[Info!] Meditation for spiritual growth and development

Hi all! I am Noah and my life has been (and still is!) a search, a seeking. I am sure this resonates with many reading this post and surely with anyone even provisionally interested in meditation. I have been a student of Theology/Religion my whole life since my disillusionment with the tradition of my upbringing, non-denominational Christianity, in late teens. After many years studying sacred texts of all religions, college courses, life and many friends of all religious traditions, I gained many intellectual understandings and felt the worthiness of meditation as a spiritual practice. After study of different spiritual traditions of meditation I (finally!) started my own practice and have meditation as a central pillar. Since then, I have developed much. It is authentic, genuine and little hard to grasp at first so, I want to open this thread up for questions quickly. Questions can be about my personal practice or meditation in general. I have alot of knowledge and believe it is a purpose for me to be here.

There are many spiritual teachings in the world. I have learned that there is different levels of understanding (plain, deep, esoteric, etc) and meditation is a tool to pierce through them all. Meditation is also like the teachings in the way that the goal is different depending upon where you are in your own development.

At first the goal of meditation may be said to be "peace of mind." It can certainly bring that. Although, piece of mind in a strictly psychological since is necessary for our growth and development, along this line it is more accurate to say the goal is "tranquility" or "single-minded focus." This is the ability to dwell consciously in a state of no discursive thoughts. This can be achieved by many techniques. Know surely that this state is NOT a trance, and no imagination can be implored.

thanks for any replies and, to be continued...

Some thoughts and background to start with:

Mind Intent is the strongest force when used properly. This should resonate true to anyone reading this post. Mind intent is a force that all of people are using all of the time, most people unconsciously. In meditation, first to understand your intention is key.
What you want you shall have. <---This is a true statement with many wonders and dangers associated with it. To understand this, we must know what the first true goal of meditation is- unification of self. The reason one cannot gain tranquility or single-minded focus in sitting meditation is because we are scattered within ourselves.
Two examples to clarify the thoughts:
Have you ever had a desire to wake up early one morning for yourself (maybe to run, meditate, watch sunrise...) so you bed at a good time and set your alarm but, in the morning you did not want to wake and do it? The "you" that made the plan and set the alarm the night before was a different "you" that awoke in the morning, eh?
In beginning meditation, just sitting or mindfulness of breathing, the mind at once runs free. Thoughts scatter, go out, uncontrolled. There truly is no controlling it, this is the natural mind but, before long the thoughts come back, settle, having no basis "out there" and, eventually the mind quiets a bit. This is a beginning stage of integration.

Moral and ethical thought, speech and action is necessary. Much of what is unconscious is made conscious through meditation. A tool to make us all more whole and complete within our "selves." Then when we want something, we really want it with the whole of our being, then our mind intent is really powerful

thanks and to be continued...

Good stuff! Looking forward to reading more!

Thank you sir SUNGAZER! I find that many individuals align themselves strictly to a spiritual tradition before they begin a "serious" practice. Meditation is so natural and authentic, I hope to make it more accessible to those who have not a serious practice of their own but want something authentic with not much ritual or tradition. And, to perhaps show the way into the depth and the light that I think can be easily communicated to the modern mind.

Meditation is a very natural act. The practitioner just allows the mind to do what it naturally does. Under proper conditions- quiet, comfortable, spine erect, no sense indulgence, etc. The process is naturally quickened. So, what is it that the mind naturally does? The experience of meditation provides the information needed, without thought or speculation.
In beginning meditation, quietly unifying, we find it a process of "letting go." Of ideas, beliefs, definitions, understandings and, most of all, self-identifying thoughts. It is only by this kind of self-identification being made that you can be "caught up" in thoughts at all (daydreams, fantasy, thoughtstream process, etc). In life as in meditation, we "wake up" or come out of it when we understand that that self-identification is not who we are. The mind naturally presents these ideas and thoughts for our experience because a self-identification has been made. The minds natural process of thought is to this end- purifying the mind of false ideas of the "self."

some more on beginning to hopefully inspire understanding

Just reading what you posted here makes me feel comfortable and relaxed. Thank you!

