Personal Development Blueprint - Meditation

How To Meditate - Learn how to meditate the easy and correct way, while avoiding the common pitfalls that keep almost everyone in failing to set up a solid meditation practice.
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[@AnnaKareninaSF]

Just my opinion, but beyond laziness, I see resistance to meditation very often is the fear of being alone inside our mind without distractions. I've been told by zen masters that just to start with 5 minutes and work yourself up from there. Thank you for your insights...

[@Celibatnik]

I do it daily. I shared this video to a friend who asked me about meditation. That's how accessible I find it to be!

[@ActualizedOrg]

Thanks for spreading the word :)

[@noahbrown5679]

The hardest thing in the world is resisting the urge to scratch your balls during meditation

[@ActualizedOrg]

Maybe your balls are too harry? ;)

[@noahbrown5679]

XD good point

[@Ronnie9P]

+Noah Brown Nobody said you can't move during meditation, you can move consciously , without using your mind

[@Ronnie9P]

lmao

[@seddd]

I can do that quite easily now, is that a progress?

[@violetplait1795]

Haha, this is hilarious. Before watching this video I was literally like "oh yeah, I'm gonna start meditating. But not before I got myself one of these pillows!" good point on that topic.

[@Mrv958]

A great deal of the rituals that have been built up around meditation are pragmatic aids to the practice that have been discovered by centuries of trial and error. They are not simply distractions. The seating positions, the bells and incense are all forms of psychological aids and associative conditioning to help reach deeper states of conentration and awareness. They are by no means required but I would not just dismiss them.

[@campcrazy9471]

I've attempted and failed several times trying to meditate every day. After watching this my mind set is, bringing my mind back away from thoughts is the "Work" . I've committed myself to (a mental asylum). Joking! I've committed myself to meditate EVERY SINGLE DAY. Thank you so much for this new approach. Namaste my friend.

[@fazlerabbi3380]

hey hey! If you are really struggling with procrastination and lack of willpower I know a cure for you. First of all apply procrastination bulldozer method. Secondly, start doing tasks that take less than 5 minutes right away. These two things alone completely cured my procrastination after 12 years of trying everything I could.

[@michaelkarpienski4006]

Geez- prob the most brilliant breakdown of meditation I've seen and heard yet. Fantastic matter-of-fact approach. Great vid man.

[@sandracandelas2001]

Leo, you are awesome . I love all your videos and I am in the same boat with you , just working on self development.

[@kikianasahmad2328]

the part where you talk about reaching enlightenment is true, I agree with it because in the other video you talked about how a person can see the world differently and rewire a person's mind. The Buddhist monks when in the stage of enlightenment make their minds so strong at that stage that they themselves feed tigers! They play with them and walk around them unguarded while the tiger does nothing to them; From that time I realised that the mind (if trained and developed) can make one reach wonders in this life

[@kikianasahmad2328]

codemonkeyslikeme ive seen them burning themselves and stuff. But thats outrageous

[@Waki_Abdullah]

Hey Leo, this is Abdullah. Man you are just awesome.. so inspiring, helpful and Genuine. I have already made some serious commitment to eliminate my bad habits and starting meditation today inspired by your amazing videos. So impressed that I wish I could meet you one day. I am 35+, live in England though originally from Bangladesh. Would you like the idea of me translating your videos into Bengali language so that millions of Bengali people can be enlightened by your videos? Do you have any videos on God?

[@ActualizedOrg]

Cool man. You're free to translate the videos, but I can't pay you for that. It would probably take you a year of full-time work to translate them all. This is the closest video I have on the topic of God: Spirituality vs Religion - The No-Bullshit Guide To Spirituality

[@robjal]

Hi Leo, thanks for sharing and keeping it simple.

[@makx6972]

I'm grateful! Thank you so much! It really gave me chills! you are the ideal person doing what you're doing. Thank you very much.

[@JustinV1112000]

Really appreciate your videos, keep up the great work. Your videos help me so much man glad I found your channel.

