So fellow robots, what's your take on meditation? Do you guys think its a mood-boosting life changer, or just a load of new-age horseshit? And for those who do it, did it cause you to make any positive changes in your life?
>be 19 (and a half) y.o. NEET
>had a shit day at home (as usual), mentally going over all the stupid fuck-ups and embarrassing moments in my life like I always do
>have tried meditation on several occasions throughout the past few years, but usually fail due to being overly distracted by negative thoughts
>decide to get the Meditation Studio app on my phone
>it's an app filled with guided meditation audio clips (most averaging between 5-10 mins.)
>don't usually do guided meditation, but decided fuck it why not
>meditate to a 7 min. GM audio clip
>have never felt so calm and mentally undisturbed after a meditation session before
>almost three hours later and I'm still feeling the effects
>now I'm eager as fuck to make this an everyday thing for myself
>>25451157
what is the name of this app you speak of.
>>25451384
Meditation Studio
I literally said that right on the green text, lmao.
I do Vipassana. Would recommend that or Zen, something without a mantra. Relaxing!
It's new age bullshit that works because most people are so fucking stressed out being constantly streamed information through one device or another. It's probably no better than taking a leisurely walk or praying but eastern mysticism is hip and cool right now.
>>25451157
There is no thing as fallacy-riddled as attempts to convince people that it is 'good for you'.
Looks like you were successful, OP.
>>25452178
You summoned him.
>>25452930
I could take jabs like 'look, meditation is supposed to make him calm, but instead he derides his detractors, look at this massive ego'.
I could.
But I leave it to you have literally dozens of times told me 'you should meditate one day :^) '.
I find no product in such things.
>>25452967
hurry up and get on with it, anti-buddha. I need my daily dose of page long retarded walls of text that make no sense.
>>25452967
>>25453065
>'look, meditation is supposed to make him calm, but instead he derides his detractors, look at this massive ego'
As a matter of fact -- for it really matters none at this point -- it is *other people* who have said that, who have passingly sided with me over the years -- for false modesty keeping me from saying this stops mattering either. Compared to the accusations of incomprehensibility, diagnoses of delusion and psychosis, posting my personal information, derailing threads I post in with flooding, it doesn't matter... but it did happen. Every couple of months, people told people abusing me they're oddly mad, accused those accusing me of rambling of lack of reading comprehension, paraphrased my clams accurately and asked 'am I getting you right?', to which I was delighted to reply and mention how surprised I am by the lack of abuse.
No examples.
>>25453155
In short, 'meditation' doesn't make you calmer. Abuse does.
>>25451825
Eastern Mysticism has always been hip and cool in the west you fucking luddite. It's exotic. It was hip and cool the moment the two cultures became aware of each other (and goes the other way as well).
Meditation is scientifically proven to help people and you're retarded for avoiding it because of muh popularity.
>>25453536
It isn't scientifically proven to do shit. Fuck you.
>>25453552
>It isn't scientifically proven to do shit.
Oh, it has been. The problem is, by people who think that 'physically develops the part of the brain responsible for self-control' justifies the phrase 'it is beneficial'.
>>25453585
(For the mentally impaired 'meditators' in this thread: saying that 'meditation builds the areas of the brain responsible for creativity' is like saying that hitting people in the face 'builds the muscles of the arm responsible for building and fixing things'.)
>>25451157
>So fellow robots, what's your take on meditation?
Interesting topic to put under scientific scrutiny.
>Do you guys think its a mood-boosting life changer, or just a load of new-age horseshit?
Half and half.
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/2002/04.18/09-tummo.html
>>25453704
>to put under scientific scrutiny
Oh, it has been scrutinized religiously -- the problem is, only the benefits.
Think reverse dihydrogen monoxide hoax.
>>25451157
I want to learn to do it. I can never keep focus. How the fuck
>>25453795
Namely,
>meditation has been found to alleviate stress!
>meditation has been found to relax relationships!
>meditation has been found to diminish anger!
>meditation has been found to reduce rumination!
>meditation has been found to help obsessions!
>meditation has been found to build pain tolerance!
>...
The tip no one ever takes: notice that EVERY SINGLE purported benefit of 'meditation', even 'increased creativity' and 'increased focus' (yes, that's correct) relies on caring less. And connect the dots for once, you fucker.
>>25453795
>Think reverse dihydrogen monoxide hoax.
What is that supposed to mean? Are you the anti-Buddha guy? Your post never makes any sense.
>>25453850
>Your post never makes any sense.
Hush hush glblllrrrrrrrrrrbp.
