tips on ki meditation

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[mwible]

so i was wondering to those of you that meditate. how do you do it? cuz pretty much i either sit on my floor and concentrate on my breething for a while till im REALLY relaxed, then i just start thinking about different things and how they would relate to me and life and stuff(deep i know :p ). or ill just sit there and concentrate on my breething and just keep doing that for a long time. so i was wondering if anyone know of a better way to meditate, and possibly concentrate/ develop my ki. just wondering. thanks
- morgan

[Kevin Leavitt]

I have found it very difficult to meditate without a good teacher, and they are hard to find.

Right now, Krishnamurti is working for me. Read some of his writings, although you will probably find yourself not wanting to meditate after reading it, as he kinda shows you that reaching peace and enlightment (happiness) is not all about meditation.

I find meditation to be an excellent practice for calming the mind, and focusing etc. I will also tell you that I will do it...then not do it...then do it...then say it don't work...then say...wow I really should do this again.

If you are new to all this, it will take alot of time to figure out what works for you.

You might also find that it does not work the way you hoped it would, but find that you benefit in other ways.

It is typically not a path of linear progression where you do it for so many hours and develop KI or anything else that you can measure specifically.

You may simply learn that "wow...this just plain sucks" abandon it...then years later go "oh...I get it now!"

I bought some stuff from audible.com

Pema Chodron.....Sharon Salzburg..the Insight Meditation folks...are all good.

Find a local support group...or a teacher.

Good luck in your pursuit!

[SeiserL]

Agree with Kevin. Good instruction helps.

I like the progression of relaxation, concentration, meditation, integration, and transformation.

I do ZaZen: just sitting.

[Jorge Garcia]

We recently had a teacher from England named Terry Ezra teach in our dojo. He have me several gifts one of which was a DVD that was a relaxation tape I believe they use in some connection with their meditation. You can contact Marc McDermott at secretary@aikido.co.uk and see if he could tell you how to get one.
Best wishes,
Jorge

[Qatana]

Morgan, the way to begin meditation is exactly as you have done. Pay attention to your breathing, whenver you find yourself Thinking, just notice that you are Thinking, and go back to your Breath.You can also breath into your One Point, for conciousness of Center.
However I will also be an echo and say: get a Teacher. Get systematic instruction.It really ,really makes a difference.

[mwible]

thanks everybody, and i really do apreciate it, but theres a problem with getting a teacher, i live in virginia, and my state really sucks for any kind of martial training, (except for my dojo, of course), so i dont think i could find one in my general area, and if its out of my general area, then i couldnt get there anyways cuz i cant drive yet. so ill keep looking, and just keep doing what im doing, but thanks to all for the advice.

in aiki,
morgan

[Qatana]

I just punched "meditation Richmond VA" into Google and got lots of listing.Try the Integral Yoga center in Richmond.

[tony cameron]

Hello Morgan,

Glad to see that you are interested in meditation. It can be frustrating and difficult for me to sit still for long periods of time because of all the "noise" going on in my head/aches in the body etc. but there have been a few blissful moments of indescribable calm and contentedness that make it worth while. I don't 'look' for those blissful moments but if they occur in my practice i feel very fortunate to have had a small respite from hectic reality:) I make it a point to meditate at least 20 min. every day without fail. From what the Masters say, consistency seems to be a crucial factor. Check the hyper-links listed below, i think you will find them very interesting. The first link is my Qi Gong Master's website. I have found that Qi Gong practice (energy cultivation/standing meditation) is a perfect compliment to Aikido practice (and vice versa). The second link is a Tibetan Shambhala style of "Spiritual Warrior" meditation. And the last link is a daily quote of Buddhist wisdom that you can read every day or have sent to your e-mail. Happy meditating and training!

Tony

http://www.pangu.org/

http://www.mipham.com/

http://www.rigpaus.org/Glimpse/Glimpse.php

[statisticool]

so i was wondering to those of you that meditate. how do you do it?


Hi Morgan,

I sometimes sit in seiza, sometimes lie on my back and breath deeply (without falling asleep), and sometimes I get that feeling from being in motion, such as taijiquan, judo, and even skiing.

I also found Tohei's writing to be helpful; imagining a point near your bellybutton folding over itself over and over and over etc. again, to infinity.

[mwible]

thank you everyone, i really do aprectiate it.

[Ketsan]

so i was wondering to those of you that meditate. how do you do it? cuz pretty much i either sit on my floor and concentrate on my breething for a while till im REALLY relaxed, then i just start thinking about different things and how they would relate to me and life and stuff(deep i know :p ). or ill just sit there and concentrate on my breething and just keep doing that for a long time. so i was wondering if anyone know of a better way to meditate, and possibly concentrate/ develop my ki. just wondering. thanks
- morgan

I find somewhere quiet, get comfortable, half close my eyes and focus on the sensation of the tip of my nose going from warm to cold as I breathe in and out.

