How To Meditate - A Beginner's Guide - The Art of Manliness

22/3/2014 How to Meditate: A Beginner's Guide | The Art of Manliness
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A Primer on Meditation
by A Manly Guest Contributor on September 7, 2011 84 comments
in A Man's Life, Personal Development
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2011/09/07/a-primer-on-meditation/ 1/24
Editors Note: This is a guest collaboration with my friend and long-time meditator, Jason Marshall. Check out
Jasons blog, Living in the Now where youll find practical info on self-development.
When you hear the word meditation, you may think of Buddhist monks or Hindu swamis sitting with legs crossed and
eyes closed, a New age pony-tail guy communing with nature in the woods, or wealthy folks sitting in a meditation
center in San Francisco.
You likely didnt think manly. And you may not think that meditation has a place in your practical, workaday, red
blooded American life.
But you might change your mind if you give meditation a try. Its truly a practice that can be useful for any kind of man,
whether youre a granola-loving hippie, a straight-arrow lawyer, or a rough-around-the-edges firefighter. Wherever you
are in life, meditation can help bring you closer to becoming the man you want to be.
The Manly History of Meditation
Meditation has a long and storied manly history, and it has been utilized by men from many different walks of life for
thousands of years. It has of course famously been a tool used by adherents of many religions, from Buddhist monks to
Jesuit priests. But philosophers of all stripes have always seen its value as well; the Stoics used meditation as a tool to
develop their fortitude and self-control, for example. And warrior classes across cultures used meditation to instill in
their soldiers a keen mind and a fearless heart. The ancient Samurai are perhaps the most famous warrior/meditator
class. They meditated upon death daily so that they could fight without fear.
Many of historys greatest thinkers also happened to be meditators. For example, Darwin and Kant unknowingly
practiced what is called active mediation. They would take a daily walk where they would ponder some idea theyd
been working on. Oftentimes it was during these walks that they had their biggest insights.
Fast-forward to today and youll find corporate leaders and star athletes using meditation to reach their full potential.
Executives from companies such as Google, Target, and General Mills practice meditation. Many people in high-stress
(and often testosterone-fueled) jobs such as stockbrokers and attorneys are starting to pick up the practice in order to
find peace and calm, as well as regain focus.
Champion boxer Vijender Singh uses meditation as part of his pre-fight training regimen. He explained, Mental
conditioning is very important as it keeps you focused during the bout. When you have a large crowd watching you, the
pressure starts building on you, and its meditation that helps you at that time. I usually invest 15 to 20 minutes on it
every day and it has helped me a lot.
Phil Jackson, one of the greatest basketball coaches of all time, with 11 NBA titles to his name, is also a longtime
meditator. Jackson not only practices meditation in his personal life, he also taught meditation techniques to his players
to help them stay calm and collected under pressure, as well as more focused during games.
Even the U.S. Marine Corps is testing meditation as a way to increase soldiers mental performance and clarity under
high stress conditions. Also, many groups and agencies are employing meditation techniques to help soldiers with PTSD
and other psychological issues when they return home.
We could go on, but you get the picture. The takeaway here is that meditation isnt just something for dudes who use
crystal deodorant instead of Speed Stick. Its a practice that is not only compatible with manliness, but can be a vital
tool in developing it.
Why Meditate?
Everybody meditates for different reasons. It is a practice often undertaken by those seeking to develop their spirituality
or trying to work through emotional problems. But even if those reasons dont call to you personally, you can still benefit
from meditation for several reasons.
First, meditation serves as a defense between our fast-paced, technological world and our psyches. Were
surrounded by a multitude of distractions from smart phones to 24-hour news channels. You probably surfed through at
least half a dozen different websites before you started reading this article. The onslaught of input we receive each day
can do a number on us emotionally and psychologically. Meditation allows a man to take a much needed mental rest
from the hustle and bustle of modern life. It restores our brains balance and our sense of overall calm and well-being.
Second, and related to the point above, is that meditation can help increase your attention span and focus.
You exercise your body at the gym, but what do you do for your brain? If you find it difficult to concentrate on your
work, your studies, or even your interactions with other people, you need to meditate. Its a workout for your brain and
can give you the strength to focus better and longer on your daily tasks.
Third, meditation can help a man be his own man and feel comfortable in his own skin. That constant stream
of input we face each day often carries messages of what were supposed to think or feel. Talking-heads spout off
opinions as if they were facts. Advertisers try to convince us that buying such-and-such product will make us feel more
virile and manly. Meditation allows us to be alone with our own thoughts and discover what we really think about the
world and ourselves.
Meditation is mental training that enables you to control your own thoughts, instead of letting others control them. It
creates a deep inner discipline, which is incredibly manly.
If those arent enough reasons for you to start meditating, scientists are learning that meditation can actually change your
brain and body in very positive ways, such as lowering your blood pressure, strengthening your empathy, and boosting
your memory.
Bottom line: Meditation can make you a healthier, smarter man!
Getting Started With Meditation
Meditation is a fascinating subject, but it can be difficult to explain or summarize because youre sure to offend
someone, and youre sure to run across someone who disagrees with you no matter what you say (usually a self-styled
expert). While I disclaim any expertise, I have been a practitioner of various forms of meditation for almost a decade,
and I believe that a simple, practical approach to meditation is essential for the modern man.
Meditation isnt difficult; generally its gurus who can make it sound needlessly arduous or dogmatic. To get the
benefits of meditation, all you need is a bit of time and the dedication to stick with the practice. You can literally do it
anywhere, without any fancy supplies or gadgets. While meditation pillows, bells, incense, etc. can be effective tools (I
own them), theyre not necessary. In fact, some of my most intense meditation experiences have been spur of the
moment meditations in the woods, on my back porch, or even during lunch in my office.
There are really five principle types of meditation, which go by various names in the various spiritual traditions.
1. Mindfulness
The goal of mindfulness meditation is to relax and calm your monkey mind. Whats the monkey mind? Its the
constant and restless shifting of thoughts that goes on in your head all day. Mindfulness meditation seeks to quiet the
thoughts clamoring for your attention and to direct your attention to one thought or sound that serves as your anchor.
Your anchor could be the sound of water flowing, the repetition of a word, or even your own breath.
This is normally done in 15-30 minute sets. Its a wonderful tool for relaxation, or to act as a primer for spiritual work or
another form of meditation.When thoughts come into your mind (and I promise they will) simply try to dismiss them.
You may find that a single and pressing thought keeps reoccurring. If thats the case, take the time to ponder why that
thought is so important right now. Ask things like Why is it important? How does it affect me? How can I effectively
deal with it?
Of course, if your reoccurring thought is something trivial like a funny YouTube video you saw earlier that morning,
dismiss it and and try to get back to focusing on your anchor.
One useful mindfulness meditation technique is the Buddhist breath meditation, vipassanna. In vipassanna you simply
observe your breath or use a breath set to anchor your thoughts. For a breath set, inhale and count (1, 2, 3, etc.), and
once you reach your set, exhale and count (1, 2, 3, etc.). Repeat.
Simply observe the sensation of the breath entering your nose/mouth, entering and filling your lungs, and then being
released through your nose/mouth. As thoughts come into your mind, try to dismiss them and get back to focusing and
observing your breath.
2. Active Meditation
This type of meditation involves physical activity to allow your body and mind to get into sync, which allows you to
