Holding an Image.....?

[Jazzer]

I am not an expert on meditation, or anything else come to that.
What I have managed to do is find a method that works well for me.
I once had some psychotherapy with a lady that taught meditation/self hypnosis.
She suggested a couple of different methods.
One was to decide on an image.
Hold a picture in the mind.
Some meditators apparently use a flickering candle. (That would literally drive me nuts.)
When pushed for a relaxing image, I came up with:
'looking across a peaceful lake, at surface level.'
But I have never used it.

I told her that I didn't need an image.
Holding an image is actually a "doing" thing.
To me, meditation is not a "doing thing" it is an "undoing thing."
I just let go of everything,
let my tummy take over the breathing.
Just be an observer of the breathing.
(Perhaps I'm just lazy?)

Having found out what works for me, I will obviously not be changing my method.
But I would still be interested to know how you folks manage to achieve it.

 

[Starthrower]

Oh.

I am lying on a sail boat on a warm calm day. The ocean is like a plate of glass very soft and relaxing. The only sound I hear is the water lapping on the side of the boat as it drifts along in the water. I feel the warmth of the sun on my face. In the distance I now hear the seagulls wings flying over me and softly chirping. I simply am drifting off into a sea of calmness.

 

[Jazzer]

"WOW"- @Starthrower - excellent.
......er.....can I change my mind.
I love your boat idea......xx

 

[Starthrower]

@Jazzer I think this is why the two of us connected. We understand the power of whatever we call meditation.

I wrote that so early this morning. I usually never log on before my morning workout but noticed that Bliss was in need of some answers.

This method worked so well for me. I listened to my therapists recording with bose headset to keep out all other noise interference. The sounds of the lapping water against the motorless sailboat was so soothing. And he would speak beautifully at certain times. It took a while but each time he would add another sound. Like the seagulls sounds in the early morning hour. Then I would listen to the recording and drift off into that world. The next sound that would be included later would be hearing the waves against the shoreline.

I was in such a bad emotional and physical place back then. When I write about it I tend to back off for a while. In part is was a way to lose the fear of sound.

The hypnosis was one of my best therapies. One session would be the visualization of walking down deeper and deeper step by step. Slowly entering a new visual world. Mostly what I would experience would be my own world of calmness. One the last step downward he would continue with the relaxing of my arms and legs and being in a place of peacefulness. I would actually experience my fingers rising without doing so on my own. (ask your wife about that). I could feel it happening at the time.

It is hard to talk about. In the past I would be shamed for thinking this process was therapy or it was a sham or not "real". So it was better to keep it to myself.

Jen

 

[Jazzer]

I think this is why the two of us connected. We understand the power of whatever we call meditation.

@Starthrower - Amazing! 1:30am here and I am dying to respond to you on some similarities.
My lovely misus is lying beside me wondering why I haven't turned the light out.
Must talk to you tomorrow.
Dave x

 

[Jazzer]

@Starthrower - Jen - I want to say, your loving nature is so good for me, so good for everybody.

Yes - we have both found something so special in meditation. With the guidance perhaps, of wise, loving, therapists, we have learnt how to be kind and accepting of our selves.
(Your therapist sounds amazing.)

I know myself to be a loving person, and to want to help others - as do you.
When I started writing some posts on here, encouraging others to meditate (which really means 'love themselves') - somebody said,

"...still writing those high quality posts I see.
I'm sick of reading them. Oh well - they never gain any traction, do they?"

Well, I didn't stop writing because I know that the words we utter are so powerful, for good, or for bad.
You really touched me Jen (and thank you so much for giving me your name by the way) when you wrote

"Jazzer is never flaky - never!"

@Tinker Bell wrote - "Jazzer has a very lyrical quality to his writing style.
'It's as if your musical gifts flow through your personality. Thank you for always being so honest about both the negative and positive.'"

And you wrote - "Tinker Bell you always seem to write what I also think. I picked up on this quality right away. That and the gentle nature Jazzer maintains here."

I thought - "Wow - I have never met these two ladies, but they have truly recognised who I am.
I am amongst friends.
There is so much we could both say, so it'll have to be in 'bite sized pieces.'
(Yes - my hands went up also!)

I must say 'Bye for now,
and thank you for your lovely friendship.'
Dave.

PS - with regard to my "T" - my noise is still there, of course, but I am getting to be much more of an observer, than a sufferer.

 

[Jazzer]

Oh

"Oh."
Star - that really was the gentlest of rebukes.
(So because you know 'something' Mr Hewett, you evidently assume you know 'everything,'
- is that right.
Well I'll just give you three lines of space, to think that over.")

It needed saying.
Sometimes it takes a gal to sort a chap out!

Let's face it
- women are the 'sorter-outers' of this world !!

 

[Mikael]

I've tried that method, but when and if that fails, I have one that works every time.

 

[Jazzer]

@Mikael - I would really like to know.
There's plenty of time in this life to experiment with ideas.
(I'll probably be off on a motorless sailboat later on.)
Suggesting things to each other is such a great way to help. x