FOR ANYONE WHO MEDITATES

[RastaKaze]

I'm afraid my hindrances in meditation are due to being high, should I try to not smoke a few hours before meditation to clear my mind up? I heard having impurities in the body can disturb your ability to connect with your inner entity.. is this true?

[Make it Hempen]

For me, weed makes my meditations very vivid and it helps me focus.

But actually, my most intense meditation experiences and beautiful connections with myself have been without the outside influences of substances. Buddha discourages mind-altering substances, but i think if you're serious about meditation, staying off the bud a while before meditating would probably be a good idea.

Good luck!

Namasté- Kate

[beachguy in thongs]

The discovery of Cannabinoids and Melatonin proves you can get in touch with every part of your inner-self, through Herb. Just think of you're high as a your friend, not a hinderance. It gives you the third-person perspective that allows you to relate to yourself.

[GanjaASD847]

weed or no weed; i can still meditate.

how long have you been meditating? If you've just started, I was advise taking it slow. Trying meditating for 10 mins. twice a day. Once in the morning and once at night. Then, when you feel like you have some focus bump up the time!!

Maybe you need trying focus on a thought or repeat a word over and over to gain focus!! :thumbsup: :rasta:

I don't know if I helped, but I am here to answers any questions!! :D

[mrdevious]

Weed isn't really productive to meditation, though it may give you the illusion that it is. all in all, it can (potentially) help you focus and relax, but you'll never gain a state of clarity and deep meditation that can be accomplished without.

[Stoner Shadow Wolf]

Weed isn't really productive to meditation, though it may give you the illusion that it is. all in all, it can (potentially) help you focus and relax, but you'll never gain a state of clarity and deep meditation that can be accomplished without.
how do you come to this conclusion?

[Aristotle]

Aren't meditations what the foreign religions actually use salvia for? Give it a try!

[RastaKaze]

I figured you couldn't really get deep into a medatative state stoned... anyway salvia's not really for me (tried it once recreationaly, had a bad out of body trip). I think I'll just have to cut down my smoking to the weekends to keep a clear mind during the week. See, it's not getting into the medatative state or picking an affirmation or even feeling the affirmation that's troubling me. It just seems I can only concentrate fully on affirmations that are short (i.e.: "peace") but when I try to complicate it I have a hard time feeling the words as a group. Instead I find myself reading the words in short bursts as to understand a little at a time. I'll stay sober for a day or two, then post any changes in the quality of my meditation.. Thanks for all the suggestions!!

Peace
RastaKaze

[opiuser]

meditation is good without bud... it gives me a natural high.

but with cannabis, i can meditate much better. it gives me enough focus and clarity, and it opens me up so much. I've had several out of body experiences while meditating stond. but not while sober

[GanjaASD847]

meditation is good without bud... it gives me a natural high.

but with cannabis, i can meditate much better. it gives me enough focus and clarity, and it opens me up so much. I've had several out of body experiences while meditating stond. but not while sober

True, you don't need to smoke to meditate. You get such a natural high when your done. It's like. Ahhhhhhhh........... :thumbsup:

[mrdevious]

how do you come to this conclusion?

Experience.

it may feel like you're all clear and focused and calm and the such, but drugs of any sort only force a particular state of mind, they don't allow for the real state of mind that is intended to be accomplished from meditation. I'm not saying you can't smoke and meditate, I'm just saying you're not going to develope your mind in the intended way.

[Polymirize]

I dunno. Personally speaking from my own experience I've always seen the goal of meditation to become more aware of my body, and then spread the awareness out from there. Multiple schools of thought on this, some think it has to go the other way. But regardless, the actual state of my body doesn't tend to matter so much, whether its altered or not. Meditation has physical effects, but it's not a physical process.

[Stoner Shadow Wolf]

I dunno. Personally speaking from my own experience I've always seen the goal of meditation to become more aware of my body, and then spread the awareness out from there. Multiple schools of thought on this, some think it has to go the other way. But regardless, the actual state of my body doesn't tend to matter so much, whether its altered or not. Meditation has physical effects, but it's not a physical process.exactly!!!


drugs only alter a WEAK mind.


drugs alter the BODY and how it FEELS. if you permit this FEELING to alter your mind, then DUH, you arent fit for meditation on the level which you speak of, MrDevious.

i look to drugs as a challenge to improve my mind rather than as something of an impassible canyon.

