I've read and been told that meditation helps one to focus, have insight and brings clarity, etc. How long does it take to notice that meditation is working? I've only been meditating for 2 weeks and not only am I finding it hard to focus but I don't feel that it's "working".

asked 09 Apr '12, 14:03

kmichelle's gravatar image

kmichelle
1492412


the answer is as long as it is needed. how long did it take you to learn to walk? did it take the same lenght for someone else? then why ask how long it takes? if you started meditating it is all ready starting to work continue and you should see the benefit coming. if you see no benefit at all after 2 weeks then maybe you are not doing something right or you do not have the right method. practice makes perfect. if you seek only to empty your mind could be the problem. just focus be aware and see what happens. or be the observer if you prefer. can you stay in that state? or does your body or enviromment bring you out of that state? this should give you some answer on what is working or not working. i am sure you will find those answer.experience and enjoy.

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answered 10 Apr '12, 02:53

white%20tiger's gravatar image

white tiger
21.9k115117

1

Essentially I agree with WT. However the method you choose is less important than your mindset. Go into the meditation or prayer with praise and thanksgiving, with gratitude for your life with a desire ('de-Sire' means 'of the Father') to feel good, to feel joy, and ANY method you 'choose' will work.

As Loretta said to Leroy (cartoon) "Anything would work if you would!"

When you visit a friend, are you there to get something? Or to have a good time with your friend? Your BEST Friend!

(10 Apr '12, 07:10) Dollar Bill

Thank you both.

(10 Apr '12, 09:31) kmichelle

@Dollar Bill good point and Lock Horns yes I never thought those two would be an example here! LOL I read them everyday myself. :-) "Anything would work if you would!" love it excellent! lol

I like the one the other day, they are coming out of the seminar and Loretta steams to Leroy "You certainly proved him wrong when he said there are no stupid question here!" LOL

(10 Apr '12, 09:43) Wade Casaldi

well Dollar Bill you are choosing the method and there is different method for different things some more effective and some less effective. so the method can be important and you are the one that make that choice. example: you can take a bike a car or a plane. but where do you need to go?

(10 Apr '12, 18:00) white tiger
showing 2 of 4 show 2 more comments

Nothing will happen until you let go of your expectation that something is supposed to happen.

It sounds harsh but it is the very thing that you are trying to overcome.

ANTICIPATION.

Anticipation of any kind brings forth a pre-packaged thought or reaction that is the very thing that is keeping your consciousness from peeking underneath the curtain of consciousness.

Any anticipation on your part automatically creates a corresponding response that satisfies that anticipation.

You are trying to get underneath that mechanism.

So you have to suspend all inner anticipations.

Then there is nothing for your intellect to latch on to.

You have to break your inner desire to make sense by using your mind.

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answered 09 Apr '12, 14:50

The%20Traveller's gravatar image

The Traveller
19.6k12142

Thank you.

(10 Apr '12, 09:30) kmichelle

The Western world full of "instant living" makes it hard for the Western mind to hold still. That's why we have technology to help with meditation. So I'm with Wade Casaldi. I enjoy meditation too but thank goodness for Binaural Beats and meditative sound tracks on YouTube and the internet! Otherwise I don't have years to "sit and do nothing". HA!

The first source I would direct you towards to help kickstart your progress in meditation comes from Quantum Entrainment teacher Dr. Frank Kinslow. I read both of his books and they are Very good and I recommend them. He is a long time student of meditation and when you read his bio, you can see why he knows what he's talking about. He offers a free Mp3 guided meditation that will take you from right where you are in your body to an expanded state of bliss in about 25 minutes. The first time I did this it Blew My Mind! To find it, go to his site here... http://tinyurl.com/79ocy4y and hover your cursor over the tab at the top marked "Products/Services". At the bottom of the dropdown menu click on "Free Downloads". Once there, make sure you are in a very relaxed and comfortable position and ready to let him guide you for about 25 minutes undisturbed. Then click on the top blue icon for "Pure Awareness" and just follow along. Enjoy!

Then with That experience under your belt, I would direct you towards the wonderful world of Binaural Beats. This is where with headphones, one frequency is played in one ear and a slightly different frequency is played in the other ear. Each ear is connected to the opposite half of the brain and when each half hears something different, it tries to compensate by creating a third beat that is not really there. It only exists in your brain and causes both halves to entrain at a single frequency. Very relaxing and meditative. It takes about 8 to 10 minutes for the entrainment effect to kick in. If you sit very quiet and focus on your breathing, you may find your mind becoming more and more quiet and still. A half hour or more of this is pretty cool! You will find a few good tracks of pure binaural beats here at Delta Box... http://tinyurl.com/7l4tdrl The black box on the right has links for the different beats. Put on your best headphones or ear buds, click on a title and do your own experimentation. I believe most of them start out with one beat and gradually change to take you deeper. A low, comfortable volume is good. Enjoy!

