Meditation question, suggestions please? (also power of now)

[TheFlyingMan]

There's a great book called The Ultimate Secrets of Total Self Confidence by dr. Robert Anthony. In it, he goes into a great deal of stuff that I've never seen in my many books on self improvement, including the Law of Attraction, etc.

I'm trying the Meditation exercise. In it, he mentions three steps. The first step is to relax your body, and clear your mind. The second step is asking what he calls the superintelligence or the subconscious (whatever you want to call it) the question you are worried about. And wait for an intuition which is the answer you have to follow. The third step is to visualise the action you feel compelled to take.

I think I have got the first step down. I've been doing the Power of Now and similar things for a few weeks now, so I think I am clear.

First Q) What does a total clear head feel like? I actually feel my heartbeat stronger, and hear and sense more things. I feel peaceful, but sometimes thoughts still come in. Which I can stop thinking. Is it the right state, or do I have to let go some more? The troubles that I have are not plaguing me in that state though.

Second Q) This is for the second step. Assuming I've reached the right state of mind in Step one, I am supposed to briefly state my troubles (in my case, my relationship trouble), and then receptively listen for any intuitive feelings that will tell me what to do. I don't actually get any, however. I just feel at peace and at love.

Third Q) This is a bit unrelated, but I was just reminded of it. Eckhart Tolle says that when you are in the Now, that is when true love and bliss stems. I've been to a couple of philosophy classes, and we have to do similar exercises. where we just turn off the mind, and feel our body, feel our senses. I don't feel this intense bliss. I feel very peaceful and relaxed despite my troubles. Is there something I am lacking to feel this true bliss? Or is this peaceful feeling and heightened senses (which was also described by fellow students in the class, so I'm not the only one) what he is talking about?

Is practice the only way to reach that state of bliss? I am aware of the mind, I can observe my mind, but still no major well spring of love and bliss as he mentions.

[demk]

I have never personally experienced having no thoughts at all for any prolonged period of time but i have become much more aware of the thoughts that are coming and going. More aware means more conscious which is what I aim for. Actually having no thoughts at all and a totally clear mind is very advanced imho. The clearer the bette though so keep trying. You need to get in the gaps and sense yourself as the awareness in the gaps.

I'm not really qualified to help on the other points.

[starseed]

First Q) What does a total clear head feel like? I actually feel my heartbeat stronger, and hear and sense more things. I feel peaceful, but sometimes thoughts still come in. Which I can stop thinking. Is it the right state, or do I have to let go some more? The troubles that I have are not plaguing me in that state though.

From my own experience, I go through the same thing during meditation, if you are observing the thoughts that do come in, that is a sign you are getting into the right "zone".

Second Q) This is for the second step. Assuming I've reached the right state of mind in Step one, I am supposed to briefly state my troubles (in my case, my relationship trouble), and then receptively listen for any intuitive feelings that will tell me what to do. I don't actually get any, however. I just feel at peace and at love.

Maybe this is telling you deep down everything is ok and to bring this peace and love feeling to the relationship.

Is practice the only way to reach that state of bliss? I am aware of the mind, I can observe my mind, but still no major well spring of love and bliss as he mentions.

I think practice is really the only way to "get there" When I first started meditating, I didn't feel bliss, more just peace. Now sometimes I get in the zone where I do feel a feeling comparable to bliss but it only lasts about 5 seconds or so. I think the important this is not reaching a state of bliss but more about accepting and being at peace with your situation as it is. With acceptance of where you are totally and completely you are allowing inner bliss to come through. If you are always trying to reach somewhere, as Tolle would say, you are avoiding the here and now. I find when I do reach the state of "bliss" It's when I accept myself and where I am totally and completely.

Hope this helped!

[TheFlyingMan]

much thanks for the replies guys.

Hmm peace and love seems to be getting more and more common during meditation now, but I just don't seem to be getting intuitive answers to my questions...I also tried searching for answers to other questions like finances, but also nothing. With the relationship, it was over a month ago and I'm fighting with myself whether I should try to win her back, and if so how I should go about it.

thanks for all your help

[Nneka]

You are on a very personal journey. You will know in your being when you have gotten in touch with that place. It will be unmistakable to you. At that point, you might find it very difficult to explain to someone else.

That said, below are some things I've noticed from my experiences. I recently talked about this on my blog in a post called Listening to Spirit.

First Q) What does a total clear head feel like? I actually feel my heartbeat stronger, and hear and sense more things. I feel peaceful, but sometimes thoughts still come in. Which I can stop thinking. Is it the right state, or do I have to let go some more? The troubles that I have are not plaguing me in that state though..

I learned to meditate by watching my breath. As I breath in and out, the spaces in between would get bigger and bigger (some people call this the gap). I would experience a "zuup" period where it all went blank. It was like the sound the TV makes when you turn it off. At that point I would be in a zone where I got clear messages from Spirit.

I never try to stop thinking. I just move my attention to my breath. If my mind wonders, I gently bring it back as soon as I realize it.

Today, I fall into that place as soon as I sit for meditation. If thoughts or worries come in I remind myself that all is well in this moment and I don't have to be concerned about any of it right now. This is my time for bringing my awareness to Spirit.

It took quite a while to get to this point though. When I stop meditating for a long period of time (>6 months), I have to start again by watching my breath. However, everytime I restart it takes a shorter and shorter time to get to that "falling into the gap" point.

Second Q) This is for the second step. Assuming I've reached the right state of mind in Step one, I am supposed to briefly state my troubles (in my case, my relationship trouble), and then receptively listen for any intuitive feelings that will tell me what to do. I don't actually get any, however. I just feel at peace and at love..

