90 replies to this topic

[Shadow-Gnostikoi]

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Although, I have my own methods for doing this already, but I am always interested in learning to see if I can improve.

LOL!

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Does this mean you're finally leaving?

Why should I? I'm always willing to help...

[Trilobite]

There are alot of different methods you could use for "stilling" the mind. I usually use Pranayama, also sometimes mantras, or simple concentration on emptiness. Some days I find they will be less effective than others, obviously external factors are likely to influence this. I would say however that nothing is better for stilling the mind for image concentration than the act of concentrating itself. In a typical session, no matter what you do, your mind may be slightly scattered at the beginning. As long as you continue to push on and ignore the fact that it is hard and you might not be having much success, you will eventually forget the other shit that is intruding and begin to focus more deeply on what you are doing. This is true for the long term as well as individual sessions.
There is no magic formula that will work 100%. No specific excercises that will work 100% either. The only thing that will get you where you want to be is lots of hard work and the right attitude to that work. Just keep trying. Don't focus on your goal, focus on what you are doing.
Hopfully this is clear enough for you.

[take_the_black_horse]

Trilobite, on 28 June 2012 - 12:31 PM, said:

There are alot of different methods you could use for "stilling" the mind. I usually use Pranayama, also sometimes mantras, or simple concentration on emptiness. Some days I find they will be less effective than others, obviously external factors are likely to influence this. I would say however that nothing is better for stilling the mind for image concentration than the act of concentrating itself.

It might be possible to concentrate on a person.

If the meditator has some intention regarding that person, it can strengthen the concentration.

The concentration first takes the form of remembered images of the person continually being projected and re-created.

Then the image of the person can be imagined performing various actions and taking postures they have not in real life been seen doing. I would say that this is not clairvoyance or remote viewing however, because the new images may not correspond to reality.

Edited by take_the_black_horse, 29 June 2012 - 03:22 PM.

[Shadow-Gnostikoi]

take_the_black_horse, on 29 June 2012 - 03:19 PM, said:

It might be possible to concentrate on a person.

If the meditator has some intention regarding that person, it can strengthen the concentration.

The concentration first takes the form of remembered images of the person continually being projected and re-created.

Then the image of the person can be imagined performing various actions and taking postures they have not in real life been seen doing. I would say that this is not clairvoyance or remote viewing however, because the new images may not correspond to reality.

The act of concentration is more important than the object of concentration. But what's the point you're trying to make here?

[Trilobite]

I would agree that any object that has personal meaning is initially easier to focus on. Over time this ease of focus may disappear though. I formulated a simple abstract symbol for my training a long time ago that holds a great deal of meaning for me personally. I still look at it today and still see new ways in which it reflects "profound" ideas, However for a long time now my extreme familiarity with it has made focusing on it more difficult than with a fresh, "exciting" sigil or whatever. Thats just how my mind works though, I tend to bore easily. This makes it preferable however, as harder training strengthens your willpower further and should yield greater results.

Concerning your point about images not corresponding to reality, I would say that memory being the fickle beast it is, that the initial images you formed are likely to have been altered to a fair degree by your brain since you last saw the person. Add to that the differences in everyday perception anyway and the resultant shakiness of "reality" from person to person.
For this reason I don't get why you would want to focus on a person in basic training, a simple image like your maple leaf would be preferable as it is much easier to retain accuracy in your mind and build real and consistent strength of focus.

Edited by Trilobite, 29 June 2012 - 09:43 PM.

[take_the_black_horse]

Trilobite, on 29 June 2012 - 09:41 PM, said:

For this reason I don't get why you would want to focus on a person in basic training, a simple image like your maple leaf would be preferable as it is much easier to retain accuracy in your mind and build real and consistent strength of focus.

I can easily return to an inanimate object. I do about 2 sessions a day, plus trance work, which is concentration on steroids.

[Trilobite]

Good, it may get harder with time as you get more adept at realising when you actually have additional thoughts running in your mind (there are many, many layers of nonsense static in the mind. It took a long time before I could "hear" the deepest levels of that static and of course am always working to still and quiet the deeper recesses.)
I do reccomend doing other practises like your trance work to aid in this general quietening of thoughts to accompany your training. In addition I found that I had a large problem with music getting ingrained deeply and so I generally abstain from music (and tv/movies). Over time the mind sort of detoxes, but this is a long process so far for me.
Tbh unless you live in a cave, external influences are bound to affect you though.

[Shadow-Gnostikoi]

take_the_black_horse, on 30 June 2012 - 04:31 AM, said:

I can easily return to an inanimate object. I do about 2 sessions a day, plus trance work, which is concentration on steroids.

What do you mean, by concentration on steroids? Trance requires no drug to work.

[Trilobite]

I think he is using the common "on (drug)" phrase to indicate intensity. So intense concentration.

[take_the_black_horse]

Trilobite, on 30 June 2012 - 09:26 AM, said:

I do reccomend doing other practises like your trance work to aid in this general quietening of thoughts to accompany your training.

so far I am a place of stasis. The image can be imagined. It must be continually refreshed or it will be swamped with colors splashing over it.

Three uses for imaging are
1) spell casting (holding the image of the target of the spell),
2) projection of external images as the Tibetans do,
3) the projection of the inverted pentagram or other sigil to test the authenticity of entities who may appear during guided meditation.

Trance work can be relatively dangerous although no one is going to die from it. There is the possibility that it can lead to psychosis, so I would not recommend it for a beginner. Trance work aids in concentration but not in stilling the mind since it requires an intense active focus on a single object, using mental talking and imaging and application of will, and sometimes the animation of the target of the concentration..

and it so draining that it is unwise to do any other work for at least several hours.

P.S. How do you happen to be labelled on old timer when you have only 33 posts?

Edited by take_the_black_horse, 01 July 2012 - 02:10 AM.

[Trilobite]

Yeah, expect to "refresh" alot.
I have no experience in manifesting visible phenomena. I imagine that anything of this nature would be extremely advanced.
Obviously concentration is at the heart of anything magical (concentration or emptiness, both reach the same conclusions).
It is known that unless you have a firm enough grip on the "mundane" side of life, continued and intense magical or mystical practise can potentially trigger things like apparent psychosis/schizophrenia, not just "trance".
Finally, for something to involve active intense focus on a single object, it must also involve the stilling/gathering of the mind. Concerning it being "active" I would say that all true concentration is not really true until you actively focus. If your universe contains anything but the desired object for the time you are concentrating, then your mind is not fully concentrated. this dosen't happen passively.
I think the old timer bit is concerned with your join date, I just dont post too often.

Edited by Trilobite, 01 July 2012 - 04:08 PM.