experience peace, calm, and clarity. Many people practice/experience this without even knowing it. Ever feel in the
zone while playing a sport? Perhaps youve heard of people losing themselves in the beat while dancing. Or maybe
youve experienced the runners high. All these are examples of people taking part in active meditation in some degree
or another.
This type of meditation can be as simple as going for a walk, practicing yoga (Not just for chicks. Its a heck of a
workout if done properly), dancing, or simply working out. Just as in mindfulness meditation, the key is to clear your
mind and use the workout or physical movement as an anchor to clear your mind of mental garbage. Simply focus on
the movement of your body, and the activity immediately in front of you. And if thoughts keep popping up, dismiss or
explore them based on their importance. You can also repeat a mantra or positive affirmation in the activity to provide
another anchor or stimulation.
3. Mantra/Affirmation
This type of meditation involves repeating a phrase or word repeatedly. The phrase acts as an anchor to clear your
mind. The Transcendental Meditation (TM) movement has made mantra/affirmation meditation a popular form of
meditation. In TM, adherents repeat a mantra (word or saying) over and over again. This is what many people think of
when they think of meditation. A bunch of people sitting around on pillows chanting Aum! Aum! Aum! Or something
similar. Basically the vibrations of the word or phrase are supposed to act as an anchor, as well as a stimulant to allow
for a clear mind and spiritual progression to take place.
One of my favorite things to do is to repeat the Lords Prayer one word at a time. Start with our and say our in your
mind. Try to visualize it in your minds eye and just focus on our for 10-15 seconds (Dont worry about being exact
because that defeats the purpose). Then clear your mind and either mentally or audibly repeat Aum! deeply and slowly
three or four times, then move onto Father. Continue through the prayer until you get to the end.
You can also repeat a positive affirmation or phrase (Tony Robbins style) such as: I am great, I am a good person, I
am a strong person, etc.. Or meditate on any particularly motivational or inspirational quote that will force you to focus
on positive aspects and dismiss negative aspects.
What you use as your mantra or affirmation is completely up to you. Just use what works for you and what youre
comfortable with.
4. Insight
Insight meditation is designed to explore and focus on one thought or feeling. Before starting an insight meditation, its
important to have a very calm mind. It might be useful to begin with a breath (mindfulness) meditation to quiet your
monkey mind. Once you feel calm and relaxed, youre ready to move into your insight meditation.
Pick a topic. Any topic. It could be love or anger or justice or even death. Once you have your topic, allow
your mind to just run. Dont try to control what thoughts come to you. For example, if you pick love, you may think
about your family, wife, child, romance, Mother Theresa, your grandpa, an old couple holding hands, etc. Just let these
thoughts pass. Dont judge them or try to self-edit them. Just explore what love is and what it means to you.
Sometimes it is helpful to think of a negative topic like hate and let your mind run. You might be surprised by what
pops up in your mind, but dont judge. Just let your mind do its thing. Sometimes its helpful to explore why you
associate the images popping up into your head with the word hate, and then try to release that negativity.
If you are going to do an insight meditation with a negative topic, its important to end your session focusing on
something positive. You dont want to leave your meditation on a sour note. Plus, ending on the positive may give you a
better picture of how you really feel about a topic. You may discover that a thought you associated with a negative topic
ends up returning as a positive association.
Insight meditation is extremely useful in clearing your mental garbage. It forces you to explore and make connections
you may have long forgotten about, but that are still affecting you on a subconscious level.
5. Guided
These meditations are guided by someone (in person or via audio) who takes you through a certain scenario, or even an
archetypal dream-type world. You can create your own guided meditation by developing a plan for your meditation.
Where will you go? What people will you talk to? How will you react to challenges along the way?
Guided meditations allow your imagination to run wild and to really explore mental associations in a very active way.
Think of guided meditation as watching an amazing movie where youre the writer, director, and star.
For example, in your guided meditation you can imagine visiting your younger self to work though issues, have a
conversation with a deceased loved one to finish some unsettled business, or even ask advice from some great man that
you admire. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
We could write a whole series of articles on meditation, but hopefully this one provided you with enough information to
pique your interest and get you started on meditating today.
Have any meditation tips? Whats your preferred way of meditating? Share your thoughts with us in the
comments.
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{ 84 comments read them below or add one }
1 Mike Haydon September 7, 2011 at 11:23 pm
These are all very useful ways. Ive do Mindfulness and Active meditation regularly and its been extremely
beneficial. Might give the other three a try at some stage.
2 Alex H. September 7, 2011 at 11:31 pm
Great overview on meditation. The actual process of dismissing a thought took me a while to grasp. This might be
helpful for others. The key is to just label it literally as a thought and then go back to whatever anchor you have.
No point thinking anymore about it or beating yourself up.
For anyone who wants a basic non-spiritual book on meditation Id recommend Calming Your Anxious Mind.
Its a great introduction.
3 Leif September 7, 2011 at 11:33 pm
I the exact same technique with the Lords Prayer for about a year and half. I just sit on the floor leaning against
my bed and just focus on each of the words and picture myself resting in between the words. When Im done, I
usually feel better.
Dont force it. If your mind drifts, just go back to the meditation when you catch yourself. Happens to me all the
time. It took a while for me to get into it because I expected some sort of great metaphysical enlightenment thing
to happen. It never happened obviously, but Ive realized that when I come home stressed and just do it, my
anger/stress/blood pressure/heart rate dropped. And now that I do it after I started martial arts training, I feel
better. Just my $.02
4 Sameer September 7, 2011 at 11:40 pm
Id recommend that anyone interested in meditation check out http://www.dhamma.org. I been practicing (off and
on, admittedly) Vipassana meditation for almost 5 years and it has had an incredible impact on my life.
5 Brian September 7, 2011 at 11:40 pm
Where did I learn meditation? First in Judo in high school, then years later I relearned it in Karate in college.
I still meditate from time to time.
6 Seth September 7, 2011 at 11:50 pm
Ive been practicing Qigong for about a year and the meditation has been extremely helpful in stress management.
7 Edman September 8, 2011 at 12:28 am
Ive meditated off and on for years. I got started with these tapes(yes, tapes, for you youngsters). They really
helped me a lot. Years later my sister and I were talking about meditation and how every time I try, I get this light
that comes at me and makes my whole body jump. Anyone else know or have that experience? So, now I just
try and focus on my breathing when I walk. It does keep me grounded. Which is all I can ask.
8 Michael September 8, 2011 at 1:17 am
Great stuff, Jason! Ive advocated meditation for men for years now, to push aside all the debris of life and regain
a focus on whats important. I started to meditate using chakras, which can seem kind of freaky but really serve
to focus the mind and kind of overlap with affirmations. Now I just clear my mind and breathe seems like it
should be easiest, right? Turns out that really clearing the mind, no thoughts whatsoever, is hard.
Another benefit the ability to quiet your mind can prevent insomnia.
9 Eric September 8, 2011 at 1:39 am
I learned meditation as a member of AMORC, The Ancient Mystical Order of the Rosy Cross, or
Rosicrucians. Its a system of study about everything concerning both the ordinary and the esoteric. It teaches
you, step by step, how to strengthen your own psychic abilities and how to get out of your own way, which is
the best way I can describe it. Go to http://www.amorc.org for more info. All I can say is that it worked for me.
10 swells September 8, 2011 at 2:06 am
I attended a 3 hour meditation class lead by a Buddhist monk last weekend. this was my first real meditation
experience and im eager to go back. i was far more calm and alert with very clear thoughts afterward. highly
recommended
11 FrankV September 8, 2011 at 2:14 am
My preferred way of meditating?

