how do you chose meditation techniques?

[Yoremo]

So I guess that all meditation techniques have more specific benefits, so how would you chose your technique? because there are so many of them, I´ve done mindfulness meditation just focusing on my breath for like 7-8 months consistently for about 45 minutes and I just don´t know if I should continue with that technique. I haven´t seen that much improvement but I wasn´t expecting too much in the beginning either. Like I don´t get what´s technique is suitable for what.

[Nahm]

@Yoremo

Already having the most fundamental foundation in play, (imo) peruse this list, and see if one calls to you, without reason, rather than thinking and choosing one. If & when one does, employ that practice daily for a while, and then upon returning to the traditional breath meditation, it is as if amplified. Bit like getting out of the way, conditioning arises, and a bit like helping it up & out, and then returning to being out of the way. 

[gettoefl]

i would say meditation is not a technique, it is a lifestyle a groundedness a sensitivity a dogged determination to be

all i do is sit, i never think about meditation when not on the mat, can not recall a thing about even today's meditation, this skeleton just shows up

[Yoremo]

Okay, so I went through the list and I chose the awareness of thought. So I do that practice for a while, maybe a couple of weeks, and then go back to my initial practice of mindfulness meditation focusing on my breath. I´ll try it out, but what should I do then? should I continue doing cycles of different meditation techniques after that or should I focus on one later on? Maybe it doesn´t matter much what I chose?

[Consilience]

It’s important to experiment with many techniques to a significant enough degree where you’re proficient with multiple. This will teach much more about the mind and awakening than using a single technique.

So how do you choose? Just follow your intuition, the intuition that’s created when you’re familiar with many practices. 
 

Last night I sat for 45 minutes and cycled through 3 different techniques, one every 15 mins. Other times I may sit for 90 minutes using a single technique. Other times Ill just sit without a predetermined technique and adjust in real time based on what feels good. So many combinations and possibilities open up when we approach practice playfully and as an ongoing experiment and exploration. 

[Consilience]

2 minutes ago, Yoremo said:

I´ll try it out, but what should I do then? should I continue doing cycles of different meditation techniques after that or should I focus on one later on? Maybe it doesn´t matter much what I chose?

Ultimately doesnt matter. What matters most is you’re consistently sitting and following your intuition.

Id also recommend going on a meditation retreat asap of you’re wanting serious results.

[Yoremo]

@gettoefl Can you elaborate on what you´re talking about? I think that I need more structure, atleast now, for me to be able to do meditation at all.

@Consilience Okay, so I kind of flow in between meditation techniques that I feel for? There must be more benefits to sticking to one technique for a longer time sometimes, but maybe that happens naturally when I´m following my intuition? I haven´t looked in to meditation retreats much but would that be worth it even though I´m not into enlightenment (I´m mostly into self help right now because I need to fix my life)?

Edited November 25, 2021 by Yoremo

[Nahm]

@Yoremo

After returning to the ‘traditional’ for a while, peruse the list again, see what seems to call intuitively, for more alignment, release, resonating, etc. Inevitably a point will come where the entire list looks completely different. 

Imo, there are no timeframes for any of the meditations as to when to switch, or which would be experienced as most beneficial, because every path is truly a one off, or, an individuation. 

I’d also give the ox pics a read or two, here & there along the way. It can help you see more of a bird’s eye view. 

Expressive journaling is great for what comes up & out. Creating is imo more ideal. Creating literally anything. 

If you experience any ‘being stuck’, improv writing is very effective. The ‘yes and…’ = focusing on wanted. Many people experience the repeating of thought activity as to unwanted, and adapted and don’t initially readily notice. But again, it’s a one off situation. 

The emotional scale is a more all encompassing tool. Honestly, I’d read it everyday, until there are literally no more ‘clicks’ or ‘insights’ realized in your life from using it. 

[Yoremo]

3 minutes ago, Nahm said:

@Yoremo

Imo, there are no timeframes for any of the meditations as to when to switch, or which would be experienced as most beneficial, because every path is truly a one off, or, an individuation. 

so should I just go on my feelings? Like if I´m feeling that I´m kind of stuck in one technique and I feel like I want to do another technique is that the time to switch? if you´re meaning that I should use my intuition like @Consiliencesaid it might be that I´m not very sure about what intuition is exactly.

[Consilience]

11 minutes ago, Nahm said:

After returning to the ‘traditional’ for a while, peruse the list again, see what seems to call intuitively, for more alignment, release, resonating, etc. Inevitably a point will come where the entire list looks completely different. 

