I am so new to all of this.  Thanks eveyone for all of your help so far. 

I am having real trouble going into a meditative state.  I keep reading about using the hemi-sync audios.  But, I do not know which one.  Or if there is anything that you follow that seems to work and you feel confortable sharing I would appreciate it.


EileenY

Hi Eileen..I find it helps me meditate if I try to figure out why I want to meditate..if theres an objective i can define for myself. do u already know why you want to meditate?

the reason I bring this up, is I used to "try" to meditate and if I wanted something, for instance, peace of mind, a centered feeling, whatever it was...meditation itself as an objective for that didn't work too well.

it u don't know what the objective is, then Mr. S comment is the best approach of all, just observing your thoughts and gently detaching from them..a great disapline.

sometimes just reading produces an altered state for me if I'm resonating with the author and their subject matter.

Actually one of the most interesting descriptions of a meditative state came from The Betty Book by White. The invisibles told Betty to recall a moment when something caused her to pause...a beautiful sunset..an unexpected gift or kindness...a bay's smile...and that moment when she paused and took in the moment and didn't think was a form of meditation. And they suggested recreating the feeling of that moment as a starting point for meditation work.

So perhaps you've already done a bit of meditation and just didn't know it.

Laffin

Now, i too meditate almost always w a purpose in mind.  But, i started w the plain vanilla meditation which i described above.  I think that it is a good way to start.  It's like learning the basics, a preparation for other things to follow.

MS

I have several TMI CDs for meditation.  They are helpful.  The first time I put one on, I entered sensory deprivation and a state of diffuse vibration, and was sure I would have an out of body experience.  Other times, I have felt nothing with them.  I have one of their CDs called Transcendence, and the four CD Journeys out of body set.  At some point I'm going to do the Gateway series.

TMI has other CDs called "conentration" and the like, meant to be played in the background while working - haven't tried that yet. 

I'm not sure that hemisync sounds are universal; some may get to different levels of consciousness differently than others. 

Recently, I've contacted a state of awareness that I find hard to label, it is a state of no mind that blends into everything.  While meditating like that, I have begun to state goals and purposes with perfect intent and certitude.  Personal issues as well as general ones.  To my surprise, things have changed in my life as if someone changed "the script" accordingly.

This is the magic that the Shamans and mystics of old knew about, and didn't share much.  This is an area we all can access - but few of us do.  We can banish fear, create our reality and be a part of everything.


Matthew

That's all well and good but the damn things are so expensive!

would like to mention certain music helps a meditative state..one such piece which I listen to sooths out my emotional wrinkles so I can write or read better..it's called:
Variations On Pachelbel's Canon
Lifescapes - Classical. I'm sure theres many fine pieces out there, this is just one of the first classical pieces a chicken farmer like me can get into. lol.

theres this old saying that god helps those who help themselves..along came Ernest Holmes and he changed it to say "treat, and move your feet." along came my favorite alien Monroe and DP twists his words to mix it with his religion soup and he says "be thou the eternal probe, and plunder not too badly the earth.."

I like this tag I read once while hanging in the dentist office, I found a treasure..it said:
sort of makes us embrace our humanity I thought.

I agree Blink that being in nature brings on the best meditative state for me. Just wish I still lived in the forest.

Love, Mairlyn