FOR ANYONE WHO MEDITATES

[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 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 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?