Meditation... does it do anything for you?

Question

I heared numerous times that meditation helps people with mental problems and other various health problems. The thing is, that would defy one of the main ideas in meditation.. "NO GAIN"

You sit, just to sit... Not to gain anything. But how can someone with a problem do something that he hopes will help him, without hoping that it will? This in itself brings inner conflict which interferes with the process of eliminating all thoughts, relaxing, etc.

On the other hand, if I would sit just to sit, I'd quickly get bored, because I have no goal !

I'd like to hear stories. How did you start meditating? Did you have a teacher? Did you have a set "goal"? How do you meditate? Did it help you in anyway? How are you now?

(Stories from people with "problems" only please. No point hearing this from people who were fine to begin with.)

Answer 1

I was one of those who was plagued with all kinds of mind troubles, doubts, fears, low self esteem, etc. for many years. And I had tried everything - and i do mean everything to get healing. To answer your question, the purpose of meditation is to get in touch with your own inner divine nature, your own true self or core identity which lies within you. There are wonderful, great beings that have gone on this journey and fully awakened themselves to this truth. When they fully realized that truth they entered a state of total ecstacy and all the weight of being a burdened and limited human being dropped away and their true existence as a divine`human being began right then. Life for them became a wonderful ecstatic, constant awareness that they were truly free and had in reality always been so and that all their previous limitations and burdens were self imposed. Most of us are so identified with the burdened and limited state that we have to learn how to become not so identified with it. This is one purpose of our meditating. One of the first steps is to still the constant chattering mind because that is an obstacle to our realizing the truth. That can happen slowly or quickly. It happens slowly for most people as it is not easy reigning in the mind. Most of our lives we have given it free reign. It definitely happens faster if you are one of the fortunate ones that are able to recognise one who has attained that ecstatic state and become permanently established in it. Approaching such a being and seeking his help with a true heart will enable the teacher to surely lead him to his own state of full awareness. It takes great faith, trust and diligence and even courage to set out in this journey of accepting and being lead by such a teacher. But it's the only worthwhile journey we can make in this life. My teacher, a wonderful, omniscient, true meditation master/guru, came from India right to where I was living in England. I had learned about him a few months before but amazingly, there I was suddeny standing before him. He immediatelty responded to my plea for help and he said through a translater "Do japa intensely" I had to ask others what that was. I was told it was constantly repeating over and over again a sacred mantra given by the guru. I think I knew there and then that would heal me of my constant chattering mind and everything else and it was confirmation that japa was to be my main path (I had been repeating my own made up mantras with great success up to then). It was very difficult at first but became a joy and delight later. And that was the beginning of true meditation for me because doing japa brought me peace and stilled my mind. Soon I could sit crossed leg and repeat the mantra and drift into deep meditation for an hour or more with a very stll, thought free mind. It was only then that the inner truth was able to well up from within. Day by day, as my meditation became deeper, this truth would become ever more clear and more and more exciting. And a great thankfullness and love for the teacher would always be welling up from within. Later, I would realize that the thankfullness and love was for my own true inner being, which I could recognize as being one and the same as the guru.

Answer 2

I have been meditating for 10 years. I am 53 years old. I am a recovering addict with 10 years clean. As part of my recovery I practice meditation. It is often said that prayer is asking God a question and Meditation is listening for His answer. The answer comes in ways that I do not understand and probably just weave into the fabric of My daily life. I am also an outpatient of a Mental Hospital. I was diagnosed with drug induced psychosis and with my disease of addiction, that makes Me Dual Diagnosis/Co-Morbid or just plain double trouble.At any rate one of the first results of Meditation that happened for Me was increased emotional stability. I use guided and subliminal recordings a lot for meditation. Meditation is definitely improving my life.

Answer 3

i started meditation when things got too hectic to handle. sometimes just sitting and doing nothing but thinking about breathing and closing my eyes help bring a type of serenity over me. i did not have a teacher, and do not know if i was doing it "right" but it worked for what i needed it to do. the point in meditation is gain peace or understanding of something that you can not control, at least that was my point in starting. thank you for your question though, i had got out of my practice and you have reminded me why i started in the first place. i would say i was very much like you in "what is the point?" when someone first mentioned it to me.