It involves a rag, a can of shoe polish and a shoe brush
12 Mike September 8, 2011 at 2:15 am
Sadly, if you suffer from tinnitus, meditation is agony.
13 Nils September 8, 2011 at 2:46 am
What is a good length of a session for a beginner to begin with? How do you know when its over? i can imagine
an alarm clock can be quite shocking at a moment of total relaxation.
@Mike: I heard from some folks that they use noise-generators to suppres the sound of their tinitus (eg when
going to sleep or in this case meditation). http://simplynoise.com/ (also as app) I use that quite often though i dont
have tinitus e.g. when reading a book in a train/tramp/bus or when needing to concentrate at work and a lot of
people talk.
14 Mato Tope September 8, 2011 at 3:36 am
Having practised TM meditation over the last ten years I can honsetly say it is the best thing I have done
regarding self-improvement.
It made me realise just how much time and energy is wasted going over old issues, memories, futile worries about
the future, daydreams etc. Basically it brings me back to the here and now.
Not only that, it sharpens the reasoning process whereby I can see clearly what I should be doing next. Problems
assume their rightful place. The ability to focus on one thing at a time becomes easier. Experiences become
deeper and richer.
If you liken the mind to a computer; being fed non-stop data and information then meditation acts as a defrag
for the brain.
I cant recommend it enough.
Well done AoM for highlighting this subject.
15 Ant September 8, 2011 at 4:55 am
I can never meditate but i like my time where i can wind down, weather im hiking or reading a book.
16 Andrew September 8, 2011 at 5:16 am
in your practical, workaday, red blooded American life Why so insular? Anyway dont you mean in your fat,
pampered, ignorant American life
17 Daren Redekopp September 8, 2011 at 5:57 am
I like to give 15 minutes of each week to meditating on each of my family members individually: my wife, my
older son, my younger son. I find that giving each of them theyre own 15 minutes of my meditation time helps me
to be ever so much more present and deliberate in my relationships with each of them.
18 Bob Hougher September 8, 2011 at 7:39 am
As a child of the 1950s, I enjoy the way your site brings back the fundementals of life that often get overlooked
today.
I have been practicing Transcendental Meditation since 1974. I do it twice a day everyday and never miss. The
technique uses a mantra to keep the mind alert but not directed. The minds nature is to be attracked to areas of
more and more happiness. When alert yet not directed, the mind will naturally go to areas of more peace and
happiness. TM is becoming more respected as a way to enhance all areas of life. People use it to reduce stress,
the military is using it as a way to ease PTSD, and doctors recommend it as a way to reduce blood pressure.
I would recommend it to anyone looking to start meditating. There are many ways to meditate. I find TM a very
simple way to begin enjoying the effects of meditating immediately.
19 Danny September 8, 2011 at 9:12 am
I carry a lot of stress and I have found that mindfulness meditation is an amazing tool to relax and let some things
go. I enjoy lying in the corpse pose a yoga move used at the end of a session. The corpse pose is done by lying
flat on the floor arms at your side legs spread slightly. This is one of the most relaxing positions and I love it.
20 Jarie Bolander September 8, 2011 at 9:24 am
I usually do 10 minutes a day and have found it a great way to center myself for the day ahead.
I would highly recommend the book 8 Minute Mediation by Victor Davich (http://www.8minutes.org/). Lots of
great techniques in a simple to understand format.
21 JonathanL September 8, 2011 at 9:27 am
Ive never really understood meditation, though I do think lots in the shower and as I drive to work in the
morning. But I also dont carry a lot of stress. No matter whats going on in my life, I dont stress out about it too
much. Even a staggeringly big deal takes maybe a day before I turn the page and move on.
22 bobster September 8, 2011 at 9:33 am
transcendental meditation is a back door to Hinduism, and I rejected it with its unnecessary baggage.
The simple key is this: in human emotion there is a continuum going from boredom on one end to stress on the
other. As we go through the daily pursuits of life, we end up packed in on the stressful end.
It really re-charges you to give the goal-seeking/problem-solving portion of your mind a rest every day. A simple
relaxing daily walk works wonders for me as I let the cares of the day float away.
23 Jason September 8, 2011 at 9:35 am
Why so insular? Anyway dont you mean in your fat, pampered, ignorant American life
Andrew, heaven forbid anyone reference their own nationality and culture in an article. You must be highly
enlightened to be able to make such broad generalizations about an entire country and its population. Then again,
you sound like a very small minded little man, perhaps you should meditate about what you may be lacking in
yourself and reason why you need to project your own inadequacies on others. I hope you find peace.
24 Tim B September 8, 2011 at 9:38 am
Great stuff here. Most of us just get used to our monkey mind and dont do the work it takes to keep our
minds in shape. One thing Ive learned from eastern Christianity is the Jesus prayer. Its similar to a mantra and
helps to focus ones breathing. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Great way to
focus, slow down and get your thoughts in order.
25 Jason Marshall September 8, 2011 at 9:45 am
Thanks for the positive comments guys!
@ Mike (Comment 12) If you have some sort of physical problem, try to just meditate in a comfortable chair, or
even try lying down. Again, I advocate a very simplistic approach, if something hurts or causes discomfort
dont do it! When I am at my office I meditate in my office chair, and I still receive powerful benefits.
@Nils (Comment 13) Try a session of any length that works for you. Start with 10 or 15 minutes, and then work
your way up from there. I rarely go over 45 minutes in a session, because after the 30 minute mark I tend to start
losing focus. However, some people go for hours at a time, and if it works for them then great! I normally will set
an alarm of some sort, and choose the alarm sound to be a gentle bell or something that wont be too startling.
Some companies sell specialized meditation timers, but a phone alarm, or even a meditiation timer app should
work great.
26 Jonathan September 8, 2011 at 10:02 am
Being hypomanic, mindfulness meditation is a boon to my life. Generally I just focus on my breathing as it helps to
use something internal for me other than the rampant thoughts in my head.
Active meditation is also a great thing as once you really fall into the zone, everything else is no longer of any
concern. Youre at your best and it just flows.
Theres this exercise I that Ive referred to as hyper-sleep but leads along the lines of insight meditation.
Essentially, I position myself sitting mostly upright, generally leaning against a couch cushion or similar and close
my eyes. Than I just allow my mind to wander. I allow myself to start to fall asleep but can hover on the
boundary of the subconscious, almost like those final moments between dreaming and awake. Done right, I can
hold this for 20-30 minutes and just let my mind sort itself out. When I come out of it, I feel like Ive had weeks
to meditate on my problems and everything is taken care of. Absolutely the most calming and enlightening thing I
do!
27 Ryan September 8, 2011 at 10:10 am
Oddly enough I was thinking about meditation (meditating on meditation?) this morning. I was curious as to how
people with young children/noisy households (like my own) find time to do this daily? For me, spending 30 mins
by myself can be near impossible and possibly viewed as selfish by my spouse etc Any tips?
28 Thomas September 8, 2011 at 10:16 am
As a Catholic and a musician, I find that if I dont take time to meditate both my musicianship (performance
ability, effective practice, musical sensitivity) and my spiritual well-being suffer. And meditation, like you said, isnt
just sitting still with your eyes closed, repeating a mantra (though it very well can be). For musicians, I believe
effective practice can only be achieved with a keenly focused mind that can visualize and auralize your music and
your movements accurately the same kind of mind required in meditation.
Thanks for the sharing all the different methods of meditation!

