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Meditation- How to shut my head up

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    Meditation- How to shut my head up

    I have been thinking for the last week or so that I need to start grounding myself somehow again. I tried meditation a few years ago and it worked ok for me, but when I stopped needing to shut my head up I stopped practicing and now I'm finding it really hard to start again. I've forgotten how I got to that calm space in the first place.

    Basically I have a really hard time with thinking too much. I think and feel too much often. I love the fact that I feel so much, I feel really alive because of it, BUT I'd like to calm it down so I'm not torturing myself/tormenting myself all the time. Honestly it's ridiculous! My art work is suffering as is my social-life and job because I can't get in the zone.

    Sooo I was thinking meditating again would be a good idea. I'm looking for any helping tips you guys can give me! Please. X
    "You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me"- CS Lewis


    https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyHagenART

    #2
    Re: Meditation- How to shut my head up

    Hoenstly--as someone that suffers with this affiction...don't try to shut your head up.

    The harder you try, the louder its going to be.

    Instead try finding a meditative process that works with this, and gives you something to physically do or mentally focus upon.

    Yoga, tai chi/qidong, etc naturally incorporate an physical activity that focuses on a mind-body connection that serves to quiet the mind and center and ground us, even if its not "centering and grounding" in the traditional sense. But any repetitive activity like crochet/knitting, running or swimming, drumming, etc (where you loose the "noise" in the action, and can incorporate a mental focus) is good for this. Another option is guided meditation, which gives you a persons voice to listen to and sort of follow directions--and there are centering and grounding guided meditations online that are free, you just have to google around and find one that suits you.
    Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
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      #3
      Re: Meditation- How to shut my head up

      In zen buddhism, they teach the practice of zazen (meditation) - and basically the philosophy is "don't shut your head up, but rather practice the art of nonthinking" ...you can never have a blank mind. But what you can do is allow your thoughts to happen naturally, and let them flow over you without any notice. It's when you latch onto a thought, you think about it more, and it takes away from the practice of zazen. So like thal said, don't fight it, just let it happen.

      And practice. It's not going to come back to you overnight.


      Mostly art.

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        #4
        Re: Meditation- How to shut my head up

        You can incorporate your thoughts into a visualization. See a tree in front of you, see the thoughts as falling leaves that float down onto a flowing river. As the thoughts visually float away, allow them to float away from your mind. You can also incinerate them with fire, wash them off in a waterfall, etc. Be creative! This works well on a lot of my beginning meditation students
        -=Ex Ignorantia Ad Sapientiam; E Luce Ad Tenebras=-

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          #5
          Re: Meditation- How to shut my head up

          Originally posted by volcaniclastic View Post
          In zen buddhism, they teach the practice of zazen (meditation) - and basically the philosophy is "don't shut your head up, but rather practice the art of nonthinking" ...you can never have a blank mind. But what you can do is allow your thoughts to happen naturally, and let them flow over you without any notice. It's when you latch onto a thought, you think about it more, and it takes away from the practice of zazen. So like thal said, don't fight it, just let it happen.

          And practice. It's not going to come back to you overnight.
          What she said ^

          As someone who spends a lot of time meditating, it does take work.
          The forum member formerly known as perzephone. Or Perze. I've shed a skin.

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            #6
            Re: Meditation- How to shut my head up

            Originally posted by volcaniclastic View Post
            In zen buddhism, they teach the practice of zazen (meditation) - and basically the philosophy is "don't shut your head up, but rather practice the art of nonthinking" ...you can never have a blank mind. But what you can do is allow your thoughts to happen naturally, and let them flow over you without any notice. It's when you latch onto a thought, you think about it more, and it takes away from the practice of zazen. So like thal said, don't fight it, just let it happen.

            And practice. It's not going to come back to you overnight.
            Yes, this is very good advice. I think that, while you're still getting the hang of it, it would be good to use a guided meditation. There's a great podcast I use called Meditation Oasis. There are some really good ones about letting your mind drift and get into that calm, washed over state. A good few for that are Let It Be, Letting Go and Simply Being.

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              #7
              Re: Meditation- How to shut my head up

              I find that when i really concentrate on my breathing, (from the regular in and out to alternate nostril breaths) I can get to a meditative state quite easily now.
              But as others have saie, it does take practice.
              Also I would suggest starting with a 5 minute meditation and work up from that.
              What you see depends on what you are looking for.

