Tips on meditation

**MrLewful** · 08-28-2012 09:14 AM

As far as I'm concerned meditation is about relieving our minds from the endless stream of thoughts we are bombarded with everyday. For someone like me who is not used to meditating it's somewhat difficult. I know meditation goes hand in hand with relaxation techniques and visualization. For me at least, it makes visualization a lot more real, not like the usual daydreaming. However, I find it hard to meditate. I have tried meditating to brainwave entrainment, Theta frequency, but my brain takes baby-steps. Being used to process information continuously and being bombarded with information from outside it just cannot let go of that habit easily.
Do you guys practice meditation to help with your daily lives? Do you use meditation to achieve a higher state of lucidity? I know meditation can help with most types of lucid dreams. If you do use it, how did you learn to meditate and what techniques did you use? I would appreciate any pieces of advice you could give me !

**Iapetos** · 08-28-2012 12:53 PM

I meditate every night while in bed to clear my mind from worries and concern and things that makes me stressed. So I choose a posture that I can't fall asleep in, like sitting with my back against the wall and being in a sitting position in my bed. Then I think about things that happened during the day and what bothers me and imagine that I put it in a safe and then blow it up.

Then I move on to a method called Image Streaming where you basically do the opposite to meditation, instead of not trying to think anything at all, you let the thoughts flow and you describe EVERY thought that comes to mind aloud. Sometimes I get to a point where I think "I have been thinking for so long so I don't even want to think anymore!".

Then I choose a comfortable sleeping posture (usually on my side) and daydream about anything, like imagine myself feeling the sand on a beach or playing a song on my guitar.

The important thing in meditation and lucid dreaming is to realize that you can't do anything wrong, just accept anything that comes to you.

Meditation helps me calm my mind down and if I get rid of all the random thoughts in my head before going to sleep, I end up having more stable dreams where I am in more control, which in turn makes it easier to be aware and realize that I am dreaming.

Namaste (No idea what it means xD) Just heard tibetan monks say it

Good luck!

**saltyseedog** · 08-28-2012 07:41 PM

Meditation makes you more self aware which is good for lucid dreaming. It relieves stress and tension. It is a way that I cope with my existence. Maybe not good way to put it. I would recommend just being persistent with meditation and in time you will get better. When I meditate I just sit with my legs crossed or in half lotus position with my hands in my lap. I just breath in and out. Whatever thoughts or feeling arise I just let them pass and don't struggle with them.

**Radioshift** · 08-29-2012 05:14 AM

I agree with all of the above. As a beginner to meditation, I can't add too much more than this. Even small amounts of meditation will make a big difference in self awareness.

**joncarico** · 08-30-2012 05:12 PM

I have been practicing meditation for years. This past January, I attended a Vipassana course by SN Goenka in Hawai'i (the 10-day course) which has helped my practice significantly.

You can check out more about the free 10-day courses offered worldwide at dhamma.org.

As far as tips... practice? One of my teachers said, "It is not too many thoughts, just 'many thoughts.'" In other words, don't quanitfy whether you are thinking too much, there is no ceiling to the amount of thinking one can do during meditation. The purpose of meditation is to become aware that one is thinking. It does get discouraging at times. Sometimes very discouraging. But it helps to remember that progress is realizing you're having a thought, and bringing your attention back to the session. Progress is in awareness, not in lack of thoughts.

I hope this helps!

**MrLewful** · 08-30-2012 07:59 PM

A common point in what you guys said is continuous practice so I will keep doing this. I think I will meditate each day at the same time interval, to make it more of a habit. Thank you all that answered to this thread, it really helped. I will remember what you guys told me.

**Sivason** · 08-30-2012 08:53 PM

I teach all sorts of meditations and how they can be used to improve LDing, in the DVA forum. Here is a link, http://www.dreamviews.com/f157/dream...on-2-a-132235/ Please open the link and look at post #4 Be Here Now. This simple meditation is a good first step. Basically you do not start with trying to think less or stop thinking, you simply try to limit your mind to thinking only about the world you are experiencing at the moment.