Meditation 101..

[SonarP]

Okay, umm....I've been having trouble meditating. I've been reading books, and it seems like it's supposed to be a fort-night sort of thing. But I've been trying for 5 months now!! gonk And by trying, I mean "off medication" trying.

What I used to do:
x_x Take Seroquel and wait for the drowsy rush.

Results: I'd end up astral projecting and going some places when I'd play music. The problem with this was that I'd be so sleepy. If I was left alone, I would sleep at least 10 hours. When you have school and marching band, that's not very good. Or practical for that matter. I could only "catch up" on my sleep during non-school days.

What I do now:

I sit down in a comfortable position. That's cross-legged for me. I try to quiet myself by concentrating on my breathing, calming myself down and give myself permission to relax. I'd hear the music playing in the background, too.

Result: Tingling sensations. I'd feel just a bit dizzy, too.

Maybe I'm rushing it, and expecting an immediate response. Perhaps I need to work on psychic abilities first?  

[twilight insanity]

psychic abilities are not nessecary. just relax, and expose yourself to dreamy things. certain books, or poetry, the right songs or music, and being outside resting during twilight. those are the best things you can do to meditate.  

[SonarP]

Kay. ^^ Thanks.  

[Starlock]

You might also be expecting too much. Don't have any expectations going into it. Meditation in many ways is simply about experiencing the present moment more fully than we ordinarily do. There are many, many ways this can be attained and you've probably experienced it already doing something *other* than what most of the books will tell you (ie, sitting in a quiet place and counting numbers or something). The aim is often to just bring your attention to the 'now' instead of thinking about the past or the future. There is only this one moment. There is only ever the present.

Tingling sensations and a sort of dizziness is pretty normal. I get that sometimes and it doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong. For me the tingling is often a sign of the magical energy (or whatever you want to call it) flowing around and/or through me. It might have a specific direction, come in waves or pulses. The slight dizziness can sometimes happen when you at first really empty the mind. We're not used to it so it can be disorienting. To me it's less of a dizzy feeling and more of a 'sinking inwards and outwards at the same time' feeling. It is difficult to describe well. sweatdrop I don't always get either of these sensations. But I sometimes do.  

[Jezehbelle]

You can meditate doing anything.

Really.

Tai-Chi, Yoga, walking, running, sitting, laying down, standing, standing on your head, washing dishes, mowing the lawn, whathaveyou.
It's the focus, not the position (but, having your spine being in alignment (ie, good posture) is always good.

Actually, I recently slipped into an unintentionally medium-deep meditation while driving around and listening to Voodoo Child (Hendrix) on repeat. Boy, was that interesting. (It was a completely different driving experience. Maybe it was the fact that I was moving, or maybe it was the overcast-hazy-orange-hue that the world had that day, but it was awesome.)

You've probably meditated before, successfully, and not realized you were meditating. Probably more like a lighter meditation, but you probably have.

It's a focus. Really, that's all it is. Focus on a concept or thought, or, focus on awareness of the moment. Little picture, big picture. Some books suggest stareing into a candle, other's say envision a white light pouring in, or circling in and out like a wave, which can be good for beginners but frusterating at the same time for other beginners.
Focus. On an idea, concept, the moment. The rest will follow.

And it doesn't have to be perfect. Other things can bob to the surface, and that's fine. If they keep pushing up, you might need to deal with them a bit.

Personally, it feels like little waves going in and out and around and through me when I'm at a lower (not so deep) level. When I get really down, deep and low sorts of meditation, it's like I AM the wave in a calm but living sea.
(mm, metaphors)
I can't recall being really dizzy from it before though... Well, afterwards, but it's not really dizzy. It's like waking up from a deep sleep. Every part of me is heavy until I can really get back into my body again.  

[Curiously Fruity]

I have a question about Meditation. What do you guys use it for? I've heard that it can be used to "speak" or contact the gods. True?  

[Redwing~Shadow]

Meditation can be achieved in many ways. Just find and activity that relaxes and you enjoy without trying that hard. The point of meditation is to relax the mind from stressful thoughts or merely empty the mind, to clear your thoughts. For me simply drawing helps, or reading, I become out of it and it relaxes me. Either way, anything you chose that helps clear the mind and relaxes you is a form of meditation.

Quote:

I have a question about Meditation. What do you guys use it for? I've heard that it can be used to "speak" or contact the gods. True?

It's actually supposed to relax people, but some people find that forms of prayer are meditation I guess. It depends on the person.  

[Jezehbelle]

.Curiously.Fruity.

I have a question about Meditation. What do you guys use it for? I've heard that it can be used to "speak" or contact the gods. True?

You can. I have.

On one level I use it to help stave off bad insomnia and to keep me from being so tense. On another level, it's spiritual exercise (listening and prayer, moving and unblocking energy).