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                #8
                Re: Meditation- How to shut my head up

                I'll give it a try, just focusing on the breathing because that is what I used to do. The whole problem I am having is separating my thoughts and my logic from my feelings. I really am torturing myself at the moment and I don't have time for it.
                But I lack focus. I usually shut my head up by making things. I'm usually really happy creating things but I can't concentrate or get to a level where I want to explore things.

                I'm stuck.
                "You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me"- CS Lewis


                https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyHagenART

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                  #9
                  Re: Meditation- How to shut my head up

                  This is part of why mantras, mandalas, and statuaries exist - they give you something to focus your entire attention on, to help you throw those annoying thoughts off for a while. The mantra in particular helps with timing your breathing, if you don't have that down yet and "just focusing on your breath" allows too much room for thoughts to emerge.

                  Even these tools can take practice to learn to use. Sometimes, the best tools we have are patience and persistence.
                  "A true initiation never ends"-Robert Anton Wilson
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                    #10
                    Re: Meditation- How to shut my head up

                    I find that meditating when I first wake up is easiest. I am usually relaxed (if I woke up on time) and I am rested. I haven't gone through my stressful day yet and it is a good way to get in the right mind set to start my day. I always gather things that please my senses. I start making coffee, I light a candle, I play soft music (usually some pretty Celtic stuff) in the background and sit at my dinning room table and do my thing. Good luck to you FW! Until I found the right method for me it was a struggle so I can understand where you are coming from. Sometimes I feel like I have a bee in my bonnet that just wont STOP :P
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                      #11
                      Re: Meditation- How to shut my head up

                      Bzzzz.

                      Bzzzz.

                      Bzzzz.

                      Yup, bee in my bonnet is about right.
                      I just need to quieten it down a little. Often it helps me, but other times it won't freakin' shh! So if it freaking learns to shhh a little bit then it would help. Day one went ok. I couldn't sleep last night at all so I meditated for a wee while and that helped no end. X
                      "You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me"- CS Lewis


                      https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyHagenART

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                        #12
                        Re: Meditation- How to shut my head up

                        I like this music for meditation ,

                        What you see depends on what you are looking for.

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                          #13
                          Re: Meditation- How to shut my head up

                          Yeah, well it isn't working great yet. Mind you I know it takes time and meditation isn't about instantly getting results. X
                          "You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me"- CS Lewis


                          https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyHagenART

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                            #14
                            Re: Meditation- How to shut my head up

                            I am at the point now where I can meditate for 15 minutes at a time. It has taken me about 4 years to get there. You will make it. Just find what works for you best.
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                              #15
                              Re: Meditation- How to shut my head up

                              Hope this can be of some help, this is how I've meditated for years.

                              1. Try and find a time in your day when you are least likely to be interrupted.

                              2. In a quiet place (I sit in the middle of an oriental rug in my living room) sit cross legged,I have music on low (instrumental only, Celest suggestion of Anugama-Shamanic Dream is a good choice) and the lights dimmed.

                              3. Start by breathing in through you noise and out through you mouth slowly, until you feel yourself relax.

                              4. Invasion a cord with a crystal on both ends. Start in the center of your mind and slowly send the crystal down through the center of your body, through the floor and down through the earth. All the way into the earth's core.This is your grounding point.

                              5. Next send the other end of the cord up through your head, see yourself sitting in the room as you ascend up through the ceiling, roof, above your home, and up into the atmosphere. Take it all the way into space, see the planets, moon's, stars, etc. The important part is to do it slowly, let your mind take over until you feel yourself being slowly drawn back down into your body seeing everything as you reenter yourself.

                              6. Then slowly draw the cord back into your body from the earths core. Again visualizing everything as you pass back up into yourself. I find this takes about an hour to complete, but this is after getting into it the first few times it maybe a shorter duration of time.

                              At this point I become aware of my physical self again and slowly return to a fully conscious state of mind. After meditating like this I feel as refreshed as if I've had a good nights sleep.

                              I hope this helps you out.
                              Last edited by Monk; 14 Mar 2011, 05:22.
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