help.......im new

hey im new to this......i learned to meditate and i dont know if it works....well heres a list of things i need help with
1.how can i tell if the meditation works?
2. what can i think of while meditating to keep my mind from wandering?
3.what are some good foods to eat while im practicing meditation....any food that could help?
4. is there really such thing as exploding ki?
5. how can you measure your ki?
6. would meditating aroung certain plants or elements help me meditate better?...

well thx for helping.....

n e 1?

Hi,

It looks like your focus is completely off. Do not focus on the correct foods or thoughts. Try to focus on doing the correct exercise first. After much practice, you should know if it works for you or not. My advice would be that it is not working for you because you have to ask the quesiton if it works or not.

Exploding Ki...I do not know to how you are applying this. I would like you to explain what you mean by exploding ki.

As for correct thoughts. I've been told by several zen meditation "experts" to not focus on any specific thought. You should let the thoughts flow freely. The key is not attaching emotion to the thoughts. For example, if you decide to think about a time when you were embarassed in the third grade, do not let that memory bother you. Just acknowledge that you thought of that memory and let it go.

As far as foods go... It is really not important what you eat. I am sure if you get into advanced practices, food will have a vital role, but I will assume that you are not there yet.

Elements... If you are doing a chinese form of meditation, all the elements exist within you. Do not focus on what is going on outside. Focus on what is going on inside. At least for the beginning.

And Finally... You seem to have a lot of questions in regards to meditation. Do you have a teacher? If you do not have a teacher, get one. If you can not get a teacher, just practice what you know. If it doesn't feel right, you can always quit. Good luck.

-Jay

i dont quit.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by wannabe:
hey im new to this......i learned to meditate and i dont know if it works....well heres a list of things i need help with
1.how can i tell if the meditation works?
2. what can i think of while meditating to keep my mind from wandering?
3.what are some good foods to eat while im practicing meditation....any food that could help?
4. is there really such thing as exploding ki?
5. how can you measure your ki?
6. would meditating aroung certain plants or elements help me meditate better?...

well thx for helping.....[/QUOTE]

The meditation works when you metabolism slows down and heart rate and breating is miminal without any fears of not breating or thinking wandering thoughts. On a full stomach could register as distraction a light meal is best with fruit juices. The 1" punch is the nearest to exploding ki, see bruce lee version. Music is rock,metal, rap what ever concentrate the mind a good help, beautiful scenery, seaside beaches etc or lifestyle fav group or sub culture to get in tune to current trends and own contribution to this. Natural and modern setting with "avril lavigne" "gun and roses" or dance music. Even power sports unusual experience of reality bungie jumping, video. The imagination is the limit enjoy.

Hi Wannabe!

In regards to diet, it is best not to eat on a full stomach or when feeling really hungry. Do not worry when your mind wanders whilst meditating, acknowledge that it wondered and bring it back to its stillness. I find I can meditate easier at certain times of the day. For me it is between 12-2pm although for my boyfriend he finds it better to meditate at about 7-8:30pm. As I am trying to practice Buddhism (I don't know at which point I would call myself a Buddhist), I find burning certain types of incense and sitting in front of an image or statue of a Buddha assists my mediating and I use a meditation cushion and mat to help me kneel in long periods of meditation. Some people feel comfortable sitting cross legged or on a chair with their arms resting on their lap. It's just a matter of finding what suits you best. For more advice I would go to meditaion classes. Hope this helps.

hello i have just come to tell you that it is not easy training your ki but you must no a few things you must be relaxed try listening to soft music wile medataiting my friend and i have been training for 8 years now ther for it is quite easy for us to medatait but a handy trick is to slowly count from 1 to 10 in you minde and then 2 to 10 and then 3 to 10 untill you eventuly stop this slowly relakses your minde and body but you must alway remember to breath correctly wich is in throgh you noes and out throgh your mouth try this and if you need futher help contact me at dragonhunter82@hotmail.com and i will try my best to help you my friend

It doesn't matter if your mind gets griberish. It is natural.

When you look at a blue sky, and a flock of birds pass by, but you wanted to contemplate the sky, do you start shooting all the birds down to remove them from the sky? No; you simply let them by and keep focussing on the nice sky.

Same with parasite thoughts. You just have to keep focussing on your meditation methods without using any kind of force to stop parasite thoughts, but not nourishing these thougs by giving them attention.

Don't stop your mind from doing a backwash, let him releave his excess thinking, and keep going back to your meditation method each time you notice you where off in your mental dream. There is no problem in this, you meditation will be as efficient because you will not keep being frustrated about your mind taking some place.

The meditation works the moment you sit down to do it. The effect start working your mind to stability the moment you do the meditation. Meditation is not a goal to attain, but a technique that works progressively to get your mind to stilleness. This also means that you don't successfully meditate when your mind is still, but that you are sucessfull the moment you wish to eventually attain stilleness of mind. When you get your mind still, it only means you have done correct meditation for a few weeks, months, years.

After, let's say 15 year of intense practice, i can get to a full 20 minutes of one-pointedness mind, about no activity, no thoughts at all, in complete contemplation, but only from time to time, depending on my usual life events and worries, excitements and hopes, that still get in the way, and i keep paying attention only at the sky.