Over the past few weeks, I have talked about various techniques of meditation and visualization and how each one worked and affected me. At this point, I feel its time to decide on which ones are the most affective and why.
For me, the subtle mind and visualization practices seem to be the most beneficial. I find them to be beneficial because I can actually do them. This may seem like a poor reason but I have experience with these already...I just didn't know it. My martial arts training has taught me how to focus my mind and block out invasive thoughts. When I so chose, I can completely empty my mind and concentrate on one thing. In the martial arts, that focus tends to be destructive and outwardly focused. However, I learned I can turn that focus inward, and concentrate on anything I so choose...at least for a little while. This makes practicing the subtle mind much easier for me than some of the other practices.
The martial arts has also taught me visualization. I often visualize myself performing techniques in my mind and run through self defense scenarios when I am not in a place appropriate for practicing. I have found that this visualization provides me with the ability to perform these acts in actuality, despite the lack of physical practice. So when it comes to performing other visualization techniques, I feel comfortable adapting to them...tho I often have to take ownership of them and modify the techniques to fit me better. I rarely visualize what I am told. Instead, I take the idea and modify it, visualizing things I understand and recognize better. Instead of a garden I may visualize a forest or the beach. I also feel that having a very good imagination aids my visualization abilities. I often lose myself in books and become oblivious to the world around me. My imagination creates images as vivid as real life.
BUT!!! This is what works best for me. You are different so things may be different for you. What techniques do you prefer to practice? Do you know why they work for you?
Whatever they are, it doesn't matter so long as it has the right affect.
It's awesome that you gained such mind control that you can block out everything else to focus on one single thought. I think the martial arts you have been involved has a great deal to do with that. Visualization was one of the harder exercises for me, but I was able to achieve the subtle mind. I think the subtle mind exercise worked for me because the speaker helped to guide the process throughout and it worked for me. It is very true that you have to find what works for you, because every single person is different and unique.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to mention that being able to block everything out is not always a good thing. It is easy to lose sight of other important things from being too focused.
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