I must say this sounds as if addressed to me. I can get in a really bad mood from all that various noise I hear in the big city I live in. I sleep and meditate with ear-protection.
But I, too, know what a difference it can make when I can manage it to "bypass" the noise. With the method you mentioned that the noise is for a good reason, or that "I don't need to pay attention to it" "that is not my business now" etc. .

Sometimes I'm good in that, sometimes I'm not.

Spooky

Ralph you're right with the topic's title. To not be bothered by something anymore makes a lot of difference, and it can bleed over to all areas of life; well I guess that's just the (one) aim of meditation, don't feel bothered but light, don't bothering others but being a light to them.

Vajra, it has a lot to do with the "Correction" thread.

The known OBE expert Robert Bruce wrote, as far as I remember, he had reached a state where a bunch of children could be very cheerfully play around him and he won't be bothered in his meditation, and that this ability would be very beneficial, if not obligate, for the ability to go OBE at will. (But of course that's not a primary aim of meditation per se)

Spooky

I am also one of those people who is bothered by noise, especially really aggressive, thumping music (as played by my neighbours) which shakes one's very bones & disturbs the heart beat & the chakras - for me, the best "remedy' has been the Choiceless Awareness of J Krishnamurti, to listen attentively but "choicelessly" rather than blocking it out. . . . . .but I must admit to sometimes drenching the noise source in white light, which very often leads to its soon calming down!

Lately I have been using some Hemi Sync stuff that keeps outside noise from being much of a problem, but my girlfriend sometimes is playing guitar in the other room and I can incorporate that usually. The only noise that has consistently gotten me off track is the garbage collection on Monday mornings. I will try your technique Ralph technique for that too and see if I can make that work. The hammock sounds like a pretty peaceful place to be. I live in an artsy condo but too close to the city to really get peaceful surroundings outside. Though I do like a little bird chatter every now and then, but the traffic in the curve by my place can be rather tedious.

I was going for a pro camera this summer, but with a lot of stress at work lately I've changed my mind. Instead going for a bicycle, tent, and some clothes, food and equipment to fit into a backpack. Ordinary 3D life can be like standing next to a slot machine, with fast pacing lights and noise to lure you into a frantic pace, which causes the brainwaves to follow, and the thoughts aren't always as clear as they could be.

Now I'm looking forward to the sound of the ocean, a crackling fireplace, and perhaps the pricking of rain on the outer tent. Other times I've been out and about in nature, "things" just seem to fall into place. Making me calm, relaxed and energized. Just looking into a small fire for a while I think is awesome and like a sort of a meditation.

Ralph Buskey wrote on May 13^th, 2009 at 1:42am:


  Nice thread Ralph.  Yes, i'm inclined as well to believe that meditation is pretty important. 

   When i first started meditating, i meditated in a way that was very based on Eastern influenced beliefs and practices.   I tried to be empty, to experience the void.  I got pretty decent at usually shutting down quite a bit of the intellect chatter.  I get the sense that i have had many other selves in my Disk that have spent quite a lot of time in meditation during their physical lives because it came fairly easy for me. 

  But it wasn't until i started incorporating affirmations, positive suggestions, and prayer in with meditation that i started to see more positive changes and growth within self.

  I happen to believe the ideal condition is when Yin (receptive, still, listening meditation) and Yang (prayer, affirmation, positive suggestion, etc) are perfectly balanced. 

  It's similar to the idea of the "Hemi-Sync state" wherein the Right brain and Left brain work completely in unison.

  It's similar to what Bruce talks about when he talks about the Observer/Perceiver and the Interpreter and the importance of integrating, using both, and balancing the two.. 

  It is no surprise to me that the west tends to over emphasize the more Yang part (prayer), and the east tends to over emphasize the Yin part (empty mind), for both are imbalanced inherently.  Perhaps the Earth's very forces have some influence on this somewhat different developement and relative imbalance?

  In any case, nature abhors a vacuum.   Emptying the mind, in and of itself, will not help much in facilitating growth.   Besides that, we can become to sensitive to outer energies within such a state if we not consciously focusing on positivity, love, and asking to attune to more helpful, loving, and aware sources.  I ask to attune only to the most helpful, loving, and aware sources before i go deep in meditation. 

I feel that's pretty important.  Conversely, just praying, using affirmations, and giving positive self suggestions won't tend to be as helpful without the stillness and listening part.  It seems balance is key in this, and in a universal sense perhaps..?