Anyone do it? I’ve been feeling seriously stressed out recently; I’ve tried some meditation in the past but always found it quite hard to get into it and properly relax. Sometimes I found it would stress me out that I couldn’t do it properly!

Does anyone have any advice, or recommendations for books, CDs, websites etc? Or are meditation classes a good idea?

If you feel the need please also take the piss out of me for being a useless hippy.

Thanks.

I went to Yoga classes a few years ago. The sessions ended with twenty minutes of meditation, lying flat on the excercise mat with eyes closed.

I remember getting home after one of these and making a sandwich, only to be side-tracked by really getting into examining the amazing patterns and texture of the bread….

I think meditation is a croc of shit if I’m honest but I do enjoy a bit of pranayama.

Get yourself a copy of B.K.S Iyengers ‘Light on Yoga’.

It can be difficult to get into at first. It’s kinda like riding. You need that push to get yourself out of the door initially when it looks cold and wet, but after a while it becomes what you do, part of your routine and you almost feel disjointed without it…

You can meditate anywhere, it doesn’t have to be done sat still – it’s just about achieving a state of balance. You almost certainly meditate when you ride your bike, you just don’t know/notice it.

I put that theory to a yoga instructor 3_Fish.

You’re way too active whilst riding, even just the act of balancing, for it to be a true meditative state.

I find doing something physically intensive, like a gym workout or a bike ride, do wonders when I’m stressed.

Other people seem to benefit from calmer stuff like yoga or the quiet sitting-still meditation stuff.

As with most things in life I expect it’s horses for courses. Some people respond best to being still. I don’t.

..sshh, I am trying not to think about this…

Three_Fish – Member
You can meditate anywhere, it doesn’t have to be done sat still – it’s just about achieving a state of balance. You almost certainly meditate when you ride your bike, you just don’t know/notice it.

Hillwalking does it for me.

When I first started I was convinced that I couldn’t possibly be able to meditate. A year later and I practice 3-4 times a week. It has hugely helped my state of mind and I find I am much less stressed and generally happier.

It can be hard to get into, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes a lot easier.

The trick is to try and maintain a state of non-attachment. Non-attachment essentially is being aware of your thoughts, watching them without being attached to the outcome. One you are able to stop trying to ‘get rid’ of the thoughts and just let them be there, observing them without judgement the whole process becomes much less painful.

Hope this helps

You can meditate anywhere, it doesn’t have to be done sat still – it’s just about achieving a state of balance. You almost certainly meditate when you ride your bike, you just don’t know/notice it.

Very much so. Mtb’ing is a great form of meditation. Flowing down a bit of singletrack with no thoughts of the past or future. Brilliant.

It is one of the reasons I love riding so much.

kudos – how did you ‘start’? Did you read a book, watch a video, go to a class?

I would love to give it a try too as I put very little effort into relaxation at the moment. For me relaxation activities are ‘things that I want to do’ which are rarely things that actually help me to relax.

Had a look at some videos on youtube and I have read a couple of webpages but nothing that really helped me get into a properly relaxed mindset.

For basic meditative technique follow the ‘Mindfulness of breathing’. Basically follow your breathing patterns and count, then eventually feel the breath.

I may have an MP3 that would help somewhere. Drop me a mail if interested. It’s a guided thingy for this.

Other meditative techniques in Buddhist area include Metta Bhavana (lovingkindness) and certain visualisation techniques.

While I am about as atheist as they come (consider me a gay Welsh Mr Woppit) and consider homeopathy complete quackery I find meditation is a good way to just calm myself down and relax.

For me relaxation activities are ‘things that I want to do’ which are rarely things that actually help me to relax.

This is an important understanding. Many people ‘relax’ watching the telly, drinking a beer, reading a book, messing about on STW, etc. But these activities are all mentally stimulating…

Physical activities such as mountain biking are quite different in that they often push thoughts to one side while you concentrate on the here and now, which incidentally is exactly what you do during meditation.

So mountain biking can certainly be equated, but if you really want to relax, though riding will undoubtedly help, a few minutes of proper meditation on a regular basis will go a long way.

