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Ask HN: Do you meditate?

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Re: Ask HN: Do you meditate?

#51

Post by krazemon »

fierycatnet wrote: post #22

Yes. I used to do Zazen with not much luck until I switched to Anapanasati meditation, completely blew my mind. Most of the Buddhist texts started to make more sense. Jhanic states and so on. With proper meditation technique I went from 15 minutes to sitting for an hour, easy, effortlessly. Mediation was pretty life changing for me.

Out of curiosity, which jhani states have you reached and what specific anapanasati technique do you use (focus on breath at nostrils, breath throughout the body, kasina, etc). I'm working to achieve first Khama currently, but getting a bit stuck in access concentration.

Re: Ask HN: Do you meditate?

#52

Post by challengee »

Red_Tarsius wrote: post #3

I don't know if it's proper meditation, but right after waking up I sit on the floor and repeat for 20 minutes: “Watch your thoughts, they become words; watch your words, they become actions; watch your actions, they become habits; watch your habits, they become character; watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” It's like a mantra. I'm not even sure about the original source of this quote. It may sound a…

It's originally from Mahatma Ghandi: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/50584-your-beliefs-become-yo...

Re: Ask HN: Do you meditate?

#53

Post by westoncb »

stfu wrote: post #30
staunch wrote: post #13

I tend to meditate for 4+ hours per day, while writing code. I start feeling mentally scattered if I miss more than a day or two.

Not sure if this is the same as meditating. I experience sometimes similar states when really engaging with a research topic. But I would describe it more as a state of "flow" i.e. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)

Meditation is basically 'flow' while just sitting. And in time, the idea is that you can extend it to any activity.

Re: Ask HN: Do you meditate?

#54

Post by fny »

For five years now, I've struggled against torrents of thought and anxiety. I meditated and prayed begging for some relief to no avail. About four months ago, I found Ashtanga yoga, and to say that it has changed my life is an understatement. Mentally, I have reawakened. I now think patiently and deliberately with a discipline and focus I've never experienced. A child-like enthusiasm about the world, despite its suffering and strife, relit within me: hope and faith abounds. Occasionally, of course, I still do struggle, but I struggle in peace and with confidence. The physical changes have been equally striking. I've always had poor posture, mild scoliosis, and a hip imbalance. Now, that's all gone: my posture is remarkable and effortless, and I carry a sense of self with every step. I also kick way more ass at CrossFit than ever. ;) Unlike most other yoga, Ashtanga intensely focuses on the breath as well, which has increased my aerobic capacity dramatically.

I'm of the opinion that meditation alone lacks the mind-body dynamic of Ashtanga yoga. Ashtanga trains you to stay focused, keep calm, and breathe deeply despite the intense (and sometimes painful) physical practice. The physical aspect is also a beautiful reminder that mental and physical transformation takes patience and time. Struggles with strength, endurance, and flexibility serve as a tangible marker of one's progress and the work that remains. Gauging the progress of one's mind is insidiously difficult, particularly because you're using the very thing your trying to fix to measure it! Also, if you're restless like me, the postures will keep just enough of your mind occupied to allow yourself to explore yoga's meditative aspects.

Ashtanga is my answer to David Foster Wallace's remarkable speech, "This Is Water".[0] The mind is indeed an "excellent servant", and I can proudly say that I am its master.

Fun fact: When Sri Pattabhi Jois, a great Ashtanga guru, was asked by a student asked him why he would not teach him "meditation", he is said to have replied: "mad-attention".

[0]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhhC_N6Bm_s, http://www.metastatic.org/text/This%20is%20Water.pdf

Re: Ask HN: Do you meditate?

#55

Post by icebraining »

westoncb wrote: post #42
icebraining wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I never really "got" meditation, so excuse for sounding tone deaf, but when you say "stepping aside when I can see it's no longer productive", do you mean thinking about your thoughts¹? Or something different, not thoughts at all? I ask because I'm completely familiar with analyzing my own thoughts, especially when I'm having a small hypochondriac episode, and I don't understand why would meditation be necessary for…

Interesting quote—I like it. The 'Second Thoughts' definition is useful because it is the exact opposite of what you do in meditation. I think it would be valid to say that meditation is training in understanding what it really means to 'do nothing,' and that when you area REALLY doing nothing—everything is great. I see it like this: verbal/rational thought (typically involving the concept of yourself) arises in orde…

I can understand the idea from that story - the "second thoughts" just amplifying the problem - but I can't actually relate to it, since it simply doesn't happen to me. If anything, when I'm anxious my "second thoughts" are usually more balanced and even slightly disdainful of my anxiety episode, and can help it end faster by making me realize the silliness of my anxiety.

