Mindfulness meditation is one of the pillars on which my life rests. If you have never done it before, realize that it's hard, especially if you fall anywhere on the ADHD spectrum, and it's just brutal for the first few weeks for anyone. As your brain becomes more still and your focus improves you'll notice your productivity improve. As the mental chatter drops you'll also notice the problems in your life, that you've ignored or been too distracted to see, impeding your ability to meditate. Only working to fix them will allow you to continue, but you'll be better off for it.
I rarely talk about meditation in professional circles because, for one, people think it's weird or have a preconceived notion of what it is, but more so it's so damn effective that it's seriously my secret weapon in life and part of my competitive edge. (As an aside, it has nothing at all to do with "strange religions", vegans, or yoga pants.)
Start slow, 10 minutes a day for a week, then add 5 for the next week, and so on, and don't rush. Take it seriously and don't disrespect it. I simply cannot recommend it enough.
> I rarely talk about meditation in professional circles because, for one, people think it's weird
No, it totally makes sense. Long walks in the woods or long runs are almost like meditation for me, and it is definitely like vacation for the mind.
I just wonder where to get started with actual meditation - I have to admit I find the predominant literature about that topic extremely esoteric, and that's something that easily puts me off.
For anyone put off by the more esoteric stuff written on the topic, I'd recommend Sam Harris (as mentioned here already), Shinzen Young, but above all, Culadasa.
He's a professor of Neuroscience and _very_ accomplished meditator. He's written THE definite book on meditation that uses models of the mind originating from both neuroscience and most noble meditation traditions.
It's suitable both for beginners and advanced practitioners as it describes the progress of the practice in 10 very clearly described stages.
For those that don't yet have enough motivation, I'd second the Headspace app created by a former Thibetan Buddhist monk. It's really well made and contains a number of different meditation techniques provided in a guided meditation format.
Still, I'd switch to the Culadasa book and unassisted practice as soon as you start grasping the benefits you're getting from meditation and your motivation increases.
I was hoping someone would mention Culadasa's book. I've been practicing for years and recently read this book. There were so many instances where I stopped and thought "I so wish I had read this ages ago." He covers so many nuances of practice, it's quite remarkable.
Thirded. I've bought a few books and tried audio, youtube videos... Headspace is the only thing that's helped me keep a meditation schedule for more than a few months.
I know some people don't like how much Andy speaks during the sessions, but I liked it a lot. It also helps with that "am I doing this right? Should I scratch that itch? What should I think about? Or not think about?" feeling that comes up, because he addresses those feelings a lot.
Andy's the best thing about Headspace. His voice is encouraging without being judgmental. Definitely one of the main reasons I decided to purchase a subscription.
Can I just say how nice it is to watch an elevator pitch video without obnoxiously upbeat background music with ukuleles and what not. It makes the video more genuine and trustworthy.
Quite frankly, from their marketing(their home page doesn't even seem to mention meditation!) it looks kind of dumb and seems expensive after the 10 day trial.
However, with all the good ratings here and elsewhere and wanting to start meditating I think i'll give it a try
Go to a regular class, try different classes. If you have the luck to live near a place where there are experienced meditators (personally, I find that monastics are waaay more skilled than "normal" people) that is the very very best. For me, meditation can be hard work but it totally pays off. It's a skill you develop just like any other skill, and proper guidance makes a world of difference.
As for the esoteric literature, there is a wide spectrum of quality, and some things are better understood after you practice for a while - then it all makes sense. It's like trying to read code when you don't know nothing about programming yet. It's esoteric. Hell even today some code is esoteric :)
If you are a technical/rational type, a lot of the information on
meditation can seem ...well, wacky. That's why I would suggest
listening to a few episodes of Sam Harris' podcast. Specifically those
about the mind and consciousness in general. He's got a background in
neuroscience and approaches this subject from a viewpoint that you
might feel more comfortable with.
He's also written a whole book about this topic, called "Waking Up: a
Guide to Spirituality Without Religion", which I think might be of interest to you.
I have been attending online meditations through Meditation Online [1]. The approach is very secular and there's space for discussion, which also usually helps to get started and motivated.
I've heard good things about MBSR (http://palousemindfulness.com/) - on my todo list after more pressing things are dealt with (yes, I see the irony...)
raptitude.com has lots of resources about the benefits of meditation as well as various ways to get started. Completely un-esoteric. I recommend the blog in general!
