Thread: Meditation.

Does meditation work ? Is it beneficial ? How does it work ?

seem so
seem so
no idea

Fantastic.

but its not the hovering in air mediation just that you gtet your thoughts on the track or something like that

Originally Posted by leohopkins

Does meditation work ? Is it beneficial ? How does it work ?

Yes, it keeps some indoors and quiet instead of mugging old ladies.

Yes, the old ladies keep their cash.

Well it preoccupies the mind to such an extent that mugging old ladies is displaced as an occupation.

Some meditation works. Just repeating a "mantra" (any word) over and over keeps you from thinking so that the adrenalin level drops and you relax. You can go to sleep by imagining yourself doing peaceful things you like as long as you do not include anyone you know (that builds stress!). Trouble is that most people need to do more thinking, not less. .

Prayer is a form of mediation. You are pleading with something for favors (!) but experiments show that has no effect on anything. It won't even help you recover from an operation! The Pope prays to Mother Mary. If I prayed to MY mother, I would not be relaxed!

Auto-suggestion is a form of mediation. You can concentrate on your arm, for example, and make it grow numb. Hypnosis can even be used for surgery. It is all just a matter of how focussed is the concentration.

Hindu gurus try to make a big thing of mediation and do manage to do all sorts of odd things---but all of it is pathological and uttery useless. They have a lot of fawning sub-dominant Betta males and females stroking their feet, but why not?, the fawners are hippys and useless for anything else.


charles, http://humanpurpose.simplenet.com

Originally Posted by charles brough

Some meditation works. Just repeating a "mantra" (any word) over and over keeps you from thinking so that the adrenalin level drops and you relax. You can go to sleep by imagining yourself doing peaceful things you like as long as you do not include anyone you know (that builds stress!). Trouble is that most people need to do more thinking, not less. .

Mantra meditation is bad, because it causes your brain to focus on one word too much and if repeated too long too often some neurons start to form to the act of repeating that word. Which makes it difficult to clear your mind without that word invading it.

Prayer is a form of mediation. You are pleading with something for favors (!) but experiments show that has no effect on anything. It won't even help you recover from an operation! The Pope prays to Mother Mary. If I prayed to MY mother, I would not be relaxed!

Actually, some studies have shown that prayer has a number of psychological and physical effects. A few of them do help operation recovery, since it produces certain chemicals in the body more than usual (This only works on the severely brainwashed whose body's react to the act).

Auto-suggestion is a form of mediation. You can concentrate on your arm, for example, and make it grow numb. Hypnosis can even be used for surgery. It is all just a matter of how focussed is the concentration.

I wouldn't suggest that. It could cause you to lose overall feeling in certain body parts (to a high or very small amount).

Hindu gurus try to make a big thing of mediation and do manage to do all sorts of odd things---but all of it is pathological and uttery useless. They have a lot of fawning sub-dominant Betta males and females stroking their feet, but why not?, the fawners are hippys and useless for anything else.

Quite the closed minded one, aren't you? apparently you've never read numerous stories of the feats accomplished with meditation. Try googling (and fairly, not no "meditation is bogus" stuff :P).


aside from this, I advise a simple half-lotus (or whatever position feels comfortable) meditation. clear your mind, and focus it as best you can. It helps in a number of things to be able to do so, including thinking and reaction time (as well as bodily control). It's exceptionally good for martial arts.

Another method, is to mentally train your body while meditating. You can literally train muscle memory by imagining fighting. Although it has to be repeated often, or the effect wanes.

Originally Posted by Jeremyhfht

Actually, some studies have shown that prayer has a number of psychological and physical effects. A few of them do help operation recovery, since it produces certain chemicals in the body more than usual (This only works on the severely brainwashed whose body's react to the act).

Can you reference any of these studies? Even among fervent believers I've always heard that prayer has no effect.

Originally Posted by Neutrino

Originally Posted by Jeremyhfht

Actually, some studies have shown that prayer has a number of psychological and physical effects. A few of them do help operation recovery, since it produces certain chemicals in the body more than usual (This only works on the severely brainwashed whose body's react to the act).

Can you reference any of these studies? Even among fervent believers I've always heard that prayer has no effect.

Now, listen to what I said. Prayer isn't the *ONLY* think that does this:

MEditation does it
Self hypnosis does it
being extremely emotional to any one emotion does it
etc
etc
etc.