Thank you for reading and replying, sir!

The calming of the mind, letting go of false ideas of the "self" and integration are natural products of calmly sitting in conscious awareness. The more we do it, the easier it becomes to do! There is, however, many approaches to beginning meditation. I will touch on a few here and expound a bit on the techniques. Please ask any questions that come to mind and keep in mind also- here I am only touching on beginning meditation techniques. There are also many advanced techniques that hopefully can be explored in later posts

All if these techniques will be simple and can take a practitioner far in meditation:

Mindfulness of the Breath (anapanasati)- this is using the process of breathing as foundation for mindfulness. Anytime the mind wanders, the attention is brought gently back to the breath with no judgement. This technique was taught by the Buddha as a complete path to awakening when coupled with our second technique.

Four Foundations of Mindfulness- As a foundation for conscious awareness, a practitioner puts the attention on one of 4 bases: the Body (sensation), Feeling (emotion), Mind (awareness of being) and Mind Objects (thoughts). This is a way to easily and organically categorize our experiences in meditation, allowing the process to unfold naturally.

Color- Some find it easy at first to look at a color until it can be visualized when the eyes are closed. This visualization will go through a process culmination is attainment of tranquility.

A Flame- A very powerful technique. Stare at a source of natural light- a candle or oil lamp and calmly stay aware.

Death- Focusing on images of dead and decomposing bodies. A technique used to overcome lust for the flesh, sexual or lust for existance.

Compassion- A powerful technique. Begin by bringing up and sitting in feelings of love for someone close- spouse, parents, child, etc. drive the feeling deep and then bring to mind your friend, your neighbor, your dentist, giving and feeling that same feeling of love and care for them as the most important person in your life. Finally, give the feeling to the stranger you passed on your walk, the nameless many you pass in your car driving...

Hope this inspires some to try who perhaps have not already, any questions or comments are greatly appreciated, thank you for your attention

with love....

I have a hard time with meditation, I'm distracted by everything. How do you prevent yourself from being distracted or your mind wandering?

Thanks for your response 100th Monkey!

Take care to limit external distractions when you are meditating. This means have a quiet spot, turn phone off, etc. Make yourself as comfortable as possible. Then sit.

The mind naturally wanders, let it be! If you choose to meditate for 20 min and, get ready then sit for 20 minutes without moving with your spine erect and, your mind runs the whole time in a thousand different directions, SUCCESS! It will get easier the more you do it. When there is no external place for the mind to go, it naturally will turn inward and calm down. In beginning meditation we cannot WILL our minds to quiet or tranquility. Sit quiet and comfortably within your being, do not add or take away from your experience in any way, just be.
In post #7 I touch on a few techniques for beginning meditation if one is not comfortable with just sitting. good luck!

Please respond with any thoughts and know- All that you will experience is the MIND!

I know when I sit and meditate I turn the control of my thoughts off and allow my mind to go wherever it wants to.

Fantastic Denise! As I touched on before- meditation is a completely natural undertaking. It allows the practitioner to speed up the natural process of growth and development that the mind goes through. In its essence, it is a purification of false ideas and identifications of self.

The most "secret" and essential teaching on the subject of meditation is that NO MIND INTENT is needed. The mind cannot do anything unnatural of its own accord. Imagination needs to be avoided then ignorance and delusion will be illuminated (enlightened). For some a technique is needed at first, for others it is natural to sit.

The mind is a wonderful thing to experience. Naturally, it wants peace and understanding

I love it and think it is also deep (esoteric) teaching that our bodies and minds cannot do anything that is outside the NATURAL progression and that true spiritual practices (meditation, etc.) only speed up the natural growth and development of the individual. The process is gradual, patience (forbearance) is a major key.