[video] What Is Meditation And Why Is It Beneficial

[PranK]

Very cool little video with some meditation basics.

[PranK]

I don't think 'turning off' your thoughts is productive and in my experience with meditation you do not choose to turn your thoughts on or off, you simply gain the ability (over time) to choose how you want the thought to progress - ignore it, get angry by it, get happy by it, focus on it, etc.

[GTR-N1]

2Qs here.

May I answer the 1st Q from a clinical standpoint?

The "alpha" state as detected by an EEG or Polygraph will be synonymous with...

* meditation

* hypnosis

* trance state in firewalking

* immersion into certain types of music

* dozing state

* snoozing

* martial arts state of focus or 'in the zone'

Tis a pity that when neuropsych personnel were drawing up broad definitions that could be understood by the masses; they got the Greek alphabet arse-end up with...

beta > alpha > delta > gamma

Lol

[GTR-N1]

I don't tolerate lectures of ignorance anymore and so I simply walk out.

The analogy is that when I listened to the audiovisual up top, I turned it off after a couple of minutes. I hope it did get better but I thought it was 'obtuse'.

[GTR-N1]

Reactive:- Once a subconscious or alpha state is achieved, diastolic blood pressure can drop a little as well as systolic by quite a margin and the parasympathetic nervous system takes over.

Proactive:- One can use this state to accomplish many things that are indeed totally possible but weren't achievable through willpower or a beta state.

These can include overcoming...
* phobias

* depression

* anxiety
* compulsive habits (whereas obsessions are more aligned with brain chemistry imbalance)

* conditioned responses

[GTR-N1]

Selective Brick Breaking is a fascinating demonstration of how the subconscious or alpha state can resonate kinetic energy.

This would be exceeding difficult if not impossible, whilst in a conscious willpower or beta state.

[Trozzle]

Would it annoy anyone if I threw in meditative/introspective mindstates whilst under the influence of traditional psychedelics/psychoactives? It actually may be off topic and more suited to the therapy thread.

(also as a note, if my repeated introduction of psychedelics in these threads does annoy, your priorities in the assistance of others and their emotional obstacles include far too much prejudice. I don't wish to cause further arguments is all)

[GTR-N1]

I'm not annoyed at all personally. I just turn off when discussions are destructive compared with constructive.

Psychedelics were experimented with in the mid to late 60s to grasp a greater accessibility to creativity. Is this the genre of your question?

[Trozzle]

Not quite; more to do with they way many of them alter the perspective in which you see things about yourself and the world around you. They can allow you to assess certain hurdles you may be facing emotionally and see them in a light you were otherwise unable to, or certain aspects of your personality you may wish to change. Also for things like easing end-of-life anxiety in terminally ill patients - mushrooms give an overwhelming sensation of understanding that your spirit/soul/being or whatever you'd like to call it is not tied to your physical body and that when you die you simply dissipate back into the energy of the universe. That kinda crazy sounding stuff, but it really feels absolutely real and true at the time, and I do believe it would greatly assist the emotional state of patients willing to give it a try.

I really hope you don't 'switch off' to things like the above, given the overwhelming anecdotal evidence as well as the potential for helping many desperate people.

But anyway, this is definitely off topic with meditation. If you'd actually like to reply Terry (or anyone), chuck it in the Therapy thread perhaps. I'm happy to keep to mature civil discussion, and will respect your opinion even if I really disagree with it.

Edited February 13, 2016 by Trozzle

[PranK]

Thats interesting Trozzle. I'd read a lot about medicinal marijuana in people with various mental health issues being beneficial. Never head about mushrooms being used in a similar fashion (is it legal anywhere?)

[Trozzle]

Not legal so much, though it's slowly making way and being trialled clinically. Ultimately like MDMA in PTSD therapy, it's merely a tool - everything comes down to (mind)set and setting (environment), and perhaps the right therapist to work with depending on your goals or issue.

[GTR-N1]

Many natural substances run "a fine line" between used Vs abused. And pharmacologically, Prof Thorpe's successors who test animals > humans will make their submissions to the TGA.

Examples over the decades have included comfrey, anise (Tamiflu), chromium, cyanidins (apricot kernels), arsenic (almond) and alkaloids etc. - even a couple of chemo drugs.

[MrStabby]

The "War on Drugs" threw the baby out with the bathwater and any study on drugs that were also used recreationally wouldn't get funded. People are now starting to look at it again for conditions like PTSD (MDMA) and depression (psilocybin).

eg "The study on this page will determine the efficacy of psilocybin in treatment-resistant depression" - its reached its funding goal;

https://www.crowdrise.com/timferriss

[Trozzle]

The "War on Drugs" threw the baby out with the bathwater and any study on drugs that were also used recreationally wouldn't get funded. People are now starting to look at it again for conditions like PTSD (MDMA) and depression (psilocybin).

eg "The study on this page will determine the efficacy of psilocybin in treatment-resistant depression" - its reached its funding goal;

https://www.crowdrise.com/timferriss

Replying in the therapy thread

[MrStabby]

Selective Brick Breaking is a fascinating demonstration of how the subconscious or alpha state can resonate kinetic energy.

This would be exceeding difficult if not impossible, whilst in a conscious willpower or beta state.

That's definitely a hoax. Careful selection of material would achieve that outcome.

[GTR-N1]

Yeah A, I'm aware that every stone was not scrutinised before the hit which will arouse justified suspicion.

In the "Di Mat" process though, three planks are cut from the same trunk before the demonstration. They're of equal thickness and the grains are parallel and run in the same direction.

At the point of "qi" only the middle plank is meant to break (when successful).

In any case, the process of optimising "qi" at the point of contact requires meditation.

[MrStabby]

I'm sure if you were to try to validate the above three plank demonstration, there would be no difference to the breakage whether there was a qi master present or not. Just like all the tests on psychic ability etc show that its not real either. Its easy to detect this stuff - "if its sounds like magic, its bullshit"

After some intro, this shows a martial art master firstly defeating his class of black belts with magic abilities, then only to be whooped by a single MMA fighter. Such is the power of communal self-delusion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJCA8s06c5U

[GTR-N1]

I'm sticking to the thread topic of what meditation can achieve; and therefore for that matter, hypnotherapy... - and other subconscious or alpha states.

My 2c

[PranK]

I'm sticking to the thread topic of what meditation can achieve; and therefore for that matter, hypnotherapy... - and other subconscious or alpha states.

My 2c

Hypnotherapy is fantastic! We used hypnotherapy with our two children's births. My wife was able to go through childbirth without any drugs.

Problem is, it has a terrible name.. People think it means you'll cluck like a chicken when somebody clicks their fingers.

[XGTRX]

Accomplishing mind control is really fulfilling. Self focus and meditation is one of the most powerful things people can do. To materialise the results of an self-altered mental state into a control of one's body to achieve a constructive outcome into our material reality is one of the most fulfilling things someone can do in one's life. Self empowering and self healing.