Prayer, compared to everything else that does similar things, is not unique. Also, it's a purely physical reaction, and sometimes if done wrong the reaction can *SLOW* the healing process. It's purely psychological.

I did read what you said. I probably couldn't have responded to you if I hadn't.
Now, again, can you reference any of those studies? I don't care WHY the prayer was effective, whether it was chemical reactions or placebo effect or the hand of God himself. You claimed that prayer has been shown to help in operation recovery, for whatever reason, and I asked (and still am) if you can back that up with any of the studies you claim exist.

Fair enough. But a simple google would have given you it.
The problem is, however, that many studies conflict. Some say it helps, others found no effect. So really, there's no surefire way to tell.

However, I apparently wasn't specific enough: Personal prayer is what does it. NOT someone else praying for you. Unless, however, that person knows it and they get some "happy" feeling from it that speeds recovery. Or gives them confidence so their self doubt doesn't complicate the surgery (Which has been proven to do so before, I heard it on the news I think).

http://www.umich.edu/~urecord/0405/Nov01_04/15.shtml
http://www.irishhealth.com/index.html?level=4&id=4015
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer#...tion_of_prayer
http://www.mindpub.com/art031.htm

and this one says what I just said, it's inconclusive if it does/doesn't:
http://news.adventist.org/data/2006/.../index.html.en

Thanks for the links.

I'm not shocked to see that some people have benefit from personal prayer. Positive thoughts and all that. I would be surprised if studies found that external prayers had any effect and at best, those results are inconclusive. If prayer really did have any effect due to the spiritual aspect I'd certainly expect results far greater than inconclusive.

Originally Posted by Neutrino

Thanks for the links.

I'm not shocked to see that some people have benefit from personal prayer. Positive thoughts and all that. I would be surprised if studies found that external prayers had any effect and at best, those results are inconclusive. If prayer really did have any effect due to the spiritual aspect I'd certainly expect results far greater than inconclusive.

In order to properly test it, the people being prayed to would have to not know. Otherwise they would get positive-thoughts and it would do it instead.

Similarly, it depends on if the person is thinking positive thoughts to begin with. There are many variables you *HAVE* to consider. Which most tests I've seen on google DO NOT DO. Thus, they are *all* incorrect.

[quote="Jeremyhfht"][quote=Mantra meditation is bad, because it causes your brain to focus on one word too much and if repeated too long too often some neurons start to form to the act of repeating that word. Which makes it difficult to clear your mind without that word invading it./quote]

Interesting. . .

Actually, some studies have shown that prayer has a number of psychological and physical effects. A few of them do help operation recovery, since it produces certain chemicals in the body more than usual (This only works on the severely brainwashed whose body's react to the act).

Actually, I have read of studies that show no improvement from prayer. Thats the way studies sometimes go.

Quite the closed minded one, aren't you? apparently you've never read numerous stories of the feats accomplished with meditation. Try googling (and fairly, not no "meditation is bogus" stuff :P).

Well, as you can see, I have little patience with archaic doctrines. I have read of a lot of "miracles" performed in both the ancient and modern world. I have read and looked into a lot of Hindu technique and even worked once with a famous yoga.

"""aside from this, I advise a simple half-lotus (or whatever position feels comfortable) meditation. clear your mind, and focus it as best you can. It helps in a number of things to be able to do so, including thinking and reaction time (as well as bodily control)."""

This is known as auto-suggestion. I go to sleep at night (how about that for a "comfortable position?") focusing on a story. I have also heard of stores (and found out in practice) that you can train yourself to do somthing physical better by repeadely imagining your selve doing it right .

"""Another method, is to mentally train your body while meditating. You can literally train muscle memory by imagining fighting. Although it has to be repeated often, or the effect wanes.

right!

charles, http://humanpurpose.simplent.com (430 hits per day average in Januarly!)

Originally Posted by charles brough

Actually, I have read of studies that show no improvement from prayer. Thats the way studies sometimes go.

Had you read what I wrote, instead of speed-reading with little accuracy, you'd know I said basically that.

Well, as you can see, I have little patience with archaic doctrines. I have read of a lot of "miracles" performed in both the ancient and modern world. I have read and looked into a lot of Hindu technique and even worked once with a famous yoga.

Yes, so little patience it's borderline bias (except, it's not borderline, it is).

This is known as auto-suggestion. I go to sleep at night (how about that for a "comfortable position?") focusing on a story. I have also heard of stores (and found out in practice) that you can train yourself to do somthing physical better by repeadely imagining your selve doing it right .

