~Elements of Meditation~?

Question

Whats the reason that ancient and some modern martial artists meditate for long hours continuosly?

I've heard they used to meditate for 6 - 8 hours straight, daily.

If so, my questions are:

1. How did they find the patience and energy to do that?
2. What did they concentrate on ? (Nothing, or is it a certain thing).
3. How does it benefit them, and would it work for us?

....Please don't give me any religious lecture because it isn't about that......

And by the way , I'm Muslim.

Answer 1

Meditation links one's mind to the One Mind, where all knowledge is stored. Many people call it many things, but the belief system I prefer calls it the Akashic records.

1. Patience is built up through time, through dedication and determination. There is a goal in mind, which makes learning the patience worthwhile eventhough it is difficult.

2. Sometimes in meditating it is best to concentrate on nothing - to see what comes to you. Generally speaking, your subconscious knows what you need to see, so keeping your mind open to see those things is required, when that is the goal of the meditation. But if there is something in particular a person wishes to know, learn, or gain insight into, it can be good to focus upon those things while meditating.

3. Martial arts requires balance above all things. Actually, let me rephrase that. LIFE requires balance above all things. Would it work for us? It works for everyone motivated enough to put it to use. But I think martial artists meditate to help them better understand the nature of physics as well as the capabilities of their own bodies. But it all pretty much boils down to balance.


And by the way, on behalf of all Americans who wish you no harm, I'm sorry for everything my government has done to the innocent Muslim people of the world.

Answer 2

There are many methods and schools of thought assosiated with meditation. If you don't mind I'm going to try to answer your questions in a different order.

2 - Meditation at a basic level is emptying your mind of concious thought. There are many different methods to do this, with the most famous being chanting 'om' or staring at a candle. When you achieve an empty mind it is a very relaxing state to be in but it takes a lot of discipline to first shut out the outside world and then shut out the 'noise' inside your own brain.

1- Its not so much patience as being 'fit' enough mentally. Its somewhat like physical exercise in the sense that when you start exercise you can only do it for a short while and the more you do the more you can do. Its not like exercise in the sense that you expend a lot of energy.

3 - The benefits are both tangible and abstract. At a simple level it is just very relaxing, releases stress and allows you to 'recharge' your mental batteries and improves the energy flow through your body. Some people say that when you empty your mind, the silent wisdom of the universe enters.

Answer 3

1. They got the patience by knowing that being in the state of meditation is the best possible state to be in.

2. Not a thing, and not nothing. More like a knowledge of who and what they truly are, sort of like the secret meaning to life.

3. It gives them peace of mind, they are retaining energy rather than expelling it. It's comfortable, not physically exerting.

And by the way, I've heard a story where a guy meditated for 20 hours a day for 20 years, he was a Hindu saint that is talked about in the "Autobiography of a Yogi" by Parmahansa Yogananda.

Answer 4

Trying to avoid any "religious lecture" - I'm a (soto) Zen Buddhist - which (for me) is philosophy, rather than religion.

I meditate for 1-2 hours per day. Meditation is to experience the true nature of reality, free from delusion (hopefully).

Patience is not really an issue, as the process involves being in the here&now - when you only live in the present, there is no possibility of impatience.

Answer 5

1. I agree I couldnt stand just sitting thinking about something for x amount of hours just to better myself... But I do however day dream about stuff alot and that in itself is a form of meditation and I do enjoy it and I find it helps me realize what self is more.

2. They probably concentrated on some object and tryed to focus on it and control it as best they could. I used to do this as a kid not really knowing what meditation was even. It again can give you a sense of what self is. But then again so does helping the homeless get food ect ect...

3. Yes it benefit them. IT was at the very least a stress releaver and it could work for us... But the point is as long as your reflecting on self in some way your probably already on the path of enlightenment. Self reflection is the key imo to finding ones self and finding ones self is the key to finding others. You cant set out on a journey without knowing where you are first. Once you know where you are in this universe you can obtain anything you truely desire I think.

Oh and as for religious lecture maybe I should give one but I wont this time because you asked so nicely... lol.

Answer 6

It came naturally to me to be honest. Meditation is said to be the best way to inherit wisedom. Yes it works for anyone. It clears your mind and helps you focus on what is truly important in life. Some people start off by sitting and counting. or they chant. My way is just naturally came to me

Answer 7

Meditation is an excellent means of clearing ones mind and opening ones heart and mind to infinite possibilities. If one truly clears their mind it is an experience unlike any other that truly takes you to another stata of mind almost like entering another reality. I am sure that they consintrated on things like the meaning of life, why are we here, etc. I believe that it benefited them by allowing for creative, open minds and it can help us to reach for the stars and beyond. I myself have come up with several images/works with this method, for example:

I for one, STRONGLY believe that mankind will enter a golden era. I myself ask this, can people make their dreams/visions a reality?!!

For the most part, I would have to say YES!!