[mrdevious]

exactly!!!


drugs only alter a WEAK mind.


drugs alter the BODY and how it FEELS. if you permit this FEELING to alter your mind, then DUH, you arent fit for meditation on the level which you speak of, MrDevious.

i look to drugs as a challenge to improve my mind rather than as something of an impassible canyon.

are you actually trying to tell me drugs don't alter the thought process? wow...

[mightymarijuanabuds]

buddha discourages desire for all material things /pleasures... this includes cannabis

there are MANY schools of thought on meditation, some include ganja as a part of meditation and some discourage it.. .others leave no mention of it

it is highly dependent on the individual if you ask me.. i have had many problems meditating while high... as i progressed and incorporated different types of meditation, i found that meditating while high became easier and easier

i think that for simple sitting meditation, ganja hinders more than it helps, it makes it very difficult to 'turn off' your mind and get rid of all those thoughts that we are trying to keep out of our heads while meditating if you're just sitting there being stoned

on the other hand, i have found ganja to be very helpful in any form of moving meditation, where you are achieving the same state of mind by focusing on a task / body movement / balance... although i have found moving meditations best for me also... it is much easier for me to let go of the ego and simply focus on the mind /body connection while moving the body to help develop that awareness... yoga, tai chi, even slackline :D ropeless climbing is also in this category, but very dangerous and usually only attempted by the "severely enlightened" few who are crazy enough to risk death

i would never suggest anyone to partake in a dangerous activity, but i have, and i will say one thing for it, when life is on the line that state of mind is fairly easy to achieve, yet nearly impossible to maintain

im ranting again... ohyea, ganja and meditation, dependent on the individual.. i think that people who are experienced and ready for it can benefit from ganja in thier meditation once in a while, but if your just beginning to meditate it probably will hinder your progress more than anything

[mightymarijuanabuds]

in all my ranting i forgot my main point... see what bing stoned does to ya :P lol

the 'natural high' of meditation is literally just that... during meditation / spiritual exercise, your brain produces a bliss chemical called anandamide(s), which act on a very specific set of receptors

cannabis and chocolate are the only external stimuli containing compounds which act on these same receptors

theoretically then, one could argue for either side of this issue with ganja in meditation.. cannabinoids either aid in the process because they use the same receptors, or interfere with the process for the exact same reason

i stick my by original statement that it is a little more complex than just good/bad, but it isn't for everybody, and in my opinion should not be an integral part of daily meditation, but can aid in the process

[RastaKaze]

Ok heres the deal. Stopped smoking buds for about 4 days, and just got finished meditating. It was so intensely amazing.. and contrary to my thoughts salvia actually helped my meditation amazingly so. I didn't smoke it this time, instead I soaked the leaves for about 10 minutes and rolled them up, holding them under my tounge for 10-15 minutes. Supposedly this is a modernized version of how the mazatecs ingested the salvia divinorum or Sage of The Diviners as they called it. Holy shit did it work. Everything became so clear and I was realizing things about myself and my life I had never come to see before using Salvia in meditation. I think everyone should try it, I am truly inspired by the effects. What's even more amazing is, I didn't feel at all hung over or burnt out after coming out of what I considered to be a 'deep trance' state. It's really amazing.. I had been meditating for 4 hours before I realized how late it was getting. I am seriously amazed and am gonna fight like hell if they try to outlaw it in america.. give it a try, anyone who was having trouble focusing during meditation... It helped me. Also, for those who are under the impression that Salvia is some kindof party drug.. I advise you to back off. It it really serious stuff and should only be used in the desire to better know yourself and the world around you. Here's the REAL DEAL about salvia:

Salvia divinorum is an extraordinary visionary herb. It is not a recreational drug. It produces a profoundly introspective state of awareness that is useful for meditation, contemplation, and self-reflection. Its effects are unique and cannot be compared with the effects of other drugs. The effects of Salvia do not appeal to many people (young or old). The people who are most drawn to it are both mature and philosophically minded. Beware of inaccurate information. There are many unethical vendors who try to lure naive customers by portraying the effects of Salvia as more appealing than they are. The news media often sensationalizes stories about Salvia, exaggerating its effects, risks, and popularity. Much of what has appeared in the popular press is inaccurate and misleading. Salvia is not "legal pot." It is not "legal acid." It is not a substitute for any other drug. Before trying Salvia, it is important that you know about its effects, appropriate uses, and the potential risks associated with irresponsible use.