>>25451538
You've done vipassana ? That sounds great. Ive been reading a lot about Daoism and Buddhism but I have yet to really start meditating. I'm still not sure what I'm supposed to be doing and feeling. I guess the idea is not to worry about that stuff but I always worry that I'm not getting the most meaningful meditation.
>>25453938
I'm glad I don't love you, or I'd weep for you.
>>25453949
Why?
Also I love you anon!
>>25453846
(In other words, 'meditation' is awesome -- it doesn't do a truly stunning array of things.)
>>25454030
>Why?
Because you are going to narrow your awareness of your surroundings while confusing self-absorption for it. What I mean by awareness of one's surroundings. A couple of weeks ago I was walking through an underpass in the city centre when two women came from the other side.I tried to avoid them, but couldn't, soI nearly passed by the one who had picked some pace, when she said to her friend behind her, both possibly being tipsy, 'we're lost'. I took a glance around, noticed that there's a (barely visible to me by that point) city plan on a nearby wall, pointed to it, loudly announced 'Plan.', and walked ahead more quickly without a backward glance, all in a fraction of a second. This is, of course, not impressive, but this is what you are going to impair by 'meditating'.
But hey, you will notice your thoughts and your feelings instead!
At home I'm a lazyass shitposter mouse potato, but I've been going to a regular yoga practice 2-4 times a week for a year, and its having profound positive effects on everything. Body is able to heal from things much quicker, and I've reached a point of mini nirvana where nothing really stresses me out or makes me depressed anymore. Perhaps in 3 years when I become a 30 year old virgin wizard I will actually become certified in these practices and become a yoga instructor if I'm still a NEET. Not ready yet, as I still feel too autistic to actually work with people as the yoga instructors do, and need to make the practice more a part of my life than something I just do at the yoga centre.
Like I often say, meditation while listening to or making primordial sounds or chanting sanskrit mantras is much better than just sitting in silence trying to manually empty your mind. Why not just use sound and mantra as the vehicle of transformation, to just let your mind effortlessly become one with it.
>>25451157
new age horeshit? medittion has been practised for over a thousend years
>>25454307
OP here. Wasn't trying to imply that myself, there's just other people in this board who probably feel the same way.
>>25454307
It's New Kalpa horseshit.
>>25454290
>nothing really stresses me out or makes me depressed anymore
There is literally no thing I avow more strongly in life to avoid.
>>25454186
So the Anti-Buddha leaves his room after all. I'm impressed.
>>25454401
Literally no one who has been posting that 'mentally ill shut-in' image believed that I am one, and literally everyone was aware of this fact as well.
>>25454410
But you are here a lot, without question. What do you do? School? Work?
>>25454371
aah heh, you sly dog, i like you
>>25454392
you are confusing numb apathy with internally sustained happiness and peace of mind
>>25454368
if you enjoy doing it, then continune to do it, anything you enjoy must be benificial to you in someway, just get with it dont meditate because you think it will make you a better person, do it becuase its a good thing to do who cares if its new age or not if you enjoy, then go for it, focus on your breathing
>>25454186
Sorry, I don't really know what your talking about. I don't think you could argue that eastern ways of liberation and meditation will make me less aware of my surroundings.
Maybe you're mistaking Buddhism for putting on sunglasses?
>>25454477
numb apathy, shit that makes more sense
>>25454442
>But you are here a lot
No, Buddhist, no! Don't admit to abuse of the term 'shut-in' so easily! It is ruinous to the mind. Never admit you have been accusing wrongly -- this degenerates character and is cowardly. Instead, insist that the proper definition of 'shut-in', does, in fact, allow for rare excursions, and should be, like every word, taken with a grain of salt. And that including doubtful, questionable cases in the definition reflects mental flexibility. Mention also that literalness is narrow-mindedness. That's the Buddhist way!
>>25454477
'No true internally sustained happiness and peace of mind' fallacy! They're just getting longer and longer, aren't they.
>>25454490
Fucking christ...
I know. I wasn't trying to ask for anyone's opinion. It was just a rhetorical question. Relax.
>>25454520
I don't think that guy claimed to be a Buddhist. Also just because someone expresses an interest in Buddhism doesn't mean that they are buddhist values incarnate
>>25454532
well, you must of read my post in a differant tone to how i wrote it, i was relaxed, just trying to get you to make your own mind up and not needing to be babied, your a big boy make your own choice in weither its benifical to you or not
>>25454593
but did you not read where I said "It was just a rhetorical question" on my post?
feel free to look that up if you don't know what it means.
>>25454520
You didn't answer my question. What do you do in life aside from being on /r9k/ all day? I mean shit you were just outside so I assume it was for good reason.
>>25454657
I meditate on harmfulness of 'meditation'.