[@michaelfilimon980]

WOW! I tried your 20 meditation excercise for the first time this morning made it to 17 minutes but non judgmental towards self and THE AMOUNT OF NEGATIVE THOUGHTS I KEPT WASHING OUT!! I knew that I had them but not to that intensity! WOW! I want to commit to a 30 day challenge and make this a daily part of my routine. You mentioned about Buddhist monks meditating for 6 hours a day for decades...I have heard of this practice as well. Do you recommend maybe as I progress if one may configure....more than once a day? Thanks again Leo for your videos, I make them a part of my evening ritual as they are enriching my life.

[@lainey3612]

This comment is beautiful! Shame Leo didn't reply but maybe he gets too many comments to keep up with. Did you carry on meditating? This was five years ago, has it helped you in your life?

[@userMikeforsure1997]

@@lainey3612 Ofcourse it has helped him in his Life! If he kept doing it since then every day he may even be enlightened.

[@armmajunkie9778]

Hey Leo, I tried this like you instructed and had a very strange feeling come over me. I thought I may have been slipping into sleep. I had trouble the first 10 minutes or so, struggling to keep kicking the random thoughts away, then i had nothing , nothing, but then it must have been a few seconds of just ABSOLUTELY NOTHING like without feeling like I was trying so hard for nothing .. No feeling no thought .. Just calm .. Maybe like floating... Different than I've ever felt before. It felt extremely relaxing.. I didn't even really understand that I was trying to meditate, almost like I forgot. It went on for maybe just a couple of seconds before I remembered what I was doing then jolted my eyes open. It was startling after the fact to come out of that. Maybe I was falling asleep, but it was a very interesting experience. Thanks for sharing all of the videos. I'm going to try my best to meditate every day. I feel refreshed.

[@marcusmiles4234]

Wild, Leo was talking about enlightenment and oneness way back in 2014.

[@prettygreenglow]

Thank you, Leo, for simplifying the meditation process. I really appreciate your videos.

[@ActualizedOrg]

My pleasure :)

[@firyuzag.4491]

Thanks for a great video. Very realistic approach

[@alanfreeman7374]

Thanks for the explanation.

[@geenovarghese]

A big thanks for this new door for happiness....thanks a lot maaaaan...

[@spookzone]

Great video man . Thank you !

[@Celibatnik]

No problem Lev. I like to do that because I find it very difficult to dissagree with what you say in your videos.

[@DanielAlvarez-sl6yh]

love this

[@alanfreeman7374]

I just completed my 1st meditation.. Just about every 15 seconds I had to shut out thoughts of any kind. But I had to say that I totally enjoyed the still state of blissfulness if you will..

[@tiffanygladstone678]

im gonna try it tomorrow

[@felipecornejo426]

Thanks man this was very helpful specially The vision part

[@silentedge92]

Wow, thank you for sharing this, and many other life lessons on KZbin. You're awrsome, man. :)

[@ActualizedOrg]

My pleasure :)

[@armmajunkie9778]

I am completely new to this so I can't speak from any kind of experience other than 3 times trying this today...but I like having some background noise.. Its very interesting.. If you get to the point where you don't hear the background noise(in my case it is the washer and dryer running in my hallway).. I found that when the noise ceases to be recognized by my mind, I feel the deepest sense of nothing. Its almost like you tap into something that is not physical, and your senses stop observing things around you.. When I hear the noise, then I focus on clearing my mind again... I only really know that I wasn't hearing the noise anymore when I start hearing it again.. Its incredibly hard to describe what i mean.. Anyways, I'm amazed by this so I wanted to share

[@ActualizedOrg]

Try asking yourself this next time: Is there really a "me" hearing the noise? Or does the noise simply exist without a perceiver? Turn off your logical mind and look for the answer.

[@rickbaker1267]

Alexander Rocha

[@valisha4]

This is a great video. I found it very helpful. Thank you.

[@ActualizedOrg]

Thanks for sharing this vid, Valisha :)

[@yetagesuable]

I bro I found this so much interesting and the way you explaining tiny emotional ways in mind.......Please include topics in building CONFIDENCE! please..

[@devilssurvivor74]

thank u

[@jazmin8464]

Yes you can. He said in another video you can.

[@kameronmaki6697]

I have to say man you're brilliant and I'm a psychology major as well. I'm really glad I found your channel. I want to bring up two things. One thing I have to say is that meditating outside really helps me because it connects me to nature rather then being inside in artificial things not of the essence. I was wondering what your thoughts were on that and also have you ever heard of the pineal gland? It is our spirituality gland and I'm currently starting to decalcify it and if it is more functional it will provide a great boost in meditation.