Peace and Love
Rasta :rasta:

[opiuser]

i would never suggest anyone to partake in a dangerous activity, but i have, and i will say one thing for it, when life is on the line that state of mind is fairly easy to achieve, yet nearly impossible to maintain



dangerous activity is great for opening your mind...

One time i sat on the hood of my friends car while driving down the road. Nothing but a rush at first (i was holding on to the wipers for stability).

but after i let go, i was thrown into a deep meditative trance, and i felt soo free. i saw myself as a bird, and felt that it was one of my past lives

[Polymirize]

on the other hand, i have found ganja to be very helpful in any form of moving meditation, where you are achieving the same state of mind by focusing on a task / body movement / balance... although i have found moving meditations best for me also... it is much easier for me to let go of the ego and simply focus on the mind /body connection while moving the body to help develop that awareness... yoga, tai chi, even slackline :D ropeless climbing is also in this category, but very dangerous and usually only attempted by the "severely enlightened" few who are crazy enough to risk death


I really appreciate your perspective. I've always done martial arts and other practices such as bouldering, surfing, whitewater kayaking. Its amazing how some people don't understand the validity of these activities as forms of meditation. Meditating in a seated and static position has its benefits. But when you can flow, and just meditate when you move, you can simply meditate all the time.
Great post

:thumbsup:

[Polymirize]

are you actually trying to tell me drugs don't alter the thought process? wow...

From my perspective at least, we can say that drugs alter the body. Which creates differences in our perceptions and thoughts in so much as our mental processes are directly the result of physical processes in the body. I won't deny that this is a powerful effect. But I don't think the mind reduces to simply the physical processes. Whether you want to call it the soul, the spirit, the mind, chi, ki, prana, the force, semantics... I have an intuition at least that there is more than just the physical at work. Meditation (for me at least) deals directly with this part, rather than the physical.

So when the physical is altered, sometimes the distinction makes it even easier to focus on that "other part". Why do you think mushrooms and LSD can grant such "spirtual/divine/profound" experiences?

[mrdevious]

From my perspective at least, we can say that drugs alter the body. Which creates differences in our perceptions and thoughts in so much as our mental processes are directly the result of physical processes in the body. I won't deny that this is a powerful effect. But I don't think the mind reduces to simply the physical processes. Whether you want to call it the soul, the spirit, the mind, chi, ki, prana, the force, semantics... I have an intuition at least that there is more than just the physical at work. Meditation (for me at least) deals directly with this part, rather than the physical.

So when the physical is altered, sometimes the distinction makes it even easier to focus on that "other part". Why do you think mushrooms and LSD can grant such "spirtual/divine/profound" experiences?

I think it's more than physical properties too. but I'm looking at it from this perspective.... would a person try to attain a deep level of meditation if they were extremely angry? what about really horny, or grief stricken after seeing a loved one die? of course you wouldn't try to meditate in these states, and these states are created by chemicals in the brain. generally buddhists reject meditating under the influence of drugs because whether it be pot, shrooms, or just powerfull emotions, chemicals cloud the mind and distract it from seeing the true self.

now I"m not saying anybody should write off drug induced meditation all-together, but I am speaking from a buddhist point-of-view (buddha could be considered the ultimate meditator after all), and in buddhist philosophy it is said that the attainment of enlightenment starts with the extinction of "self" (note, this is a rather complex but well explained concept - the extinction of "self" does not mean the extinction of your existence). in order to see the true self, one must liberate him/herself from chemical influences, emotional or otherwise. in attaining this goal, the pure and untainted self is all that remains, unobstructed by drives, conditioning, and emotions that we fool ourselves into believing is the true us.

