archive link I've meditated daily for the past ~6ish years (I stopped counting when the habit tracker app I was using at the time hit 1000 days), attended a couple of silent meditation retreats,...
Meditation has taken two divergent paths through the Western mind. For many, it’s a few quick, calming breaths, perhaps timed with a smartphone app, in search of a stress tonic that can soften anxiety’s edges. Along a less-traveled route, meditation remains what it long was: a deeply transformative pursuit, a devoted metamorphosis of the mind toward increasingly enlightened states.
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A new band of researchers, however, is finding that you don’t need 10,000 hours in a monastery before meditation can upend your entire psychology — and yet, the current body of meditation research has had surprisingly little to say about this middle ground between stress relief and enlightenment.
As the number of meditating Americans has more than tripled in recent years, an onslaught of apps, books, and seminars helped mold the public image of meditation around the simpler and more sellable idea of mindfulness as a form of stress reduction. That image is paying off: The broader mindfulness industry was valued at $97.6 million in 2021 and is projected to triple in value by 2031. Critics call it “McMindfulness,” a capitalist perversion of meditation that deals with stress by focusing inward on the breath, rather than outward on the social structures that cause so much of that stress. Regardless of how you package it, “mindfulness programs only scratch the surface of meditation,” Matthew Sacchet, a neuroscientist, professor of psychiatry, and director of Harvard’s Meditation Research Program, told me.
I've meditated daily for the past ~6ish years (I stopped counting when the habit tracker app I was using at the time hit 1000 days), attended a couple of silent meditation retreats, the longest of which was 7 days, and currently spend an hour every week in a sensory deprivation "float tank" as an extended form of meditation. happy to answer any questions anyone has about developing a meditation practice.
I'm not OP, but for me it's that meditation isn't a destination, but rather a journey. You have to forgive yourself for missing a session or landmark. Meditation doesn't mean perfection or...
I'm not OP, but for me it's that meditation isn't a destination, but rather a journey.
You have to forgive yourself for missing a session or landmark.
Meditation doesn't mean perfection or anything absolute. It's okay to have thoughts, it's okay to miss a day, it's okay to be distracted.
You aren't going to sit on a log for 7 years and transcend like the Buddha of myth.
The goals of meditation in this busy world can be short and sweet. You don't need to perfect it, hell, don't even try.
Manage your expectations and be in the moment. Don't attempt to squeeze water from a stone. You can do this.
I think that is what a lot of people kind of miss out on when it comes to meditation. Take this quip from the article: But you don't enter meditation as a caterpillar and exit as a butterfly. It's...
I'm not OP, but for me it's that meditation isn't a destination, but rather a journey.
I think that is what a lot of people kind of miss out on when it comes to meditation. Take this quip from the article:
Along a less-traveled route, meditation remains what it long was: a deeply transformative pursuit, a devoted metamorphosis of the mind toward increasingly enlightened states.
But you don't enter meditation as a caterpillar and exit as a butterfly. It's not a thing you do to gain godlike powers. At it's core, meditation is just taking a moment to stop thinking about externalities and think about "internalities"; your thoughts, your feelings, and just plain old you in general. Meditation is just you learning to be yourself.
Personally speaking I'm not one to think of myself as one who meditates, but at the same time I find myself constantly thinking in meditative ways. I was shocked when I learned that not everyone does this. How do you not think about how you're feeling or thinking? But now I see so many people who are just kind of lost and don't know what they are doing with their life. How many people do you remember talking about not knowing how they should be doing 'adulting'?
I don't like these meditation apps and subscription services because really, they're completely extraneous. But I can see that there's a demand for it for people who do not grasp it innately, and I think that they're doing a good thing overall. You need experience to understand the importance of thinking this way, and that only comes from doing it to begin with.
When I was young I was also very imbalanced and lost, and so I tried a number of things to help, like self-hypnosis, dream recording, and binaural beats. I consider that to be part of the journey that @mr-death was talking about. I couldn't have reached where I am now if I didn't take those steps. Heck, I'd even count the time I spent in therapy and my studies of philosophy as part of it.
Dude just start meditating. You're already doing what people aim to achieve after years of spiritual practice. The meditation apps are modern day convenience. From what you have said here, the...
