The benefits of meditation.

Oh no, I meant this sentence that you posted to me:

If you’d like to meditate with others then there is a Buddhist Group in Notting Hill that meets once a week (no charge, beginners welcome) to meditate together. Let me know if you’d like the address, tel, etc…

Yes please! PM me!

PM sent

Thanks

Good, that's the way to start, with a group. There very presence provides support.

What I meant to say is that their very presence provides what most people refer to--metaphorically I'm sure--as "energy." To sit with serious sitters promotes a powerful one-pointed and effortless focus on all that passes before you (sounds, feelings, thoughts, sights, even in the darkness of closed eyes, etc.). But the very best practice is the REGULAR meditation you do by yourself every day. Eventually you provide your own energy--and effortlessly.

The one thing I do think, although I am unsure, is that life would have more resonance if one didn't practice meditation. There wouldn't be this 'safe centre' to return to, and one could chase their happiness and sadness to extents which would be more glorious than an understanding of the process of mood sequence, which seems slightly bland in comparison. I don't know. I remember reading something similar in Hesse's Sidartha.

There is something to that. I wouldn't want a life that was too tranquilized*--even though meditation made it possible (indeed easy) for me (a hyperkinetic individual who would be considered ADHD today) to meet the requires of my academic career: I could concentrate and enjoy sittng in libraries for long quite hours.
Nevertheless, I would not want to wallow in the so-called emptiness that some people consider a consequence of meditation. I enjoy--deeply enjoy--the attachments of literature and art. I would not want to be indifferent (transendently or not) to life, even its delusions, so long as they move me esthetically. Beauty is, after all, one of life justifications.

*If my goal was simply a comfortable tranquility, I would be a doper.

In short, meditation sets the foundation for an intense subjectivity. By that I mean a deep on-going and free awareness of the contents of experience. It is not "quietism."

Yeah, I see your point.

What about love? If we were trying to follow a 'purer' zen path (I don't think we are) how would we deal with this, since it obviously involves some form of 'attachment'.

That's so if by "love" we are denoting a kind of desire for ownership of another because we are "attracted to" (to the extent of being "attached to" or emotionally dependent on) them.
It's pretty hard not to suffer such an attachment--at least in our youth.

Excuse this interruption, please.
Just popping in to say that I've been following this conversation with great interest, particularly JL's contributions.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.

Please continue now ....

No interruption at all. Encouragement for which I am grateful.

I've never been in love so I wouldn't know, but are you saying with age you exchange it for something more akin to 'appreciation'.

Yes, a deep, intimate, profoundly personal appreciation.

Meditation is all about training the mind through concentrated effort (usually relaxed), through training of the mind many benefits occur (for nearly everybody.)

1) Improved memory
2) Improved attention
3) Reduced levels of stress
4) Improved awareness
5) Improved sleep
6) Less headaches
7) Lower blood pressure
8) Improved logical reasoning (Due to blood being moved towards the frontal lobes during meditation)

And in my opinion it has made me much happier, I don't drink at all any more but still have fun with all my friends! (:
Also after meditation I often find my self in a very pleasant relaxed state of what I would consider 'Gentile Bliss.'
Also it is a very healthy way to use your spare time if you are bored!

I Meditate on my breath in sitting meditation, counting my out breaths to 10 then starting again, for usually around 10-20 minutes 2-3 times a day.
When debating politics with my friends I certainly have not become placid in anyway you can be sure of that.

I believe it has improved my standard of living in many ways try it!

Welcome to A2K, Savaii.

I see that you are from Christchurch. How is the earthquake recovery going there?

Hey (:
Ah it is coming along, hopefully we will be able to use the city centre soon but i think it may be some time yet.
Loooots of buildings to come down!

We have a topic here about it, if you'd like to write some personal accounts about your experience with it.

http://able2know.org/topic/160924-1