Meditaion Techniques

[Fallen_soul]

I've recently begun my meditation, and sometimes i find it difficult to focus. Are there any exercises that any of you do. I know differnt religions and martial arts focus on different things for their meditaions to focus on, or enhance. If possible i was hopeing you could share some of your exercises.

D. Livingston
Fallen soul

[sinta]

I meditate during my Tai Chi sessions. I start out with light Chi-Kung for around 15-20 minutes, what I've learned in my class, before going onto the 24 Form (what I know of it). It relaxes me, when I try and clear my mind of thoughts and concentrate on a flow. It's hard to describe.

I also meditate during the kendo line up. One calls out moksou and we are to put our hands on our lap and close our eyes. But during this slight meditation, I meditate on my goals for the coming class, affirming that I will attain them. Then I wear the Men and get on with it.

My two bits :)

[SorenFrey]

Hi.

I've recently started meditating myself under tutelage from my Laotzu. He's told me this is necessary to increase your "I". The method is as follows:
Sit with legs crossed on a pillow or something else that will allow your back to be comfortable. One hand is held in the other, with the thumbs lightly touching. Cover yourself with a duvet or blanket to avoid "cold air" to enter the neck and chi to escape. Focus on "breathing" (no physical breath) chi into the dantien in one breath, only going in. After a while (when you feel as if it's time) move the ball of chi to the spine, hold it there for as long as you feel like, keep the feeling expanding, and then move the dantien back to the dantien (dantien just means a place you hold energy, but as the easiest place is the normal dantien, that is called so). repeat two more times. now just sit.

Yes it is difficult to keep focused, but just let go, if you wander, wander. I find it helps to picture myself sitting on a mountaintop, and any disturbing thoughts I just let fall down into the abyss.

Hope this helps you.

Soren Frey, Shanghai, PRC

[Gene Williams]

Read "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind", by Shunryu Suzuki. It changed my whole view on zen as well as my routine:) Good luck. Gene