[@ActualizedOrg]

Outside is nice, but I don't do it.

[@curious2373]

This is a really great video with some great tips! You recommend that you should meditate 20 minutes a day. My question is why "only" 20 minutes? If you do 40 minutes does it give you the double the effect?

[@user-ob5hw7rg5j]

Hey, Leo!) I really like your videos, they inspire me to move on!) what would you say about meditation on the morning and in the evening before bed? or it will be the same results if just in the morning?

[@TitoFuentez]

Саша Ильин it will double so go for it!

[@ohhello5511]

Very informative. Do you think you could use positive affirmations during meditation?

[@Ronnie9P]

I recommend Jon Kabat Zin audios meditation guides

[@tuomokortelainen9434]

as a beginner, is it better to start without any audio programs ? or would it be better to use them ?

[@megankirin]

Hi Leo. I did my first 20 minute meditation tonight. I was surprised that I felt clear off the bat then about two minutes in my brain started getting loud. Afterward I wanted to rest and stay quiet but giggled on social media, drank wine and went to bed late instead. I did; however stay in one place for those 20 minutes. Gotta start somewhere, right? :) Thanks for your great videos.

[@Runeroev]

First of all, great videos! and thank you for sharing your knowledge for free. I am one of those, who you also mention, that have been going through a lot of different sources in order to learn more about meditation, while what i might actually just need, is to get a more structured practice. But one thing that i keep noticing from trained meditators, is that many (including you) seem to be emphasizing the sitting part. Sitting in a nice chair, on a cushion or whatever one likes. But wouldn’t it work just as well to be lying down? Of course there is the danger of falling asleep, but if this can be managed, do you see any drawbacks to lying instead of sitting?

[@ActualizedOrg]

I used to believe lying down is okay. But now I don't. Your spine must be erect. This is critical or you will fall asleep and ruin your meditation. Erectness of the spine if very important. Try it and see. It's much harder to fall asleep when your back is not supported by anything.

[@LIAMNELSON]

Should i Meditate before or after reading my misson statement?

[@FamouzRell]

Im 13 and ive been doing meditation for 4 years consistently and i also think there are academic improvements because i have got strait A s every year

[@jazmin8464]

Hey Leo Can you do a video talking about songs. Modern pop and hiphop and such songs. Are they good or bad?

[@jessicabeee93]

Hey Leo I really appreciate this video. Ive been wanting to try meditation for a while but was always waiting for something. Right cd, right youtube video, right place, right mantra. You motivated me to finally just start today. That being said, i just had my first meditation session but i have a couple questions. Do you recommend eating before hand? The thought of food would come up but id let it go like "water under a bridge" but it would come up again. Other thoughts came up that I let go but that one was by far the most common lol. Should i eat first or is being hungry something that meditation should override? The other question, i had extreme sharp tingling in my hands and one point a soft tinging in my body. Was that energy or something common with meditation?

[@ActualizedOrg]

It doesn't really matter how your external circumstances are, your mind will start to play tricks on you. Do not eat a full meal before meditation as this will cause you to fall asleep. You can eat something very light, like a banana or some nuts. Yes, tingling is common. Itching is common. All of that is just resistance and is a sign that you are doing meditation properly. Treat anything that you experience during meditation as simply resistance.

[@WorldOfDeepThought]

Does it matter wheter the eyes are closed or opened?

[@trieulieuf9]

While meditation, can i replace mantras with affirmations that you made in other videos and benefit both ?

[@parvezahmed1138]

excellent vid, leo. And I want to share a 2 ways which helps me in goin through d 66 days meditation habit build up: 1. I watch vids like these, 1 each day every day coz de remind me of d importances of meditation. 2 Habitbull: its an app. try it everyone, it helps u 2 build a habit.

[@gabo3color]

how has your practice been like these days?

[@JohnSmith-hh8ek]

the reason why i won't do meditation is because i already do 1 hour of visualizations + affirmations per day. i COULD try doing meditation instead of visualizations, but i dont wanna risk it, because im already having great results with visualizations and affirmations

[@ActualizedOrg]

I hear ya, but meditation is more important.

