5 ms·

Curious to hear from folks who have consistently meditated for a prolonged period of time (6mos+). What effects have you noticed?

maxxxxx 10y ago
The benefits are subtle but I am more aware of my emotions. Things that used to upset me don't have this deep impact anymore. I feel I am more deliberate in how things affect me. But I also studied a lot with Buddhists. I am not sure if meditation only without guidance of a teacher will have much of an effect.
jupiter90000 10y ago
Don't do it as much now, though have consistently over long periods in the past. Some benefits I experienced (subjective): - Thoughts do not have a grip over how I act as often. - probably related, lower likelihood of compulsively doing things. - Feeling more collected and relaxed in traffic and 'stressful situations.' - More likely to be able to pay attention to who I am talking with, what I am doing, etc, right now instead of thinking of things besides that. - Start of realization that who I am is not the internal dialog and procession of thoughts. This one is hard to explain. I think I am certain things due to my thoughts; that's just my thoughts though. - Noticing that thinking constantly about things using language puts reality into categories that are essentially made up. Anyway, your experience may be different. I highly suggest trying it.
- chillwaves 10y ago
  > - Start of realization that who I am is not the internal dialog and procession of thoughts. This one is hard to explain. I think I am certain things due to my thoughts; that's just my thoughts though. This one for me is huge. You are not your thoughts. Took a really long time to understand.. it's almost like I am two people, the one who is thinking and the one who observes the thinking. Helps me distance my emotions and reflect on them in a more rational way (not obsess over mistakes, or worry too much about the future).
  - curun1r 10y ago
    Just to expound a bit, since I've had the same revelation during meditation... Buddhists believe that the mind is another sense, just like sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. The only difference is that it's a sense that devoted to looking inward instead of outward. And during meditation you can really start to see it as such. In the same way that you can let your eyes glaze over and see without processing the images or tune out what you're hearing, you can think without paying attention to your thoughts. It's can be trippy to experience, especially when you have the related revelations that pain or other discomfort is, similarly, just a thought that you can likewise ignore.
  - CPLX 10y ago
    If you have not seen it already, you may find the concept of the bicameral mind an interesting read.
  - sjayasinghe 10y ago
    Actually what's happening is a bit different. The one who observes the thinking arises in relation to what is thought ("the one who is thinking"--in your words). This means that as the thought changes from one to the next, the one who observes the thinking also changes. The thought and it's observation arise together, and pass away together. This is followed by the arising of another (different) thought and corresponding observation of that thought. Prior to perceiving this inconstancy of observation/consciousness whatever consciousness that arises is identified as I, mine, that I'm within it, or that it's within me. When perceiving inconstancy of consciousness, whatever change of consciousness that arises is understood as just another change and is not identified with as me/mine/etc.
  - proteinbased 10y ago
    >- Noticing that thinking constantly about things using language puts reality into categories that are essentially made up. This is a revelation of even higher magnitude for me. Especially if you are multilingual, you notice how many of your ideas about the world are shaped (or at least influenced) by the language you use, which might be helpfull to some, and limiting to others. I think this is what Wittgenstein wanted to express in his famous quote: "The limits of my language mean the limits of my world"
scorpioxy 10y ago
It slows down my mind. Enough to better grasp ideas and emotions. It helps controls any anger outburst or that rush of the thoughts you get when something upsets you. It teaches you to let go. The thing is, every one will benefit differently from it. Nobody can really tell you what it feels like, you have to experience it.
kylek 10y ago
Fairly anecdotal but for me it took just over 4 months of sitting on my butt (once or twice for about 20 minutes a day) before I "got" it. Once whatever it is that clicked for me, I was able to step into a deep state (deep for me, anyways) in about 5 minutes. I've fallen out of practice (and am failing to keep my new year's resolution!), but I would very much like to get back in to it. The resilience it can provide almost feels like having a secret weapon. YMMV. Ehipassiko!
gbuk2013 10y ago
6 months is not a prolonged period of time. ;) So benefits: * mental clarity when unnecessary thoughts go away an only the one you need remains * problem solving - look at a problem and solution just pops up * stronger mind, doesn't get tired as easily * jump in efficiency in everything * increased sensitivity to other people's emotions and intentions * spiritual growth (realisation that you are not your thoughts is one example, as mentioned below) * opening your "heart" and letting go of emotional issues * inner peace :) Important to note that this is from serious meditation practice beyond simple mindfulness and learned in person from a master.
don_draper 10y ago
I went from being the most anxious, scattered mind person in the room to the most calm and focused. I went all in - 4 hours a day for over a year. But it's made a huge difference. It's given me many insights into life - one of which is that you ultimately choose whether you want to be happy in life.
psyc 10y ago
I've been meditating daily for about a year. Not what many people would think of as serious practice. Just 10 minutes at a time, a few times daily. I notice much less anxiety. Less depression, better mood. Easier to fall asleep. After only a few months, it became very easy to completely quiet my mind anytime, in a matter of seconds. My mind is quieter throughout the day. In particular, I hardly get into negative trains of thought at all. It hasn't changed my life or made me especially more effective, but it has made life far more bearable.
alexryan 10y ago
The 2 types of meditation that I practice I are mindfulness and concentration. Mindfulness practice has enabled me to become aware of the arising of unskillful compulsions, the habitual patterns of thought which give rise to them and to halt their progress. Concentration practice, on the other hand, builds the muscle of attention so that it becomes easier to stay focused and fully absorbed on whatever target you select. I have found that the combination of the 2 has enabled me rewire less skillful habitual patterns of thought and to replace them with more skillful patterns.
- shostack 10y ago
  Recommendations on where to get started with both in manageable chunks of time?
brangalina4eva 10y ago
The energy stuff is real. I've been woken in the night with energy surging through my body. I'm working on having conscious out of body experiences and on raising Kundalini. I've experienced energy sent remotely several times. There are different paths. Some are faster than others. Some teachers don't mention all the most useful information for speeding up the process. The main key is to persevere.
InclinedPlane 10y ago
I've been doing it off and on to varying degrees for over 10 years, more intensely lately as part of mindfulness based cognitive therapy. I'll throw in some anecdotal stories: - Feeling anxious, stressed, or grumpy, realizing it, taking a moment to take a breath, let my shoulders relax, and trigger myself to become calmer and more collected. Two years ago I experienced a life-altering situation involving a medical situation with a family member that involved basically non-stop stress for a full week. Every single day when I got in my car to go home I just broke down crying in a way I've never done in my entire life until then, and then every morning it felt like I had to reassemble my component parts to become a functional human again and do what needed to be done. Being able to center myself and keep my anxiety and stress in check when it was at risk of running away was hugely important not only to getting through that experience and having it strengthen me rather than destroying me but also to getting the things done that needed doing (which had a positive life-altering impact on my family member as well). - Something as small as coming out of a grocery store and being disappointed by the rain then taking a moment to breathe and relax then walking through the rain and just accepting it without feeling annoyed or inconvenienced by it. - Something as big as feeling a big self-critical thought bubble up in my brain, the sort of thing that could easily cause a plunge into a depressive mood for a while, acknowledging that it's just a thought and that it is neither intrinsically true nor intrinsically something I have to get caught up in, then feeling it dissipate and go away, powerless. - Being able to recognize when I'm living life too much on autopilot then having the ability to basically reach out and turn up the volume dial on experiencing the world. If you work on it enough you get to a state where you can reach into your toolkit and pull out various tools to deal with different experiences and situations. Being able to recognize those situations as amenable to tool use and being able to actually use those tools and watch them work can be enormously empowering and satisfying.

