[Lilac]

I think proper meditation and inner silence are the same thing.

The not-doing that is "staring objects" I taken to be just like meditating concentrating into an object.

What do words matter...

[ryan]

lilac,allow me to play devils advocate for a momment. if meditation and inner silence were the same wouldn't you find any serious student of buddism collapsing the world? Is the goal of stopping the internal dialogue just stopping your thoughts, or is there more to it? and, Is it possible to ingauge in not-doing without simultaneously being in a state of inner silence?

[Lilac]

Interesting case. Could it be that (the most) students of Buddism don't collapse the world because they don't do that kind of meditation that makes to loose the thoughs...? I mean that if they concentrate on pictures of Buddha, mandalas, mantras etc. then they don't have empty mind. They have the Buddha in their mind!

But if they meditate so that they loose their thoughts, do we know that they do not collapse the world? There are stories about monks flying in the air, making soaking wet clothes dry in the middle of frost and ice. And what stories there could be, that aren't told to us?

And what is zen? What are stories and activities their do just to quiet their minds...

Could there be inner silence without not-doing or not-doing without inner silence... I ques not.

...Anyway when I think about meditation, I don't always think about Buddists or Hindus. I only think about a person quieting his/hers mind. I don't know wether this idea of mine is a good one, maby "real meditation" is about having mantras, pictures of saints... But I hope not.

[ryan]

good point, maybe monks that meditate are focusing on the "mold of man" or something. i guess until i take real action and accrue enough inner silence it will just be a "tale of power" for me.

[firefox]

Maybe the monks can't collapse the world coz they don't intend to. They intend to merge with 'God', as far as I know. To get a revelation and other such things. That's a bit too far from intending your internal dialogue to truly stop and collapse the world.

[Warbaryan]

Would anyone else like to share some techniques that have helped them reach inner silence?

Strong usage of voice with the intent of inner silence.

[Warbaryan]

In what way do you feel the breath should be controlled? I've tried this on and off, but I don't feel that I have never got it quite right.

Attention is the key. Learn to be attentive, become aware of what is happening when you breathe. I don't think it's usually a good idea to deliberately force the breath. Use attention. And if you find some thread to follow and it feels useful, let the power guide.

[DrakeWan]

You didn't learn how to read and write at the same time you were learning the alphabet..

you had to focus on each seperately.. yet using techniques from each of them..



Just focus on breath until you get it where you want it.. everything else will follow behind..

[Nick]

"The one from Castaneda's books that has helped me the most is "listening to the sounds of the world". At times I focus in on just one sound that I randomly pick out and try to stay with it as long as possible, and keep coming back to it as I begin drifting back to thinking. At other times, I try to listen to everything at once in the same manner."

[QUOTE]

Listening to the sounds of the world is a good way to stop the internal dialogue. When your inner chatter returns, try listening to that in a detatched way as if it is independent of you, just like the other sounds around you. I think we give power to our inner talk by reacting to it, either in a positive or negative way.

[cada dia]

there is some exersice. hold your straightened arms in front of you. arms 90 degree angle to body (like mummy or zomby walking). Keep arms in this position 20 minutes.
this practice is a little bit sado mazo, but it allows you to hear inner dialogue very CLEAR and to reach inner silence.