A great meditation Master gave me this advice. Meditation teaches Meditation.

I have had good results by choosing not fight the mind but rather make friends with it. The mind is like a motor that just loves to run....continually. If you are familiar with a standard transmition on a car.. think - CLUTCH. Rather than try to stop the mind (difficult) simply disengage from your thoughts. Tell your mind to just go sit in a corner for a while and that you will come back for it shortly. :)

Another technique which works for me, besides the classic one of watching the breath, is to see my thoughs as clouds floating by in the sky. As each thought/ cloud comes just observe it, bUT don't engage with it. Simply let it go. Thoughts are like clouds in that they arise, last for a while, and then disipate. IF we don't engage with them we don't give them power and they will simply merge back into Consciousness where they came from.

And don't get caught up in judging your meditations. It's not a competition. I find it helpful to sit with a journal so that as soon as you do come out of meditation you can write about anything that comes up for you. Each meditation may have a different quality to it. Some other helpful hints are.. physically and mentally setting the stage so that the mind knows.. Ohh ok this is meditation time. Perhaps lighting a small candle, a 'high quality incense ( waved briefly) to scent the air, an asana (small WOOL blanket), and a shawl for comfort and block any unwanted light. There are also meditation oils that help support the mind's move into meditation mode. These are all useful props which may be useful depending on one's indiviual preferences.

The ajna chakra = control center and lies between the eyebrows. Allowing the mind to focus there is very helpful

There is actually a wonderful section in the Bhagavad Gita ~The Yoga of Meditation ~ /chapt. 6 where Krishna instructs the Warrior Arjuna in the art of meditation... just reading those passages makes me want to go into meditation. And lastly... eat lightly. Heavy foods tend to make meditation more difficult. Watch the state of your meditation and how it might be effected by different foods you eat.

And MOST importantly... Find a True Master, one who can awaken your inner dormant Kundalini energy and then guide you through the process.
I found that before this crucial awakening I kept hitting this inner wall that kept me contracted but after this awakening I passed right through effortlessly. I had sensed that others were able to access inner realms that I could not, and now I know why.

One of the reasons we have difficulty doing occult things...is because we read first (to gather information) and invariably the author says do it this way, or do it that way. Many times we fare far better by creating our own exercise to accomplish our occult goals. I hate to sit still...So I do my best meditating walking in the park. Don't think of meditation as a sit-down-eyes-closed-only activity.

What is meditation? My definition is: connecting with one idea for any period of time,....in an effortless yet focused way. This is usually accompanied by or as a result of varying levels of brain wave activity (alpha, theta, etc). When you are mediating you lose yourself in that thought...then "come back". --> Daydreaming is a state that closely resembles meditation....just that it occurs "by accident"....like while you are crossing a street...and almost get hit by a car.

Being that we meditate everyday anyway...try and relax and stop trying to meditate. lol Maybe you just need a new way to meditate...or new place, meditate while doing some kind of activity you love or like. If you are having fun at it, it will come very easy to you...and way more beneficial.

When you start to put meditation as a separate event, then getting to that event can be a problem. When you practice mindfulness throughout your day you tens to have mini meditations. Stop for two minutes out of every hour to just be. That's right two minutes. Meditating does not mean pillow, candles legs crossed and such. I meditate while I drive. Also when you practice mindfulness you tend to be less anxious because you are untouched with yourself.

Meditating is just being. And you can be anywhere :)

Know what you mean Mojo,ive experienced this and i bet most here have too.

I know this wont be much help but ive sort of given up on the meditation thing and just stuck with directing my thought towards something i really really like. When i picture this scenario ( for me it always contains a boat of some type) i find it quite easy to stay with the thought.The reason being that i like the thought im thinking so much.

On a previous post i found many had slightly differing ideas about what meditation was.Although your thought wander to something else i could be that you are actually meditating,but perhaps not in the way you wanted.

The human mind does semm rather apt to wander a little,i dont worry too much about it. As long as i realise ive gone of course a little i can direct myself back gently.

Bit like steering a boat or car. Slight adjustments are always required,even on a relativly straight road or river.

Monty

Meditation is the practice of focus. Just keep practicing you,re doing great!

Start with placing your attention on one complete breath, and then do two breaths and then three. Focus on one breath at a time and you will be in the moment no matter where you are or what you are doing.

Love and Light

ok i can tell you a fee things on meditation first of all chose a place that is peacefull and you will not be disturbe! take a good posture to put your body straight but be confortable! then focus on a point in front of you that is not there! then master the body so it does not bother you!then empty the mind let go! then you will see though link to emotion you need to let them pass one by one you will see the meaning understand it and put it to rest! only then will it stop bothering you! do that until there is nothing left passing by! then you can remain focus in a mind with no mind!the temple is clean! after if you continue you will enter a trance state similar to when you are in the moon! after your earing will go! then your sight will go! then darkness!then you will see with out the sight! and you will see the light come to you! and you will go in it!(out of the body) have a good travel!

To get in the mood for Medatation,just start to prepare for doing so by calming yourself.Try to eliminate all the days feelings,good or bad.And try to think of things that are relaxing for you,such as sitting by a lake,or simply laying out in the sun.When you have somewhat calmed your mind,slip off to your quiet place,make sure its dark,and your not going to be bothered for a wile.Start to stretch and relax even more.Do all you can to rid yourself of the,or past expierances before begining to Meditate.Mind prep has allways been helpful,and will allow you to get the full benaffit from your medatation.

no trick needed .... you need to have a "definite purpose" when you meditate - a "burning desire" for a particular outcome -- whether it is emotional healing, anxiety elimination, or seeking a much desired answer to something that has not been answered thru "traditional" outlets -- like relatives, friends, books, or the all mighty Google.

Our mind ( conscious at 1st .... and then subconscious when in a meditative state ) will only allow us access to this "world" if and when we are ready, and "qualify" for the "enlightenment" that is possible...........

realize the bennifits. If you know what it can do, It will help you want it, Thats the ONLY way to WANT something truly! live eat breatehe the thoughts of the bennifits,,, here is a part of an answer i just posted explaining what it is meditation does 4 me.

post ---" How do I develop that “feeling” of oneness with Infinite Intelligence? "

my responce,,,,

There is only one way to do this. To know thyself. I know it sounds corny and over simplistic, BUT IT IS!. The best tool I know of is meditation, the way i medditate is to shut outr the world, to shut off sounds anmd sights, both are great distractions and are tools of the ego. The ego is a part of you that LOVES pysical existance and will do what it can to be in the system that its very happy to be in. It does NOT want you in the higher self. The highher self IS who you TRULY are. Your soul, whatever you wish to call it! I have many people who I teach and help with medditation and its very personal. Its very very difrant for each of us! If you need my help, I am here for you my freind,

hope this helps,

love n light,

rob

Currently working on the same problem. I currently meditate 4 times a week for 30 minutes each time. It is a start but I think I need to get my mind to make the most of those 30 minutes before I move onto longer sessions.

What helps is doing it consistently and "chipping" away at it so to speak. I notice that every time I have a little more strength to keep my mind quiet.

Also, physical exercise really helps too right before meditation.

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