Which basically trains neurons in your brain to do it. The only problem is that your brain learns but your body does not, which probably isn't thee best of ideas.

However, meditation does this in a more controlled way, and in some cases better (since you are fully conscious rather than risking wasting time attempting to train yourself in your sleep). It's also mentionable that there are a few people who can meditate deeper than sleep puts your body, and still remain fully conscious.

NO, you said:

"""
Actually, some studies have shown that prayer has a number of psychological and physical effects. A few of them do help operation recovery, since it produces certain chemicals in the body more than usual (This only works on the severely brainwashed whose body's react to the act).

In the paranthesis part, aren't you saying that prayer does work for those who believe in prayer? That, at least, is the way I sped-read it!

Actually, other studies show that does not happen.

You say I have biases. I suppose that mean you do not. I am not at all clear on what bias you are talking about, but I am sure you will enlighten me.

We both utilize forms of mediation, you and I, and they have to do with the science of psychology---not Hinduism. I credit your understanding of this psychology.

""". . .rather than risking wasting time attempting to train yourself in your sleep." I at first thought you had made a speed-writing mistake, but then I figure you were referring to the technique of playing a voice at night while asleep that tells you not to eat to much if you are over weight, for example. As you apparently concur, that is a good way to ruin a good nights sleep!

charles

Well I have heard that meditating for half an hour a day rests the body equivelant to 2 hours of sleep.

I have also heard that meditation can be benificial for health and well being. While it may not be ass benificial as a good nights sleep, you need something to do while pulling an all nighter so as not to feel tired the next day.

I wont bother listing obvious medical advantages, but:

I can meditate all day and still feel tired as hell after (12 hours of meditating). Despite the fact my meditation is quite deep and restful. I think there is some "body timer" on most people which causes them to get fatigued no matter what.

And yet others can replace sleep with meditation, since they don't have that timer, and they do fine (although I can't seem to find a study on a group who has, so feel free to ignore that).

Have you ACTUALLY meditated all day or have you just spent all day thinking ?

Psh, meditating all day is not difficult. Especially in deep meditation. It's only 12 year old ADD kids who have difficulty SITTING STILL LONG ENOUGH TO.

meditation increases the concentration power, increases mental and physical effects, keeps human being psycologically well!!!

i meditate, but i don't just sit there and say ummmmmm under my breath, i prefer to do it lying down (without the ummmmm of cource)

There are many many different forms and uses for meditation. I only know of a few, since those are the only ones I've been trained to use.

I personally use meditation to calm my thoughts - whenever I get upset or confused, I sit down, control my breath rate and concentrate on one thing at a time, going over the idea over and over, until I'm no longer confused about the subject. I do this for many subjects, throughout the day.

Similarily, I can use it to "realize" my own thoughts on something. If I'm unsure of how I feel about something, I focus all of my concentration on that one thing - then I relax, think of nothing but my breathing, and slowly but surely ideas will drift in, one after the other, in relation to the subject. If I do this long enough, I'll come to a new conclusion. Some call it transforming the self - and that's exactly what it is. Transforming your own thoughts on something, or your own feelings, to experience a new outlook.

Originally Posted by leohopkins

Does meditation work ? Is it beneficial ? How does it work ?

No. It's a fools game. Time wasted - and - A wast of time.


Focus, concentration, instincts, intuition and logic. These things have value because they are simple highly effective and inherent to ones nature. Though it is good to keep up practice from time to time.

The physical exercise techniques of propper breathing is by itself very important. Probably the single most important thing "Ever". Yet there is no need to refere to this exercise as Meditation. It simply is what it is.

Meditation is nothing more than mans impressionism on all of the things listed above. It is a way of looking at the most basic functions of human survival from a emotional aesthetic point of view. Meditation has a tendency to be fashionable. It is appealing to ones taste much of the same way as one chooses their style of home furniture. I wouldn't go so far as to call this a bad thing, I just don't see it as being very effective.

Meditation is a way of complicating something that is simple by oversimplifying it - if that makes any sense.

The mental/spiritual introverted quest for the meaning of all things is both a self aborbed and self indulgent act.

Contrary to popular belief, most of the things inside your head are not all that important. The outside world is what matters.

Originally Posted by Kolt

The mental/spiritual introverted quest for the meaning of all things is both a self aborbed and self indulgent act.

Contrary to popular belief, most of the things inside your head are not all that important. The outside world is what matters.

