No, it totally makes sense. Long walks in the woods or long runs are almost like meditation for me, and it is definitely like vacation for the mind.
I just wonder where to get started with actual meditation - I have to admit I find the predominant literature about that topic extremely esoteric, and that's something that easily puts me off.
Any tips what a good starting point would be?
https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Illuminated-Complete-Meditation-...
It's suitable both for beginners and advanced practitioners as it describes the progress of the practice in 10 very clearly described stages.
For those that don't yet have enough motivation, I'd second the Headspace app created by a former Thibetan Buddhist monk. It's really well made and contains a number of different meditation techniques provided in a guided meditation format.
Still, I'd switch to the Culadasa book and unassisted practice as soon as you start grasping the benefits you're getting from meditation and your motivation increases.
I know some people don't like how much Andy speaks during the sessions, but I liked it a lot. It also helps with that "am I doing this right? Should I scratch that itch? What should I think about? Or not think about?" feeling that comes up, because he addresses those feelings a lot.
However, with all the good ratings here and elsewhere and wanting to start meditating I think i'll give it a try
As for the esoteric literature, there is a wide spectrum of quality, and some things are better understood after you practice for a while - then it all makes sense. It's like trying to read code when you don't know nothing about programming yet. It's esoteric. Hell even today some code is esoteric :)
Especially if you work in a monadstery ;)
Thanks for the suggestions!
He's also written a whole book about this topic, called "Waking Up: a Guide to Spirituality Without Religion", which I think might be of interest to you.
You might be interested in the book '10% Happier' by Dan Harris (https://www.amazon.com/10-Happier-Self-Help-Actually-Works/d...)
The Appendix lists the basic instructions for learning to meditate. The book is a fun read, the journey of a skeptic into the world of meditation.
Currently the 'Look Inside' link on Amazon lets you read most of the Appendix.
I'd argue that meditation is more about approach and frame of mind than activity -- and there certainly are moving forms of meditation. There's also just a lot of kinds of meditation, from a lot of widely different traditions, so you're not going to find unified literature. (There's also a few major world religions that feature meditation as a component, so you'll find a lot of the literature tied up with that worldview, as well.)
That's what prompts my question above: if you don't have some goal or idea in mind, it's sort of hard to direct you to particular resources.
The place I suggest starting for everyone is find somewhere in your life that you're meditating without knowing it, and try to do that somewhere else. Sports, crafts, etc. Can you intentionally make an activity feel like a long walk in the woods or a good run? like losing yourself in being focused on a hobby?
...can you feel that when just sitting there?
At some level, that's all meditation really is.
Of course, I think you should consider the concept that insisting meditation is sitting there doing nothing is making meditation about a specific action you undertake, rather than nothing, thus defeating the purpose of meditation in your own framework. And if you're okay with meditation being about one form of action -- sitting there -- why is it not okay for it to be about other forms of action?
I feel that your view is not internally consistent.
Yea I'm making this up. I'm enthusiastic about it, my username even reflects that I meditate ;)
..
Introductory Level
Witty, scientific book: Search Inside Yourself - Chade-meng Tan (he used to be a software engineer, now he's trying to set up the conditions for world peace)
Take any MBCT, MBSR or 5-week or 8-week mindfulness course
..
Beginner Level
Retreat practice: dhamma.org (10 days, 10 hours per day, 9 days total silence, donation based)
Sciencedaily.com: type in meditation
Also check out: Harvard Positive Psychology from Tal-Ben Shahar his lectures on meditation
..
Intermediate Level
Take a course on Buddhism from a theologician with a background in science or philosophy. In The Netherlands this is at the VU University Amsterdam.
Do 2 hours of meditation per day, including mini retreats in the weekend
..
Advanced Level
Choose your own adventure:
A. Travel to monestaries and learn whatever you can.
B. Become a monk at one monestary.
..
The levels are arbitraty by the way, felt more fun writing that way ;) I'm a Beginner/intermediate.
To all meditators: Let's have a chat :)
I did a vipassana course after a similar suggestion. In me it triggered a full blown manic-psychotic (bipolar) episode. There had been no history of this in my family (or myself) before that point.
If you're interested, I made a bunch of podcasts detailing what it was like to be manic -> depressed -> better here: [0]
While I'm not saying it's necessarily bad advice, I suggest that anyone contemplating a 10 day silent retreat has prepared by doing a _lot_ of meditation before hand and to be aware that there can be consequences.
Meditation is like exercise, actually it is mental exercise. (Mental) injuries can happen, just like any other form of (mental) exercise. It is indeed an issue that there's less awareness about it compared to physical injuries with physical exercise.
Also, when you do the beginner level, you do need to have done the introductory level. This means that you at least have meditated for half an hour per day, for 5 weeks at a minimum. That's what those derivatives of MBCT and MBSR tell you to do.
However! where I did it (in New Zealand) vipassana specifically started you at the 10 day course (or did 8 years ago), there was no option to do a shorter one. Or if there was, they certainly didn't stop you jumping straight into a 10 day.
For me, Shambhala Buddhism really resonated. Skepticism is encouraged, and the brilliance of those thousands of years of wisdom is a great support along the path.
Have you found many other people who experienced similar symptoms stemming from self-reflection triggers?
And that blog is buried on Google, so I'm sure there are more people who are having issues.
Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proselytize
1) They are not enthusiastic about religion. 2) They are already members of another religion and do not wish to convert, particularly if said religion is not very positive about Buddhism.
For any readers in those two camps: meditation and religion are often linked, but do not need to be. There are plenty of secular guides and practices too, and if you are religiously inclined, there are also likely to be guides on combining your religious beliefs with best-practice meditation.
My apologies for scaring people with the overtones being interpreted as religious. It wasn't my intention.
But I have to admit, Zazen (the Zen form of meditation) is challenging. It's different from what one usually thinks about meditating.
Well, that's mighty compassionate of you.
> (As an aside, it has nothing at all to do with "strange religions", vegans, or yoga pants.)
What? While the strange religions are your loss (boring religions are for boring people, why settle for less?)
.. honestly there's no way you can justify dumping on vegans, or I'd like to see you try.
I'm not a vegan but damn if I don't respect the hell out of them for doing the right thing despite the deliciousness of cheese.
That said, yoga pants are a indeed blight on humanity. But then, about 23% of all strange religions consider them sinful.
In broad terms, the mind slowly gets remold in a very beneficial way. It's a bit like standing in a huge, noisy crowd where you couldn't make sense of much things because everything's moving, but with such training you slowly gain some distance, like you step back and you see the crowd from slightly above/afar (while still being present) and can notice the general movement as well as (increasingly with time) details, which somehow builds a feedback loop that makes you grow calmer. Everything then trickles down from that.
That is not to say that I don't feel like meditation works, but more to say that there seems to be a big change after a longer regular period of meditation, but then further improvements seems to slow down. But I can way more easily get into a relaxed state and calm my mind than I could before doing any meditation. I just don't do it as regularly anymore as I find the further incremental improvements to my everyday life to be smaller.
I rarely talk about meditation in professional circles because, for one, people think it's weird or have a preconceived notion of what it is, but more so it's so damn effective that it's seriously my secret weapon in life and part of my competitive edge. (As an aside, it has nothing at all to do with "strange religions", vegans, or yoga pants.)
Start slow, 10 minutes a day for a week, then add 5 for the next week, and so on, and don't rush. Take it seriously and don't disrespect it. I simply cannot recommend it enough.