For your next experiment in high tech meditation, I would direct you to "Bliss Coded Sound". This is the one where I actually began to see colors for the first time. Waves of green pulsing right before my eyes! Can't say everyone will see this, but I did and still do! But then I have a half hour version of it. Awesome! Google "Bliss Coded Sound" and you'll find plenty on it. You can get a good sample here on YouTube... http://tinyurl.com/7uef8qm Here is the website... http://tinyurl.com/6u9vcs6 Good stuff. Enjoy!

There's more to be found because sound technology is prevalent on the internet for meditation. Much to be found on YouTube if you just search "meditation" and do your own experimentation. It's very effective. Hope this helps.

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answered 10 Apr '12, 17:50

Rindor's gravatar image

Rindor
1.3k6

Thank you!

(24 Apr '12, 09:23) kmichelle

Meditation never not works. By definition, it 'works'.

It's too much of an intentional act on the person for it not to work.

It's like asking "how long does it take for me to say 'no' after I've said 'no'?" No time, you said it. Or "how long does it take to start meditating once you've started meditating?"

As soon as you start meditating, it starts working.

As soon as I close my eyes and take my attention off of everything but my breathing, I instantly feel relief.

Especially on intentional deep breathes; the exhale is amazingly relieving. I start feeling peace and that all is well as soon I let go of everything saving my I/'is'ness/breath. I start feeling like God....like how God intended for us to feel: whole, content, satisfied....not a care.

I know that's probably not what you had in mind when you said 'working'/asked the question, but that's what came to my mind at your question, that it works immediately - I feel it working/a noticeable change/relief immediately.

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answered 14 Apr '12, 01:48

TruthTranslator's gravatar image

TruthTranslator
1514

edited 14 Apr '12, 07:44

You do make a good point. The "act" does produce a result that is always beneficial to the practitioner.

(15 Apr '12, 15:14) The Traveller

So would you say that if you do not notice that it's 'working', then it's probably not meditation?

(16 Apr '12, 04:50) TruthTranslator

Meditation for me used to be focused on desired outcomes. Manifestations. Sometimes I got what I wanted, sometimes I did not.

For me, now, meditations are to relax and bond with my Source. To feel that Joy when it all becomes clear and Truth-ful. The manifestations are merely by-products. Byproducts to enjoy with my Source. 'Cause God has a good time through me, and you.

You might say that the outcome of a successful meditation is how long you have peace and joy.

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answered 09 Apr '12, 20:31

Dollar%20Bill's gravatar image

Dollar Bill
12.0k34113

Thank you.

(10 Apr '12, 09:31) kmichelle

very good Bill to have give her a pointer to the benefit.

(10 Apr '12, 18:02) white tiger

It sounds like you want speedy meditation. This is possible now with the technology we have, I have Dane Spotts Ultra Meditation CDs and find them very good. They take you under very deep very quickly, this brings faster results as well.

Here is a link to the CDs Ultra Meditation Dane Spotts.

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answered 09 Apr '12, 18:42

Wade%20Casaldi's gravatar image

Wade Casaldi
36.9k429107

edited 09 Apr '12, 18:43

Thank you. I will take a look at the CD's.

(10 Apr '12, 09:32) kmichelle

Yes I have had the entire collection for years, it is a good collection! It you can't afford the whole set I believe you could buy them separate too. :-)

(10 Apr '12, 09:35) Wade Casaldi

About answering this question, I have to say mention that there are different types of meditation techniques - and I have seen meditation teachers modifying the existing meditation techniques to suit their philosophy as well. I have learnt two totally opposite type of meditation techniques - the one which is about seeing things as they are - and the other one is something imagining so that we can get what we imagine (seeing things as we want - not as it is). The first one was 10 days course that I did - and it is Vipassana retreat. The second one was 3 days courses - and it was called Manokranti meditation (meditation blended with psychocybernetics). The 10 days course of Vipassana is so that we realize it (you can check it here dhamma.org). And the 3 days course used some sort of meditation to be felt immediately so to prove that it works. Moreover, the answer depends on the concentration - and it is based on individual as well.

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answered 16 Apr '12, 19:03

ZDCobran's gravatar image

ZDCobran
915222

Thank you.

(24 Apr '12, 09:23) kmichelle
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