[@cinemasnapshots333]

It’s not a ritual which they have created ages ago. Meditation just for the sake of it can be done by the way you are saying. But to benifit the most of it you have to do the way they tell you, the things which you think are rituals.

[@Ronnie9P]

Leo, what do you think about Hemi-Sync ? is the as good as Holo Sync ?

[@FindingSkyler]

You stress your brain "like flexing a muscle" when you meditate? Like not thinking about anything stresses your brain? That's interesting. I honestly never would have guessed that, but when I really think about it... I understand it because it's very difficult for me not to think of anything. I'm sorry for being a newbie and over-thinking this.

[@ActualizedOrg]

Not thinking is the hardest thing you'll ever do ;)

[@quentinsmith9585]

Have any link for meditation soundtrack you use,LEO?

[@shiek93]

Hey Leo, started meditation on a daily basis (20 min) a few days ago. Questions: How do I know that I fell asleep? And how do I not fall asleep? Because two times I was not quiet sure if I just was meditating and thinking aubout nothing (that is what I actually want) or if I was ''daydreaming'' or anything like that. I dont think that I have a lack of sleep (always sleeping for 7,5 to 8 hours), but of course this might be the problem. But I feel kinda calm and peaceful after meditating, I start liking it :D Thank you for everything!

[@ActualizedOrg]

You know when you fall asleep. That's just obvious. Falling asleep is common. Make sure you keep your spine perfectly upright, that helps a lot. You may also want to reduce your meditation time to just 10 minutes -- or whatever you can manage and still stay awake. Then gradually build it up to 20 minutes over a few months. Also, do meditation when you are most aware, most awake. Do not eat before meditating.

[@shiek93]

Actualized.org Thanks! :D

[@Julia-ug4vy]

Wonderful video`s, great that your are doing all this :) I have a question. During meditation I often get into a dream like mode, where imagination comes up. Its like dreaming. Surreal dreamy images and dream stories happen. I kind of like them, sometimes they give inspiration or joy, like some special dreams do. But I always wonder, if I should try to quiet my mind from that as well. What is your view on this?

[@ActualizedOrg]

Stop daydreaming, that is not mediation. Your mind must be sharp and focused on absolute nothingness. Basically, all the contents of your mind are bullshit. It doesn't matter if you're thinking about scientific theories, work, your kids, doing the laundry, sex, or unicorns. It's all bullshit. Yes, everything! You need to empty your mind of everything. Thanks :)

[@saugyat]

👍

[@BlackStar9977]

links to your meditation guide?

[@ragyfish]

what do you thin of brainwave entrainment like holosync or hemi sync

[@alvilssovas9564]

Hey Leo! So i've been following you for few weeks, doing meditation and really getting my life in shape. Thank you for that. :) But today meditating, in my mind, i hit this spot and i felt nothing attached to it just fear and the need to disconnect myself and afterwards when i calmed down by counting and my toughts started to run to all kinds of distractions like smoking checking my facebook etc. And now after meditation i dont feel too calmed or happy just fearful of fear i think. I dunno. Do you know whats with that?

[@ActualizedOrg]

That's normal resistance to meditation. That's a sign that everything is working properly. Meditation is not all fun and games. It's serious work and it will make you temporarily unstable.

[@charlierobles316]

Actualized.org Have you ever heard of hoopnopono and what are your thoughts about it?

[@ActualizedOrg]

Charlie Robles No

[@parvezahmed1138]

Hey Leo! Are meditation music helpful?

[@daisydogsoap]

pls create more Personal Development Blueprint video playlist, Pls. finish all the list ( the100plus) thank you so much.. God bless u.

[@ActualizedOrg]

I will, but it turned out to be a MUCH bigger project then I originally anticipated. I will slowly build it out, especially as I learn deeper truths.

[@allyssabernadette6995]

is it okay if i do meditation everyday but whenever time is comfortable?

[@Monsieurdavidinf]

SOmetime when i meditate, i get the urge to scream, i am in control so i dont. But the feeling is so overwhelming. Is it negative should i take a break ? and continue later ?