Enjoy the feeling of peace and love! It's the Universe's way of telling you that all is well, despite the appearance of "troubles."

Try raising questions in this space. For example, if you are having relationship, instead of bringing to mind the troubles in the relationship, you can ask "What is the loving thing to do?" or "How can I express love?" or "What am I to learn from this relationship?" or "What are you trying to show me?" Have a dialog with Spirit, like a friend.

Third Q) This is a bit unrelated, but I was just reminded of it. Eckhart Tolle says that when you are in the Now, that is when true love and bliss stems. I've been to a couple of philosophy classes, and we have to do similar exercises. where we just turn off the mind, and feel our body, feel our senses. I don't feel this intense bliss. I feel very peaceful and relaxed despite my troubles. Is there something I am lacking to feel this true bliss? Or is this peaceful feeling and heightened senses (which was also described by fellow students in the class, so I'm not the only one) what he is talking about?

Is practice the only way to reach that state of bliss? I am aware of the mind, I can observe my mind, but still no major well spring of love and bliss as he mentions.

You will know it when you feel it. It would be like, ahhhhh, this is what they're talking about. Give it time.

In Spirit,
Nneka

[stephencp]

I would consider this more "contemplation" than "meditation".
see Cheng Hsin and Peter Ralston's works.

Stephen
Power-Book Library: Free personal development, success, inspiration and motivational classics

[AndyMartin]

Observing thoughts and observing no thoughts are two different states. But don't worry so much about what state you are in; just be in it. That's what Tolle is talking about -- he's not telling you to strive for a particular state. Striving takes you out of the now and creates thoughts. He's saying to thoroughly give up all concern for states and just be as you are that moment. And the secret to getting there is realizing that you're always there, you're just blocking it out with all your thoughts and worries. Why are you worried about bliss? Do you know what bliss is to know you are not experiencing it? Will my description of my bliss help you identify yours? Bliss is the moment that you unconditionally accept and experience without fragmentation. How you experience it is individual and won't translate from person to person.

If you are looking for intuitive insight, don't try to raise the question while you're meditating -- that's a thought and a striving that will take you out of the present. Try this: relax the body, relax the mind, hold on to the question without analyzing it or looking for answers while you let everything else arise and recede in your mind. Hold the question in your mind for a minute or so then let it go completely. Then proceed with your meditation holding your awareness around your heart. If noticing your breath or heartbeat helps with this, go ahead. Just don't let it cause mind movement.

The other key is learning to distinguish between ego and intuition. Ego can put on a near-perfect imitation of intuition; observing thought arising will teach you to differentiate. Intuition comes from a place of peace and knowing.

Good luck!
Andy

[TheFlyingMan]

great answers people, thanks!

[MultiDimensional]

People who practice meditation claim to feel more connection with themselves in having clearer thoughts, a growth in intuition, happier with their life in general, less or no negative thoughts or feelings of depression, more aware to the world around them, more answers to questions they seek, more insight, more enlightenment, more inner knowledge, more wisdom, more peaceful, more of everything that they define themselves to be.

I have practiced meditation before and have felt a state of meditation that is similar to what people claim is possible through it, but I had a difficult time practicing it everyday. Some days I could and others days I would just fall asleep or not able to reach the states I enjoyed being at through meditation. I realize with practice I would have gotten better and it would have been natural eventually for me to reach the state I desired almost immediately. Yet I found it to be a nuisance, an annoying, an unpleasant, and obnoxious to find time to practice and the willingness to even try because of the state I was normally in. I feel this is the down-fall for most people when it comes to meditation.

If mediation works for you then that is fantastic, but if you have a difficult time with meditation and experience it the same way I did then I have another answer for you. I have an answer that is much easier then meditation for some, but have the potential of giving you the same if not more results plus some other benefits that meditation can not give you. One benefit is having 35-40 more hours a week of waking hours and you will feel more awake, adjusted, aware, alive, vibrant, and energized then you have ever felt in your life through an eight hour sleep cycle.

The answer I have for you is called Polyphasic Sleep. At this time I have been sleeping this sleep cycle for one month and I am perfectly healthy and feel fantastically better then I have ever felt in my life. If you want more information about this and the daily logs I kept through this new sleep pattern then please click here.

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by TheFlyingMan

Third Q) This is a bit unrelated, but I was just reminded of it. Eckhart Tolle says that when you are in the Now, that is when true love and bliss stems. I've been to a couple of philosophy classes, and we have to do similar exercises. where we just turn off the mind, and feel our body, feel our senses. I don't feel this intense bliss. I feel very peaceful and relaxed despite my troubles. Is there something I am lacking to feel this true bliss? Or is this peaceful feeling and heightened senses (which was also described by fellow students in the class, so I'm not the only one) what he is talking about?

Is practice the only way to reach that state of bliss? I am aware of the mind, I can observe my mind, but still no major well spring of love and bliss as he mentions.

Be patient and keep meditating. There are different levels in your consciousness and you're reaching for the deeper levels.

Irritation, worry, anxiety etc are the surface levels.

As you go deeper, you'll reach the level of calm, peace etc.

Go deeper and you'll reach the level of nothingness. It's like a dreamless sleep except that you know you're sleeping.

Past the level of nothingness is where the love and bliss are.

Finally, take note that if meditation was only good for generating the feelings you want, when you're actually meditating, then it's of very little use. The effects you want should carry over into your normal daily life.