[Rich Stephens]

The way it was taught to me in Japan was to visualize/feel the air going up the nose, down the back and then, as Justin mentioned, spiraling in the seika no itten (hara). On exhale, visualize/feel the reverse. Focusing on seika no itten is useful in aikido even for those who don't believe in ki, since it is the center of gravity anyway and eventually we want to get to the point where we are acting from there without having to consciously think about it.

As I visualize the air going down the back, I sometimes add in something an old drama teacher had us do: feel the air lifting and providing a cusion of sorts for each disc between vertebrae. As I get older, this feels good since my back can use all the help I can give it, ha!

[Freerefill]

I dunno if this applies since I'm neither an experienced aikidoka or meditator, but I am an inventor by habit and this very often results in my mind wandering. Daydreaming in class, thinking up pointless random things, solving problems that no one cares about, and a touch of insomnia are all symptoms, including a difficulty focusing when trying to meditate. My mind wanders something terrible.

However, I was able to focus and concentrate rather well by setting a goal for myself. I'm sure this is gonna sound absurd but it did help me focus.. I made a cup of tea for myself, placed it in front of me, opened my hands up with the palms facing the cup, and imagined a tiny pinprick of light inside the tea. I focused on this with the intent of getting my tea to boil. Naturally I was unsuccessful in that endevor and I retain no hope or expectancy that I'll ever succeed, but I was able to keep my mind from wandering.

Just my one cent. I don't think it's worth two cents. :P

[Mike Hamer]

I try and turn my lower belly into my new set of lungs, and just let my thought rest there for awhile. Most of the time I take about 2 breaths a minute, once in a awhile one. I usually meditate for about 5 minutes at a time, sometimes more. Usually before I go to bed to calm my mind.

[Upyu]

And then there's this annecdote from Sagawa of Daitoryu on Zen Meditiation...

"Kenzen i-chi. Putting aside the normal person, any Bujutsuka who has to rely on Zen has already lost in heart. You can’t rely on Zen to fix your own weakness of heart. You must train your heart through Bujutsu. The very notion of fixing the weakness of your heart through Zen is ridiculous. That person is simply weak. "

[Mike Galante]

so i was wondering to those of you that meditate. how do you do it? cuz pretty much i either sit on my floor and concentrate on my breething for a while till im REALLY relaxed, then i just start thinking about different things and how they would relate to me and life and stuff(deep i know ). or ill just sit there and concentrate on my breething and just keep doing that for a long time. so i was wondering if anyone know of a better way to meditate, and possibly concentrate/ develop my ki. just wondering. thanks
- morgan

After many years of meditation practice, in various disciplines with teachers, I feel confident in giving you these comments.

Virtually all of the spritual practices that we did were centered on the hara, or one point. With Kundalini, we were taught to keep 80-90% of our attention there. With Zen, virtually all of you mind kept there. In zen, we practiced by counting breaths, 1-10, with various methods. The Koan practice I was given was to meditate, practice sounding "Mu" to come to an eventual understanding.

With all of these practices, thoughts were considered tools to achieve eventual transformation into higher consciousness. The musings you described above, may be very agreeable to you, but if your goals are to become one with the universal/god, they are considered a hindrance to enlightenment.

Americans, while innovative in many areas, often will change classical teachings that have evolved over centuries, because of an arrogance of thought.

Thought is heavier than spirit, or the feeling nature, as your soul soars to the heavens, intruding thoughts will bring it down.

All these practices, are designed to channel thought energy into spiritual/soul power.

Thoughts are transformed as your ki/soul power increases, your thoughts change as your sould develops.

Thinking only limits your development to what you can conceive at the time. Surrendering your mind, to God, your will to God, will take you to heaven on earth.

The uncovering of the sleeping universal nature within yourself is the goal of beings seeking enlightenment.

You many use meditation for any purpose you wish, but for me, it is far too much discipline to do for worldly purposes which creates more Karma to transcend later.

You are already halfway there. Put your mind in Tanden and leave it there. All the mystery and power of Aikido is there. Thoughts come and go, as to visions, but real freedom and happiness is attained by transforming thought and feeling into spiritual development.
It is transcending the ultimate delusion. Thought is duality, become one with the universal, like Ueshiba said.

It is the most difficult task in the world, but worth the effort.

My website has a few thoughts on the subject:
http://www.homeopathyone.com/MEDITATION/how_to_meditate.htm

http://www.mro.org/zmm/teachings/zazeninst.pdf

Hope this was helpful.