After all, several inventions and ideas were dreamed up and made into reality by many imaginative/innovative people (Quite a few who saw life differently then others, who continued onward no matter HOW many times their attempts failed, no matter HOW many times other people mocked them and tried to put them down-THANKFULLY they continued onward and emerged triumphant through it all so that quite a few people now have many marvels and wonders to behold, thanks to them). WONDERS that would have been far beyond peoples expectation even a couple hundred years ago, and if they were to look at all the marvels of our world today, most if not all from that era would be left with feelings of total AWE, WONDER, and even HORROR (Which I TRULY believe will not be the case a couple hundred years or so from now, since EVEN through it all, I believe enough people will STAND UP for themselves. Like those many people who THROUGHOUT history have CHANGED the face of the world in which we now live-who I admire to NO END, since they STOOD UP for what they believed in and TRULY made a difference to do their SHEER PASSION and DETERMINATION. I am INCREDIBLY confidant that even though there are SEVERAL horrific things going on in our era, that with SHEER PASSION and DETERMINATION we WILL make it through this so that ALL future generations will live in a TRULY united world where differences are ACCEPTED and even EMBRACED, so that NO ONE will EVER have to live in fear, no one will EVER have to live with DISEASE, HUNGER and so on, with ALL the horrors of the past being NOTHING but distant memories. A WORLD that would leave the people of today in TOTAL AWE, WONDER, and TRULY bring tears of joy to our eyes).

People THROUGHOUT HISTORY have made MARVELOUS ACHIEVEMENTS that have TRULY changed the world that we live in. I will list but a few of the UNBELIEVABLE amount of wonders that have come from the INGENIOUS imaginations/thoughts, etc of some of these people that have made their ways into our lives; The wheel, Telephone, Light bulb, Television, Computers/Internet, Video games(YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!), many amazingly delicious, mouth watering foods/beverages (Bet I'm making you ALL quite hungry right about now!!), etc that have changed OUR lives forever!!

Not to mention beautiful/innovative speeches, poems/poetry, books/novels, music, art and so on that have YET AGAIN been created by several people who have ACTED upon their DREAMS and VISIONS and came through it ALL with VIBRANT colours and have TRULY opened the HEARTS and MINDS of COUNTLESS people throughout HISTORY, the present, and yes the future as well (Embrace PEACE, LOVE, and UNDERSTANDING for a BETTER TOMORROW!!).

If ANYONE, and I mean ANYONE has ANY visions/ideas that can help bring forth a BETTER LIFE (PEACE, LOVE, and UNDERSTANDING) for themselves, and others, then WORK TOWARD THESE VISIONS/IDEAS AND SO ON NO MATTER WHAT OTHERS TELL YOU AND NO MATTER HOW HARD THEY TRY TO PUT YOU DOWN!!!!!!! VISIONS and IDEAS are what have bought SO MUCH UNDERSTANDING, AND WONDERS INTO OUR LIVES that our dreams MUST BE ACTED UPON, so I urge ALL OF YOU to reach for the stars and beyond, SUPPORTING OTHERS and HELPING those with BRILLIANT, IMAGINATIVE IDEAS (Even if they may seem odd) so that we can ALL move forward and create a world of TRUE AWE AND WONDER FOR MANKIND, the CREATURES, PLANTS AND PLANET ITS-SELF (I have SEVERAL helpful tips that are LITERALLY just a click away which will be GREAT for our planet!! Just click on the "SOLUTIONS FOR OUR PLANET/ENVIRONMENT" heading in my list of blogs and there will be links with several tips, many of which, saving money and the environment "Others that are more costly will also save money in the long run-with all of this leading to a healthier planet for us all). I urge ALL of you who are wanting a better life, STICK UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN!!!!!!!, DEFEND AND COMFORT THOSE WHO ARE BEING ABUSED, MISUNDERSTOOD, AND MISTREATED. After all, there are FAR MORE KIND HEATER PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD then there are cruel ones, so for those of you with KINDNESS, GET TOGETHER AS A GROUP WHEN YOU SEE OTHERS WHO NEED A HELPING HAND, OR JUST SIMPLY NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO, AND COMFORT THEM AND PROTECT THE INNOCENT FROM THOSE FEW THAT TRY TO PUT THEM DOWN!!!!!!! TOGETHER WE ARE STRONG, and TOGETHER we will make an AMAZING FUTURE with SEVERAL POSITIVE CHANGES creating a NEVER ENDING SUPPLY of LOVE, PEACE AND UNDERSTANDING FOR US ALL!! LET us strive to make these changes so that they can take effect even in OUR lifetimes. KEEP UP THE FAITH, and NEVER, I mean NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS, TURN TO OTHERS FOR COMFORT AND FOR SUPPORT ("ALL FOR ONE, and ONE FOR ALL" as the Musketeers would say!!), and we WILL EMERGE THROUGH THIS LIFE, TRIUMPHANT, making future generations look upon this era with PRIDE and NEVER ENDING GRATITUDE (For what we WILL accomplish!!). Let us ALL set a SOLID foundation so that ALL future generations may build upon it!!

I believe that in the distant future (Around a thousand years or so from now-Perhaps even sooner then that) this will all lead to a world that is SOOOO WONDERFUL and AWE INSPIRING that it will TRULY be BEYOND, ANY OF OUR GREATEST IMAGINATIONS, VISIONS and HOPES!!

So I can say FULL HEARTILY that YES I believe that for those who believe in THEIR DREAMS, AS WELL AS BELIEVING IN THE DREAMS OF OTHERS, AND ACTING UPON THEM, that THEY along with embracing PEACE, LOVE, and UNDERSTANDING, that they and us will be the MAIN driving force for an ever so WONDERFUL future.

SO MARCH FORWARD and CONTINUE TO REACH FOR THE STARS AND BEYOND so that we may ALL live in a world of NEVER ENDING BEAUTY, WONDER AND MARVELS!!

I have lots more inspirational works that you can use at:

http://360.yahoo.com/blorm_multaeeneea_l...