha, you know that's climbing the ladder of success, to become something. All that has ceased because it involves the process of becoming. Only when there is cessation of becoming the understanding of what is, and understanding of what comes through self-knowledge, which reveals exactly what one is. And when it stops all desire (which can happen only through knowledge), the mind is quiet. The ending of all desire can not be the work of coercion, of devotion, prayer of the merger. All this simply underscores the conflict of desire in opposites. Plus when it all stops, the mind is really calm, and not just superficially, at higher levels, but in the intimate and profound. Only then can she get that which is immeasurable. Understanding this, not only of a part, is meditation. Because if we do not meditate, nor will we know act. The action, after all, is self-knowledge in the life of relation and the mere fact locked in a holy place burning incense outside reading about meditation and its significance, is absolutely useless, meaningless. It is a wonderful escape. But the sense that all human activity is ourselves: the desire to achieve, the desire to succeed, the desire to have certain virtues, all of which emphasizes the "I." How important thing now or in the future, the evolution of the self ? to perceive all this in its entirety, is the principle of self-knowledge and the beginning of meditation. So if you are actually warnings, you will see a wonderful transformation occurs is not a verbal expression, which is not "verbalization" mere repetition, feeling. In an effective, real, strong, something happens that can not be called, which can not be defined. And that's not the gift of a few, or a gift of the Masters. Self-knowledge is possible for everyone, if you are willing to experiment, to try ... and only then, through self-knowledge and true meditation, comes freedom.


Mod's note: Split the text in paragraphs. So it is easier to read.

 

[Iron]

Re: WHAT IS MEDITATION??

I don't know if this passage of Jiddu is helpfull in teaching how to meditate.

I have read some of his thoughts on meditation and I saw no difference of the usual "dissolve your ego into nothingness" For me this type of approach lead me nowhere fast, while the meditation with seed created tangible results.

Other members more experienced, may shed some light on the matter.

 

[thevenusian]

Re: WHAT IS MEDITATION??

I don't know if this passage of Jiddu is helpfull in teaching how to meditate.

I have read some of his thoughts on meditation and I saw no difference of the usual "dissolve your ego into nothingness" For me this type of approach lead me nowhere fast, while the meditation with seed created tangible results.

Other members more experienced, may shed some light on the matter.

I agree with you, Iron. I think the link provided above by vulcan59 in Repy #2, which contains a very succinct and clear description of meditation forms by Laura would be the best place to start for anyone with questions. I also find the 'with seed' approach to be the best for me, and at the present time The Prayer of the Soul is the one I am using. Many others here are doing the same, and I am satisfied with the results so far.
I must also say that I am not altogether so impressed with Krishnamurti as a source of objective knowledge about much of anything, but that is my subjective opinion mostly from reading the biographical details of his life and a cursory understanding of his teachings. There may be others who have a more detailed understanding and more to offer on this subject.

 

[Iron]

Re: WHAT IS MEDITATION??

I am also curious to hear more about Jiddu.
He is connected to theosophy, so it may be not the best source for objective knowledge.
If we presume that mastery over a subject includes a hability of transmitting that knowledge in a clear and concise manner, then this fellow is kinda distant of mastery over meditation.

 

[Eongar]

Re: WHAT IS MEDITATION??

Please can tell that this is the meditation with seed? And another question, what purpose of meditation for you?

thank you very much

 

[mamadrama]

Re: WHAT IS MEDITATION??

Hi, Eongar.

Please can tell that this is the meditation with seed?

Have you had a chance to read the thread Vulcan 59 suggested? Along with a lot of information on meditation, Laura answers this question.

There are two basic ways to meditate: with seed and without seed. That is, to have something to focus on, or to attempt to completely empty the mind. It is generally more productive to meditate with seed in the beginning. Depending on your "type" the "seed" will be different. If you are a visual person, holding a visual image in the mind works. If you are an auditory person, holding a phrase and "hearing" it in your mind works. If you are kinesthetic, holding a "feeling" or trying to achieve that feeling, works best.

Also, at the point when you begin to have some success in stilling the "chatter," you can experiment with changing the seed or combining. You might have a visual and auditory, or feeling and visual, or auditory and feeling, or all of them at once.

My personal preference is a phrase that I can also "see" as letters forming words that appear and dissolve. With this, I have both "thought content" as well as visual image and can easily add "feeling" and sound at will. I can also discard visual, auditory and feeling elements and simply concentrate on the "content."

