Archive Page 6
In my report about Days 12 through 18 of the Gamma Mind Enhancement Technology experiment, I mentioned I was beginning to notice that the Gamma technology seemed to increase the effectiveness or amplify the intensity of other practices, such as meditation or Qigong, which is why I decided to try a little experiment within the experiment. This is by no means a proper experiment adhering to formal research protocols, so I'm sure there are a dozen flaws in the test method, but I'll mention my results and observations anyway.
Regardless of which form of energy work I attempt, the Gamma technology seems to increase the effects. When I try the techniques without the Gamma technology, I get results. When I try the techniques with the technology, I get stronger results.
Regardless of which form of meditation I practice, the Gamma technology seems to make it smoother and more productive. When I meditate without the technology, I notice results. When I meditate with the technology, I notice better results and have a much easier time reaching a meditative state with minimal mind chatter.
But, here's the really interesting part:
After trying the same techniques with and without using the technology every day for one week, my results without the technology are also improving at an otherwise inexplicable rate. …Continue reading
When most people think about meditation, they think of sitting cross-legged on the floor and trying to empty all the thoughts from their mind. Or they think of Tibetan monks chanting mantras in temples far away. While it's true those are forms of meditation, they aren't the only ways to meditate.
Unfortunately, many people never realize meditation doesn't have to be quite so complicated. They give up because sitting in the lotus position is too uncomfortable or because they can't stop the constant stream of thoughts going through their mind or for any number of other very legitimate reasons. They miss out on all the rewards of meditation – better sleep, reduced stress, improved health, deeper self-awareness, and a whole host of other benefits.
That's why I've decided to begin a new series of articles devoted to everyday meditation. I'll offer simple techniques you can incorporate into your day with very little effort, along with suggestions for how to turn daily tasks into a form of meditation.
I'm going to begin with one of my favorites, a technique so easy little children do it all the time. I can almost guarantee you've done it at least once in your lifetime, and most of you probably have done it hundreds of times.
It's called coloring.
Yes, you read that correctly. Coloring. Before you laugh and dismiss the idea, stick around long enough to learn how coloring can be turned into a meditative activity.
You don't need to be an artist to make this technique work. In fact, you don't need any artistic skill whatsoever. …Continue reading
The topic of a "blind day" came up in a recent email exchange with Kenton Whitman (whose terrific web site I wholeheartedly recommend), and I decided to elaborate on that topic here because an occasional blind day is an excellent way to enhance your senses and your overall awareness.
We rely so extensively on our vision we don't even realize how many sounds and scents and textures we fail to notice. That abundance of sensory input becomes background noise. We unconsciously tune it out, and we do it so often we don't even know what we're missing. We forget how beautifully rich sounds can be, how delightful and intoxicating certain smells can be, until we're hit with a sound or scent intense enough to make it through all the filters into our conscious awareness and suddenly we remember.
A blind day can bring all your other senses into focus. It can awaken you to a whole world of sensations and impressions that have been right there under your nose (or ears, or hands…) all along.
How to have your own blind day:
The technique is very simple: spend a full day without sight.
You can blindfold yourself with a piece of dark cloth or buy a cheap set of swimming goggles and paint them black. I recommend using goggles or a Mindfold mask because either of those options will allow you to keep your eyes open. The Mindfold mask is a wonderful tool for this purpose because …Continue reading
Several years ago, I reached a point in my life when I began to doubt there was any purpose or validity to anything I was working on. Researching the mind's infinite potential, studying lucid dreaming, exploring the mind's apparent ability to heal the body — all of it started to seem futile.
This feeling wasn't new. It was nothing I hadn't experienced before, yet at the time it seemed overwhelming. It was driven by an internal conflict that needed to be resolved.
I'm part scientist, part mystic. I see the beauty in science and mysticism equally and believe they are simply two ways to explore the same world. One is objective, one is subjective, but both are valid approaches in their own right.
I don't fear the merging of science and mysticism the way many people do. Instead, I imagine the many discoveries and advancements that could come from a truly scientific exploration of mystic traditions. Studies in meditation, dreaming, biofeedback and visualization have turned up fascinating results and prompted as many intriguing questions as they've answered. Mysticism relies on an intense personal examination of the inner workings of the mind. Having those same inner workings explored from another direction through science is practical and, in a way, inspirational. I find it immensely exciting whenever these areas overlap. This is why I've always felt comfortable treading the gray area between the two.
But for reasons I didn't recognize back then, I suddenly felt lost, directionless, and anything but comfortable. …Continue reading
Ben over at Dreaming Life recently posted an article about how he got into lucid dreaming and called on other dream enthusiasts to describe how they got into lucid dreaming as well.
My first lucid dream, or at least the first lucid dream I can recall, occurred when I was young, around eleven or twelve years old. I was living in Massachusetts in an old two-story house with my bedroom on the second floor, and I remember dreaming of walking to my bedroom window, lifting the sash, and flying out into our backyard. There was no screen on the window to keep insects out or little children in, which should have been my first clue that I was dreaming, but I didn't recognize it for a dream right away.
I soared into the sky, circled our house, and swooped low toward the ground. As I sped through the air only a few feet above the grass, I knew if I didn't pull up soon I'd have to maneuver carefully to fly through the swingset in our yard without becoming tangled in the swings. The moment that thought surfaced, it was quickly followed by surprise. I'm flying!
Wait a minute…I'm FLYING???
It suddenly occurred to me that I must be dreaming, yet somehow I'd realized I was dreaming. This was fantastic! I was dreaming but I knew I was dreaming, which meant I could do anything I wanted to do! Woohoo!
The excitement was so overwhelming, I promptly woke up. …Continue reading
