Meditation is talked about a lot here. I’ve been following along this sub for some time and implementing for myself the maxims less than faithfully but more than neglectfully. One thing that I have spent a lot of time on, with much success, is the intentional diagnostic and architectural procedure of manifesting my own personality and strengthening of frame through attentive mindfulness, proprioception, and meditation with a clear end goal and striving point.
Essentially, I think of one of two things during one of these “sessions” (at my stage of life at least, I think of these things all the time in fact): either how I am that I wish not to be like, or how I am not that I wish to be like. The desire to be a certain way is itself authentic, and in my experience acting upon it is to be encouraged.
Here are some examples to illustrate my point and my process.
Early on, I identified as a negative trait the tendency to complain both externally - as it lessens attraction platonically and sexually - and internally - as it weakens me psychically (or reduced frame). So, I truly felt in my mind what it feels like when I am complaining or in a state of passive rumination (ie “bitching” in my head or with my mouth), and I “leaned in” to the part of my brain that suppressed that process or tendency. Doing so had many benefits that I did not foresee - naturally, as I can only see what I am held back from when I am no longer held back.
I also had a tendency to be reliant on my circumstances and surroundings for happiness. So, I located where in my brain I felt active when I was glad and I let it work at my command. Hard at first, then it got easier, like a muscle. This is one that can be easily overshot in my experience, balance is integral to the less forceful traits I’ve developed.
I also did not favor a tendency of mine to dissociate and become absent minded. So, I focused on a point of my surroundings (could be anything) and gave it 100% of my attention for an extended period. I am sometimes apt to “leak” focus, as it is akin to a muscular effort, so I redouble my striving as needed. This meditation lightened the shade of my eyes by at least one or two shades - no bullshit.
Essentially, I want to communicate that meditation is not some hokey mystical art that is meant to inculcate on its own some sort of nebulous spiritual lifestyle, and it isn’t magic. It works very well with an intention behind it, and it is a great avenue to train your brain to act and respond in the way that your higher self would like it to. It may seem very facile my descriptions of what I’ve done, but in truth it has a very intimate and sometimes animalistic experience to practice absolute agency over myself. I write this as an encouragement to members to foray into an aspect of red pill discovery that they may be otherwise unenthusiastic for. There is a lot in your head that compels you to act without your even properly understanding why or how you feel a certain way, if left unexamined. Examining them can lead to a profound understanding of yourself and a sturdy reference point for how to connect yourself to the “here and now.”
ETA: The most useful thing I have found to be able to get into the mindset for this kind of meditation is lifting.
arythmetic 5y ago
Thank you for sharing your personal experience with meditation. It is a hard thing to do considering that we are trying to notice which aspect of ourselves are we trying to reinforce and posting on reddit, somewhat a social-media that incentivizes exaggerations, can lead us to lean in on the parts we do not wish to develop further like seeking false validations.
I aim my practice on the idea of ego destruction. And then like a phoenix, I observe what spawns from the ashes. I notice that once a version of my mindset has been utterly destroyed by me taking control of my frame, written on my first post which I recommend for everyone, another false sense has come up and we would do well to keep meditating to observe the new self truthfully, both the goods, confidence, abundance, mental point of origin and etc., and the bads, narcissism, defensive tendencies to constructive criticisms and refusal of Beta-Bucks behavior to a false.
I look forward to reading a follow-up on this as well as real-world decisions you trace back to better mindfulness.
JoRocKStaR 5y ago
Correct me If I'm wrong but if you're meditating with an end goal in mind, you're doing it wrong.
CharCanDo 5y ago
Some would say if you think you can meditate wrong then you meditate wrong. It depends on your perspective. Intent and awareness are two integral components of our being that many seek to marry in meditation - and “intent” necessitates an end goal while “awareness” necessitates yes or no, positive or negative, correct or incorrect in terms of judgment.
I personally don’t see any utility in chasing after some ultra pure meditation unicorn that “isn’t” any of the things that all of the people who’ve meditated say it shouldn’t be. I prefer to go along based on where I do find utility, and lo and behold I start to understand those comments on a deeper level.
What I’m calling an end goal you may outgrow the terminology of but still retain the process. Words are often very prescriptive for their supposed purpose. Ultimately, shouldn’t we understand our own minds far greater than we understand even our native language?
lateteatoto 5y ago
Hey man, could you maybe describe precisely how one of these meditation sessions goes? Would really like to try myself, but as others have already noted, meditation for me is about cleansing the mind and not focusing on anything at all, so i have trouble picturing the actual process you’re talking about. Anyway, inspiring stuff! Thanks for posting.
CharCanDo 5y ago
Meditation isnt passive, or just a relaxation exercise.
Think about your biggest insecurity. Meditate on it. Follow it to its logical conclusion, as if the worst were true about it. Let it defeat you internally - as an exercise.
Feel where in your brain is inflamed. Find where the burning coal is. Then, muster the will to extinguish it. You can do so completely - for a short time and with enough focus. As you practice the concerted effort required will diminish.
Further, observe where your brain is active when you are mustering this will. Nurture this. Pump it up to the degree that you are capable - and try to maintain it this way for as long as you are capable. The amount of time you are able to do this will increase with practice.
This is a very facile rundown of a very personal process but I think it sufficiently communicates the unique benefits and attitude towards meditation that I’m referring to.
CharCanDo 5y ago
Edited to add a useful bit at the bottom for some context.
IncomeByEtnicity 5y ago
One of the best, this week. Well done!
Improvement without self discovery is merely symptom-relief.
Ezaar 5y ago
One of the most difficult things I’ve ever done was meditate with mala beads. 108 proper breath repetitions is incredibly difficult. But chasing perfection is good in that case
goudamac 5y ago
Im a bit confused. I thought the point of meditation was to clear your mind. How would one be able to do that while focusing on a specific problem. Ive only started practicing but this sounds like a promising way to teach myself discipline that i feel im truly lacking. Every time I meditate I feel like im doing it wrong. This post now especially reenforces that dout. So while I meditate I should focus soley on my disciplin or lack there of?
j_arbuckle2012 5y ago
There are numerous forms of meditation. What the user is describing here is a bastardized form of Insight. It is very useful. What you need to do is find a set of instructions (or a book) that clearly lays out how to focus intent and the actual technique you need to pratice in order to induce a meditative state.
The vast majority of meditation instructions are just repeats of anapanasati or "watching the breath," I have found that finding more concrete instructions is much more beneficial to teaching struggling beginners like you that there is more to it than just "sit and focus on the breath."
And remember to sit for at least an hour a day. Any less and your progress will be exponentially slower. Our minds are incredible tools with infinite potential but it takes time to mould them, to forge them into something useful. Either commit to putting the time in or don't bother.
Reality begins and ends in the mind.
CharCanDo 5y ago
Really, anything that you get from someone else in a pursuit like this is a bastardized form of insight. What I hope I communicated was the feeling of gaining the particular insights that I described about myself.
An important aspect of it is that active and even strenuous use of the mind can be picked up and used in daily life outside of meditation to solve problems in more dimensions than probably many are aware of.
CharCanDo 5y ago
My best suggestion off the top of my head would be to focus intently on something that is real. Many suggest breathing or feelings or some other self perception - since you are the “real” you’re trying to find.
Pick a spot on the wall. Focus on it. Your “minds eye” will falter before your actual gaze - keep yourself mentally focused on the object you are staring at. You will feel yourself fighting your focus back into proper frame. This is what began it for me.
Ccarlial 5y ago
The Headspace app is a good introduction to meditation. It teaches you some of the different types of meditation. It is how i got started.