Thanks everyone. I agree that exercise and biking are ‘good for the soul’, but unfortunately I have ME/CFS and most of the time exercise makes me feel pretty crap.

(consider me a gay Welsh Mr Woppit)

Is it wrong that this thought terrifies me? 🙂

Just go along to a yoga class. If you don’t enjoy the yoga hopefully you’ll enjoy the other people that attend.

Meditation is simply listening or paying attention completely with the mind.

You can pay attention to breathing or music, sounds outside or do one activity at a time, like making a cup of tea, it’s simply about setting yourself aside and focusing on one thing without distractions.

A simple tehcnique is to get comfy and focus on making your breathing deep and powerful concentrating on getting as much air into your solar plexus as possible without forcing your breathing.

Or you could simply get comfy and count to as high a number as possible, by focusing on counting your breathing will naturally regulate it’s self.

As for meditation being a croc of shit, it certainly is, if your a shit head!

I’m a total shit head 🙂

I’ll contemplate it whilst in yoga this lunchtime.

Try the headspace app – self-paced hand-holding for learning how to meditate – have just started using it and it certainly helps calm the mind.

Like anything else, you have to practise to get good at it. Unelss if course you are one of this frustrating people that is instantly really good at anything they try.

The Southern Yeti – Member

I’m a total shit head

I’ll contemplate it whilst in yoga this lunchtime.

😀

yoga. definitely.

whilst I’m here I think I’ll try eyes open meditation watching this..

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loszrEZvS_k[/video]

Kev

AdamW could you send me that MP3 please? Can’t see your email, mine should be in my profile. Nice one.

Will check out the headspace app now – cheers.

Have tried yoga in the past and found it good, but I’m not really sure what I’m doing. I’d be a bit embarrassed to go to a class because I am literally the least flexible person in the world.

I love Yoga

That’s Surya Namaskara

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surya_Namaskara

There are lots of different techniques for it, but basically it’s how people who practice yoga start the day 😀

That and a power shit!

grum it’s not a race mate, it’s a journey, sooner you get started sooner the journey begins 😉

I took up meditation about 10 years ago and it completely transformed my life. It has helped become more relaxed as some other people have mentioned. But it has also helped me connect with my real self and my intition and has opened me up to more love and peace. I used to suffer from ME too but now I’m better – not just due to meditation but I’m sure it helped. There are many different types of meditation out there, but the one I practise is called Pure meditation and is taught at the Self Realization Meditation Healing Centre in Somerset. They may have teachers in other parts of the country too.

http://www.selfrealizationcentres.org/pure-meditation-course-next-course-mar-18-24-2012/about-the-pure-meditation-course/

Keva, that’s awesome 😀

I personally find the bike (mtb, not road) to be quite meditative. It forces me to be present and the focus when climbing/riding tech sections helps eradicate ‘noise’ and superfluous thoughts.

I could probably do with meditating properly but I’m fidgety and struggle to let go.

Of course, yoga is not the only way 🙂

A gay Welsh Mr Woppit is another of those wonderful poetic phrases that this place produces, love it!

The girl that looks most similar to that video was sadly not in my yoga class today 🙁

<hi jack>

Simon, I will try to get to your next drumming session- apologies again for missing the last one. Could you remind me of the dates ?

ta,
Kev

Hi Kev

Yeah – would be great to see you there. The workshops are on 21st and 22nd April in London.

If anyone is interested, this article explains about shamanic drumming and trance dance as a very different way of doing meditation

http://wp.me/p1rDS0-3p

After watching the George Harrison documentary the other day I went for some Hare Krishna chanting on my Sunday ride. Give it a pop!

Hari, hari hari….

Instead of meditation which is a state of not thinking it is more beneficial to daydream. Yep get back to those childhood times of lost in your own world. This generates a positive mental state due to those happy thoughts from your daydream.
So, quiet warm place and start small/easy. Visualise your favourite ride.

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DF6eFFCi12v8%26feature%3Dshare&h=mAQGS-ZLVAQFE7TH_u0rdFGjI6YcsbqQkOPm3U6FaXoVPmw