What is meditation?

[SleepGOTweird]

I know this has probably been answered a thousand times, and for that I am sorry. But since I have had my first lucid dream, I have been very interested in the prospects of the "astral" world.

I have found that people who have gotten good at lucid dreaming and OBEing, tend to talk about meditating, and meditating on certain things.

My mom claims to meditate, and I ask her what it is. She says, it's you being in solitude, being one with your inner self.

Unfortunately, this doesn't mean anything to me.

When I think of meditation, very ignorantly, I picture people just "being in silence and relaxing, then claiming that they saw weird ♥♥♥♥ or something that was divine." I know that sounds offensive and I realize that.

I believe that ignorance is the step before enlightenment, and I hope you guys can help me understand what meditation is. What is it that you do, and the steps you take to understand this. I ask this in hopes that it may inspire me to meditate as well.

I thank anyone who helps me with this new problem.

[Tom]

Meditation is a very big category.

If you say what you want to get from it, I can give you a direction to pursue.

[SleepGOTweird]

I want to see what I cannot see in this world. Someone said that they could talk to a spirit guide and get answers for numerous question that you cannot obtain here, or to that effect.

[SleepGOTweird]

I want to escape from this world I suppose, would be another add on to my previous answer.

[anotherone]

I'm really not much good at meditating, but here's a thought. You say you don't know what it is? Well, that's pretty much your answer right there. That is, based on that fact alone, you can rule out all the mental processes you DO know about. And there are a lot of those, so hey-- substantial instant progress! So when you go to sit down and try it, use process of elimination and basically just reject anything you have a word for. Are you imagining? Are you concentrating? Whatever it is, if you recognize it, then that must not be it. Use your ignorance!-- that's my motto.

[SleepGOTweird]

Yeah, I think I will. At least until I get more answers in my thread.

Also...do you really look like that? It's cute.

[anotherone]

Also...do you really look like that? It's cute.

... What?

[Psychotronic]

Meditation is an activity to trying to thinking abstractly about something. With meditation you can recognise yourself very well and you have overview and an understanding of phenomenons and situations. In meditation is very useful changing states of consciousness. It is working with my mind and trying, what my mind can provide me

[CFTraveler]

I know this has probably been answered a thousand times, and for that I am sorry. But since I have had my first lucid dream, I have been very interested in the prospects of the "astral" world.

I have found that people who have gotten good at lucid dreaming and OBEing, tend to talk about meditating, and meditating on certain things.

My mom claims to meditate, and I ask her what it is. She says, it's you being in solitude, being one with your inner self.

Unfortunately, this doesn't mean anything to me.

Ok.

When I think of meditation, very ignorantly, I picture people just "being in silence and relaxing, then claiming that they saw weird ♥♥♥♥ or something that was divine." I know that sounds offensive and I realize that.

Both descriptions are the same. Being in solitude/with your inner self is just meditating until you can achieve quiet. This may be meaningless to you but for people who are stressed and overwhelmed with stuff, being quiet is good for their heads. Option #2 is staying aware after achieving quietness, going on to a trance state and witnessing stuff that you get when you fall asleep. It's as simple as that or as complicated as you can make it.

I believe that ignorance is the step before enlightenment, and I hope you guys can help me understand what meditation is. What is it that you do, and the steps you take to understand this. I ask this in hopes that it may inspire me to meditate as well.
I thank anyone who helps me with this new problem.

I hope this helps a little.
Meditation is about 'disconnecting from the outward', and step 2 is 'connecting with the inward'. Some people just meditate to the first step, others to the second step.
For more info look up hypnagogia or hypnagogics in the AD Pedia. There are other things in the trance sections (in the OBE early sections) as well.

[SleepGOTweird]

Yes! Step two is what I want. I want to know of something more then this world. To cement me in this new life of possibilities not advertised in this world. Away from the physical.