(note: to clarify this whole "self" issue, which is a big point of confusion for a lot of people, we actually need another word for "self" as in the delusion, and "self" as in the true essence of our being)

[CocaCola]

So Mushroom meditation is different from sober clear minded meditation is what you're saying. True.

Absoulutly true... but meditation on shrooms or acid or something is still useful, IMO. So I wouldn't completly disregard that...

[mrdevious]

Why do you think mushrooms and LSD can grant such "spirtual/divine/profound" experiences?


oh, sorry I forgot to respond to that part.

actually, I totally agree these substances can grant such devine experiences. my recent one and only mushroom trip changed me for the better and was truely remarkable. I simply believe that these provide a spiritual experience in their own, but not the same experience granted by meditation. meditation under such influence is more a means of exploring the effects of the substance-induced experience itself.

EDIT: I see I posted a response to your inquiry the same time your wrote it cocacola, maybe I'm psychic ;)

[CocaCola]

Too many things like that have happened to me for me to believe ANYTHING is a coincidence... We are connected, you and I. And everyone else as well.

[mrdevious]

Too many things like that have happened to me for me to believe ANYTHING is a coincidence... We are connected, you and I. And everyone else as well.

a force bond perhapse, a rare event that happens between master and apprentice.... oh damnit I forgot to say it with the obiwan accent.....

(doesn't matter anyway, i took that from Knights Of The Old Republic. that's right, I'm a big nerd :D )

[Polymirize]

I know we're having the slightest of clashes here on this issue. Apparently you're a buddhist. I'm much more of a taoist myself. I don't hold to the truth that all of life is suffering. but meditation being more than just a buddhist phenomena, we can't really point to buddha as the best meditator can we? the best buddhist perhaps, but not the best meditator by necessity.

So let's talk about actual practical use. I've heard people describe the meditative state as something seperate life. For the taoist its more like becoming closer to life. Maybe just in that the focus is on all of life and not just the illusion of our seperation (self). I dunno, mostly I consider buddhism and taoism as two expressions of the same thing, like up and down. I just like the flavor of one over the other, but I may have just mis-stated buddhism, so correct me if I've misrepresented you.

Oh right, so anyway, whether the "self" is altered or not, meditation can still occur. You do realise that you can hold to and be aware of the meditative state all the time don't you? Maybe not as strongly as when one truly focuses, but definately aware. If you were aware of the lack of seperations what would you have to be angry about to start with?

A trip can be like living a lifetime in an hour. Some people don't know how to focus right, and create a nightmare for themselves. But other people can focus on something else, and can create amazing experiences.

I'll leave you with a quote from Terrence McKenna

"'You don't see any contradiction in being a Buddhist
and exploring psychedelics? No, I would almost say,
"how can you be a serious Buddhist if you're not
exploring psychedelics?" Then you're sort of an
armchair Buddhist, a Buddhist from theory. a Buddhist
from practice, but it's sort of training wheels
practice. I mean, the real thing is, take the old boat
out and give it a spin.'"

[RastaKaze]

I know we're having the slightest of clashes here on this issue. Apparently you're a buddhist. I'm much more of a taoist myself. I don't hold to the truth that all of life is suffering. but meditation being more than just a buddhist phenomena, we can't really point to buddha as the best meditator can we? the best buddhist perhaps, but not the best meditator by necessity.

So let's talk about actual practical use. I've heard people describe the meditative state as something seperate life. For the taoist its more like becoming closer to life. Maybe just in that the focus is on all of life and not just the illusion of our seperation (self). I dunno, mostly I consider buddhism and taoism as two expressions of the same thing, like up and down. I just like the flavor of one over the other, but I may have just mis-stated buddhism, so correct me if I've misrepresented you.

Oh right, so anyway, whether the "self" is altered or not, meditation can still occur. You do realise that you can hold to and be aware of the meditative state all the time don't you? Maybe not as strongly as when one truly focuses, but definately aware. If you were aware of the lack of seperations what would you have to be angry about to start with?

A trip can be like living a lifetime in an hour. Some people don't know how to focus right, and create a nightmare for themselves. But other people can focus on something else, and can create amazing experiences.

