6 ms·

“You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait, be quiet, still and solitary. The world will free

“You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait, be quiet, still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.” - Franz Kafka

pantelisk 6y ago
I was looking at this quote for a long time. I forgot who it was from, and only remembered it paraphrased. Thank you. To also contribute to the discussion. I often joke that it takes effort to mess things up. You could instead lay on the beach enjoy the evening breeze than putting in that effort. So before you delve into that process, take a step back and think carefully what you want out of it. I like long walks accompanied by music (ambient music). Walking can be a deeply meditative experience, just pick terrain that won't give you trouble (no high traffic streets, no steep hills etc) and just go. Walk until your body starts doing it mechanically, and don't focus on the destination nor in search of stimuli. Maybe because walking exerts energy, it can be more effective than just sitting or laying down - when you are really energetic and not tired. Maybe because the scenery changes and it acts as a context switch to our minds. It has been both effective as a form of emotion regulation, coming up with novel solutions, and just feeling more in sync with myself.
- somedude895 6y ago
  Why is it, that sitting alone will have me ruminating, thinking negative thoughts whereas when I'm moving my legs thoughts seem to be more positive or productive?
  - MaulingMonkey 6y ago
    If you let your car sit for a month, the battery may drain and the car might not start. They were designed in part around the assumption of regular use. So too has evolution - through the happenstance and accidents of natural selection - ended up relying on the movement and use of the human body to regulate hormones, neurotransmitters, and who all knows what else. Exercise can help release endorphins, dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin... Unsuprisingly, when we muck with that, there are problems. Not needing to move to avoid danger or to collect nutrition for basic survival is an extremely recent thing on evolutionary timescales, so this wasn't a problem before.
  - atulatul 6y ago
    'Negative' thoughts are thoughts. Maybe consider it as cleansing that is taking place. https://highexistence.com/100-hours-meditation-10-days-vipassana/ https://highexistence.com/100-hours-meditation-10-days-vipas...
  - jacksonlango 6y ago
    It may be because walking may cause bilateral stimulation of the brain. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5061320/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5061320/
nprateem 6y ago
Ecstasy. This dude knew how to meditate. A lot of people think meditation is just an exercise in patience and self discipline to stop the chatter of the mind, and that that is the end in itself. They are unaware of where meditation can lead. When the central channel (referred to as sushumna in yoga) is open and energy flows freely, you can feel ecstatic sensations in the centre of the brain as the upper centres become energised. It's important to relax the body, including the eyes, head and brain itself. I feel it like a sort of exhilaration, like the first time I went on a rollercoaster or cycled my bike fast down a hill etc. It's an electrically alive feeling. I hear this is just the start: what starts as a trickle becomes a torrent, apparently.
- ck425 6y ago
  Any idea what scientifically is actually happening?
  - nprateem 6y ago
    No idea. Biology isn't my area. Some kind of resonance in the central nervous system perhaps, accompanied by a quietening of some parts of the brain?
    - decuran 6y ago
      More than likely something is going on from the changes to the active neural circuitry. Usually the "Default Mode Network" is active. When this is quieted down, which is similar to what happens when you're on LSD, it's possible that very unusual states of mind and body (the "currents" mentioned, which I've experienced as well) can arise.
      - ronyfadel 6y ago
        Is this a good thing? I know that meditation is lauded, and I practice it myself, but I do wonder if it is good for you. My best definition of “good” in this context is “closer to your true self”, or possibly “happier and content”. I fear that meditation will make me lose my drive (generated, in part by my ego).
egor2820 6y ago
I actually fall asleep before that moment comes
- Zelphyr 6y ago
  Practice noticing when you’re falling asleep. That alone can be every bit as helpful. The key word here being “practice”. I doubt anyone achieves these ecstatic states without it.

pantelisk 6y ago

I was looking at this quote for a long time. I forgot who it was from, and only remembered it paraphrased. Thank you. To also contribute to the discussion. I often joke that it takes effort to mess things up. You could instead lay on the beach enjoy the evening breeze than putting in that effort. So before you delve into that process, take a step back and think carefully what you want out of it. I like long walks accompanied by music (ambient music). Walking can be a deeply meditative experience, just pick terrain that won't give you trouble (no high traffic streets, no steep hills etc) and just go. Walk until your body starts doing it mechanically, and don't focus on the destination nor in search of stimuli. Maybe because walking exerts energy, it can be more effective than just sitting or laying down - when you are really energetic and not tired. Maybe because the scenery changes and it acts as a context switch to our minds. It has been both effective as a form of emotion regulation, coming up with novel solutions, and just feeling more in sync with myself.

somedude895 6y ago
Why is it, that sitting alone will have me ruminating, thinking negative thoughts whereas when I'm moving my legs thoughts seem to be more positive or productive?
- MaulingMonkey 6y ago
  If you let your car sit for a month, the battery may drain and the car might not start. They were designed in part around the assumption of regular use. So too has evolution - through the happenstance and accidents of natural selection - ended up relying on the movement and use of the human body to regulate hormones, neurotransmitters, and who all knows what else. Exercise can help release endorphins, dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin... Unsuprisingly, when we muck with that, there are problems. Not needing to move to avoid danger or to collect nutrition for basic survival is an extremely recent thing on evolutionary timescales, so this wasn't a problem before.
- atulatul 6y ago
  'Negative' thoughts are thoughts. Maybe consider it as cleansing that is taking place. https://highexistence.com/100-hours-meditation-10-days-vipassana/ https://highexistence.com/100-hours-meditation-10-days-vipas...
- jacksonlango 6y ago
  It may be because walking may cause bilateral stimulation of the brain. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5061320/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5061320/

nprateem 6y ago

Ecstasy. This dude knew how to meditate. A lot of people think meditation is just an exercise in patience and self discipline to stop the chatter of the mind, and that that is the end in itself. They are unaware of where meditation can lead. When the central channel (referred to as sushumna in yoga) is open and energy flows freely, you can feel ecstatic sensations in the centre of the brain as the upper centres become energised. It's important to relax the body, including the eyes, head and brain itself. I feel it like a sort of exhilaration, like the first time I went on a rollercoaster or cycled my bike fast down a hill etc. It's an electrically alive feeling. I hear this is just the start: what starts as a trickle becomes a torrent, apparently.

ck425 6y ago
Any idea what scientifically is actually happening?
- nprateem 6y ago
  No idea. Biology isn't my area. Some kind of resonance in the central nervous system perhaps, accompanied by a quietening of some parts of the brain?
  - decuran 6y ago
    More than likely something is going on from the changes to the active neural circuitry. Usually the "Default Mode Network" is active. When this is quieted down, which is similar to what happens when you're on LSD, it's possible that very unusual states of mind and body (the "currents" mentioned, which I've experienced as well) can arise.
    - ronyfadel 6y ago
      Is this a good thing? I know that meditation is lauded, and I practice it myself, but I do wonder if it is good for you. My best definition of “good” in this context is “closer to your true self”, or possibly “happier and content”. I fear that meditation will make me lose my drive (generated, in part by my ego).

egor2820 6y ago

I actually fall asleep before that moment comes

Zelphyr 6y ago
Practice noticing when you’re falling asleep. That alone can be every bit as helpful. The key word here being “practice”. I doubt anyone achieves these ecstatic states without it.