 

[antipickle]

Re: WHAT IS MEDITATION??

I believe the passage by Jiddu got it right ;D

Let me try a quick explanation



Trying to meditate on something OR nothing opposes the purpose of meditation.
Let your mind free, to wander where it will. This is your imagination; I believe it
is the experience of being 'god' or 'immortality'.

Now when you have been through it and have abandoned all these processes,
which only reveal the "I" and its activity, there is a possibility, that of the mind can
be quiet to not only surface but also inside, because then cease all demands.
No sensation is sought, there is no sense of becoming

 

[obyvatel]

Re: WHAT IS MEDITATION??

I believe the passage by Jiddu got it right ;D

Let me try a quick explanation



Trying to meditate on something OR nothing opposes the purpose of meditation.
Let your mind free, to wander where it will. This is your imagination; I believe it
is the experience of being 'god' or 'immortality'.

Hi antipickle,
For an untrained mind, this would mean being trapped in subjective illusions. The mind is going to dream that it is the experience of being 'god' or 'immortality'. A created being - a creature - is not god. So whole effect is quite the opposite of trying to wake up from subjective illusions and view the world objectively - which is the aim of the people in this forum. The purpose of meditation, as I understand it, is to act as a tool to help in this process of waking up from subjective illusions and seeing the world objectively.
The process of letting the mind run free and follow it wherever it goes as an impartial observer is a meditation technique without seed. The proponents of this meditation technique say that if continued long enough, the mind eventually gets tired and stops jumping around. This requires the meditator to remain un-identified with whatever thoughts/feelings/sensations that the mind conjures up - which in itself is quite difficult as anyone who has tried self-remembering knows. But the bigger issue is what happens after the mind does quieten down? I think the C's gave an analogy that after you sweep a room clean, if you do not put stuff in it by yourself, someone else will. And given the state of our reality, whatever is going to be put back by default is not very likely to aid objectivity.

Are you familiar with the EE-Breathing Program ? This is the meditation technique with seed that is practised by forum members and has produced great results. If interested, you could give it a try and see how it goes. If you have tried the meditation without seed method before, you may be in a position to compare the results and draw your own conclusions.

 

[luke wilson]

I am new to the EE and I am worried. I have read some of the Posts but I dont know if I am doing it right.

Ok, Laura spoke about the seed, that is focusing on something to stop the chatter in the mind.

Well, I did EE last night and I didnt focus on anything specific except Laura's voice and words but this was more a link to the outside world not a focus point in my mind. My mind was quiet for the most part. There wasnt much chatter especially during the 3 stage Breathing and Baha section. When it came to the meditation part and POTS, there was some thoughts, like they just appear and disappear but for the most part it was still....

This was the 2nd time I did EE. The first time, when the POTS ended and it was just the music, I lost contact with reality and I didnt realise when the EE program ended until minutes later when I finally came round and realised the music wasnt playing anymore. Yesterday I was there all the way and knew when the music ended. Also the first time, during the meditation part, I kept seeing images in my head, like infront of my eyes and flashes of light but last night I noticed it was completely dark but it was a weird sensation like I was travelling really fast into the darkness, like zooming in but zooming in into more darkness as there was no light anywhere.

Can someone please tell me if I am doing it right... What changes should I make to improve?

Thank you in advance. I want to get this EE thing right and spot on.

 

[luke wilson]

I forgot something else.

This didnt happen the 1st time but it happened last night. During the meditation part and POTS, Laura says just breath normally but use your diaphragm but I got kind of lost in that I actually couldnt feel the air and it felt like I was breathing in and out simultaneously... I got abit confused trying to take it to breathing in then out then in. It just felt like it was all happening at the same time. I was breathing through my nose. I had my mouth closed.

To clarify: It felt like the air was moving both in and out of my nose at the same time.

Does anyone know what this was about?

I am sorry for the questions. It's just that I am a novice at this.

 

[James_Taylor]

I am a bit confused by this thread. Does this come from some sort of Gurdjieff group I am unfamiliar with?

In the Gurdjieff work I know of the morning work, pondering, and work with sensations but I had never heard of the work using meditation.

Of course there are at least dozens of neurological studies that find meditation of help for this or that. The question is the relationship to work though.