Meditative state

[acorn elf]

i just saw the meditative state poll, and here is my question:
For you, what IS a meditative state? Some people think it is just a state of nothingness...others it is a place to have visions...How about You?

[Aidron]

For me it is whenever I lower my consciousness into alpha. It can be difficult to describe, but you will know when you have reached it. The easiest way to summarize it (which is unfortunately a generalization, which is little help in such matters I'm sure) is a heightened state of awareness. You feel everything much deeply, hear everything much deeply, taste everything much more deeply and can drown out any or all of your five senses as well as focus on one or more.

[wakywitch]

For me its a state where I can dig deeper into myself, to deal with whatever I have to deal with.
I usually use it for stress relief or to help me concentrate.

[Xentor]

It can be several states for me:
Bodily relexation so I can let my mind wander free, or focussed, or silent;
Bodily energetic, so I can do my energy work;
Bodily extacy, so I can shut down my mind and let my subconsious rule;

[Teresa]

Primarily for me, it would be relaxaton,or energetic as I meditate when I go most of my energy work.I use relaxation techniques when I am seeking guidance from my Ancestors due to something troubling me or if I am questing to help someone.

[Paracelsus]

I'm not sure that it is accurate, or helpful to think of "an" or "the" meditative state.
There are numerous mental states that can be meditative - though they may be very different - a heightened awareness, or focussed imagination, may often be very valuable. My experience is that the most profound meditative states are those that you don't realise you're in, until they finish - when you return to a normal mental state from one that is "not normal" - if you like the dissolving of the "I-thou" barrier, or experience of the void, or whatever - it is a lot like waking up, I suppose, but waking up into one of the meditative states described here. That is not to claim, that get into such a state regularly, or can do so on demand, but they are sufficiently blissful and extraordinary to want to repeat - although pursuit of them is self-defeating.