>>25454186
So what you're saying is that meditation impairs social interaction? Or are you saying that it makes you self-absorbed? Or do you mean that you literally lose awareness of your surroundings? Sorry, not following here.
I'm also looking into meditation because I can't fucking shut my mind off. I'm constantly looking for stimulus, probably due to the fact that I've played video games for 10 hours a day since I was like 8. I try to just sit there and exist, but I end up getting a song stuck in my head and running through every fuckup in my life.
Do you think meditation could help my complete lack of drive? I can barely force myself to do anything productive at this point. I've lacked the self control to do homework for years, killing the last 2 years of high school and my first two years of community college. Any social interaction I already have feels incredibly forced and fake anyways, so I don't really mind if it takes a big hit.
Sorry for the bombardment, senpai. I'm trying to fix myself before my parents get fed up with the mistake they've raised.
>>25454673
>>25454657
Also, you asked no question. A question mark does not a question make. One-lacking 'I wonder what you're doing this evening.' is a question, while one-having 'Are you literally autistic?' intended to embarrass is not.
>>25454702
>Also, you asked no question. A question mark does not a question make. One-lacking 'I wonder what you're doing this evening.' is a question, while one-having 'Are you literally autistic?' intended to embarrass is not.
You really are off your rocket aren't you? But no, there was no intention to embarrass.
>>25454638
"what's your take on meditation?"
implys you wanted our opinion
>>25454692
>So what you're saying is that meditation impairs social interaction? Or are you saying that it makes you self-absorbed? Or do you mean that you literally lose awareness of your surroundings?
I always mean literally what I say.
>I'm also looking into meditation because I can't fucking shut my mind off.
If decreasing your IQ is your goal, 'meditation' will do that.
>Do you think meditation could help my complete lack of drive? I can barely force myself to do anything productive at this point.
'Productive' is the kind of subjective term pushers of 'meditation' use. 'Meditation' will make you disinterested in reading on hard subjects, creating utility such as programs or designs, and so on. It will make you interested in social chatter, compliments, empathizing, just hanging around, reading on religion and psychology, nature (especially cannabis), and so on.
>>25454739
'Are you literally retarded? No offense.'
>>25453155
You're the poster boy for mediation, man. You're the mental equivalent of a starving Kenyan in a UNICEF ad. Congrats.
>>25454797
'H-he doesn't control his mind u-unless his happy! It's not true mastery of mind unless he's happy! H-happiness is everything!'
It has to be an achievement to be happy with those grapes being so fucking sour.
I am glad that the buddha hater came back, after he announced that he would leave.
>>25454823
>>25454797
In other words, I have been having Buddhists telling me 'no you're not (enlightened/wise/self-realized/smart/in control of yourself/understanding yourself/...) until you (let go/understand the futility of.../realize that nothing.../realize that everything.../enjoy.../stop enjoying.../...)' for years.
I have become immune to 'true...'. It doesn't work this way.
>>25454846
I did no such thing.
>>25454823
Hang in there, buddy. Hope 2016 is really great for you.
>>25454692
>I end up getting a song stuck in my head and running through every fuckup in my life
Then if sitting in silence doesn't work for you, try meditating like how >>25454290 or OP does it. Listening to guided meditation clips, or music (or sounds) suited for meditation helps a lot when it comes to relaxing & keeping focus.
>>25454760
I was referring to the second question, dummy. I just wanted to see how people here felt about meditation in general. Doesn't mean I was trying to find some sort of validation from others to do it (hence the green-text).
Wait, did you even read the green-text on the OP post? No, of course you didn't. Otherwise you wouldn't be needlessly going back and forth with me.
>>25454186
>city plan on a nearby wall,
>pointed to it, loudly announced 'Plan.', and
>but this is what you are going to impair by 'meditating'.
You sound a bit impaired anyway if this one way conversation was spoken in americanese because "map" would have made a lot more sense.
>>25454867
'Don't reach for the grapes! Please! Don't reach for the grapes! I'm begging you! Stay with me! Please! I don't wanna see anyone have the grapes! Please, please, at least tell me that other fruit are good too! At least concede that all fruit are equal! Or at least let us agree to disagree that we can't decide which fruit is better and that nutritional value of fruit is subjective! Just don't try for the grapes!'
>>25454894
I am not a native speaker and I never travelled. I won't particularly beat myself for not knowing this difference.
>>25454898
>>25454867
In other words, there is hardly a view as morbidly fascinating as a Buddhist struggling to cryptically, menacingly indicate that if one dares to disrespect Buddhist teachings about the importance of (whatever, such as the value of 'meditation' or the value of 'looking at oneself', or of 'not presuming things'), they will badly regret it. 'If you disrespect Buddhist teachings (meaning: if you disrespect what I'm saying in this discussion), you will have a bad year, and you don't want that! So pay attention to me! I know better!' Boo hoo. Fucking chain letter bogeyman mentality.