I'll leave you with a quote from Terrence McKenna

"'You don't see any contradiction in being a Buddhist
and exploring psychedelics? No, I would almost say,
"how can you be a serious Buddhist if you're not
exploring psychedelics?" Then you're sort of an
armchair Buddhist, a Buddhist from theory. a Buddhist
from practice, but it's sort of training wheels
practice. I mean, the real thing is, take the old boat
out and give it a spin.'"

I wasn't clear, sorry, but I don't chew enough salvia to trip. But chewing a quid makes my physical self extremely relaxed, yet my mental self aware and focused. Last night, though, I did "auto talk" or something.. really wierd. I recorded my salvia induced session and for some reason every few minutes or so on the tape I said some really self revealing things, things that I had never taken into account before. Things that overall helped me. (and things that I didn't remember saying at all) Everything was so clear, I ended up apologizing to several people that I felt deseved one, and now I just value life in a completely different way. Unlike before, I want to be on good terms with everyone, at all times.. should anything happen to them or me. Life is precious :)

Peace

[Stoner Shadow Wolf]

are you actually trying to tell me drugs don't alter the thought process? wow...they change the way your physical brain feels, and as such, might alter the method which your brain sends thought to the mind, but ultimately, you still observe thought the same way no matter how impaired you are.


thought observation comes in only two fassions: observe thought, or dont.

the "altered throught process" is self inflicted, as a result of the physical feel of the drug, you might think you are thinking differently.

there is only one way to think; observe thought. drugs dont change this thought observation. thoughts and the observing thereof are completely metaphysical in nature, so no amount of any drug will ever change thought process, just the thoughts you decide weather or not to observe.

[mrdevious]

I don't hold to the truth that all of life is suffering.

To clarify, buddhist thought isn't that all life is suffering. it's more that the defining characteristic of life is suffering, in it's natural state, and it proposes a means of freeing ones self of that suffering.




but meditation being more than just a buddhist phenomena, we can't really point to buddha as the best meditator can we? the best buddhist perhaps, but not the best meditator by necessity.

actually yes, i did mean that, that buddha would be the best meditator in the buddhist tradition, but I guess I didn't word that very well.


I've heard people describe the meditative state as something seperate life. For the taoist its more like becoming closer to life.

hmmmm, this is interesting because I actually consider meditation as your desribe it in the taoist sense. maybe this is why (at least partially) why china largely combined taoist and buddhist thought. I actually admire and revere taoism very much in its philosophy, I just found more personal meaning in buddhism. as you said, it's the "flavour" that appeals to me as well. plus, I've never been big into the multiple gods and dieties that taoism has, but the philosophy on living itself is excellent.



Maybe just in that the focus is on all of life and not just the illusion of our seperation (self).

actually, while buddhism puts a lot of emphasis on the self, we still believe in the understanding of and compassion for all life very much. the point of buddhist practice is to remove all illusion so as to be in perfect harmony with all life and existence. hence why killing is prohibited whether it be a human being, or a worm. A true buddhist indeed strives to understand and be one with nature.



I dunno, mostly I consider buddhism and taoism as two expressions of the same thing

the more I think of it, the more I agree with this. like two different (and in some cases very similar) approaches to the same goal. actually many times in history buddhist and toaist philosophers have congregated in huge philosophical discussions to give each other more understanding.


Oh right, so anyway, whether the "self" is altered or not, meditation can still occur. You do realise that you can hold to and be aware of the meditative state all the time don't you?

absolutely, the extinction of "self" is not the extinction of consciousness, buddhism places a huge emphasis on awareness. we're encouraged to maintain awareness of our surroundings, situation, and current state of mind at all times, rather than being constantly lost in distracting scattered thoughts as most people do.




A trip can be like living a lifetime in an hour. Some people don't know how to focus right, and create a nightmare for themselves. But other people can focus on something else, and can create amazing experiences.

that it can. The mushroom trip I had was an amazing spiritual experience that made me and my best friend both finally clearly figure things out in our lives. I really believe in exploring consciouesness in all sorts of ways, I just don't like the idea of psychadelics being the only way, because then it becomes a lazy mans way of conscious exploration without training the mind in it's natural state.