29 Blake September 8, 2011 at 10:30 am
Along with seated meditation, three-breath meditation throughout the day works wonders. Basically, at any point
during the day, stop and focus on three breaths.
30 Chris September 8, 2011 at 10:33 am
As a practicing Buddhist, its nice to see meditation made accessible to all on this site. I cant impress how
influential and beneficial meditation has proven to be in my own life, and I hope it helps all who read this article.
31 Inspired September 8, 2011 at 10:48 am
This is phenomenal article Jason (your articles always gives me so much insight on this crazy life when I tend to
fall away from myself) I am definately going to incorporate this in my life daily. At some point if not daily we are
going through so much weather it be stressed, depressed and aggravated by the simplest of things I think
mediation would be something instrumental in our lives that helps clear our thoughts of the negative & take minute
for our self in between the gap (a good friend shared that with me) often times we tend to be consumed with
the worries we have & not take the time to nourish our minds & spirit. I am definitely going to start doing this on
a regular basis. Thanks for sharing this with all of us I look forward to more.
p.s. dont forget to check out *living in the now* always a great way to jump start your day.
32 Ian September 8, 2011 at 11:02 am
Along with writing a novel (which you covered last week), this is another goal on my three-month plan. Thanks
for the article and thanks to all the helpful commenters!
33 Brandon Moore September 8, 2011 at 11:17 am
ive always felt playing guitar was a great form of meditation. weather it was focusing on playing 1 thing over and
over or just improvising in the dark with the LEDs of the amp lighting the room, its always made me feel better
after playing. sometimes i can get completely lost in it and what has seemed like 10 minutes of playing has actually
been an hour.
34 Matt J. King September 8, 2011 at 12:10 pm
I came to the realization a couple months ago that I had really stopped showing up for life. My body was usually
where I planned to be, but my mind was somewhere else. I really started to miss my younger years when my
mind wasnt constantly being torn from one thought to another mid-sentence.
I used to be a prolific journaler, so I got back into that and started doing some reading on meditation. I started
using a Mindfulness app that I bought from the iTunes store for $1.99 (Yes, theres an app for that). I used to
start my day with news websites, now I start with meditation. What a difference! I have more peace and quiet
between my ears now, and I find it easier to focus on what I choose to do throughout the day. Im gradually
becoming a more mentally disciplined, and therefore productive person.
Thanks for a great article, Jason. Ill give some of these other types of meditation a try.
35 Moses September 8, 2011 at 12:16 pm
@ Tim B,
Dead on. I just returned from a retreat to St. Anthonys Orthodox Monastery last month, and seeing dozens of
black-clad, hard-working monks maintaining continuous focus on the Jesus Prayer day and night (emphasis on
night they start their day with prayer @ 1 am) was bracing, challenging, humbling and encouraging all at the
same time. I am now committed to growing into that practice myself -little by little.
The triple entry on your post was very Orthodox, btw.
36 Pete September 8, 2011 at 1:20 pm
I know many men dismiss things like meditation and yoga. Im in my late 40s and began meditation skills when I
was serving in the military in a Special Warefare group. I have used it off on on during my life and have now
made it a principle part of my work out routine. I still powerlift, compete as a Highland Athlete (yes, the guys
who wear kilts and throw trees and boulders for fun) and meditate as well as do yoga. I think both meditation
and yoga help not only with the physical demands I face, but also the cognitive and emotional demands as well.
37 Claude September 8, 2011 at 1:37 pm
I believe in the value of meditation, but I struggle with actually doing it. Maybe Im ADD or something, but an
activity that looks like doing nothing seems to be about the hardest thing to do.
38 Bryan S. September 8, 2011 at 1:57 pm
@Claude
Thats why meditation is practiced! It is very difficult at first. Calming your mind and thinking of nothing is like
trying to calm a caged monkey that has been stung by a bee. Keep at it and youll see improvement. You have to
learn to invert the common notion of Dont just sit there, do something!
Instead, dont just do something, sit there!
39 Andrew from Canada September 8, 2011 at 2:02 pm
When I saw the post on routines a few days ago, I started looking for ways to improve my meditation and do it
properly. Thank goodness you guys followed up with this.
40 Jeff September 8, 2011 at 2:13 pm
Ive only been practicing meditation on a regular basis for about three months. Ive experimented with many
different methods and undoubtedly the most profound one Ive found is basically the entire book called Undoing
Yourself with Energized Meditation. by Christopher Hyatt. I was seeking any and all spiritual books, seminars,
churches, etc, but I found the language inadequate and too much Dogma for my Catma personality. This book,
along with Angel Tech have been instrumental to my personal development and I would highly recommend both
to any and all. A simple meditation that Ive worked with is as follows:
1) Sit in a position that is comfortable and with spine erect
2) Watch your breathing. Keep your eyes open or half shut but not shut
3) Remain motionless. First for 10 minutes, then 20, then 40
4) Everytime you detect a thought, say, Thinking. Remain consistent
5) Sustain awareness of all previous four guidelines, simultaneously.
the act of Transcendence is more important than what is being Transcended.
41 Leland September 8, 2011 at 2:28 pm
Walking meditation is good for beginners you kind of hint at it in #1 and #2, but its a combo of them really.
Walk very slowly in a set path, using mindfulness techniques at each step. Not everyone is ready to sit still for 15
min on their first day. Try alternating for the first few weeks. I did it as a (very antsy) teenager and it helped.
42 Liam September 8, 2011 at 3:06 pm
For Christians why not try Meditation in the Christian Tradition. The website for Christian Meditation is
wccm.org as thought by John Main recovered from John Cassian and has its roots going back to the first
Christian Communities.
http://wccm.org/content/what-meditation describes the process as follows:
Sit down. Sit still with your back straight. Close your eyes lightly. Then interiorly, silently begin to recite a single
word a prayer word or mantra. We recommend the ancient Christian prayer-word Maranatha. Say it as four
equal syllables. Breathe normally and give your full attention to the word as you say it, silently, gently, faithfully
and above all simply. The essence of meditation is simplicity. Stay with the same word during the whole
meditation and from day to day. Dont visualise but listen to the word as you say it. Let go of all thoughts (even
good thoughts), images and other words. Dont fight your distractions but let them go by saying your word
faithfully, gently and attentively and returning to it immediately that you realise you have stopped saying or it or
when your attention is wandering.
meditate morning and evening for between 20-30 minutes
43 Scott September 8, 2011 at 4:47 pm
Those who are looking for a Western Tradition of meditation might also look to the Centering Prayer of Father
Thomas Keating. http://www.centeringprayer.com/. Ive found it to be slightly easier than the mantra method
(from which it differs only a little), and it has really helped me focus my brain. Meditation can help initiate a
process of slow change, and as with most things, you might find it works better with everyday use.
44 Adam September 8, 2011 at 8:39 pm
I found this to be a very helpful article. I have been meditating on and off for the past seven years and have found
it a wonderful way to help deal with stress and anxiety.
45 jeff September 8, 2011 at 9:29 pm
Meditation is much like any practice, you should spend time looking for a form that fits your lifestyle, your
temperament, and world view. There are resources in your community that will be more than willing to help you
with the early steps, such as concentration, and visualization,; with your investment being nothing more than
showing up. You might start with your YMCA or try your local library for information on meditation groups that
will be of help. After training in meditation for over forty years the best bit of advice I would give is to simply try it
with reasonable passion, with regularity, and a little bit of documentation in the form of a journal to keep track of
what you learned. Meditation is one of the most natural things you will ever do, just dont be put off by some of
us who are advocates of a particular system; we all find our own way of meditating in the end.
46 Matt September 8, 2011 at 11:09 pm
I like to use music as my anchor in meditation, probably a combination of Insight & Guided meditation. Usually
Ill turn all the lights out, light a candle and put on an album that is themed or possesses some logical progression
of ideas (i.e. a concept album). The more edifying the lyrics, the better. Most commonly I use Tools Lateralus,
as I find it musically and lyrically complex enough to keep me focused for extended sessions.
To avoid visual distraction, I focus on the candle, while mentally I ponder the lyrics Im hearing and what they
might mean, or the overarching theme of the album. Or for a diversion Ill pick a single instrument and try to
isolate its part from the surrounding sound. Otherwise, the concept is the same: as other thoughts work their way
in, simply name them and dismiss them and get back to the anchor.
47 Robert September 8, 2011 at 11:46 pm
Sweet article. While reading I couldnt help but notice how much the techniques reminded me of St. Ignatius of
Loyola and his Spiritual Exercises.
48 Evan September 8, 2011 at 11:49 pm
I must not fear.

Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.

I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.
49 AW September 9, 2011 at 12:29 am
Buddhist meditation is pretty good. Im talking about the no-frills meditation where you focus simply on the
breath and nothing else. Its a very powerful exercise to boost your focus. Its called Anapanasathi (literally:
mindfulness of the breath).
You dont have to be a Buddhist to do this. Its just a mental exercise.
50 Leify E. September 9, 2011 at 1:38 am
A few choice quotes from the Hagakure:
Meditation on inevitable death should be performed daily. Every day when ones body and mind are at peace,
one
should meditate upon being ripped apart by arrows, rifles, spears and swords, being carried away by surging
waves,
being thrown into the midst of a great fire, being struck by lightning, being shaken to death by a great earthquake,
falling from thousand-foot cliffs, dying of disease or committing seppuku at the death of ones master. And every
day
without fail one should consider himself as dead.
In the words of the ancients, one should make his decisions within the space of seven breaths. Lord Takanobu
said,
If discrimination is long, it will spoil. Lord Naoshige said, When matters are done leisurely, seven out of ten
will
turn out badly. A warrior is a person who does things quickly.
When your mind is going hither and thither, discrimination will never be brought to a conclusion. With an intense,
fresh and undelaying spirit, one will make his judgments within the space of seven breaths. It is a matter of being
determined and having the spirit to break right through to the other side.
The proper manner of calligraphy is nothing other than not being careless, but in this way ones writing will simply
be
sluggish and stiff. One should go beyond this and depart from the norm. This principle applies to all things.
There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get wet
and
run quickly along the road. But doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet. When
you
are resolved from the beginning, you will not be perplexed, though you still get the same soaking. This
understanding
extends to everything.
51 Alberto Parres September 9, 2011 at 2:15 am
Excellent Article. Everybody should read it, but best, practice meditation to fin out with our own experience all
the benrfits. Meditation today is not anymore an oriental attitude. It is western as much as cocacola.
Thakyou
52 Zeke September 9, 2011 at 5:38 am
I have to agree with Andrew and his cynicism. Kudos for pointing that out, old chap.
53 Frank September 9, 2011 at 5:40 am
I could give example after example of the harmful effects of this peaceful mind-cleansing, but Ill pass. If youre
Buddhist you should already know; if youre not, do some research before you take part in
yoga/meditation/whatever. Eastern mysticism isnt all its cracked up to be, to use an Americanism.
54 duse September 9, 2011 at 6:44 am
I thinking about starting yoga. My girlfriend mentions that she would like to do it.
I offer her to drive her to the studio next week After this article i am thinking about testing it by myself.
55 Gabe September 9, 2011 at 7:17 am
Dont know specifically which research Frank is talking about, but when it comes to mindfulness and a number of
other forms of meditation, theres a hell of a lot of peer-reviewed research attesting to the *benefits*
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070625193240.htm gives just one example. The prestigious
psychological journal Emotion devoted an entire special issue to the topic last year. Dan Siegels Mindsight is a
great place to start for anyone interested in the science behind mindfulness in general gets a bit heavy on the
neuroscience detail at times for a lay audience, but still pretty accessible.
@Andrew & Zeke- it was meant only as tongue and cheek humor, alluding to the fact that most people feel they
are too busy to meditiate. No reason to be so easily offended or defensive.
@Ryan- my tip would be to simply find a few moments whenever you can. Meditation doesnt have to be an
elaborate ritual, or even involve a great deal of time. Try meditating for 5 or 10 minutes before bed, or even 5 or
10 minutes in the morning. As a parent, I can attest to the importance of me time, and I wouldnt feel guilty
about alloting 10, 20, or 30 mintues of me time to meditate, read, or just relax. If you dont get some me time
you may go insane! :D
@ Gabe- spot on. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but many people have negative associations with
meditiation based on pre-conceived notions, hearsay, false information, or outright lies. As you, myself, and
others have alluded to there is a great deal of scientific and acedemic research which shows the profound benefits
that meditiation can bring. Also, there is such a wide range of meditative practices, that you can try and adapt
various techniques to suit your personality, emotional, and spiritual view points. If you want to practice a
Buddhist, Eastern Mystic, Christian, Islam, Humanist, New Age, or even just a relaxation and/or contemplative
style of meditiation, then go for it! Do what works for you. If you dont want to practice TM or repeat a mantra,
then dont do it. If you dont want to pray on the Lords prayer, or other religious saying/sutra/verse/etc., then
dont do it, just try another technique. ;)
Without sounding too New Agey, the point of meditiation is to go within in order to discover and work on who
you really are, basically spend some time with you. Some people have time for a meditaition routine, while
others do not, so just try to meditate whenever you can. Although I try to meditate every day, sometimes work,
parenthood, and social obligations are such that I might go weeks without meditating. Also, Since each person is
unique, what works for someone might not work for you or others, so just do what works for you and dont get
hung up on the details.
Sorry for the article in the comment section ;)
@ Mike (Comment 12) Sorry, I originally misread your original comment as being that you suffered from
tendinitis (Frued), instead of tinnitus. I too have ringing sensations in my ears from time to time. I would
recommend playing some nature sounds or ocean sounds when meditating, you could buy a CD, some .mp3 files,
or even an app on your smart phone and listen to them through headphones while meditating (this also works for
meditating in noisy environments).