>what's your take on meditation?
i enjoy it , it's relaxing . i fall asleep during body scan alot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8oKWQiEWYs
jon kabat-zinn is great , his books and lectures on jewtube are great
also like tie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ijnt-eXukwk
>>25454962
But all Buddhists have the mentality of a bully. 'Oy! Stop! You here! You aren't paying attention to your thoughts! Ey! You there! You aren't paying attention to your emotions!' People who are drawn to Buddhism are basically people who are cowardly and need an excuse to boss other people around, except they are too incompetent to teach anything meaningful, so they just go about platitudinally preaching how 'one should be always are of what's going on in their minds', and excepting praise in return. You will see this very quickly, it is painfully transparent.
>>25455017
In short, low self-esteem.
>>25454962
Your a boogeyman anti Buddha. You go on r9k 12+ hours a day, see what goes on here, then go about choosing to go after meditation of all things. You just come in here and derail one of the few varieties of self help threads. All this done with excruciating effort, and ceaseless abandon. I don't understand you, I really don't.
>>25455017
That might just be your experience with shitty Buddhists. It's a path that finds you, not the other way around. It makes no sense to force it onto others who aren't interested. Lots of people that are interested in Buddhism are really pretentious and don't follow it well.
>>25455054
>self help
As I explained more than once, the only person 'meditation' threads help is myself, because 'meditating' makes people dumber, rendering me smarter in comparison.
>I don't understand you, I really don't.
As far as veiled implications of a psychiatric condition go, 6/10, clearly visible, not overdone, with just enough deniability, but a bit too mild.
>>25455017
>>But all Buddhists have the mentality of a bully.
so you conclude that not every buddhist follow the dhamma.
=>buddhists and monks are not automatically in the sangha.
just like when I say I follow JC, does not mean that I am a christian
>>25455092
Alright, I'm officially declaring this bait. It's time for everyone to stop responding. Let's try to get the thread back on track because I think lots of anons could really benefit from some mindfulness
>>25455092
That's not very sound logic. If you enjoyed meditation making people "dumber" (citation needed), then wouldn't you be promoting it?
>>25455138
Its something alright. I don't know about bait though. This guy literally patrols r9k for inhuman hours, derailing every single thread about meditation he encounters. Over my months here I have not seen a single thread not derailed by the same guy ("the anti-buddha"). Usually he sounds like he makes more sense than that, he was flustered this time. There is always a distinct lack of citation present however.
>>25451825
No, the benefits are scientifically accepted. You're being contrarian but you don't know what you're talking about.
>>25455187
Yeah I think I've encountered him too. Maybe it's not bait but it's defintly not helpful even pretending that it's worth arguing with him
>>25455077
'Buddhism is...'
># of Buddhists: 302,914,254
'No true Buddhist would do that!'
># of Buddhists left: 94,202,015
'That's absolutely not the Buddhist way!'
># of Buddhists left: 42,716,884
'There is no mention of that in the canon!'
># of Buddhists left: 9,221,630
'Every teacher knows this is wrong!'
># of Buddhists left: 2,498,541
'That's in direct contradiction of the path!'
># of Buddhists left: 512,408
'Buddhism explicitly forbids that!'
># of Buddhists left: 213,663
'Buddha never said that!'
># of Buddhists left: 75,953
'Go find me a source that tells you to do that.'
># of Buddhists left: 15,963
'This is a later, foreign addition!'
># of Buddhists left: 9,032
'That's Western, washed-down Buddhism!'
># of Buddhists left: 3,764
'Are you seriously confusing this with Buddhism?'
># of Buddhists left: 884
'Every Buddhist who is sufficiently understanding knows this is not true!'
># of Buddhists left: 329
'If you listen to an actual lecture, you will see how this is not true!'
># of Buddhists left: 83
'Have you ever talked to a Buddhist?'
># of Buddhists left: 50
'You can't judge a practice by people who get it wrong!'
># of Buddhists left: 19
'This was clearly a mistake in translation!'
># of Buddhists left: 4
'Try going outside one day!'
># of Buddhists left: 'butbutbut... we all have the pure nature of Buddha within us!!'
>>25455139
I am not a Buddhist to promote evil.
>>25455393
I honestly don't know what that means and feel bad replying to it
>>25455434
>I honestly don't know what that means
I envy you, innocent soul.
>>25455446
Thanks. Cheers
OP here.
This thread went very well.
>>25455522
No, this thread was not a bait/a lure, and no, you're not OP. Die.
