The Rev

When I meditate, I try to focus on one thing. However, odd thoughts always come to distract me, and they aren't always the things on my mind during the rest of the day. For example, today, I was focused on my breathing, but images of the Geico caveman kept popping into my head.

What off the wall shit has interrupted your concentration while sitting in meditation?



The Rev

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AdmBmb

getting a halfchub

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JcP

what HASN'T distracted me.


I think the distractions that I find the most interesting are like abstract images of lives I don't recall....a boy in a black and white world holding a bright red balloon...etc etc.


But damn, its always something. breathe and release.

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Just look out around us, people fightin their wars...
They think they'll be happy when they've settled their scores...
Let's lay down our weapons
and hold us apart
be still for just a minute
try to open our hearts
MORE LOVE.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Rev It's not what you see, it's that you're looking.

LHM

In this case, meditation is like one big blooper for me. I find it quite difficult to stop thoughts entering my head. Practice I guess...

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GirlsHateMe

You all obviously suffer from add and need medication...

Being

lol.

for me its usually some loudass noise or some phone or something.
when i actually get in the state of thoughtlessness i can usually stay there for a period of time, im working on extending that time though.

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R.I.P. Gov

SageTree

redkings avatar!!!! Little dancing bastard!

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BibleGuy

AdmBmb and Sage - ROFL!

Random thoughts. And just myself when I "try" too hard. I gotta let go...

Mydriasis

The first 10-20 minutes of my meditation is purely distraction. I used to frown on myself for this but then I realized. Meditation and the Modern-world don't go hand in hand.

I believe our culture of live-fast, eat-fast, work-fast, sleep-fast, form habits, pop-culture, culture(in general), know only the "facts", is unsustainable for spirituality. but shamefully if we don't sustain these traits we are out-casted and may die sooner than neccasary(s.p?) . The flaws in the design .

So these bloopers imo are our mind and spirit cycling out of the circles in daily modern life, and correcting itself, much like dreams and some of the random symbols/entities we encounter.

So now I embrace these bloopers, as a sort of healing from the poisons of society/culture. Lately I've been able to snap past them further/easier.

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SageTree

Well I'm glad to hear that you can get past these markers of thought faster.

In Buddhist meditation, the first instruction is often to watch the breath. These thoughts on parade are watched and labeled with a word when they arise, and emotion is to be recognized, but if possible not followed. Stopping thoughts all together isn't an easy task.

The cyclic existence you speak of, samsara, is the precise thing Buddha was adressing in his teaching of the Dharma. It's that we can remove ourselves from it, sort of like, in but not of, kind of thinking. Doing these daily things that we seemingly have to do to live aren't inherently bad, as some of them we must do to live. However the concept hinges on the reality and attachment we place on them. That is the crux. Living is suffering, or unsatisfactory if you will. If you are happy you want to stay happy, if you are sad, you push it away and long for happiness. If you eat something you like for a long time you will start to be unhappy with it, as you will become full and bloated. So in and of itself, unsatisfactory is its nature.

Buddhist meditation at it's core if to help us be in contact with the true nature of things, including looking deeply at these thoughts that arise, with what Buddha called, The Four Foundations of Mindfulness.

Living in that frame of mind, choosing a more simple approach to life, doesn't mean that we will die young, although we may not fit into some circles. However we'll be welcomed into others certainly, as there are many people who feel the way you do.

Acknowledging the insights you have as bloopers and being able to laugh alittle is a good first step in the direction of true nature and toil so many get caught in.

Meditation is certainly an individual experience and with out sounding like a zealot, I only wish you share my practice from a framework perspective, and share the thoughts I had when reading your Post.

I don't necessarily think this is THE right way for everyone, but I feel that reading about how other traditions and indivuals approach this subject can be markers for our own practice and experience since there isn't exactly a road map, although this was what Buddha was offering.

"Try these, they worked for me, maybe they will for you too" is his paraphrased advice. And that is all I'm saying here too.

Much love Brother. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and maybe even reading that tangent I put forth

SageTree

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Mydriasis

After quickly reading through I realize that a lot of my anger, and frusteration does stem from my opinion verses what you have posted. I am going to look more into buddhism. My clandestine methods toward spirituality have taken me pretty far, but it is a true gift to be able to "skip ahead" and learn from someone who has themselves learned the material I am working on.

My response is probably a bit clouded at this moment, because that is my current state of mind . Had some drinks with the family, but thank you for sharing, and I am naturally drawn to what you have said sage.

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SageTree

You know where to find me brother.

Namaste`

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Hedons

If I'm meditating and I get a sexual thought into my head, the entire meditation comes crashing down.

Since I think about sex a lot I make it a point to have sex or masturbate prior to meditation.

-Hedons

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New and improved! Now with flushable applicator.

Hedons

Sagetree - speaking of Samsara, the Baraka sequel by the same name is currently being filmed.

And now back to your regularly scheduled thread.

-Hedons

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New and improved! Now with flushable applicator.

SageTree

x2


Thanks, for the update, Mr. Hedons.

Now for the weather....

Tomorrow after a long dry spell, there is a thick cloud of haze coming up from the South....(My wife is bring some herbs for Thanksgiving weekend in Canada, my first time smoking tomorrow since Sept 26! Longest stint in a while. For that break I am thankful.)

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crookedhatinator45

i was thinking more along the lines of one of your own flatulants distracting you as you get into your pose. hahaha

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk3tchyD4ZO no doubt. the first place i had these was at Space Camp.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Former President Hayes stfu with this pretend bullshit cutesy "lol @ bears" you don't know what its like to like in CONSTANT threat of bear attack.you don't even FUCKING KNOW.

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Originally Posted by v3d4 note to self: veda, you decided not to look at this thread anymore.

♫ılıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲ ̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llılı ♫

SageTree

breaking wind in yoga and meditation classes is pretty common, and a really personal ice breaker. Hey it happens Just make breathing harder since lentils often find their way into one's diet.

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hijabihippie

LOL

A friend of mine calls that "dharma thunder".

MannyBoy

I teach a course on world religions. In one of the units of the course on Eastern mysticism I have all of my students meditate. For almost every student this is their first time. Almost to a person, they feel frustrated by the intrusions of random thoughts and distractions. Think about it. When is the last time you were in silence? Conversations, music, reading, etc. are all good things in there place, but meditation requires putting these things aside (yes, even you iPod).

It takes practice to move into the experience of open mental silence. Once at this place of tranquility and openness, now and then you can have a "random" thought emerge into your space. I think it is sometimes a mistake try to put this thought aside. There is something out there beyond our never ending self absorbed living waiting for us to take a step away from the rat race of the physical senses and enter into silence. Once there, we are in a place to hear from that presence beyond (for me as a Christian this is God). In this sense, this "intrusion" may be the message.

The other thing I find is often these students new to meditation feel they have failed if they entered silence but left without hearing a message (from God for the Christian). I ask them to imagine themselves as a small child sitting in the arms of a loving parent. You are successful in your meditation if you arrive at this place. There - there is no need for words (spoken or otherwise). Hear his heartbeat. Feel the warmth. Experience the security and peace of true intimacy.

Intimacy is the gift. The healing. The wholeness.