Meditation
FAQ
Last-modified: 1 Dec 1994
The FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for
alt.meditation is posted at the beginning of each month.
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non-commercial use as long as it is retained unmodified
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concerning the content of this document may be forwarded
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Contents
Charter
Comment on the faq
Internet Resources: FTP and
World-Wide-Web
What is meditation?
How is meditation different from
relaxation, thinking, concentration or self-hypnosis?
What are the different meditation
techniques?
Which is right for me?
What are the abc's of meditation?
Is there any religious
implication or affiliation with meditation?
Does meditation have any ethical
implications?
What is the best time
of day to meditate?
Why do some people use music while
meditating?
Should I meditate with my eyes open or
with my eyes closed?
What are the physiological effects of
meditation?
When I meditate I experience physical
pain in my body. What should I do?
How long should I meditate?
Do I need a teacher?
Charter
The general charter of the group is something like:
General discussion of meditation
alt.meditation is a place for discussion of the various
techniques of meditation and their relation to both
physiological changes associated with practice and the
more subjective ideas regarding self-awareness and
self-understanding.
Comment on the faq
This faq is intended to give a broad overview of the main
points associated with meditation. It is not intended to
be a "book" and does not cover everything in
detail. More detailed discussion is left for the
newsgroup.
Internet Resources: FTP and
World-Wide-Web
FTP - Archives of alt.meditation
Anonymous ftp to: unsite.unc.edu
/pub/academic/medicine/alternative-healthcare/discussion-groups/newsgroups/alt.meditation
FTP - Book Suggestions
Anonymous ftp to: unsite.unc.edu
/pub/academic/medicine/alternative-healthcare/meditation
WWW - General
http://www.protree.com/Spirit/Yoga/Overview.html
What is meditation?
The basic idea generally associated with
why people meditate is that during our day we are
constantly subjected to sensory input and our minds are
always active in the process of thinking. We read the
newspaper, study books, write reports, engage in
conversation, solve problems, etc etc. Typically, as we
do these normal activities we engage in a constant mental
commentary, sort of an inner "The Drama of Me."
Usually people aren't fully aware of all the mental
thought activity that we are constantly engaged in.
Meditation allows all this activity to
settle down, and often results in the mind becoming more
peaceful, calm and focused. In essence, meditation allows
the awareness to become 'rejuvenated'.
Meditation can be considered a
technique, or practice. It usually involves concentrating
on an object, such as a flower, a candle, a sound or
word, or the breath. Over time, the number of random
thoughts occuring diminishes. More importantly, your
attachment to these thoughts, and your identification
with them, progressively become less. The meditator may
get caught up in a thought pattern, but once he/she
becomes aware of this, attention is gently brought back
to the object of concentration. Meditation can also be
objectless, for example consisting of just sitting.
Experiences during meditation probably
vary significantly from one individual to another, or at
least if different techniques are involved. Relaxation,
increased awareness, mental focus and clarity, and a
sense of peace are the most common by-products of
meditation. While much has been written about the
benefits of meditation, the best attitude is not to have
any expectations when practicing. Having a sense of
expectation of (positive) results is likely to create
unnecessary strain in the practice.
As well, since meditation involves
becoming more aware and more sensitive to what is within
you, facing unpleasant parts of oneself may well be part
of meditation. Regardless of the experience, the
meditator should try to be aware of the experience and of
any attachment to it.
Failure to experience silence, peace of
mind, mental clarity, bliss, or other promoted benefit of
meditation is not in itself a sign of incorrect practice
or that one can't concentrate properly or concentrate
enough to be good at meditation. Whether one experiences
peace or bliss is not what is important. What is
generally considered important in meditation is that one
is regular with their meditation -every day- and that one
make a reasonable effort, but not strain, to remain with
the object of concentration during the practice. With
regular practice one inevitably acquires an increased
understanding of and proficiency with the particular
meditation technique.
Some people use the formal concentrative
meditation as a preliminary step to practicing a
mindfulness meditation during the day where one tries to
maintain a calm but increased awareness of one's thoughts
and actions during the day.
For some people, meditation is primarily
a spiritual practice, and in some cases the meditation
practice may be closely tied to the practice of a
religion such as, for example, Hinduism or Buddhism.
How is meditation different from
relaxation, thinking, concentration or self-hypnosis?
Relaxation: Relaxation is a common
by-product of meditation. Relaxation itself can assume
many forms, such as taking a hot bath or reclining in the
Lazy-boy and watching tv, etc. Meditation is an active
process where the meditator remains fully aware of what
the awareness is doing. It also attempts to transcend the
thought process whereas many forms of relaxation still
engage the thought process. Meditation allows the body to
relax and can offset the effects of stress both mentally
and physically to a potentially much greater degree than
passive relaxation.
Thinking: Thoughts generally consume
energy in the process of their formation. Constant
thought-activity, especially of random nature, can tire
the mind and even bring on headache. Meditation attempts
to transcend this crude level of thought activity.
Through regular practice one becomes aware that they are
not their thoughts but that there is an awareness that
exists independent of thought. Descartes ("I think,
therefore I am") obviously was not a regular
meditator!
Concentration: Meditation begins with
concentration, but after an initial period of
concentration, thought activity decreases and keeping the
awareness focused becomes more spontaneous. At this point
the person may or may not continue to employ the object
of concentration.
Self-hypnosis: Self-hypnosis, like
meditation, involves at least an initial period of
concentration on an object. However in hypnosis one does
not try to maintain an awareness of the here-and-now, or
to stay conscious of the process. Instead one essentially
enters a sort of semi-conscious trance.
What are the different meditation
techniques?
Meditation involves concentrating on
something to take our attention beyond the random thought
activity that is usually going on in our heads. This can
involve a solid object or picture, a mantra, breath, or
guided visualization.
