Forums » Smalltalk » How do you meditate?

Just wondering what other people do when they do some reflection.
What I like to do is listen to some nice music, almost always lyricless so the words don't affect what I'm thinking about.
As well as do a chant in my mind. Usually I do the Kuji-In. Focusing on a set of words helps to clear the mid of previously existing thoughts.
I ask about what you do so that I might get ideas for when I reflect next time.

I sit in silence and focus on my breathing. If I have trouble focusing, I pinch one nostril closed by pressing on it from the outside on the inhale (which forces the breath to go slower), and breathe out through both nostrils on the exhale, and then repeat. But I listen to my breath, and then I focus on not thinking. I watch my thoughts to see if I'm having any, and one always pops up within seconds, and I notice it, stop thinking, and let it "drift away." Then I go back to not thinking until another thought pops up and I do the same thing as before. To me, meditation is the act of not thinking. I should do that more often than I do.

Also...Enya

meditation is part of my religion so my chants are usually related to that. i start off by turning off my lights and burning incense, and then i just sit on my bed and focus on my breathing. weirdly enough i found out that meditation helps me with my really severe asthma?? idk that was off topic Anyways. once i start focusing on my breathing, if i have any unrelated thoughts pop up, i just imagine them floating away like soap bubbles and disappearing. then once i'm calm and focused i start chanting and imagining a bright, silver light slowly spread throughout my body.