[mightymarijuanabuds]

personally, im a fan of all schools of thought in some form or another and try to incorporate all the bits that i find useful

yes, im one of the extremely nerdy enough to call ourselves 'jedi' (there are several 'jedi temples' just do a google, and you will find many of the articles written there have a base in a variety of different schools)

for example, i completely agree with the buddhist philosophy of drugs /emotions clouding our sight from the true self, on the other hand, i believe that certain natural substances like the herb, salvia, mushrooms, all can have very beneficial effects on meditation as a whole... after i did mushrooms a couple times, my meditation became much more profound, without any substances, and without attempting actual 'meditation' during the mushroom experience

[Polymirize]

for example, i completely agree with the buddhist philosophy of drugs /emotions clouding our sight from the true self, on the other hand, i believe that certain natural substances like the herb, salvia, mushrooms, all can have very beneficial effects on meditation as a whole... after i did mushrooms a couple times, my meditation became much more profound, without any substances, and without attempting actual 'meditation' during the mushroom experience

Perfect, since we all seem to be discussing almost exactly the same thing anyways, let me say this:

I fully agree with you about drugs as beneficial to meditation. Even "sober" meditation gains something from the mind opening they can provide.

The use of drugs clouds our ability to see our true self only as much as we identify that true self with the body in which the chemical changes brought about by drugs take place...

Whether illusion, or altered illusion... still illusion.


ps~ Jedi's rule :thumbsup:

[mightymarijuanabuds]

yes, but i always thought that one of the major points of meditation was cultivation of the mind / body connection, which is dependent on the bodies that we inhabit, regardless of whether or not our current bodies relate to 'true self' at all, part of meditation is becoming one with this shell in which we currently reside... so, in my eyes at least, 'true self' may have nothing to do with our physical body, but it holds an important connection to the body

and its for that reason that i do not think that any substance should be made an integral part of meditation, no matter how much it can aid in the process

ps- thanks :smokin:

[Polymirize]

i do not think that any substance should be made an integral part of meditation, no matter how much it can aid in the process


I agree. I'd say drugs are like a way of checking process rather than a way to progress themselves. But I'm the first to admit that that's merely my interpretation of a different issue rather than whether drugs help/hinder meditation.

And I'm not sure what you mean by cultivate the mind/body connection. I'd certainly say gained awareness of it but, I don't think that's how your using cultivate. clarify?

[mightymarijuanabuds]

well we all have awareness of the mind/body connection on some level

key words.. on some level

some can argue that performing a controlled movement of the body demonstrates awareness of the mind / body connection, and they woudln't be wrong. a mastery of this connection, however, requires much more.

take Qi (chi, ki, prana, life force, whatever you wanna call it), it is unclear whether qi is a part of the body, mind, or a seperate entity on its own. through careful cultivation (or development.. insert synonym here) of that mind / body connection or awareness and control of qi there have been several documented occasions in which martial arts masters have been able to perform incredible acts through the control of qi... for example i have been knocked back on my ass by a sifu who simply flicked me with his index fingers... i have seen a sifu who was able to bring so much qi to the palms of his hand that it was better than any heating pad i have ever felt, it would have been painfully hot if my muscle wasn't already in pain :D.. .this would be awareness of the mind /body connection on a different level. there are legends of healing masters who could perform miraculous healings through their mastery of qi by using a single acupuncture needle to direct and remove evil qi, without even piercing the skin of the patient. again, another level completely :p

to put it quite simply and on a much smaller scale, somebody who has a great ability at something requiring concentration and great body control, like slackline or martial arts, is going to be on a different level than somebody who, say, spends most of thier time sitting there watching tv or something as far as the mind/ body connection is concerned

does that make a little more sense?

