Tel us about your meditation experience

[Ervin]

I have a question for those who have been meditating for a while and that is how did you motivate your self to begin and keep on doing it? How was it in the begining and how was it after a while of doing it? Does it get more enjoy9able as you do more? What ate the changes you noticed?

Personally I like the results because I have meditated here and there but never on regular basis for long enough to get the benefits that would be seriously noticeable.

One of the reasons I fi.d it hard to motivate my self ate the psych drugs that I can't reject. If you read behaviorism and mental health in the personal experiences section you will see how bad the effects can be. But I believe that I should not waith for things to change before I start meditating.

Thanks

[ghost01]

I have meditated off and on for a few years, but only recently began meditating, correctly (I hope!)

In the beginning I found it hard to place my concentration in one place, everything would bother me.. tiny itches, thoughts running through my head like freight trains. etc.

After more practice, it's become much easier to maintain my concentration for longer periods. I've found all of those thoughts act like magnets for your attention.
as the meditation deepens.. I notice the thoughts sort of rise and fall like waves on an ocean.. and I become detached entirely from them.

The first benefit I noticed that motivated me to continue were states of relaxation and happiness after meditating.

I have since noticed improved concentration on daily tasks,
I have also noticed that my mind is calmer, even when I have not meditated,

I suppose a general sense of well-being and happiness as-well.

I hope any of this was helpful and answers your question.

[Adumbra]

I commited myself to a minimum of 10 minutes a day. Usually, after 10 minutes, I'm enjoying it enough to keep going for another 20 at least and even if I don't feel like going on, I still stuck to my commitment. Another thing that has helped me is learning different types of meditation. Sometimes I don't feel like doing something as passive as zazen, so I do buddha name recitation instead, or I might do some Taoist inner alchemy. Varying the types of meditation you can practice keeps things from getting boring.

[Meditating Bob]

But I believe that I should not waith for things to change before I start meditating.

That is very true, for most people living in the modern world waiting for perfect conditions is a lifetime job. I have started meditating again in the last couple of years following a bout of job-induced depression but previously I meditated regularly for a decade or so, only giving up when I was forced by circumstance to put my Buddhist practice aside for a while. It is hard to stick at it in the beginning, especially if your head is all over the place but getting into a routine allows you to stop thinking up excuses and just meditate because it is what you do. The fewer worries you manufacture for yourself about meditating the better your sessions will be. I found it just as difficult to start again after a few years off as I did when I first started years ago, other people can help if you are lucky enough to have a group or centre nearby but failing that all I can offer is "stick at it and good luck".

[Noah]

Meditation is my favorite part of the day.

I started meditating about 6 months ago with the commitment of 1 session of 20 minutes per day. I have missed only a few days of it (weekends are tougher) and actually, after a couple months, have done 2 twenty minute sessions a day a few days a week while keeping my original commitment.
I started following the Anapanasati sutta. with a talk I gained a good idea of what I was trying to "do"

http://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/series/details?ser=X32

I noticed an increased mindfulness in body and sensations after a few weeks, it has only deepened since. I now can focus on the breath in all daily activities and feel more in tune to body, and sensations. The "thinking" mind continues but, I use it to analyze the body or sensations or simply acknowledge the thoughts with a smile and let them float on
Lately I have been listening to a talk on the Yogachara perspective and trying to think from that POV in meditation and daily activities, I noticed an instant deepening of mindfulness. any time I am running around in my head, I bring it back to the breath though.
I am calmer, happier than ever in life

Noah

[Wesley1982]

I believe there are 'stages' and 'levels' of meditation.

The more time one devotes to it, the deeper the thought or mental focus/trance. IMO then meditation becomes transcendental

[catmoon]

Well done Noah. Yet another instance of the old 2x20 formula getting the job done.

[barry]

I'm new, so heads up, I have questions. Too sleepy to ask now. I've been listening to Chogyam Trungpa...so I have an ok foundation. Hopefully I can find an experienced Buddhist and meditation teacher.

[Meditator]

After a while, it becomes part of you. The goal is so you become aware 24/7. Meditation doesn't stop simply because you already left your sitting cushion.