Dude just start meditating. You're already doing what people aim to achieve after years of spiritual practice. The meditation apps are modern day convenience. From what you have said here, the Heartfulness meditation seems to be a perfect match for you. It's not a commercial entity, no subscriptions (app is there to keep to with modern times), exists in all over the world, millions of people do it every day.
In Heartfulness, it just doesn't end with meditation, you're expected to also try and be "meditative" in general, introspect often, do a process called "cleaning" which involves mentally cleaning your mind from impressions formed on your subconscious etc.
I've been practicing vipassana meditation for about 10 years. It's kind of like regular exercise. The more you do it, the better your practice gets. The better your practice gets, the more you're...
I've been practicing vipassana meditation for about 10 years. It's kind of like regular exercise. The more you do it, the better your practice gets. The better your practice gets, the more you're able to bring the beneficial qualities of that practice into your day-to-day. When I exercise regularly, I feel better in all aspects of my life. When I'm meditating regularly it's the same. I'm much more level, my anxiety levels are down, and it's easier to stay focused. Also, I need to be creative at work and I find that when meditating I have many more moments of epiphany.
Plus it just feels good. I enjoy the process. I love the sensations and the moments of discovery, and the wonderful feeling when you realize you have REALLY been meditating and not just trying to ignore your thoughts or calm down. It's strange and longer sessions can border on psychedelic.
It's difficult, especially when you first get started, but it's rewarding. I've done a handful of 10-day retreats, 10-day service, and have a 7-day coming up in a couple months. Next year I'm planning on a 20-day vipassana retreat with the corresponding vows (silence, vegetarianism, abstinance, etc.) and I can't wait.
I'm not Buddhist. I was introduced to meditation through a friend who recommended a 10-day sit at a S.N. Goenka center. I was taught the practice in a non-sectarian setting and was told it is a...
I'm not Buddhist. I was introduced to meditation through a friend who recommended a 10-day sit at a S.N. Goenka center. I was taught the practice in a non-sectarian setting and was told it is a non-religious practice that is open to anyone. I haven't heard or read that vipassana is exclusive to Buddhism. Why do you think that?
I assume that most people who meditate practice either anapana or transcendental meditation, but I don't really know. When I've visited other centers and meditation halls it tends towards some form of focused breathing.
My home practice usually starts with anapana and may move deeper into vipassana depending on my mental state.
when I first started, I did stop. often. I had about a year of meditating infrequently before I was able to convince my brain to do it consistently every day.
when I first started, I did stop. often. I had about a year of meditating infrequently before I was able to convince my brain to do it consistently every day.
If anyone is interested in a mindfulness app that isn't full of subscriptions and ads, I highly recommend Mindfulness Coach, made by the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Their app PTSD Coach is...
Exemplary
If anyone is interested in a mindfulness app that isn't full of subscriptions and ads, I highly recommend Mindfulness Coach, made by the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Their app PTSD Coach is great as well if you deal with PTSD or anxiety.
This is a neat app! I tried it out for a half hour meditation and I liked that it incorporates solid adult learning principles. I wish it logged to Apple Health, but still not a bad alternative to...
This is a neat app! I tried it out for a half hour meditation and I liked that it incorporates solid adult learning principles. I wish it logged to Apple Health, but still not a bad alternative to things like Headspace.
The way that this article touched upon the use of technology to try and mimic cessation is scary! I guess that's the point that they're trying to bring - but still, imagining technology being able...
The way that this article touched upon the use of technology to try and mimic cessation is scary! I guess that's the point that they're trying to bring - but still, imagining technology being able to change literal consciousness? I don't think I'd want that. I know cessation is pretty much nirvana-like, but I'd rather years of tedious practice than a quick fix.
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I've meditated daily for the past ~6ish years (I stopped counting when the habit tracker app I was using at the time hit 1000 days), attended a couple of silent meditation retreats, the longest of which was 7 days, and currently spend an hour every week in a sensory deprivation "float tank" as an extended form of meditation. happy to answer any questions anyone has about developing a meditation practice.
What makes you go on with the practice? Why didn't you just stop at some point?
I'm not OP, but for me it's that meditation isn't a destination, but rather a journey.
You have to forgive yourself for missing a session or landmark.
Meditation doesn't mean perfection or anything absolute. It's okay to have thoughts, it's okay to miss a day, it's okay to be distracted.
You aren't going to sit on a log for 7 years and transcend like the Buddha of myth.