[Stoner Shadow Wolf]

well we all have awareness of the mind/body connection on some level

key words.. on some level

some can argue that performing a controlled movement of the body demonstrates awareness of the mind / body connection, and they woudln't be wrong. a mastery of this connection, however, requires much more.

take Qi (chi, ki, prana, life force, whatever you wanna call it), it is unclear whether qi is a part of the body, mind, or a seperate entity on its own. through careful cultivation (or development.. insert synonym here) of that mind / body connection or awareness and control of qi there have been several documented occasions in which martial arts masters have been able to perform incredible acts through the control of qi... for example i have been knocked back on my ass by a sifu who simply flicked me with his index fingers... i have seen a sifu who was able to bring so much qi to the palms of his hand that it was better than any heating pad i have ever felt, it would have been painfully hot if my muscle wasn't already in pain :D.. .this would be awareness of the mind /body connection on a different level. there are legends of healing masters who could perform miraculous healings through their mastery of qi by using a single acupuncture needle to direct and remove evil qi, without even piercing the skin of the patient. again, another level completely :p

to put it quite simply and on a much smaller scale, somebody who has a great ability at something requiring concentration and great body control, like slackline or martial arts, is going to be on a different level than somebody who, say, spends most of thier time sitting there watching tv or something as far as the mind/ body connection is concerned

does that make a little more sense?i must learn, is there anything you, yourself can give me to go on?

[mightymarijuanabuds]

probably :D

im not sure i understand what you're asking... can ya be a little more specific SSW?

[Stoner Shadow Wolf]

chi/qi/ki/Kundalini.

how to increase my awareness of it, and how to focus the energies.

[mightymarijuanabuds]

take up tai chi/kung fu/ yoga

meditation helps.. moving meditation is better in my opinion.. .breathing exercise.. things like that... you will find like if you are in a mildly stressful yoga pose for a long time and breathing properly you can focus on a point in your body where it is stressful as you breath and sort of 'breath into' that spot, it will make the pose more comfortable. there are several exercises in kung fu / tai chi that involve directing qi to a certain point in the body

it isn't really something that can be explained in a board entry... its a very long learning process.. but here is one of the most simple warm ups from kung fu

stand straight up, feet together, practice proper belly breathing thru the whole exercise... place your hands in front of you, palms facing the ground, thumbs facing you, arms extended... now as you breath in, lift your hands, keeping palms facing the ground, and lower them on the exhale.. .repeat 10x.. switch so your arms are fully extended above you, palms facing the sky, lower on the inhale, extend on the exhale. repeat 10x... then do the same with one hand up and one hand down 10x, switch which is up/down and repeat again... of course any martial arts can only really be experienced with hands on instruction

[Haz]

I love meditation. It's a great way to achieve the "vertical" plane (as Carl Jung likes to put it), but it is also a much more difficult way of achieving that higher state of consciousness. Drugs are essentially the easy way out, but when you do reach that higher state without them through such practices as meditation, the result is that much more rewarding.

And yeah, Polymirize, I agree with you. I've found drugs, namely hallucinogens, to be a way to "check on yourself". If you find yourself caught up in the repetitive loops of society, perhaps drink some cactus tea and travel out to the woods, where you can view your life from an external perspective in order to reprioritize, so to speak. I remember at the end of one shroom trip I came to the conclusion that drugs are not the truth, nor are they necessarily the key to the truth. Rather, they make the path to the truth clearer to see.

By the way, Poly, I am a fellow Santa Cruzian. :rasta:

[Stoner Shadow Wolf]

take up tai chi/kung fu/ yoga

meditation helps.. moving meditation is better in my opinion.. .breathing exercise.. things like that... you will find like if you are in a mildly stressful yoga pose for a long time and breathing properly you can focus on a point in your body where it is stressful as you breath and sort of 'breath into' that spot, it will make the pose more comfortable. there are several exercises in kung fu / tai chi that involve directing qi to a certain point in the body

it isn't really something that can be explained in a board entry... its a very long learning process.. but here is one of the most simple warm ups from kung fu

stand straight up, feet together, practice proper belly breathing thru the whole exercise... place your hands in front of you, palms facing the ground, thumbs facing you, arms extended... now as you breath in, lift your hands, keeping palms facing the ground, and lower them on the exhale.. .repeat 10x.. switch so your arms are fully extended above you, palms facing the sky, lower on the inhale, extend on the exhale. repeat 10x... then do the same with one hand up and one hand down 10x, switch which is up/down and repeat again... of course any martial arts can only really be experienced with hands on instruction
hmm... proper belly breating?