Just as a question, what makes long walks in the woods or long runs not "actual meditation"? I guess my question can also be phrased as, what do you think meditation is?
I'd argue that meditation is more about approach and frame of mind than activity -- and there certainly are moving forms of meditation. There's also just a lot of kinds of meditation, from a lot of widely different traditions, so you're not going to find unified literature. (There's also a few major world religions that feature meditation as a component, so you'll find a lot of the literature tied up with that worldview, as well.)
That's what prompts my question above: if you don't have some goal or idea in mind, it's sort of hard to direct you to particular resources.
The place I suggest starting for everyone is find somewhere in your life that you're meditating without knowing it, and try to do that somewhere else. Sports, crafts, etc. Can you intentionally make an activity feel like a long walk in the woods or a good run? like losing yourself in being focused on a hobby?
When you are taking a walk in the woods, or running or doing anything of that sort, you are doing something. Not doing anything is meditation. And when I say not doing anything, I don't mean it nonchalantly, I mean it literally - not doing anything, including not thinking. Just being. It's very simple but not very easy. Meditation is the opposite of any action whatsoever.
That's a form of meditation, not the only form of meditation. Which was my point -- it's hard to say what meditation is, given the breadth of different traditions, and different styles within some traditions.
Of course, I think you should consider the concept that insisting meditation is sitting there doing nothing is making meditation about a specific action you undertake, rather than nothing, thus defeating the purpose of meditation in your own framework. And if you're okay with meditation being about one form of action -- sitting there -- why is it not okay for it to be about other forms of action?
I feel that your view is not internally consistent.
Yea I'm making this up. I'm enthusiastic about it, my username even reflects that I meditate ;)
..
Introductory Level
Witty, scientific book: Search Inside Yourself - Chade-meng Tan (he used to be a software engineer, now he's trying to set up the conditions for world peace)
Take any MBCT, MBSR or 5-week or 8-week mindfulness course
..
Beginner Level
Retreat practice: dhamma.org (10 days, 10 hours per day, 9 days total silence, donation based)
Sciencedaily.com: type in meditation
Also check out: Harvard Positive Psychology from Tal-Ben Shahar his lectures on meditation
..
Intermediate Level
Take a course on Buddhism from a theologician with a background in science or philosophy. In The Netherlands this is at the VU University Amsterdam.
Do 2 hours of meditation per day, including mini retreats in the weekend
..
Advanced Level
Choose your own adventure:
A. Travel to monestaries and learn whatever you can.
B. Become a monk at one monestary.
..
The levels are arbitraty by the way, felt more fun writing that way ;) I'm a Beginner/intermediate.
Be quite careful giving advice about meditation. Under your "beginner" heading you suggest Dhamma - the 10 day 9 day silent course (I'm assuming vipassana is an example of this).
I did a vipassana course after a similar suggestion. In me it triggered a full blown manic-psychotic (bipolar) episode. There had been no history of this in my family (or myself) before that point.
If you're interested, I made a bunch of podcasts detailing what it was like to be manic -> depressed -> better here: [0]
While I'm not saying it's necessarily bad advice, I suggest that anyone contemplating a 10 day silent retreat has prepared by doing a _lot_ of meditation before hand and to be aware that there can be consequences.
Meditation is like exercise, actually it is mental exercise. (Mental) injuries can happen, just like any other form of (mental) exercise. It is indeed an issue that there's less awareness about it compared to physical injuries with physical exercise.
Also, when you do the beginner level, you do need to have done the introductory level. This means that you at least have meditated for half an hour per day, for 5 weeks at a minimum. That's what those derivatives of MBCT and MBSR tell you to do.
Yip, I totally agree that it's like exercise, and I totally totally agree that you should start slowly.
However! where I did it (in New Zealand) vipassana specifically started you at the 10 day course (or did 8 years ago), there was no option to do a shorter one. Or if there was, they certainly didn't stop you jumping straight into a 10 day.
Good point. If I have to make an analogy it seems like putting a person not physically suited for the military into a strict military 10-day brutal survival bootcamp. They need to be more careful with this indeed.
Agreed. Traditions have, over thousands of years, established the dangers and pitfalls of meditation. Best to start slowly - a short amount of time daily - and find a good teacher backed by some of that tradition.