I disagree. It's what's in your head that allows you to interpret the outside world, and therefore it does matter.. more than anything. If we did not have the ability to organize our thoughts and ideas we would never come to accurate conclusions about our world. We wouldn't be able to think through problems clearly and effectively.

Meditation is a way of gaining inner-peace. When we can put emotion aside and think logically, we can come to a clearer understanding.

Since you are engaged in meditation and you are not likely to perform any other mischief!, so you could say that it works in that sense.
Long blank time periods heal the brain.

I know reiki provides deep relaxation to our body.i have also gone through a website which gives very useful tips on reiki.If you want to know more on reiki just click on the link below.

I can tell you meditation restores your life energy, and deeply relaxes you, but I do not know if it truly is beneficial in medicine. I meditate, and yes, it is hard to get to the level when you can meditate for several hours. But definitely, it helps you think more clearly and in a way, you feel more positive so that may be the benefit of meditation. Positive thinking....

This is a 3 year old thread that seems to have been bumped by some dishonest spamming.

My version of meditation is watching porn.

Originally Posted by Duelix

My version of meditation is watching porn.

dude your gonna get kicked by a mod if you don't be careful

there other forums for topics like that :P

Originally Posted by Duelix

My version of meditation is watching porn.

My version of meditation allows me to wakefully experience dream-like sex. Perhaps you should reconsider your pre-conceived bias.

My concept of meditation is feeling ones inner self. There is a energy with in you which you can feel in the state of meditation. All you need to do is awaken the energy which is rested in the sacrum bone in a 3 and a half coil and let it pass through your 7 energy centres. It feels like a spiral force working within you and when it reaches your head you achieve the state of self realisation which is unbelievably pleasant and relaxing.

All you need to do is awaken the energy

And what kind of energy is that? Has it been measured?

The process to awaken energy is through a very simple process which occurs through sahajayoga. The following website gives detail about sahajayoga and how one can awaken the energy within oneself:

www.sahajayoga.org

There have been various experiments done to measure this energy and it has been found out that the energy levels of the body differ after and before self realization which happen through a quick exercise of sahajayoga. Its shown in the given video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB758JIjPCs

If one has to do a meditation through sahajayoga. Here is the site link:

http://www.freemeditation.com/online...ini-awakening/

No offence, but this is not a place to advertise. I will check your youtube link, but the first minute already does not look very scientific to me.

Originally Posted by KALSTER

No offence, but this is not a place to advertise. I will check your youtube link, but the first minute already does not look very scientific to me.

Well, I am not advertising for anything. I just replied your post. Sorry if I have offended you.

And about the videos, I think they are being watched by millions and have appealed to many people around the world.

Don't worry, you haven't offended me. We are just very sensitive to people coming on here solely for the purposes of spamming. I am not necessarily accusing you of this though, just letting you know of our policies.

So, I have watched a bit of your youtube video and it seems to be some guy in a white coat testing electrical impulses on acupuncture points. Well, I am not sure if you know this, but acupuncture has not been shown to be effective, nor have its tenets been scientifically demonstrated, i.e. that certain points on the hands and feet are somehow capable of telling the practitioner what is going on all over the body or that there even exists such a thing as an anotomical acupuncture point. This is frankly pseudoscientific hogwash. It is not simply an issue of differing methodologies, it is a matter of empirically testing hypothesis, which acupuncture have failed repeatedly. Unfortunately the fact that millions of people might subscribe to something does not make it true.

There is no scientific definition of the vague term "energy" that is being thrown around by people who subscribe to this kind of thing. At most, acupuncture is nothing more than the placebo effect at work.

Originally Posted by leohopkins

Does meditation work ? Is it beneficial ? How does it work ?

Yes it does. As long as you believe in it. Period. It's a very suggestive thing. If you believe in it it works well. If you go in skeptical, it still does, only it's harder to focus.... And personally, to me it helps.... I had some rough times, and it just helps not to think about anything.... Another thing.... Tried it to relief enormous pain I have... Worked well.... Killed the pain for a while.... So.... As long as your open towards it, it's a good thing....

meditation is good for health. Due to this we make fit body and prevent many disease like heart attack, blood pressure, cancer, heavy weight and so on. Meditation is effect on our mind and mood. We live healthy and long life.

It puts the mind and body in a Trance state, where complete silence is achieved. Meditation can also enhance the senses like they do in martial arts. Do you ever notice in meditation your emotions are so much more sensitive /sophisticated or enhanced?