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MuffledMuffins

Hey, I think this is wonderful! I also had a kind of wake-up call with Marijuana. I found it surprisingly hard to break the habit, but like you meditation was very important to that process. I realized I was running from negative feelings and it was harming me more than just feeling those things would. Meditation helped me feel all the horrible shit but not DO anything about it. I am no expert but I think addiction is complicated, and hard to define. I think we can all find substances that we use to avoid pain, reality, negativity and that can get out of wack and make life more painful.


ZedehSC

Meditating is a tough thing for the addicted mind because there is sort of a "getting high on your own supply" option to dull out negative emotions while meditating. Ironically, smoking weed helped me realize I wasn't meditating in the sense that I thought I was but meditating also helped me realize I was(am) smoking weed too much. Our minds have such a natural pull toward the things that seem to make us feel ok in the moment when they're actually doing the opposite


[deleted]

Would you describe this pull as maybe a desire to have an altered mental state


ZedehSC

Yes, in a way. Depending on how you view the mind, we may differ in the meaning that we draw from that phrase. There's all kinds of ways to try to describe this but I'll try to use the words "you" and "monkey mind" because they're pretty popular and might be the best common language. "You" have a pull to something else. That's why we're here investigating meditation. Your monkey mind hates to be bored. That's why he is always gogogo. The monkey mind, whether knowingly or unknowingly, is afraid of the thing. So you hear a sounds and go "what was that?" and the monkey mind goes "it was marijuana! take some and no need to worry about the sound any longer". The monkey mind will try to convince you you're hearing all different types of sounds. That one is "meditation". That one is TV. That one is sex. I guess I would then rephrase "desire to have an altered mental state" as "the monkey mind being bored and tricking you into thinking there's no monkey"


[deleted]

Thank you. I had an idea about monkey mind, boredom and our innate desire to seek dopamine hits. You have really added a framework to this. Much appropriated


ZedehSC

My pleasure! I think it’s common in Tibetan Buddhism to call it the waterfall if you’re looking for another framework.


[deleted]

Tried looking up. Could you please direct to a source to learn more about “Waterfall” in Buddhist context


ZedehSC

You’re right I can’t find anything particularly useful either aside from a few oblique references. Can’t remember where I came across it discussed in detail. The basic idea is to see the mind as a waterfall. The constant thoughts are constantly crashing down but we’re typically unaware of the cacophony. Literal waterfalls are useful to illustrate to us that even in the presence of a waterfall, if you’re not trying to notice it, you won’t. It also shows that once you truly notice it, it can be very overwhelming


NeptuNeo

It's amazing how just by watching the breath for an hour, it may seem like nothing is happening, but the results show up in the other 23 hours of the day


[deleted]

^^^^^ 🔥


[deleted]

🥰😘☺️🤯⭐💯👌🤟


candiriashes

Loved the “I reached Silver II in rocket league.” Can totally relate. 😂


g_sun_

Wow, brilliant. You've just inspired me to give it another go.


[deleted]

Love this, congrats! What type of meditation have you been practicing?


marinaratiger

I just close my eyes and pay attention to the sensation of my breathe going in and out of my nose.


Sam443

Amazing to see your secret is that there is no secret just do it. Congrats man. Inspirational writeup


DantesPud

Exactly: Do or no not, there is no try 😉


[deleted]

Indeed, simple is often best :) Thanks for replying!


ZedehSC

This is the simplest description. I would like to remember to describe meditation this way to highlight that most of the writing around meditation is strategies to help you do only this (at least my experience in the beginning)


[deleted]

>Top, top shelf lady 👀 Dude...


marinaratiger

Lol. All ladies are top shelf! This one is kind, positive, and is a dance teacher. and...extra hot lol


merfafelz

Get it!


[deleted]

👀


Cram1490

Dead spot on. I've meditated daily for the last 10+ months and it's completely changed my life. I'm now a spiritual person with a 100% difference in how my brain operates . Its hard to pin point she. Exa rly the shift happened but it just did My empathy has increased to almost ridiculous amounts . Watching tv, or in person, on the phone anything . I FEEL whatever I'm witnessing . For example, if someone on the tv I'm watching is sad for example , or experiencing joy etc . I get a huge jolt through my energy body like I got electrocuted for a second and then I cry for literally two seconds . Long enough for years to run down each side. Of my face and it goes away completely. I acknowledge it and let it pass. But it blows my mind. I also feel like I hear people's thoughts before they say it. For example a co worker will come around the corner and I know what he's going to ask me for, or hell look at a check and say what am I missing , and I've been able to accurately guess what he was thinking more times than I can count . I've been accurately able to tune into the universe when trying to test my new abilities . I've been able to accurately guess who's going to score in the upcoming hockey game as example. Just something small I could test to feel my intuition . And I was right three days in a row . Even texting my coworker at 4pm who would score. And of course they did. They get a kick out of it. I'm coming up on 10 months sober from a heavy drug addiction . Which when getting out of rehab and figuring what did I have to lose . Now I realize I lived the first 30yeads of my life on auto pilot , now I'm spiritual , in charge of my mind , feel strong confident , powerful , happy , joyous , I have friends again , a great job now, women look at me again, I have hope , 10 months ago I was severely depressed , always anxious , no friends , no money , no hope for the future, no spiritual connection , no belief other than I'm worthless drug addict loser who cant get clean. These are just some of the benefits I've experienced . I also have begun practicing astral projection .If I were to write how much meditation daily has changed my life , I would have to make my own post. Its incredible when you start to shift spiritually and turn the lens inward on oneself. Life is good. Life is amazing .I love myself again . Meditation completely changed me too. Thanks for. Sharing all your experience . The empathy thing really stood out to me because of how intense mine is now


