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/sci/ - Science & Math

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3328637 No.3328637 [Reply] [Original]

It should be understood by everyone that meditation is not some mystical power that magically improves concentration and focus; the benefit to meditating comes from the fact that practicing meditation is practicing concentration and focus.

trying to focus my attention on a specific part of my body. Generally I start with my big toe on my left foot - begin by paying attention to the feelings coming from that toe (the pressure of your leg on it, the opposed pressure of the carpet, etc), and in doing so you will be refining the focus of your attention. Then, while focusing on that area, imagine that every time you breathe out, your breath travels down through your body and goes out through your toe. A few times doing this makes my toe feel quite relaxed, and if you begin to feel your pulse in your toe, you've got it and can move on. Feeling the pulse there isn't necessary to move on, that's just what works for me. Other people feel a tingling sensation, heaviness, etc.


Then do the same thing for all the areas of your body - the whole foot, lower leg, upper lag, butt, back, chest, face and so on - and eventually you end up feeling very relaxed and inclined to sit still and not move.

That is good practice meditating in and of itself, but it's primary value is in helping you to not become distracted by bodily sensations while doing other kinds of meditations for longer periods of time. This is because when one attempts to meditate, itching, rearranging clothes, moving your hair, yawning etc, are all distractions that interrupt mental focus.

>> No.3328711
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3328711

So, once you're relaxed and don't need to fidget, start paying attention to your breath. You don't have to control it - in fact controlling it splits your attention into two things (controlling the breath and sensing the breath) - just notice when your breathing happens naturally. Notice when you breathe in and when you breathe out. Inevitable, your mind will do other things while you are doing this, but that's normal for beginners. Whenever you notice that your mind has wandered off to something else, just take a deep breath or two, and refocus on your breathing.

It will probably seem hopeless and impossible at first, but again you probably couldn't deadlift 500lbs your first try either. By doing it over and over again, you'll build up the ability to concentrate for longer and longer periods of time on one thing. This capability transfers quite easily to any other subject you might care to think about, such as math.

>> No.3328940

apparently you can harm yourself using improper meditation, im more interested in having information on that, really.

>> No.3328950
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3328950

>>3328940

>you can harm yourself using improper meditation

[citation needed]

>> No.3328987

>>3328950
Have fun
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_on_meditation#Adverse_effects

>> No.3331033

>>3328987

Kind of like how a flu vaccine can cause an allergic reaction, right?

>> No.3331049
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3331049

>>3328987
The relaxation response includes changes in metabolism, heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and brain chemistry. Henry Benson and his team have also done clinical studies at Buddhist monasteries in the Himalayan Mountains.

Only when meditation is used as some sort of mystical remedy for illnesses and stress does it have its drawbacks

>> No.3331062

>>3331049

>Mystical remedy for stress

Explain.

>> No.3331070

says you can get this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kundalini_syndrome

I had that, or something similar after my last psychotic breakdown (i'm schizophrenic)

I guess meditation can make some mental illness worse

>> No.3331093
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3331093

>>3331062
meditation only shields you from chronic stress, and makes coping with stress much easier. What they don't tell you though is that it doesn't relieve severe anxiety or things like PTSD

>> No.3331107

>>3331093

Ah, okay.

Could meditation bring benefits to say.... sexual disorder in an indirect way?

>> No.3331112

Is there any guide I could use for introduce myself to meditation?

>> No.3331163
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3331163

>>3331107
you'll have to be more specific, but assuming your a guy...I'll just make a hunch and say yes, doctors recommend you take some type yoga or meditation practice

>>3331112
http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/6416695/OSHO_-_What_Is_Meditation

and you may need this aswell
http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/5914920/Meditation_Music

>> No.3331205

>>3331163

Thank you so much sir

>> No.3331265

>>3331163

Hm, I was afraid of that.

I'm talking talking psychologically, not physiologically. I want to develop a materialistic, cause-and-effect understanding of my sexuality, and I'm wondering of meditation can assist me with this, directly or indirectly.

>> No.3331327
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3331327

>>3331265
.......

>> No.3331709
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3331709

>>3331327

>> No.3331776
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3331776

> meditation
> /sci/