YOUTUBE for MEDITATION - For Meditation Practitioners

[Ponder]

My intention for this thread is to "generally" add notes for each Link I provide; as I fully listen to, practice and experience each of the videos I share in this thread. I encourage others to share regardless of how much or little one wishes to write.

I'd like to begin with this Monk . I found him a hard to understand at first, however the scope of what he was presenting overcame my desire to stop watching. I was pleasantly surprised to find that several videos later I ended up understanding him fluently. In keeping with the theme of this forum I'll begin with sharing the following vid, which was how I first discovered him:




I had an extremely traumatic experience the other day which really helped to bring things into perspective for me. My head has been racing for days since! Having now been hard core with my eating and exercise for some time, I now believe it's time for me to seriously get back into meditation. This is why I have started this thread. The next video - I just now sat through had a really amazing effect on me. I guess having had some experience helps me to really get in tune with what's being said; as it's being said. I like this guys tone to which I am now well acquainted with. It's not often I float outside of my body, however using the visuals - I have embed into my mind over many weeks via using google maps to map out my runs really helped with my visualization ... I fell into a state where I obtained a high resolution satellite imaging sequence that started with a street view. ← Whilst listening to this meditation when it got to the part about extending my awareness beyond my room. I kind of had a trip similar to that of how I regularly fly in my lucid dreams. It was AWESOME!!!

I don't expect this will happen for many first starting out. I just wanted to add those notes because my ability to add visuals was an important part of that experience. Adding visuals from memory does not require much thought for me. Visuals are a big part of hypnosis and likewise induced states of awareness.

Here is that video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GSeWdjyr1c

[Ponder]

To finish off my night before finally hitting the sack and setting my intention for the next day, (to wake up refreshed and ready for all it brings) I now share the following VID. A guided 10 minute one that's spiritually inclined through the concept of clearing - negative energy. Having an open mind and a broad spectrum of interests I have found to be KEY when it comes to yielding the most benefits with regard to meditation for me. I know for myself, limiting belief systems (rigid rules, ways, paths & ideals) that I had once adopted in the past have no room in the area of meditation. It's taken me more than a decade to recondition my mind from such indoctrination; both religiously and secular alike. Mindfulness Meditation and similar practices imo within the clinical sector suffer likewise with restrictive formats and language. There getting there though. It's only when I am able to fully open up to all the possibilities, glean from a wide array of practices and truly ride with what comes to mind; that I am only then able to escape the prison of my relentless and unending mind.

I still struggle with the white light concept - yet there is something about opening up to compassion as the Buddhists would refer - to - Metta Mediation -which is based on loving kindness. (hence my struggle) If there is one thing I know to be true ... it's that anger and fear are one and the same and as much draining as each other when it comes to their feeling - BUT - Love and Kindness instead fill me with healing no matter how I dare to judge myself and or others. Fact is the more I open up to being kind to myself; the harder it is to self destruct. Simple as that really. So it is in that light ... I attempt these kinds of meditation ... meta and or energy clearings. At times it can be hit and miss - especially in a world the way it is. For me, when these kinds of meditations work; it's a warm sensation that envelops and heals.



I hope others may find this one helps.

[Ponder]

Back to the MONK

How to Meditate (1 of 2) The essence of meditation:

The following presentation comes from a Monk that suffered a lot with panic attacks in his youth and goes on to reveal how panic is still part of his life today. The major point being made is how to use one’s panic to eliminate it.

[Ponder]

How to Meditate (2 of 2) The essence of meditation:

MONKEY MIND:
The Two Problems:
1. YES SIR - How Panic Becomes Your Boss!
2. HEY GET OUT! - How Panic Becomes Your Enemy!

• Make Your Panic Support for You Meditation
• Making Friends with Your Panic & Problems

Also presented is how this monk, others like him and complete novices were used as a science experiment to study the effect of meditation on the brain:

[Ponder]

This is one of the BEST presentations on Meditation that I have come across. I decided against linking another video that jumps straight into the meditation part of this presentation due to the trigger that spirituality is prone to set off in many. The introduction is on cosmic energy. It was not until I understood this concept that my meditation really took off. The way many of us live cuts us off from this life sustaining force. If like me you have the ability to open yourself up to another form of ticking; then the rest of this presentation will see you in a good place to meditate well.



For those who can't get past the concept of spirituality for whatever means, I will just embed a text link to a video I recently added in the medication thread. It's a presentation given to GOOGLE by Jon Kabbat-Zinn who is renowned for successfully bringing mediation into mainstream medicine. Whilst he steers clear of using terms that challenge and conflict with our modern way of living, his message is virtually the same when it comes to "Tuning In."