Typical objects employed include a
candle flame or a flower. Some people use pictures, such
as a mandala - a highly colored symmetric painting - or a
picture of a spiritual teacher in a high meditative
state. Mantras are sounds which have a flowing,
meditative quality and may be repeated out loud or
inwardly. The breath is also a common focal point.
Finally, guided visualization is also considered by some
to be a form of meditation. A guided visualization can
help to bring one into a meditative state; also,
visualization may be used once a meditative state has
been reached to produce various results.
Which is right for me?
There is no "right" meditation
technique for everybody. Some techniques work better for
certain people while other techniques work better for
other people. The important thing is to find what works
for you.
What are the abc's of meditation?
There are a few recommended guidelines
for meditation:
+ It should be done every day,
preferably at the same time + It should preferably be
done before a meal rather than after a meal
+ A spot should be set aside for meditation, which should
be a quiet place and used for nothing but meditation
+ One should sit with the spine straight and vertical (a
chair is ok to use)
Is there any religious implication or
affiliation with meditation?
Meditation has been and still is a
central practice in eastern religions, for contacting
"God" or one's higher Self. Christianity also
has semblances of meditation, such as the biblical
statement "The kingdom of heaven is within
you". Churches have a meditative atmosphere.
Meditation deals with contacting
something within us that is peaceful, calm, rejuvenating,
and meaningful. Whether one calls this something
"God" or "soul" or "the inner
child" or "theta-wave activity" or
"peace" or "silence" is not
important. It is there and anyone can benefit from it
regardless of what they believe.
Most people in the world have already
meditated. If you have relaxed looking at a beautiful
sunset, allowing your thoughts to quiet down, this is
close to meditation. If you have been reading a book for
awhile, then put it down to take a break and just sat
there quietly and peacefully for a few minutes without
thinking, this is close to meditation.
Does meditation have any ethical
implications?
In many traditions meditation practice
is a means for reinforcing ethical qualities. In these
traditions, calmness of mind, peacefulness and happiness
are possible in meditation and in life generally only if
they are accompanied by the observance of ethical norms
of behaviour.
What is the best time of day to
meditate?
While meditation is beneficial at any
time, most people who meditate agree that early morning
is the best time to meditate. Part of the reason is that
it is said that in early morning the hustle-and-bustle of
the world has not yet begun and so it is easier to
establish a meditative atmosphere. Having an early
morning meditation also lets us carry some of the energy
and peace of the meditation into our daily activities.
Many people also meditate either before
dinner or later in the evening. Others also meditate at
noon. A short meditation at these times allows one to
throw off some of the accumulated stress of the work-day
and become rejuvenated for further activity. An important
consideration is when your schedule will allow you to
meditate. Having a time of the day set aside for
meditation helps in maintaining regularity.
Why do some people use music while
meditating?
Meditative music (not rock-n-roll !) can
help in establishing a meditative atmosphere. Also, some
people find meditation relatively easy but find that the
hard thing is to actually get themselves to sit down and
start their meditation. Music can help make this easier.
Some people use music quite often while others prefer
silent meditation and never use it.
Should I meditate with my eyes open or
with my eyes closed?
Different traditions give different
answers. Closing your eyes may contribute to drowsiness
and sleepiness--if that's the case for you then try
opening them a little. Opening your eyes may be
distracting. If that's the case try closing your eyes or
direct your gaze on a blank wall (Zen-style). Or try with
the eyes open halfway or a bit more, the gaze unfocussed
and directed downward, but keeping the head erect with
the chin slightly tucked in. Sometimes meditators
experience headaches from focussing on a spot too close
to the eyes (perhaps closer than three feet). Whether
focussed or unfocussed, the gaze should be relaxed in
order to prevent eyestrain or headache.
Experiment and see what works for you
and then stick with your choice of technique. If you are
using a candle, flower, or other visual object in your
meditation then here the technique itself requires your
eyes to be at least partly open.
What are the physiological effects of
meditation?
The most common physiological effects of
meditation are reduced blood pressure, lower pulse rate,
decreased metabolic rate and changes in the concentration
of serum levels of various substances.
When I meditate I experience physical
pain in my body. What should I do?
Sensations (itching/aches/pains/etc.)
can arise in the body when meditating for several
reasons. Sometimes the cause is just an uncomfortable
posture--make sure that your posture is comfortable under
normal circumstances. Other times the cause is that
sensations in the body are more noticable in meditation.
The body and mind are calmer and you are able to notice
more details in your bodily experience. It is often
interesting to simply observe these sensations in your
body : to use them as the objects of meditation.
Sometimes these sensations just go away without your
having to move or change your posture. Remember that a
quiet body contributes to a quiet mind.
How long should I meditate?
When first learning meditation it is
usually not possible to meditate for more than 10-15
minutes. After regular practice for awhile, one becomes
able to meditate for longer periods of time. Many people
meditate twice-daily for 20-30 minutes each time, but the
right duration and frequency is for each individual to
decide.
Do I need a teacher?
It is theoretically possible to learn
meditation from a book. However most people who teach and
practice meditation agree that a teacher can be an
invaluable aid in learning a meditation technique and
making sure it is practiced correctly. The beginner will
usually have several questions which a teacher will be
able to answer. Also, learning with a group of people, eg
a meditation class, allows you to experience the benefit
of meditating with a group of people. Most people find
that they have some of their best meditations while
meditating in a group, because there is a collective
energy and focus present.
Various individuals and groups teach
meditation. Some charge and some do not. Many different
techniques are taught, some more spiritual in nature and
others mainly concerned with stress-reduction and gaining
a little peace of mind. As always, the important thing is
finding what works for you.
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