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Just as a question, what makes long walks in the woods or long runs not "actual meditation"? I guess my question can also be phrased as, what do you think medit

Just as a question, what makes long walks in the woods or long runs not "actual meditation"? I guess my question can also be phrased as, what do you think meditation is? I'd argue that meditation is more about approach and frame of mind than activity -- and there certainly are moving forms of meditation. There's also just a lot of kinds of meditation, from a lot of widely different traditions, so you're not going to find unified literature. (There's also a few major world religions that feature meditation as a component, so you'll find a lot of the literature tied up with that worldview, as well.) That's what prompts my question above: if you don't have some goal or idea in mind, it's sort of hard to direct you to particular resources. The place I suggest starting for everyone is find somewhere in your life that you're meditating without knowing it, and try to do that somewhere else. Sports, crafts, etc. Can you intentionally make an activity feel like a long walk in the woods or a good run? like losing yourself in being focused on a hobby? ...can you feel that when just sitting there? At some level, that's all meditation really is.

i2rohan 10y ago
When you are taking a walk in the woods, or running or doing anything of that sort, you are doing something. Not doing anything is meditation. And when I say not doing anything, I don't mean it nonchalantly, I mean it literally - not doing anything, including not thinking. Just being. It's very simple but not very easy. Meditation is the opposite of any action whatsoever.
- SomeStupidPoint 10y ago
  That's a form of meditation, not the only form of meditation. Which was my point -- it's hard to say what meditation is, given the breadth of different traditions, and different styles within some traditions. Of course, I think you should consider the concept that insisting meditation is sitting there doing nothing is making meditation about a specific action you undertake, rather than nothing, thus defeating the purpose of meditation in your own framework. And if you're okay with meditation being about one form of action -- sitting there -- why is it not okay for it to be about other forms of action? I feel that your view is not internally consistent.

i2rohan 10y ago

When you are taking a walk in the woods, or running or doing anything of that sort, you are doing something. Not doing anything is meditation. And when I say not doing anything, I don't mean it nonchalantly, I mean it literally - not doing anything, including not thinking. Just being. It's very simple but not very easy. Meditation is the opposite of any action whatsoever.

SomeStupidPoint 10y ago
That's a form of meditation, not the only form of meditation. Which was my point -- it's hard to say what meditation is, given the breadth of different traditions, and different styles within some traditions. Of course, I think you should consider the concept that insisting meditation is sitting there doing nothing is making meditation about a specific action you undertake, rather than nothing, thus defeating the purpose of meditation in your own framework. And if you're okay with meditation being about one form of action -- sitting there -- why is it not okay for it to be about other forms of action? I feel that your view is not internally consistent.