The goals of meditation in this busy world can be short and sweet. You don't need to perfect it, hell, don't even try.
Manage your expectations and be in the moment. Don't attempt to squeeze water from a stone. You can do this.
I think that is what a lot of people kind of miss out on when it comes to meditation. Take this quip from the article:
But you don't enter meditation as a caterpillar and exit as a butterfly. It's not a thing you do to gain godlike powers. At it's core, meditation is just taking a moment to stop thinking about externalities and think about "internalities"; your thoughts, your feelings, and just plain old you in general. Meditation is just you learning to be yourself.
Personally speaking I'm not one to think of myself as one who meditates, but at the same time I find myself constantly thinking in meditative ways. I was shocked when I learned that not everyone does this. How do you not think about how you're feeling or thinking? But now I see so many people who are just kind of lost and don't know what they are doing with their life. How many people do you remember talking about not knowing how they should be doing 'adulting'?
I don't like these meditation apps and subscription services because really, they're completely extraneous. But I can see that there's a demand for it for people who do not grasp it innately, and I think that they're doing a good thing overall. You need experience to understand the importance of thinking this way, and that only comes from doing it to begin with.
When I was young I was also very imbalanced and lost, and so I tried a number of things to help, like self-hypnosis, dream recording, and binaural beats. I consider that to be part of the journey that @mr-death was talking about. I couldn't have reached where I am now if I didn't take those steps. Heck, I'd even count the time I spent in therapy and my studies of philosophy as part of it.
Dude just start meditating. You're already doing what people aim to achieve after years of spiritual practice. The meditation apps are modern day convenience. From what you have said here, the Heartfulness meditation seems to be a perfect match for you. It's not a commercial entity, no subscriptions (app is there to keep to with modern times), exists in all over the world, millions of people do it every day.
In Heartfulness, it just doesn't end with meditation, you're expected to also try and be "meditative" in general, introspect often, do a process called "cleaning" which involves mentally cleaning your mind from impressions formed on your subconscious etc.
I implore you to check it out. Link:https://heartfulness.org/en/mobile/
I've been practicing vipassana meditation for about 10 years. It's kind of like regular exercise. The more you do it, the better your practice gets. The better your practice gets, the more you're able to bring the beneficial qualities of that practice into your day-to-day. When I exercise regularly, I feel better in all aspects of my life. When I'm meditating regularly it's the same. I'm much more level, my anxiety levels are down, and it's easier to stay focused. Also, I need to be creative at work and I find that when meditating I have many more moments of epiphany.
Plus it just feels good. I enjoy the process. I love the sensations and the moments of discovery, and the wonderful feeling when you realize you have REALLY been meditating and not just trying to ignore your thoughts or calm down. It's strange and longer sessions can border on psychedelic.
It's difficult, especially when you first get started, but it's rewarding. I've done a handful of 10-day retreats, 10-day service, and have a 7-day coming up in a couple months. Next year I'm planning on a 20-day vipassana retreat with the corresponding vows (silence, vegetarianism, abstinance, etc.) and I can't wait.
I'm not Buddhist. I was introduced to meditation through a friend who recommended a 10-day sit at a S.N. Goenka center. I was taught the practice in a non-sectarian setting and was told it is a non-religious practice that is open to anyone. I haven't heard or read that vipassana is exclusive to Buddhism. Why do you think that?
I assume that most people who meditate practice either anapana or transcendental meditation, but I don't really know. When I've visited other centers and meditation halls it tends towards some form of focused breathing.
My home practice usually starts with anapana and may move deeper into vipassana depending on my mental state.
when I first started, I did stop. often. I had about a year of meditating infrequently before I was able to convince my brain to do it consistently every day.
If anyone is interested in a mindfulness app that isn't full of subscriptions and ads, I highly recommend Mindfulness Coach, made by the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Their app PTSD Coach is great as well if you deal with PTSD or anxiety.
This is a neat app! I tried it out for a half hour meditation and I liked that it incorporates solid adult learning principles. I wish it logged to Apple Health, but still not a bad alternative to things like Headspace.
The way that this article touched upon the use of technology to try and mimic cessation is scary! I guess that's the point that they're trying to bring - but still, imagining technology being able to change literal consciousness? I don't think I'd want that. I know cessation is pretty much nirvana-like, but I'd rather years of tedious practice than a quick fix.