Here is an interesting article that I ran across several months ago, which discusses research showing that sufferers
of tinnitus can actually benefit from meditation. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1281129/Tinnitus-Try-
meditating.html
58 Ilan September 9, 2011 at 11:27 am
I have been practicing a version of this guided meditation daily, for a few years now. It would take pages for me
to describe how it has changed me for better, besides providing me with amazing sensory experiences of all sorts.
Ive introduced this meditation to dozens of people and they all have experienced positive effects and changes.
Twin Hearts meditation (a.k.a. Planetary Meditation for Peace)

http://ppmaudiostream.org/planetarypeace.htm
Here are the guidelines for practitioners:

http://www.meditatepeace.com/meditation.htm
Please keep in mind it is necessary to carry out these physical exercises before and after the meditation:
http://www.meditatepeace.com/exercises.htm
You can read more about the meditation and its proven effects here:
http://www.meditationontwinhearts.org/
I urge you guys to try it out. Though there are a few religious references, it is not affiliated with any religion; it
simply makes use of these references to achieve certain purposes, and can be practiced by atheists, agnostics and
people of any faith.
Hope you enjoy it! Let me know if you have any questions or feedback.
59 Nik September 9, 2011 at 3:08 pm
I enjoyed this article and applaud you for promoting a healthy mind. I have a few suggestions based on my
experience and study of meditation.
One commentor mentioned using the corpse position used in yoga- this involves laying on your back, legs slightly
apart, arms at your sides with palms facing up. This is a useful tool for anybody, but is exceptionally helpful for
those who have trouble quieting their body in addition to the mind.
Steps: lay in the position described above

-bring your attention to your toes; focus on them, feel them (not physically), acknowledge the feeling, and
consciously tell yourself to relax that part of your body
-continue this process with each part of your body, moving from your toes to your head, consciously moving your
awareness to each part and relaxing it
- once you have completed this process, you have relaxed your body and primed your mind for further
meditation or relaxation.just try to not fall asleep!
Breathing techniques are another great way to center yourself and quiet your mind by giving it a task to focus on
(useful if you have add/ADHD or just trouble focusing)
-there are many different methods of breathing as well as various breathing patternsthe Internet is full of
resources to explore these options
Im partial to a 4-4 (as mentioned in the article) and a 1-4-3 pattern. The 1-4-3 involves inhaling-holding breath-
exhaling in some multiple of this pattern: I use 3s as my multiplier, so that translates to 3s inhale deeply-12s
holding breath-9s slowly exhaling.
This will help calm your mind and body, and in the long run help improve your lung capacity/function. Experiment
with different patterns, intervals, lengths, and find a few that work for you.
-try and notice the differences in your mind an body with each different breathing exercise*
***this can be applied to all meditations- before and after meditation, try to identify how your body feels, what
your state of mind is, etc. Identify the changes in these feelings and what causes or contributes to them.
By becoming aware of how to achieve different states, you can learn which meditations are best suited to you.
Most importantly: dont feel rushed or pressured to achieve some transcendental state. Take your time and
discover things- be aware of the journey as much as the goal and dont restrict yourself too much by focusing on
time.
I never time my meditations- I sit or lay quietly and meditate until I feel I have achieved something or until I feel I
have done enough- I have found that if I try and go for a set period of time, finishing early leaves me worrying
about finishing out that time rather than the meditation itself.
Sorry for the wall of text- hopefully it is useful to someone.
60 Fernando September 10, 2011 at 7:29 pm
I would suggest anyone trying Meditation for the first time to make this committment:
do it for 100 days straight; at the same hour: preferablely for the same time length (yet, if someday youre unable
to, practice it for 1 minute) If you miss one day, start again at day 1. I got the idea from the Los Angeles Zen
Center and found it to be helpful, indeed.
I succeeded on my third attempt in 2006.
Nothing changes, but it is not the same.
61 Gary Huber September 11, 2011 at 1:00 am
For you Christians out there, one good mantra is one used by the Eastern Orthodox: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of
God, have mercy on me, a sinner. You could even spend a year or two to pop out a magnificent beard like
those sported by the Russian and Greek monks. And for those of you who are also Catholic, it might be time to
dust off those Rosary beads. If the pretty ones given to you by Granny for Confirmation arent quite your thing,
you can find some nice ones with wooden beads that any real man would be proud to hang from the rear view
mirror of his pickup truck. All part of the great tradition of meditation.
62 Evan M September 11, 2011 at 4:34 pm
@ other Evan (#48)
We can all learn a thing or 2 from the Bene Gesserit.
63 Brent September 12, 2011 at 7:04 am
I have been doing an 1hr breathing meditation everyday for 5 months straight now. I am now beginning to see
some of the changes to my life from it. I find that I have better focus. I dont let little things take my mind away
from my tasks. I find that my emotions are more balanced. I dont get angry or sadden like I use too. Those high
emotional events that I kept repeating in my mind are now far and few in between. The best change of all is that I
know can hear my voice. I can listen to my body it has changed my diet and I have lost weight and I also have
found I have a more positive outlook about things in general.
This was no easy task in begging my monkey mind fought like hell.
1. Start small I started at 20min a day before working up to an hour
2. Dont judge thoughts: all kinds come; sexual, murder, hate, hate revenge. It can be overwhelming just let them
float out away from you like a fart. Your mind is cleansing itself and theres a lot of junk that has got to go. This is
the minds way of doing it

