Mind Over Matter: The Meditation Club

Discussion in 'Education & Personal Growth' started by Gauri03, Feb 14, 2018.

  1. kaniths

    kaniths IL Hall of Fame

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    Yes, I can relate to it. It's kinda eerie too sometimes, I give up sooner and switch to music or audio. :grinning:
    When I was a school kid, I joined the Isha yoga training and had learnt the A-U-M (Pranayama). Are you talking abt the same breathing method? Though I have forgotten now, just curious. :relaxed:
     
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  2. Shanvy

    Shanvy IL Hall of Fame

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    No I did not join any. We were in the company of learned souls for sometime learnt by observing them. Must be the same I guess.
     
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  3. kaniths

    kaniths IL Hall of Fame

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    How mindful are you guys during other everyday activities? (Like dishwashing and cooking hours mentioned before)

    I used to get coffee and forget abt it being there, then just gulp it down quickly when it's almost cold. Noticing this for a while, a friend suggested I take a mini challenge, to learn to pause and enjoy the coffee moment instead. Now, Coffee time is just coffee time, I'm mindful of it's taste in every sip. :relaxed:

    I jog every day. Previously my dh would accompany me for the runs but he has a new running partner and left me out on the deal! :grinning: Anyways, since I'm on my own and I do not prefer to have music playing in my ears while on the road for various personal reasons, I started taking notice of everything I could see and hear on the way, just not to get bored. Sometimes I stop to take pictures and videos. This is being aware in the moment and being mindful? :relaxed:

    Then there is doodling. I'm not sure though. I involve myself 100% into it but it's more like focusing and visual thinking exercise for me. I care about the concept / outcome mostly, what I'm trying to get on the paper, rather about the doodling deed itself. Still counts as mindful minutes? :innocent:

    Mentioning about doodling on paper brings to mind a book excerpt I once came cross @ Tumblr (Not all stuff there - is ’P0#N’ people! :grinning:)

    514C67E5-BDC2-44B1-A21C-81D3BF4040A1.jpeg
     
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  4. Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

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    Strangely there are the only three things I follow in my daily routine JS ma'm @jayasala42 I do not know if it is my inability to meditate but the way acquired these habits are:

    My grand mother has always done this and another grandmother who I consider my guru has taught me various mantras for various reasons and has helped me get into the habit of chanting, of shlokas. Strangely as I recall, she has never spoken about God to me but has taught me shlokas! Over the years I have reaped benefits and continue to reap.

    I do this 21 times a day, preferably 3 times but usually definitely once!

    I love festivals because of this one reason. As a child I thrived making large rangolis in front of the house and would get lost, completely immersed in them. As an adult because of where I live, I still love doing rangolis on festival days. Every small festival, there is a rangoli. The joy I get out is something I cannot put down on paper.

    While I have not done real huge ones like you speak of, I do manage pretty big ones especially in India and the symmetry is something that fascinates me.
     
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  5. Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

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    Dear V sir,

    This is very timely for me.

    I just finished a lesson on neurons in my class and I will be sharing this video with them trying to teach them some habits that can help them in the long term.

    Thank you.
     
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  6. SunPa

    SunPa Platinum IL'ite

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    This post is long over due, I get caught up with responses that I am still trying to read. I had started to do meditation since the beginning of this year, but have been not been regular. The usual reasons, no time, too many things,etc. that I was almost giving up.

    @Gauri03 ,Bless you girl, you reaffirm my belief that the way to get things done is to act. Your journey to bounce back is helping me to be a better me. Thank you!!

    The post about the space between stimulus to response struck a chord.

    About a decade ago, I learnt Transcendental meditation (TM). Had a wonderful teacher.And he taught me that the concept of meditation isnt focus but "de-focus" Thoughts will come and thoughts will go, the secret is not to engage in it just as the that video about traffic put is so simply. The objective isnt chanting the mantra which I was given, instead the mantra is supposed to be a vehicle which I use to take my mind to a deeper state. The few seconds that the mantra fades and there is stillness, those are the real moments of bliss.

    Well on a lighter note, this is what my teenage kids do so beautifully - they just tune out all my nagging.

    @Viswamitra , Sir, thanks for that compilation, I have bookmarked to read thru them slowly, pretty heavy stuff for my poor brain to get with one read
     
  7. Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

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    @kaniths,

    You raise good questions. I have to pause to wonder about mindfulness. The moments are so fleeting. With practice, I am kind of mindful with dish washing now....when I do it. I do have to say I am very mindful when I water my plants for some reason.

    I am with you about jogs. I cannot run with ear phones. So it is all just running being in the moment for me, no matter the distance. At mile 15 if I am hurting, I am focused SOOOO on the pain :biggrin: Seriously, it is usually the next pole, mail box, the hill or my mantra "Just keep running, just keep running". Keeps me calm and clear.
     
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  8. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Anyone tried walking on the grass with dues bare feet? Did you observe (not watch) the complete Sunrise with stilling the mind merely observing the Sun coming out? Have you observed the agitation of the waves in the sea? Have you observed the breath-taking beauty of the mountain range standing at an altitude where the clouds pass by right next to you? Did you experience the wind by spreading your arms? Have you lost yourself listening to the sound of the rain drops? Have you heard of the sound of a waterfall with no thoughts? Did you observe the sound things make when we put them into the fire as sacrifice?

    Viswa
     
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  9. sindmani

    sindmani Platinum IL'ite

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    It is astral travel.Iam not an expert. But I will say that she can join any good meditation centre and practice moderately (not intensly) any type of meditation. Example
    Seeing (feeling that) there is a jyothi in heart or seeing the forehead part(blue pearl mediation). There are different types of meditation like Raja yoga, Bhakthi yoga(blessing the world) vipasana, breathing exercises etc. We need to practice one or more types of meditation but MODERATE practice is important.
     
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  10. HappyBunny

    HappyBunny Silver IL'ite

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    Lots of posts! Wish I could spend more time here...

    For those that walk regularly, walking meditation is something worth looking into. I do it in my room sometimes.

    I remember the first time I tried it at a park. The anchor for my meditation was the sensation of my body while walking - the grass touching me through sandals, how my weight shifted between the heel and the ball of my foot and then between my feet. The park was busy and the distractions were many. The smiling faces, squealing children, wagging tails - I took it all in an intense yet distant way. Intense because it heightened my delight, distant because I went back to my anchor. Years later, I still remember it with a flush of joy.
     
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