I also understand the problem of thinking about what I'm seeing or reading, preventing me from fully immersing myself in the story, but it's usually not a problem; I identify it, go back in the film/book, take a deep breath and it usually fixes itself easily enough.

I don't know, I think I find it hard to believe there isn't more to it. This just sounds so simple and intuitive.

Re: Ask HN: Do you meditate?

#56

Post by westoncb »

fny wrote: post #54

For five years now, I've struggled against torrents of thought and anxiety. I meditated and prayed begging for some relief to no avail. About four months ago, I found Ashtanga yoga, and to say that it has changed my life is an understatement. Mentally, I have reawakened. I now think patiently and deliberately with a discipline and focus I've never experienced. A child-like enthusiasm about the world, despite its suff…

My experience with meditation is that it takes just the right message or experience for it to 'click.' Some interpretations of Yoga are that it is preparation for meditation: once you learn to use your body properly, you are prepared to learn to use your mind. I tried and stopped, and tried again a few times before it clicked—worth revisiting from a different perspective after a while.

Re: Ask HN: Do you meditate?

#57

Post by bauer »

fny wrote: post #54

For five years now, I've struggled against torrents of thought and anxiety. I meditated and prayed begging for some relief to no avail. About four months ago, I found Ashtanga yoga, and to say that it has changed my life is an understatement. Mentally, I have reawakened. I now think patiently and deliberately with a discipline and focus I've never experienced. A child-like enthusiasm about the world, despite its suff…

I checked out the wikipedia article for Ashtanga yoga and I'm a bit put off by the reports of frequent and somewhat severe injuries. Mind sharing your personal experience there?

Re: Ask HN: Do you meditate?

#58

Post by westoncb »

icebraining wrote: post #55
westoncb wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting quote—I like it. The 'Second Thoughts' definition is useful because it is the exact opposite of what you do in meditation. I think it would be valid to say that meditation is training in understanding what it really means to 'do nothing,' and that when you area REALLY doing nothing—everything is great. I see it like this: verbal/rational thought (typically involving the concept of yourself) arises in orde…

I can understand the idea from that story - the "second thoughts" just amplifying the problem - but I can't actually relate to it, since it simply doesn't happen to me. If anything, when I'm anxious my "second thoughts" are usually more balanced and even slightly disdainful of my anxiety episode, and can help it end faster by making me realize the silliness of my anxiety. I also understand the problem of thinking abo…

Hehe: it is the most simple thing, though—nothing could be simpler, in a sense.

I think the trick is that depending on your present situation it becomes more easy/difficult to do the simple thing and, e.g., 'go back into' the film/book. Meditation is just training to do that regardless of circumstances.

edit: Also, this part is really just personal opinion: I think the other part of it is you begin to see that it's possible to be content with less than you previously believed was required (because you enter a state of contentment just by sitting each morning, even if, e.g., you don't have as much money as you'd like, or you're having relationship trouble, or you don't like your self-image—whatever.), and this starts impacting your outlook on life: you start valuing experience more and evaluations of aspects of your condition less.

Re: Ask HN: Do you meditate?

#59

Post by fny »

bauer wrote: post #57
fny wrote: post #54

For five years now, I've struggled against torrents of thought and anxiety. I meditated and prayed begging for some relief to no avail. About four months ago, I found Ashtanga yoga, and to say that it has changed my life is an understatement. Mentally, I have reawakened. I now think patiently and deliberately with a discipline and focus I've never experienced. A child-like enthusiasm about the world, despite its suff…

I checked out the wikipedia article for Ashtanga yoga and I'm a bit put off by the reports of frequent and somewhat severe injuries. Mind sharing your personal experience there?

I had the same fear, and thus far I've had no problems. I think most of the injuries come from teachers being too ambitious with their adjustments and students being too ambitious with their practice. Just listen to your body. I only push myself to the point of discomfort and stop when I feel pain.

Re: Ask HN: Do you meditate?

#60

Post by icebraining »

challengee wrote: post #52
Red_Tarsius wrote: post #3

I don't know if it's proper meditation, but right after waking up I sit on the floor and repeat for 20 minutes: “Watch your thoughts, they become words; watch your words, they become actions; watch your actions, they become habits; watch your habits, they become character; watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” It's like a mantra. I'm not even sure about the original source of this quote. It may sound a…

It's originally from Mahatma Ghandi: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/50584-your-beliefs-become-yo...

While he might have said it, I don't believe he invented it: http://quoteinvestigator.com/2013/01/10/watch-your-thoughts/

That said, I'm not sure it matters for the purpose :)

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