[@BlackStar9977]

thank you, I love this NoBullshit video

[@joaomarquesfaisca2510]

Hello man, I started meditation about 3 days ago and at first it seemed to go well - usually when I try something new I have a lot of questions about it, but this time was different, I just simply tried! So thank you by this awesome and enlightening video! - however, due to my resistance to it, I try to concentrate on several things like birds outside, or the clock ticking, or maybe even match my breathing with a few clock ticks to abstract myself. Can I do those things? P.S: there are some constructions happening outside my home,is that bad? Thank you in advance.

[@ActualizedOrg]

Just sit silently and think about nothing. Pay attention only to sense-perceptions, not thought-stories. That is all.

[@justinstark5732]

I also find meditation easiest when I am at he park listening to the birds and looking at the moutains in the horizon with the sun sinning light behind the clouds.

[@justinstark5732]

Actualized.org Can you meditate while walking

[@ActualizedOrg]

Justin Stark No

[@justinstark5732]

Thank you. Also you described my problem with meditation very clearly. For whatever reason you are the only person I have found who was able to make it so thanks for that too : )

[@motherfudger6664]

My excuse for putting off meditating is I can't stop laughing at the right pillow under someone's ass excuse hahahahahah j/k.

[@user-oe8pc5hw4o]

hey leo,did meditation for 20 days now with the techniques explained by you...really feel calmer,happier and in control ...but there is a very important question.. i meditate with my eyes closed...now my place is quite noisey so when i clear my thoughts i tend to concentrate on noises from diff directions..now because of that it seems to me that my eyes are slightly pointing in directions of noises..my left eye points in diff and right points in some other direction...can it make my eyes wrong aligned(not pointing in same dir) permanently?...and i noticed my relative's eyes becoming like that too.he teaches yoga voluntarily....PLEASE CONSIDER THIS QUESTION SEIOUSLY AND ANSWER AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE..

[@ActualizedOrg]

Don't worry about that. But do stop moving your eyes during meditation. Sit perfectly still. It's not that hard.

[@filipgustaf]

I lose circulation in my butt when sitting dead still. Should I see that as an extra opportunity to exercise my concentration or should I change sitting position frequently, despite it requiring my attention?

[@rimatabrah9418]

I cant do it more than 10 min ! Idont know why So listen leo ,Im a muslim i do pray 5 times a day ,is that enough ?! Futher than that i do hypnosis ! Or even with these two i still have to do meditation If yes is it okay to meditate for only 10 min ? Thanks for being an inspiration and a helping hand ❤️

[@acehilm.]

Have you ever had an out-of-body-experience or lucid dream? I use to meditate frequently and had them experiences now and again.

[@ActualizedOrg]

I haven't tried lucid dreaming yet. I hear it's fun.

[@acehilm.]

Very fun and quite mind opening. You should look into it. Worth researching.

[@tomservo75]

Is it WRONG to meditate with relaxing music or have a guiding voice?

[@straizys]

I guess the best is to expand this 20min into 1 hours, 2 hours and more.. that's when the real enlightment comes. I guess most of the meditators who do it for 20 min for longer period comes naturally to a need to expand it to longer time daily. But the binaural sounds are not scientifically proven if they work.

[@NextRobinho8]

Can I lie down and meditate?

[@NightWatchI3]

I've been doing this for 5 days now and I really think I either don't have the same concept of consciousness as you do or I'm doing it wrong: Even from day one I had no problem 'not thinking' about anything - for every 20 min session I get only about 2-3 distracting thoughts (some noise or I get itchy for example), but I think I catch myself instantly. However I have doubts that I'm actually falling asleep slowly instead of meditating... It doesn't feel like it - there is no moment of realization (I'm falling asleep, I have to wake up), I don't dream, I think if someone interrupts me I wont be startled and I don't lose my sense of continuity of the day the way one does if he is to take a power nap (nor do I feel refreshment out of the process). Is there a method to be sure if you are falling asleep or not? * If it is the case that I'm falling asleep what can I do not to, other then change my schedule to do meditation in the morning? * If it's not and I am just surprisingly good at it with no previous practice for some reason I really don't understand how it's helping. Don't the benefits come from the conscious struggle to ignore thoughts? If your mind can be cleaned effortlessly what are you exercising? Also I don't feel as if I'm extremely conscious during meditation compared to when solving a logical puzzle for example... atleast not in the way I understand the concept of consciousness. Introspecting after a session my only association is that I just wasted 20 min doing nothing, nothing else.

