Welcome to Gaia! ::

I'm not sure whether this is the right place to post this thread, is so forgive me, please. 3nodding



Do you meditate? If no, why not? If so how and where? Are there anything that must be done before you do so? And how often do you meditate?




EDIT: I realized that this thread is very similar to the other meditation thread. But it's still a little different... But if you think it's too similar, just delete the thread.

I meditate fairly frequently, though I've been meaning to do so more frequently and more intensely (darn you grad school!). The types/styles of meditation are as follows (in no particular order of frequency or importance):

1) Kundalini Yoga, though primarily as a means of inducing Tranquility as part of other meditation practices or to banish "low" feelings.
2) Dream Yoga; meditating as I fall asleep to encourage lucid dreaming (I've had limited success). I sometimes use the visual meditation techniques discussed in Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche's "Outline of Dream Yoga Practices." Also, reflection on any remembered dreams as a part of practice.
3) Deity Yoga/Self-Generation. I practice this on rare occasions in an amateurish fashion, but the trance-inducing and ego-altering abilities are nonetheless impressive. I probably need formal instruction in this area.
4) My "basic meditation practice," which is a mix of traditional Theravada Vipassana and the Insight-Tranquility meditation practice as in Mahamudra (which is similar to Vipassana but described differently and with a Mahayana emphasis). My only formal form of meditation instruction was brief with a Theravada monk at college, but it helped wonders.
5) Mantra chanting or mental-repetition as an auxiliary practice to control my wandering mind, especially early in meditation.
6) "Miscellaneous" visualization practices to encourage wisdom/insight and maintain concentration during my basic meditation (e.g. visualizing my body parts being transformed into or housing the various realms of 'existence' and feeling for the suffering beings therein).
7) Ecstatic dancing to burn off the excess energy accumulated during meditation or as a means to suppress mental wanderings while generating bliss/pliancy as a form of "dynamic meditation."

How often I meditate and how deeply/involved varies greatly over time, but I meditate a little most days (or nights before I fall asleep).

first of all i mostly chant not meditate but i do meditate every day and chant in the mornings and evnings. (the reason i meditate is because im a shaolin martial artist its part of our daily routine) mrgreen