and i fail to see the first pose... arms stretched out, im assuming elbows not bent... but i just cant make my thumbs face me while my palms face the ground! lol

[mightymarijuanabuds]

yea.. belly breathing ... or how to breath the right way

one ofthe first things anyone should learn... you breath with your diaphragm, like we are supposed to

watch a newborn baby.. or any animal.. you see thier belly rise up when they inhale... why then do we all breath with the top 25% of our chest??

lie down and place one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly... breath so that the hand on your chest does not move at all... but the hand on your belly rises/falls with your breath

as for the other thing thats right arms straight, palms facing the ground, and rotate your arm so that your elbow points away from you, and your thumbs are on the inside, and your fingers are pointing at each other.. your thumbs wont be pointing at you but they will be the closest to you.. .the little fingers should be on the far outside

[Stoner Shadow Wolf]

okay, i assumed there was no mending of the elbows :P


as for bely breathing that is so weird, cuz i remember back when i was like 10, that i NOTICED how when i breathed, my belly went inward, and it didnt make sence to me :D how cool im amazing myself here :D

okay, i gotta stop with the egotistical comments -_-


besides, i dont ALWAYS breathe right, and apparently i havent been doing it as much as i thought, i tried now, and i felt a sort of pain that didnt hurt in my shoulders and somewhereunidentafyable in my chest or stomache area...

[Stoner Shadow Wolf]

wow man that takes a lot of focus! :D i made it three times and realized i was relaxing and starting to slouch... that's difficult, but i can feel the miniscule results already... im going to have to do this daily... AND i know how im gonna toke from now on! :D

[mightymarijuanabuds]

lol

the way we breath has effects on your physiology... practice proper breathing, and you will feel alot better overall

for example, we are supposed to be exhaling a certain amount of co2.. if your exhaled breath does not contain enough co2, it means your lungs are not processing air fully, and over extended periods of time (like decades) it leads to health problems

in one of my classes the prof hooked us up to a machine to see how well we breathed, my co2 level was significantly above normal, after an exercise wehre we induced improper breathing for a few seconds, my normal breath had gone below the acceptable level, and he said it would take about an hour for me to recover

if your in a close call and almost wreck your car, or any sudden stressful situation like that, you will naturally begin to breath the wrong way, its a survival reflex... we all start off belly breathing as infants, but sooner or later we encounter stress, and begin to improperly chest breath as a habit... so the more you can practice proper breathing, the closer you can get to your natural state of mind, and beginning meditation :)

[Stoner Shadow Wolf]

wooh... i got a hige rush... omg :eek: at first i thought i died lol


one question i'd like to ask, inspired by that siggy :D


was bruce lee self taught?

[CocaCola]

I came close to something yesterday... I had my eyes closed and I was relaxed form meditation for 20 twenty minutes... I then discovered maybe how to do it... "it".

You focus on the center of your view... but unfocus your eyes as if you're looking through the world. Like you're looking at one of those magic eye picture books... you should have your eyes focused enough on the center that you can see everything around you, 180 degrees... I maintained that stance and after a few minutes even though my eyes were closed, I could see my focal point through the darkness, almost like another eye opened in the center of my view. And I started feeling light... it was the most amazing thing ever. I was not stoned or anything... it was not my imagination. I will have to try again and try and project myself...

[mightymarijuanabuds]

"it" is the quieting of your conscious (sp?) mind.. good first steps :)

and no, jun fan (bruce lee) was not self taught, he was very well learned in kung fu and tai chi, and thru lookin at some other martial arts, he incorporated all that he found to be useful into his own art, JKD

[ADaisyChain]

Can you meditate in any position? Sitting up without a nice comfy chair for longer then 10 minutes makes my back hurt.

[mightymarijuanabuds]

yes of course

we have been talking about moving meditations, there is no reason why you couldnt lie down or kneel or whatever you want to do your 'sitting' meditations

any position that you are comfortable in will do just fine

[mrdevious]

Can you meditate in any position? Sitting up without a nice comfy chair for longer then 10 minutes makes my back hurt.

my back is really bad and I just sit cross legged on my couch which works painlessly.