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I tend to think about meditation as concentrating the mind. Often times one uses a concentrated mind to analyze one's self, or the nature of reality, or to reflect upon kindness.

To reach this state, methods often quiet the mind first. Usually, quieting the mind and concentrating the mind happen at the same time. Some people think that meditating is having no thoughts at all, but I'm not sure if that's very true. I mean, if it is, then that means our sleep is like meditation, but it's not very useful meditation.

If you can quiet the mind, I think you have to use it to do something productive. Otherwise it's just ... nothing.


Well, more than one person can certainly meditate in a room. It's very common to see to see meditation groups in the West. But, of course, only you can meditate for yourself. Meditating with another person or in a group can be very beneficial because you have some kind of support there if you need it.

It's especially helpful if you're doing a meditation practice that involves a mantra.

The clarity of mind.

Or at the very least, watching where the mind goes for a bit, and attempting to achieve a clarity of sorts. More often than not, my meditations are this one. sweatdrop Ah well. 4laugh

As for where and who to meditate with? I don't see why one can't meditate anywhere and with anyone - it's a personal thing, but it can be done with others. Heck, my husband taught me how and still meditates with me. 3nodding I've meditated while walking at the mall before, too - it can be done anywhere, like I said - but it takes more concentration sometimes. It's hard to walk and meditate at a mall. Monkey mind latches on to so many shiny things... xd

I usually think of meditating in your bed, or while listening to music is "wrong" meditation - but I know that such a thought is not completely correct, so you can take it how you will.

The reason being that if you're in your bed, you tend to fall asleep, or you want to fall asleep, or you become drowsy. In any case, you're not meditating.

As for music - if you're meditating while listening to music, then you're not really meditating. You're just giving yourself some sense-pleasure, which isn't really meditative.

That's not wrong, no. I would even try ditching the candle some time and just try vipassana - focusing on the breath itself. I find this to be beneficial because you can't always have a candle with you, and so if you've developed some reliance upon the breath you can meditate anywhere.

Then, when you reach a meditative state, you can turn that penetrating insight on to dharma topics such as the nature of interdependent origination, or the altruistic attitude, or some other topic. You can realize some very interesting things this way. biggrin

I teach meditation classes at a private college in Michigan, and I have a lot of background and experience dealing with various meditation methods.

It can be shared with a group, but the instructor generally should meditate an hour before he/she teaches the class, as the instructor must direct and teach the class rather than partake in the meditations. Deep meditations, however, should be kept to private sessions where there are less than 5 students (participants). I prefer 3 at the most, personally. Chi-healing meditations are generally kept to only 2 people, as concentration on both participants must be kept with an iron focus. Reiki meditations and other various meditations are kept to a group of 6 or some other even number, so everyone has a partner to work with and to help them focus beyond the simplistic illusions that the world has pushed into their awarenesses.

When I say my mantras, I like to be alone. While I don't mind welcoming other people to chant with me, I see my time alone as a time to reflect and to work on myself.