Mindfulness with Jon Kabat-Zinn A GOOGLE TALK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nwwKbM_vJc

[Ponder]

Develop these qualities in your meditation practice and you'll improve every aspect of your life!



There are an additional two qualities not in the list below that are mentioned towards the end of this presentation:

1. Non-Judging

• Taking the stance of an impartial witness to your own experience.
• Noticing the stream of judging mind .. good / bad / neutral… not trying to stop it but just being aware of it.

2. Patience

• Letting things unfold in their own time
• A child may try to help a butterfly emerge by breaking open a chrysalis but chances are the butterfly won’t benefit from this help.
• Practising patience with ourselves. “Why rush through some moments in order to get to other ‘better’ ones? Each one is your life in that moment.”
• Being completely open to each moment, accepting its fullness, knowing that like the butterfly, things will emerge in their own time.

3. Beginner’s Mind

• Too often we let our thinking and our beliefs about what we ‘know’ stop us from seeing things as they really are.
• Cultivating a mind that is willing to see everything as if for the first time.
• Being receptive to new possibilities… not getting stuck in a rut of our own expertise.
• Each moment is unique and contains unique possibilities. • Try it with someone you know – next time, ask yourself if you are seeing this person with fresh eyes, as he/she really is? Try it with problems… with the sky… with the dog… with the man in the corner shop.

4. Trust

• Developing a basic trust in yourself and your feelings.
• Trusting in your own authority and intuition, even if you make some ‘mistakes’ along the way.
• Honour your feelings. Taking responsibility for yourself and your own wellbeing.

5. Non-Striving

• Meditation has no goal other than for you to be yourself. The irony is you already are.
• Paying attention to how you are right now – however that it is. Just watch.
• The best way to achieve your own goals is to back off from striving and instead start to really focus on carefully seeing and accepting things as they are, moment by moment. With patience and regular practice, movement towards your goals will take place by itself.

6. Acceptance

• Seeing things as they actually are in the present. If you have a headache, accept you have a headache.
• We often waste a lot of time and energy denying what is fact. We are trying to force situations to how we would like them to be. This creates more tension and prevents positive change occurring.
• Now is the only time we have for anything. You have to accept yourself as you are before you can really change.
• Acceptance is not passive; it does not mean you have to like everything and abandon your principles and values. It does not mean you have to be resigned to tolerating things. It does not mean that you should stop trying to break free of your own self-destructive habits or give up your desire to change and grow.
• Acceptance is a willingness to see things as they are. You are much more likely to know what to do and have an inner conviction to act when you have a clear picture of what is actually happening.

7. Letting Go

• Letting go is a way of letting things be, of accepting things as they are.
• We let things go and we just watch…
• If we find it particularly difficult to let go of something because it has such a strong hold on our mind, we can direct our attention to what ‘holding’ feels like. Holding on is the opposite of letting go. Being willing to look at the ways we hold on shows a lot about its opposite.
• You already know how to let go… Every night when we go to sleep we let go.

[Ponder]

I'll stick with just two a night - this one I found gave me relief when thinking of my loved ones who like us all; suffer just as much. I'm going to simply things by focusing on those qualities Jon Kabbat-zinn encourages and taking the message given here so that I may stop living in fear and do my best to share the same love that I foster for myself.

Thich Nhat Hanh


Night night - ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Dahila]

I have few books by him and also audiobooks

[Ponder]

Hi D. : I know you like Jon Boy His got a good tone to match his insights.

The following video is a little different from your average meditation. Just like my routine, I like to mix things up a bit. I'm going with what I rate as a quality guided relaxation session. More so for sleep. In fact I am having trouble staying awake as I share this link. ZZZZzzzzzzz This presentation comes for an artist I first discovered when originally venturing into ASMR videos approximately 8 years ago - maybe 10. Not all of lilliums work is of this theme; it is however how she started and imo her strongest asset when it comes to the relaxation genre:

For me ... Great tone, good intro, great music and good overall sound levels. The latter hard to find these days when it comes to the array of such works:



ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Ponder]

Last one for the night - Fifteen Minute Guided Meditation - Relax the Body and Mind with Ambient Music:

I recommend headphones for most of these guided relaxation vids. Whilst I like the base tone of this presenter, without headphones I struggle a little to hear the words properly. More my issue as I am becoming a tone deaf as well as deaf these days. This one also has good music that flows well with a relaxed pace and overall good balance between dialogue and ambiance. Good script as well. Whilst the visual suits the theme well, I typically close my eyes with such high quality guided sessions:



Below for further interest:
How To Open Your 7 Chakras As Explained In a Children's Show