3. Never compare or judge meditation sessions. Some times you will have a great session focused and relaxing,
other times your monkey mind will keep you busy till the last five minutes. Like thoughts each mediation session is
just another passing that has come and gone.
Good luck with your meditations..
64 Vince September 12, 2011 at 2:28 pm
Great article. One thing to note about Christian meditation is that it is less about finding yourself and more about
finding God. We are called to communion. Even God is a communion of three persons. Thus by going inward,
we are truly going outward to seek the Lord. In finding the Lord, we find our truest destiny, desire and selves.
The two biggest stumbling blocks to meditation and prayer are boredom and a spirit of busyness that tells us we
are accomplishing nothing. Before meditating, I believe we need to put our other problems into perspective and
remind ourselves that it is okay to put them on hold. Also, remind yourself of the importance of what you are
doing. In the next life, things that only come with great challenge and discipline here on Earth will be as plain as
the nose on your face.
65 yasser September 12, 2011 at 11:44 pm
by definition the description of insight meditation was slightly misleading. for those who would like to do a crash
course in insight meditation visit http://www.dhamma.org and look up any available courses that are held near
you. one of the main goals of insight meditation is to rearrange negative habit patterns of the mind which have
been so deeply engrained that persistent repetition is require to receive any significant gains. a 10 day crash
course in insight meditation will give you a solid foundation from which to continue work. i spoke to a monk who
once stated that learning meditation via books/tapes is the equivalent of learning to swim in a bathtub.
66 Jake Rhodes September 13, 2011 at 5:30 pm
When I meditate I generally lie down on my back in the corpse position and use a variety of mindfulness
meditation techniques.
I try to do this everyday for 15 minutes or so. It helps me focus throughout the day and the position is also good
for my back.
67 jersey_girl September 14, 2011 at 9:34 pm
It is important for men to meditate, because I feel that they have a lot of stress built up that they do not want to
express, because they feel it will make them look less manly. Honestly, some women would rather see the true
emotions of their men when something is upsetting them. I think that both men and women should engage in some
form of meditation several times a week to relieve stress and negative vibes that may occur over the course of the
week due to work, school and just life in general. I am the type of person who would love to perform yoga
several times a week, if I had time, just because I worry a lot and I am always stressed about something. I think I
would be more calm and less of a worrywart. Everyone should try meditating at some point.
68 Larry F. September 15, 2011 at 6:16 am
If you dont have any inhibitions or qualms about visiting a Buddhist temple, another good source for meditation
training can be as close as your nearest Thai wat (or Lao wat). Youd be surprised at how many there are in the
US and how close one may be to where you live. Many of them offer meditation classes for free (or for whatever
you want to donate). I live in Northern Virginia and I know of at least three between 15-60 minutes drive from
my house. In my experience, they dont proselytize or try to convert you to Buddhism. But then again, I dont
think thats even possible.
As for books, take a look at Ming-Dao Dengs Scholar Warrior and Daniel Reids A Complete Guide to
Chi-Gung. Ive used the techniques in both of these texts to achieve good results in augmenting my other, live
training.
69 Larry Li September 15, 2011 at 8:42 am
Great article, good introduction for the masses!