For me, Shambhala Buddhism really resonated. Skepticism is encouraged, and the brilliance of those thousands of years of wisdom is a great support along the path.
I had similar experience myself.
I wouldn't attribute the risk to the retreat itself, however, but to the vipassana method, which tends to evoke insight experiences as quickly as possible, without first calming the mind using single object samatha practice.
If someone were to just use classic anapanasati even for 10 days, I think the results would be somewhat different, as when properly praciced anapanasati calms the body and essentially turns of thinking first, which leads to much calmer and more pleasurable transformation of the mind. Insight experiences with active mind during vipassana practice always feel to me like open brain surgery. With some increasing understanding of not-self, however, it gets less and less scary with time.
Actually in another Burmese method (not Vipassana as taught by Goenka but the other 'big Burmese line', see Mahasi Sayadaw), going 'crazy' is actually part of the path.
I had a similar experience within the past few years stemming from hypnosis and meditation in college, and listening to your podcasts have been eerily similar to my experience with mania in particular.
Have you found many other people who experienced similar symptoms stemming from self-reflection triggers?
The very restricted diet followed for the 10days of the Vipassana retreat might have something to do with these side-effects. Drastically lowering your calorie intake can trigger depression.
FYI: your summary is more likely to discourage people from meditating than encourage them if:
1) They are not enthusiastic about religion.
2) They are already members of another religion and do not wish to convert, particularly if said religion is not very positive about Buddhism.
For any readers in those two camps: meditation and religion are often linked, but do not need to be. There are plenty of secular guides and practices too, and if you are religiously inclined, there are also likely to be guides on combining your religious beliefs with best-practice meditation.
Hmm... people seem to take whatever I wrote a bit too harsh on the religion thing. I take religion as inspiration on how to live my life. I'm not religious myself though, never will be. Perhaps I needed a proofreader first before publishing whatever I wrote.
My apologies for scaring people with the overtones being interpreted as religious. It wasn't my intention.
> I rarely talk about meditation in professional circles because, for one, people think it's weird or have a preconceived notion of what it is, but more so it's so damn effective that it's seriously my secret weapon in life and part of my competitive edge.
Well, that's mighty compassionate of you.
> (As an aside, it has nothing at all to do with "strange religions", vegans, or yoga pants.)
What? While the strange religions are your loss (boring religions are for boring people, why settle for less?)
.. honestly there's no way you can justify dumping on vegans, or I'd like to see you try.
I'm not a vegan but damn if I don't respect the hell out of them for doing the right thing despite the deliciousness of cheese.
That said, yoga pants are a indeed blight on humanity. But then, about 23% of all strange religions consider them sinful.
Could you please share more details. Whenever I start things like that my own after reading few how-to-do, I am always questioning myself if I am doing them correctly.
Practicing since a couple of months and I agree with GP 100%.
In broad terms, the mind slowly gets remold in a very beneficial way. It's a bit like standing in a huge, noisy crowd where you couldn't make sense of much things because everything's moving, but with such training you slowly gain some distance, like you step back and you see the crowd from slightly above/afar (while still being present) and can notice the general movement as well as (increasingly with time) details, which somehow builds a feedback loop that makes you grow calmer. Everything then trickles down from that.
Can you advise an app or site? There are so many resources on the Net, from the crazy to the more esoteric, and it's hard to know which one makes sense.
Second this. Don't do it as regular as I usd to because I don't feel like the effect is as profound anymore.
That is not to say that I don't feel like meditation works, but more to say that there seems to be a big change after a longer regular period of meditation, but then further improvements seems to slow down. But I can way more easily get into a relaxed state and calm my mind than I could before doing any meditation. I just don't do it as regularly anymore as I find the further incremental improvements to my everyday life to be smaller.
You need to find the proper guidance/tools/technique to continue to make progress. That's why is best to find a competent teacher, otherwise you will hit a plateau and will think that's all there is to it.
I rarely talk about meditation in professional circles because, for one, people think it's weird or have a preconceived notion of what it is, but more so it's so damn effective that it's seriously my secret weapon in life and part of my competitive edge. (As an aside, it has nothing at all to do with "strange religions", vegans, or yoga pants.)
Start slow, 10 minutes a day for a week, then add 5 for the next week, and so on, and don't rush. Take it seriously and don't disrespect it. I simply cannot recommend it enough.