maxxxxx 10y ago

The benefits are subtle but I am more aware of my emotions. Things that used to upset me don't have this deep impact anymore. I feel I am more deliberate in how things affect me. But I also studied a lot with Buddhists. I am not sure if meditation only without guidance of a teacher will have much of an effect.

jupiter90000 10y ago

Don't do it as much now, though have consistently over long periods in the past. Some benefits I experienced (subjective): - Thoughts do not have a grip over how I act as often. - probably related, lower likelihood of compulsively doing things. - Feeling more collected and relaxed in traffic and 'stressful situations.' - More likely to be able to pay attention to who I am talking with, what I am doing, etc, right now instead of thinking of things besides that. - Start of realization that who I am is not the internal dialog and procession of thoughts. This one is hard to explain. I think I am certain things due to my thoughts; that's just my thoughts though. - Noticing that thinking constantly about things using language puts reality into categories that are essentially made up. Anyway, your experience may be different. I highly suggest trying it.

chillwaves 10y ago
> - Start of realization that who I am is not the internal dialog and procession of thoughts. This one is hard to explain. I think I am certain things due to my thoughts; that's just my thoughts though. This one for me is huge. You are not your thoughts. Took a really long time to understand.. it's almost like I am two people, the one who is thinking and the one who observes the thinking. Helps me distance my emotions and reflect on them in a more rational way (not obsess over mistakes, or worry too much about the future).
- curun1r 10y ago
  Just to expound a bit, since I've had the same revelation during meditation... Buddhists believe that the mind is another sense, just like sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. The only difference is that it's a sense that devoted to looking inward instead of outward. And during meditation you can really start to see it as such. In the same way that you can let your eyes glaze over and see without processing the images or tune out what you're hearing, you can think without paying attention to your thoughts. It's can be trippy to experience, especially when you have the related revelations that pain or other discomfort is, similarly, just a thought that you can likewise ignore.
- CPLX 10y ago
  If you have not seen it already, you may find the concept of the bicameral mind an interesting read.
- sjayasinghe 10y ago
  Actually what's happening is a bit different. The one who observes the thinking arises in relation to what is thought ("the one who is thinking"--in your words). This means that as the thought changes from one to the next, the one who observes the thinking also changes. The thought and it's observation arise together, and pass away together. This is followed by the arising of another (different) thought and corresponding observation of that thought. Prior to perceiving this inconstancy of observation/consciousness whatever consciousness that arises is identified as I, mine, that I'm within it, or that it's within me. When perceiving inconstancy of consciousness, whatever change of consciousness that arises is understood as just another change and is not identified with as me/mine/etc.
- proteinbased 10y ago
  >- Noticing that thinking constantly about things using language puts reality into categories that are essentially made up. This is a revelation of even higher magnitude for me. Especially if you are multilingual, you notice how many of your ideas about the world are shaped (or at least influenced) by the language you use, which might be helpfull to some, and limiting to others. I think this is what Wittgenstein wanted to express in his famous quote: "The limits of my language mean the limits of my world"