Thanks for sharing!
I am a long time meditation practitioner as well and the practice has allowed me to overcome my own OCD and
much much more. I have a blog for those interested as well.
Thank you for sharing again.
Take care.
70 JTGrace September 16, 2011 at 3:37 pm
@Ryan: Make it a equal opportunity thing. Explain to her why you think meditation could help, make a deal with
her that if you get your meditation time, she can too. Take turns watching the kids, whatever. If shes happy to
take a break, but doesnt want to give you yours, you need to talk to her about that. On the other end, you better
be giving her the time she deserves as well. If meditation ends up helping you out (it almost definitely will, when
your stressing out over taking care of a family) it will become indispensible to the whole family, and together you
will work out a way to make it happen.
Unrelated, any time I get to meditate, my confidence shoots up and I go into Action/fight movie-mode. Its crazy
what a little calm collectivity can do for your stamina.
71 Ray September 21, 2011 at 9:52 pm
Thanks for sharing. Very interesting.
72 Horse September 27, 2011 at 7:34 pm
Growing up Catholic this gives more insight to praying the Rosary. I am not an overly religious person any
more alright I may or may not burst into flame setting foot in a church again but I do find that breaking out the
beads and going through the routine brings a sense of calm with it. I could speculate that using similar beads and
placing whatever thought, mantra or affirmation you want on them could have a similar effect when used in the
same manner.
73 Alex September 28, 2011 at 5:12 pm
Ive been telling myself to get into meditating. I know its good; I know its healthy. And it would be nice to cut
through the clutter of an over-stimulated mind.
Now, I just need to actually sit down
74 Matt January 2, 2013 at 9:28 pm
Batman meditates. Nuff said.
75 Lenin August 8, 2013 at 3:34 pm
@Matt LOL. In fact, comic traditions hold that Bane meditated to increase his minds powers, dont they?
76 Pandey September 6, 2013 at 9:50 am
For people trying to find an easy method of meditationlook no further than Osho Active Meditations.
For Example: Nataraj Meditation : It is an hour long technique involving dancing and then relaxing deeply. I can
use the word miraculous to describe its impact. Download the Music for Osho Nataraj Meditation and start
investing one hour everyday for yourself. Cheers :-)
77 Chris October 29, 2013 at 8:26 am
The Bible was the first to teach meditation for sucess. Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy
mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is
written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Not oly do we need to meditate it is important what we meditate on IT MUST BE GODS WORD.
Psalms 1:2-3 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he
shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not
wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Regards, Chris
78 Kyle November 19, 2013 at 4:52 am
Great article. So many people dont realize that theres way more than just one kind of meditation. Its nice to
see that there are people with an actual grasp on the topic, rather than just telling everyone to empty your mind
and relax. Meditation doesnt exactly require calm or a blank mind. Its probably better if you allow yourself to
drift, really.
79 Gita December 8, 2013 at 5:52 am
Brahma Kumaris centres offer courses in meditation and spiritual knowledgeThere is practise of meditation that
relaxes the mind and nurtures a healthy balance between our inner and outer worlds.
80 Tab January 31, 2014 at 2:36 pm
Why arent Buddhist monks manly? I find the Shaolin temple to have some of the manliest, well-adjusted men on
the planet.
81 Ben February 10, 2014 at 9:58 am
Excellent article. I incorporate mindful meditation and guided meditation in my daily life. For guided meditation,
there is an excellent free guided meditation resource at this website
http://www.thewayofmeditation.com.au/guided-meditations.html
82 Tim February 27, 2014 at 11:26 pm
One of my favorite orchestra directors was fond of a philosophy called Flow State. The theory is about a state
of mind very similar to meditation; your mind goes into a state of effortless attention. It explains being in the
zone for sports (or music), going into hack mode for computer programmers, or any other heightened state in
which the skill level and difficulty of task are extremely high.
Its easier to understand with a chart. I cant put a picture here, but think of a simple rectangular graph. On the
left side is the difficulty of the task, and on the bottom is the skill level of the person. Near the origin (bottom-left),
there is a state of boredom, above that (high difficulty, low skill) there is a state of anxiety, in the bottom right
(high skill, low difficulty) there is a state of restfulness. In the top right (high skill, high difficulty) there is a small
section of flow.
One important thing to note is that you cannot know when you are in flow state, only realize it afterwards (once
you realize youre in flow, you arent).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)
83 andrea March 19, 2014 at 4:00 pm
thanks for article, I have been looking for a way in to meditation for my son. Meditation is for hippys and yoga
freaks but now I can also show him it is for the manly man. yeah thanks
I teach a meditation called iRest Yoga Nidra (guided) as an addit.. check out The Quiet Caucus, where
Warriors at Ease and a couple of Congressmen have taken meditation to Capitol hill, twice a week. Thats
another one to include into your very good intro on meditation.
thanks again.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/25/tim-ryan-quiet-time-caucus_n_3653247.html
84 Kylaila March 21, 2014 at 4:11 am
Thanks for this simple, but great compilation!
I use mainly mindfulness and Affirmation.

I used to concentrate only on my breath when I was suffering from insomnia (and depression) and was quite
surprised that this is actually a meditation technique
but I have a hard time with Insight, I just cannot bring myself to associate freely without my input.
But I admit I havent put too much effort into it, as I am quite comfortable with my thoughts
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The Art of Manliness

Men's Interests and Lifestyle

in A Man's Life, Personal Development

The Manly History of Meditation

Bottom line: Meditation can make you a healthier, smarter man!

Getting Started With Meditation

1. Be Clutch, Dont Choke: How to Thrive in High Pressure Situations (Part I)

2. 12 Concentration Exercises from 1918

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{ 84 comments read them below or add one }

1 Mike Haydon September 7, 2011 at 11:23 pm

2 Alex H. September 7, 2011 at 11:31 pm

3 Leif September 7, 2011 at 11:33 pm

4 Sameer September 7, 2011 at 11:40 pm

5 Brian September 7, 2011 at 11:40 pm

I still meditate from time to time.

6 Seth September 7, 2011 at 11:50 pm

7 Edman September 8, 2011 at 12:28 am

8 Michael September 8, 2011 at 1:17 am

9 Eric September 8, 2011 at 1:39 am

10 swells September 8, 2011 at 2:06 am

11 FrankV September 8, 2011 at 2:14 am

My preferred way of meditating?

12 Mike September 8, 2011 at 2:15 am

Sadly, if you suffer from tinnitus, meditation is agony.

13 Nils September 8, 2011 at 2:46 am

14 Mato Tope September 8, 2011 at 3:36 am

15 Ant September 8, 2011 at 4:55 am

16 Andrew September 8, 2011 at 5:16 am

pampered, ignorant American life

17 Daren Redekopp September 8, 2011 at 5:57 am

18 Bob Hougher September 8, 2011 at 7:39 am

19 Danny September 8, 2011 at 9:12 am

20 Jarie Bolander September 8, 2011 at 9:24 am

21 JonathanL September 8, 2011 at 9:27 am

22 bobster September 8, 2011 at 9:33 am

23 Jason September 8, 2011 at 9:35 am

24 Tim B September 8, 2011 at 9:38 am

25 Jason Marshall September 8, 2011 at 9:45 am

Thanks for the positive comments guys!

26 Jonathan September 8, 2011 at 10:02 am

27 Ryan September 8, 2011 at 10:10 am

28 Thomas September 8, 2011 at 10:16 am

Thanks for the sharing all the different methods of meditation!

29 Blake September 8, 2011 at 10:30 am

30 Chris September 8, 2011 at 10:33 am

31 Inspired September 8, 2011 at 10:48 am

32 Ian September 8, 2011 at 11:02 am

33 Brandon Moore September 8, 2011 at 11:17 am

34 Matt J. King September 8, 2011 at 12:10 pm

35 Moses September 8, 2011 at 12:16 pm

36 Pete September 8, 2011 at 1:20 pm

37 Claude September 8, 2011 at 1:37 pm

38 Bryan S. September 8, 2011 at 1:57 pm

Instead, dont just do something, sit there!

39 Andrew from Canada September 8, 2011 at 2:02 pm

40 Jeff September 8, 2011 at 2:13 pm

41 Leland September 8, 2011 at 2:28 pm

42 Liam September 8, 2011 at 3:06 pm

http://wccm.org/content/what-meditation describes the process as follows:

meditate morning and evening for between 20-30 minutes