Imo, there are no timeframes for any of the meditations as to when to switch, or which would be experienced as most beneficial, because every path is truly a one off, or, an individuation. 

This.

I wasn‘t meaning to insinuate you HAVE to always be switching. Ive had months or even years of only following one technique. But don’t let it become rigid or inflexible.

If you’re new to meditation or feel like you should be having more significant results, Id recommend the book The Mind Illuminated. Really great book that teaches you how to have more of these profound, quasi mystical states from meditation on demand. Though that’s not the point of meditation long term, learning the steps needed to unify the mind with its intention to explore these altered states is extremely powerful. 
 

@Nahm ‘s list is good too. 

[Yoremo]

@Consilience I have a question, is that book a book more pointed towards enlightenment seeking people or not? And another question, I am a bit confused (I haven´t really studied enlightenment so I don´t really know what it i, not even conceptually), is self development and enlightenment separated completely or does it have some overlap? Because I just want to know that if some enlightenment stuff could be beneficial to my success in my life even though enlightenment is not something I´m pursuing now? (so that I don´t dismiss enlightenment stuff because I´m not into that now so that I´m also missing out on self development which is my focus)

Edited November 25, 2021 by Yoremo

[peanutspathtotruth]

I'd recommend not forgetting your heart. Focusing on your heart instead of your breath can be an interesting experiment. Also listen to what feels good at the moment - do you need some focus because every thought is pulling your attention? Or are you safe, soft and present enough to let reality engulf you? Or are you curious to look at what this very experience is? Try to understand when the mind is attempting to distract you and why. Then see what technique is best to fully face whatever is there.

[Nahm]

34 minutes ago, Yoremo said:

so should I just go on my feelings? Like if I´m feeling that I´m kind of stuck in one technique and I feel like I want to do another technique is that the time to switch? if you´re meaning that I should use my intuition like @Consiliencesaid it might be that I´m not very sure about what intuition is exactly.

We’re all kinda saying and pointing to the same. For now, just be where you are. Let go of any expectations or need to understand anything about where you have not yet been so to speak. Intuition arises as a natural ‘result’ of the meditative mind / practice, and everything everyone has shared. Again, there is nothing you need to know. That would be precisely the thoughts let go in meditation. For now I’d just read and ‘let it wash over you’, sleep on it, vs trying to think & understand. 

[Yoremo]

@Nahmokay, I think that I can´t deal with confusion very well and I believe that that isn´t very good. But I´ll definitely sleep on it, I so feel that I need to be in control and understand but I´ll try to let it go.

[Nahm]

@Yoremo

Be in control of letting go of control, aka relax. 
 

Confusion is let go, not dealt with. That way clarity can arise where the confusion once was.

[Consilience]

@Yoremo Yeah I don't 'want to further confuse the conversation. The most important part of meditation is dedicating time for the silence, and stillness. I'd stick with @Nahm 's advice for now. 

As for your other questions, yes the book is geared towards enlightenment and yes enlightenment helps with your relative success. When you know what you honestly are (enlightenment), you effortlessly, naturally, and necessarily show up more up authentically in your life. A life of total authenticity is the good life, completely.  

[Nahm]

20 minutes ago, Consilience said:

As for your other questions, yes the book is geared towards enlightenment and yes enlightenment helps with your relative success. When you know what you honestly are (enlightenment), you effortlessly, naturally, and necessarily show up more up authentically in your life. A life of total authenticity is the good life, completely.  

Great way to put it there. 

[Gesundheit2]

Work on mindfulness first. Build up your capacity and grow it enough to excel at meditation with minimal effort.

[Yoremo]

Hey, so I´m doing mindfulness mostly but should I try really hard and use all of my willpower to focus on my breath or should I be more gentle?

[silene]

@Yoremo Try that for a while and notice how it feels. 

Then try a gentler approach and notice the difference. This way you can gain insights into your mind. 

For example, when I moved from a wilful attention to a relaxed awareness, I found the process became almost instantly effortless. I don't need to concentrate on the breath, awareness of breath is already present when I'm awake, but layered over with other sensations and thoughts. So it's a case of relaxing and letting go of all except the breath. Rather than holding on to the breath and getting into a struggle. 

But that's just me. By the way, I'm also reading TMI and it gives a great general introduction of theory and practice. It's on a free download too if you're short of cash.