Trouble getting into meditation

[Paije]

I have tried many things to meditate and am beginning to think I am not capable of doing so. Does anyone have any suggestions to aid in getting my inner voice to shut up. Some say I probably am already meditating and don't know it....I want to know that I am..please help?????????

love and light,
Paije

[Bainidhe Dub]

http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=64694

Read from "Breathing and Breathing Exercises" down in the first post. It's very helpful, and I've had wonderful success with this.

[tensen]

It took me 12 years before I was able to do it on a semi-regular basis.

[LittleRhiannon]

I have the same problem, but I find that doing active meditation helps a lot!

If you just set aside some time to just dance - don't think about anything and just move to the beat of the music it works wonderfully. I also do this when I'm playing violin or running.

I've found that since I've started doing that, I've actually been getting better at the calm kind of meditation, though I've still far from mastered it.

Hope that helps!

[Gebo]

I was going to point you to the very link LP did. :) Also keep yor meditations short for better chance of success.

[Paije]

thank youl all for your help, I am going to go and try them tonight. Will drink my usual mugwort tea before doing so, you all are so awesome :)

Love and Light,
Paije

[Gede]

MM~
Interestingly enough it was a mixture of Raymond Buckland, Scott Cunningham and teen Buddhism that improved my meditation skills and now I find it a natural transition. I use the cyclic breathing described in Buckland's Big Blue Book and on each inhalation I visualise white light filling my body, on each exhalation black smoke floating out and draining into the ground to be neutralised. I continue this while allowing all thoughts to empty, I acknowledge that I am thinking and do not struggle against it, I just let my breathing filter the distractions out. I let them flow and soon enough they stop altogether and all that I am is a void and that is where the rest begins ;)

Buddhism teaches that we must live in the moment to the highest degree possible. We must aim at total awareness of our surroundings and of our inner mental, emotional and spiritual workings (our Self). Acknowledge the present and devoting each cultivated action to that flow focuses the mind and prepares the soul. It is a spiritual reawakening and it truly purifies you. I remember doing it and I became so aware of how my mind strays without me even knowing about it. I am never truly in the present unless I pull back conscious thought and focus it on what I am doing and putting my entire being into it.

Namaste, Gede...

[freckledcat]

when first started meditating, what i did was solely focus on breathing nothing else. So instead of trying to clear mind of everything, i would honestly sit there saying, in my head, 'breathe in, breathe out, big breath in, big breath out.' and i would count to four for each breath.
eventually, my mind started clearing itself

i don't need to count or 'talk' to my self anymore, but occasionally, especially when i am stressed, i do it to help focus my mind.

works for me. :apumpkin:

[DebLipp]

I have tried many things to meditate and am beginning to think I am not capable of doing so. Does anyone have any suggestions to aid in getting my inner voice to shut up. Some say I probably am already meditating and don't know it....I want to know that I am..please help?????????

love and light,
Paije
You don't really need to get your inner voice to shut up. All you need to do is ignore the noise it makes. Like the sounds that a neighbor makes, or traffic out your window, or a radio in the distance. You don't need it silenced, you just need to get your attention off it. If you think of it that way, it becomes much easier.

[Paije]

I live on a busy street corner, at a crossroads, and I ignore the noise daily. never thought to ignore what my inner voice is saying...Thank for the different point of view. :woot:

Love and Light,
Paije