Answer 4

I have meditated just to calm myself down, and de-stress. Stress is a cause for many health problems, and eliminating it can be very rewarding. It can lower blood pressure, and in some cases even preven heart attacks (related to stress) and stroke.
When I meditate, I don't just sit and think of nothing, I think of solutions. I think about what it is that is stressing me out, or making me depressed, or just causing friction in my life, and I think about solutions, in a positive, constructive manner.

Answer 5

If you are going to Meditate then Meditate on GOD he has the answer, GOD Bless you, Love from your brother in Christ Jesus

Answer 6

meditation can do wonders for u, when u go to some place quit to be at peace an meditate.

Answer 7

The goal is to center your mind and body. Prayer is a form of meditation. My goals are willpower and endurance and I guarantee you that I could never reach these goals without a disciplined mind.

Answer 8

I tried meditation and it does nothing for me. Can't seem to settle down and not think about nothing which is what your supposed to do.

Answer 9

this may help you
www.11meditation.co.nr

this is what we do in Thailand. I try to translate it to english language. just jump to the page of meditation.

Answer 10

I hope this article helps... I think its good for you..

The problem with meditation is attachment.

We get in the habit of needing our altar, favorite cushion, incense, CD, certain time of day, necessary length of time, or particular style of sitting. If we can’t do it the “right” way, we tend to skip it altogether. We get so attached to the trappings that we get a little testy if we don’t have everything just so.

This is funny when you think about it. In Buddhism, the core belief is that life is full of suffering, and this suffering is due to attachment. Isn’t it ironic that we become so attached to the idea of meditation? Isn’t it a bit absurd to think of followers of particular styles of meditation as obsessive about their own approach?

I find it hilarious. I also find it destructive.

I’m all for whatever works. If committing to a ritual is right for you, by all means, light that candle. If you must do some yoga exercises prior to sitting, go for it. If you need to go for a run before chanting, be my guest.

However, if you find that your concept of what you need in order to meditate is hindering instead of liberating you, it’s time to take a look at what I refer to as “wireless” meditation.

The beautiful thing about going wireless—-whether it’s with phones, computers, or your own quest for mindfulness—-is that you suddenly become unencumbered by extraneous connections. You can continue with your day. You can go anywhere. You are free.

Just as a wireless phone allows you to think of your workplace in a whole new way, mindfulness practice gives you the opportunity to bring attention to whatever you’re doing.

Your connection to your mind and your heart is hooked up while you’re taking a shower, washing the dishes, walking the dog, or tending your garden. You no longer see mindfulness as something you can do only if you’re sitting in your family room before the kids get up.

For those who’ve given up on meditation, consider the freedom of mindfulness practice.

Here are five questions to ask yourself in order to stay connected anywhere, anytime:

* “What can I notice this minute?” Look around. What do you see? What colors pop? What kind of light fills your space? What do you smell? What do you hear? How does your body feel right now?

* “Where can I focus my attention this minute?” Choose something within you—-a physical sensation, a thought, an emotion. Or, go outside your skin and shine all of your attention upon something around you. Spend one minute in full discovery mode.

* “What can I do to connect with this person?” If you’re a parent and you’re feeling a little burned out by your child’s demands, stop thinking about how to fulfill a request and focus on how to fulfill a need. Can you give loving attention without giving a thing? Can you focus your full attention on your partner in the way most likely to make them feel cherished?

* “How can I bring more mindfulness to this task?” Whether you’re filing, copying documents, folding laundry, or scrubbing the bathtub, you can focus intently and intensely upon your particular task. Take note of the textures. Pay attention to edges, creases, folds, warmth, texture, and color. Focus on the muscles you’re using in each step of the process. Feel the bending, flexing, and stretching your body must do to perform each movement.

* “How can I find more meaning in this moment?” In every moment, we have the opportunity to connect to what matters most. We can choose to find a reason to feel grateful, content, secure, uplifted, and cared for.

By paying attention, we can find value in the simplest tasks and the greatest challenges. Going wireless means you can choose to connect whenever you like. Find ways to tap into mindfulness without becoming attached to meditation.