scorpioxy 10y ago

It slows down my mind. Enough to better grasp ideas and emotions. It helps controls any anger outburst or that rush of the thoughts you get when something upsets you. It teaches you to let go. The thing is, every one will benefit differently from it. Nobody can really tell you what it feels like, you have to experience it.

kylek 10y ago

Fairly anecdotal but for me it took just over 4 months of sitting on my butt (once or twice for about 20 minutes a day) before I "got" it. Once whatever it is that clicked for me, I was able to step into a deep state (deep for me, anyways) in about 5 minutes. I've fallen out of practice (and am failing to keep my new year's resolution!), but I would very much like to get back in to it. The resilience it can provide almost feels like having a secret weapon. YMMV. Ehipassiko!

gbuk2013 10y ago

6 months is not a prolonged period of time. ;) So benefits: * mental clarity when unnecessary thoughts go away an only the one you need remains * problem solving - look at a problem and solution just pops up * stronger mind, doesn't get tired as easily * jump in efficiency in everything * increased sensitivity to other people's emotions and intentions * spiritual growth (realisation that you are not your thoughts is one example, as mentioned below) * opening your "heart" and letting go of emotional issues * inner peace :) Important to note that this is from serious meditation practice beyond simple mindfulness and learned in person from a master.

don_draper 10y ago

I went from being the most anxious, scattered mind person in the room to the most calm and focused. I went all in - 4 hours a day for over a year. But it's made a huge difference. It's given me many insights into life - one of which is that you ultimately choose whether you want to be happy in life.

psyc 10y ago

I've been meditating daily for about a year. Not what many people would think of as serious practice. Just 10 minutes at a time, a few times daily. I notice much less anxiety. Less depression, better mood. Easier to fall asleep. After only a few months, it became very easy to completely quiet my mind anytime, in a matter of seconds. My mind is quieter throughout the day. In particular, I hardly get into negative trains of thought at all. It hasn't changed my life or made me especially more effective, but it has made life far more bearable.

alexryan 10y ago

The 2 types of meditation that I practice I are mindfulness and concentration. Mindfulness practice has enabled me to become aware of the arising of unskillful compulsions, the habitual patterns of thought which give rise to them and to halt their progress. Concentration practice, on the other hand, builds the muscle of attention so that it becomes easier to stay focused and fully absorbed on whatever target you select. I have found that the combination of the 2 has enabled me rewire less skillful habitual patterns of thought and to replace them with more skillful patterns.

shostack 10y ago
Recommendations on where to get started with both in manageable chunks of time?

brangalina4eva 10y ago

The energy stuff is real. I've been woken in the night with energy surging through my body. I'm working on having conscious out of body experiences and on raising Kundalini. I've experienced energy sent remotely several times. There are different paths. Some are faster than others. Some teachers don't mention all the most useful information for speeding up the process. The main key is to persevere.

InclinedPlane 10y ago

I've been doing it off and on to varying degrees for over 10 years, more intensely lately as part of mindfulness based cognitive therapy. I'll throw in some anecdotal stories: - Feeling anxious, stressed, or grumpy, realizing it, taking a moment to take a breath, let my shoulders relax, and trigger myself to become calmer and more collected. Two years ago I experienced a life-altering situation involving a medical situation with a family member that involved basically non-stop stress for a full week. Every single day when I got in my car to go home I just broke down crying in a way I've never done in my entire life until then, and then every morning it felt like I had to reassemble my component parts to become a functional human again and do what needed to be done. Being able to center myself and keep my anxiety and stress in check when it was at risk of running away was hugely important not only to getting through that experience and having it strengthen me rather than destroying me but also to getting the things done that needed doing (which had a positive life-altering impact on my family member as well). - Something as small as coming out of a grocery store and being disappointed by the rain then taking a moment to breathe and relax then walking through the rain and just accepting it without feeling annoyed or inconvenienced by it. - Something as big as feeling a big self-critical thought bubble up in my brain, the sort of thing that could easily cause a plunge into a depressive mood for a while, acknowledging that it's just a thought and that it is neither intrinsically true nor intrinsically something I have to get caught up in, then feeling it dissipate and go away, powerless. - Being able to recognize when I'm living life too much on autopilot then having the ability to basically reach out and turn up the volume dial on experiencing the world. If you work on it enough you get to a state where you can reach into your toolkit and pull out various tools to deal with different experiences and situations. Being able to recognize those situations as amenable to tool use and being able to actually use those tools and watch them work can be enormously empowering and satisfying.