[@ActualizedOrg]

All of that is simply resistance to meditation. Just sit and meditate and trust it is working. It works regardless of anything. If you find it easy and boring, that's good. It's still working. But I seriously doubt you have only 2-3 thoughts in 20 minutes. You are tricking yourself. Try not to fall asleep. Sit with your spine perfectly upright. Don't meditate right before bedtime when you're tired, cause obviously you'll fall asleep much easier.

[@NightWatchI3]

Actualized.org I do doubt myself, that is why I said I _think_ I have only 2-3 thoughts in 20min. :) I really don't mean to be negative, if it works for you - super, do it. However my point is... have you ever thought you might be wrong? Put yourself in the shoes of the everyday person - you probably sleep ~ 8 hours, work ~ 8 hours, travel ~ 1 hour. Also you spend time on mundaine things like eating, showering, housework and so on. If we add other possible variables like regular exercise, a spouse, kids, etc. you are practically left with somewhere between 4 and 2 hours (or even less) of free awake alone time. Wouldn't you rather spend this 1 hour on additional work, a side project, a hobby or simply relaxation (yes, I realize that in your very specific case meditation can be considered all of the above in a way)? Or anything that produces objective results and it's progress can be clearly seen at any given step... Lets try a hypothetical. Do a projection - imagine that you've managed to meditate 1 hour EVERY day for 20 YEARS!!! Simply amazing! That is what you aspire to do, right? But there is a twist. Your future self has recently realized that meditation doesn't work and the benefits you've been seeing along the way were just delusions/placebo. You believe (or know it) with the same level of conviction that your present self believes that it does work. You've wasted 25% - 50% of your most valuable time... Not only that, but you've also wasted this time for anyone that has ever trusted you on the matter, even if at that time you had only good intentions at heart. You've made it perfectly clear that you have enough control over yourself to not be shattered by the fact. But wasn't the point of mastering your emotions, psychology and consciousness to stop doing meaningless irrational things and do things with real objective value? If that is the case and you truely assume that meditation is nothing else but wasted time... then there is no possible way you could have failed more misserably at what you wanted to accomplish in the first place (no matter if you feel bad for it or not). I have no problem brushing my teeth. But then again I know with the greatest (achievable) certainty that it works and the benefits greatly exceed the cost. When the cost of even testing the hypothesis is times higher and the only reason to believe it is the word of a person on the internet (no disrespect, a lot of you content is great, works and I'm grateful for) the prospect doesn't sound very tempting. If I come to you with the greatest conviction possible and tell you that I know for a fact that there is afterlife, it's amazing, it has everything here and even more, every second spend here is a second wasted... don't take my word for it, you can test yourself it by committing suicide... will you do it? Sorry for being so wordful, I hope you also enjoy contemplation and you don't see reading this as a burden.

[@ActualizedOrg]

NightWatchI3 Consider the possibility that all of that is a just a story your mind has created to allow you to weasel out of doing mediation because it is emotionally taxing. The results of meditation are not mere placebo. There has been tons of credible research done on the numerous benefits of meditation. If you don't have 20 minutes in the day to mediate, your life priorities are wrong.

[@Theolddaysaregone]

I am beginning to get sleepy, when I meditate. It is bad, right? What can I do to prevent that?

[@ActualizedOrg]

Keep your spine perfectly straight.

[@kylebarnett9234]

Ive done it for a few months now but i have been doing it at night time does that matter?

[@ActualizedOrg]

That's fine

[@kylebarnett9234]

Sweet thanks

[@martypellissier1355]

Hey Leo, I have the urge to keep swallowing my saliva when I meditate and it takes me off track. No matter how hard I try my saliva creeps down my throat and it really throws me off... tips?

[@ActualizedOrg]

Stop focusing on that and just keep going with your meditation. Treat any problem encountered in mediation simply as resistance to the process and just push through.

[@martypellissier1355]

Actualized.org Thank you

[@chrisrogers7362]

for some reason my eyes opens up at 15 minutes. no idea why

[@7382932]

What about people who have adhd or add surely it would be so much harder for them to do this?

[@ActualizedOrg]

The reason you have ADHD in the first place is because you don't do this. Never compare your emotional labor with that of others.

[@umariaz]

You said that we have to do it daily. I if we are sick or we ran into an accident. Then what?

[@ActualizedOrg]

Every Single Day, no excuses.

[@umariaz]

Actualized.org and do we have to breathe with our stomach?

[@ActualizedOrg]

Umar Riaz That is the proper way to do a deep breath. But breathing meditation is one of the many kinds you could do.

[@umariaz]

Actualized.org thanks man

[@alexissalais9509]

Can I meditate with my eyes open? If not why not?

[@ActualizedOrg]

Yes, you can. It will likely harder because things in your visual field will distract you. Feel free to experiment and find what works best for you. You can face an empty wall for example to keep the distractions away.

[@askebisgaardvammen5160]

Seems silly to me that we have to exercise our brain in this way in order to feel happy with yourself. Nevertheless, I tried it for curiosity, and it was a decent experience even though I didn't last 20 minutes. The first few seconds was about advancing my calmness, making sure every part of me was relaxed and that I felt comfortable in my position. In the first few minutes I was surprised that I didn't get any of the things into my mind that you mentioned. Nothing from my life appeared to me. I was perfectly calm, and my only thoughts was about figuring out how simple my state of mind had to be. Should I just keep trying to focus on less and less? I had the sound of wind in my left ear, from my window, and after awhile it just started boring me. I felt I had to try to visualize soothing things, like slowly fading into a smooth liquid, summoning goosebumps and being free of fear about anything that happened. Then my back started hurting because my back muscles are weak. I tried calmly focusing on making them relaxed, and then forgot about it for a bit. Then I snapped into a sleepy state, where I started having an imaginary conversation with you about all the things that I didn't agree with in your approach and explanation, and why that approach isn't something I can identify with. It was probably also excuses, but it didn't feel like I was being lazy. I like being skeptic, exploring reality versus advice, and I enjoy exploring the core truth of my own arguments through imaginary debates. Although after I finished the debate, I ended up feeling a little guilty and insufficient that I didn't complete the full 20 minutes. The big arguments I had are, that I strongly disagree with the current socioeconomic system (the last verse of "Where Is The Love?" is a very simplified and easily digestible version of my train of thought), and isn't this meditation business also a sort of oppression of real worries? I imagined being a slave in a colony a few hundred years ago. Sure it would probably benefit a slave to meditate, but doesn't fulfillment also mean accepting things as they are? And even though that may feel good, is it really good to make external factors feel completely irrelevant? Maybe I'm just afraid that accepting reality will make me stop caring about making a change. Another thing though, is that I don't believe in free will. I've studied some basic genetics, epigenetics, neuroscience, sociology, criminology and psychology, and I feel individualism is extremely exaggerated here in the western world. I felt you made meditation about the self in your videos, but then also talked about feeling completely at one with the world. To me that is completely contradicting terms. It's weird. I found your words very contradicting with your attitude. When I don't listen to what you say, all I hear is that you sit on a high horse, trying to lecture and belittle your audience. I should mention that I have a problem with authority, and strongly prefer teachers that are inspirational, rather than authoritarian. It also didn't feel like you were happy at all. It felt like you were very tense. But I guess your approach worked enough to get my to try it the first time. I can't find reason to do it every day though yet. Maybe that'll come in the future. Thanks either way, take care, good luck and have a nice life.

[@michaelkuman5493]

adding a rimg to your finger

[@MegaLochgelly]

Can this stop me thinking about all the hot women I see every 5 mins?

[@Mrv958]

A great deal of the rituals that have been built up around meditation are pragmatic aids to the practice that have been discovered by centuries of trial and error. They are not simply distractions. The seating positions, the bells and incense are all forms of psychological aids and associative conditioning to help reach deeper states of conentration and awareness. They are by no means required but I would not just dismiss them.

[@allyssabernadette6995]

is it okay if i do meditation everyday but whenever time is comfortable?

[@josephlegall2029]

+Allyssa Bernadette Read the Power of Habits. It's okay to do it at random times of the day. However, it's more difficult to guarantee you'll keep doing it daily, if it isn't prioritized to a routine.

[@allyssabernadette6995]

+Joseph Legall thanks...i am doing it after waking up in the morning but not the first thing...:)