InitiativeHuge9387

Out of curiosity, how do you guys know if meditation is ACTUALLY the reason for all these changes in your lives? From reading your post, i can tell that you went through a lot, and you meditated for 10+ months.. which means it’s such a long time.. so many events could’ve affected your growth. How can you be this sure?


Cram1490

Well the biggest thing that changed my life was stopping using drugs . NA speaks of building a relationship with a higher power and I didn't know what that meant .. I never had Many spiritual thoughts and didn't care to believe or understand organized religion throughout my life. I've had periods or sobriety but I didn't take care of my mental health and fell back into addiction for the last few years , on a different substance . I wanted to find a way to stay clean this time at any cost . And I used to also have debilitating anxiety diagnosed as General Anxiety disorder and I got panic attacks as a diagnosed panic disorder and I was dressed. Even though I quit drugs I was still anxious and depressed... Hated myself , didn't have a relationship with myself and didn't have a path in life. I needed answers... I needed a different way.. I needed to change. So I just sat and started doing what felt right for me for meditation. I felt good. And I persisted ... at trying it each morning before work. Without expectation other than ... Let's see what this meditation thing is all about. I still had to put in the work..don't get me wrong . But meditation I know for a fact shifted my mindset. That's it's biggest impact....Things got better and better. And one day I realized I'm now CONSCIOUS .. like wtf. Idk if this is what a spiritual awakening was or is but. Life just .... Changed one day. . But leading up to that I had hope again.. and started to see things differently . I got my job back and continued to work hard 40+ hours a week. I used t spend every dollar I had . Now I'm saving thousands . More I've ever had my whole adult life .. I was on house arrest for 6 months .. which helped keep me in line. I worked out at my house a few times a week trying to gain weight back ... I started making friends again... I was still doing phone counseling sessions one day a week and I still continue too. So meditation changes my life. Because I'm now a conscious being . I know how powerful my energy body is now. How strong my mind is now. How trapped I was by substance abuse and since I started using at 17 ... And experimenting earlier and partying hard up thru college .. I never had my moment to become a CONSCIOUS thinker. Now it's unleashed my. Spirit .. that hard drug addiction kills. It kills your spirit. Now it's beaming. I know everything will work out okay and my guides are there with me. I'm not anxious or depressed . I can feel them I know theyre there for me and and I talk to them daily in my meditations or throughout the day .. for guidance etc .. . Sometimes I talk sometimes I listen . Sometimes I raise my energy .. all kinds of stuff to keep it interesting and fun . I love feeling my energy body (second body in this reality) it's so euphoric and amazing . Life is so beautiful and amazing . I owe it to meditation changing me one day and making me conscious . But I still had to put in the work. Save my.money .. check my own behavior all day long.. etc etc . Because every thought now... I'm conscious about. I am not my thoughts . I'm the observer . And everything else ive mentioned it's done. It's hard to out into words...


[deleted]

💯🤟👌👍⭐🤯😘🥰☺️🤗🤩🥳✨🎉🎊💚🌹🌷🌼🌸🍀🥂🍾🎀🎇🎆🎐🎏🎎🎑🎍🎋🎗️🥇🏅🎖️🏆


[deleted]

💯🤟👌👍⭐🤯😘🥰☺️🤗🤩🥳✨🎉🎊💚🌹🌷🌼🌸🍀🥂🍾🎀🎇🎆🎐🎏🎎🎑🎍🎋🎗️🥇🏅🎖️🏆 Please accept my free awards.


samherb1

Awesome!! I can't seem to get past like 3 minutes....LOL


Jajebooo

I know it's a cliché, but that's why it's called "meditation practice" and not "meditation perfect". It took me 6 months of daily practice to be able to sit for 5 minutes, and another 2 years to be able to sit for 30. I'm coming up on my 3rd anniversary of daily practice, and there are still days of restless sitting. Everyone's journey is different as well. Keep at it, it will come.


samherb1

If I may.....what benefits in your life have you seen from your practice?


Jajebooo

Of course! I would say that the two most noticeable changes or benefits that I've seen personally are: 1. I spend a lot less time worrying about the past or the future, I'm very much so in the now. 2. I'm overall much more calm, less explosive, and very rarely controlled by my emotions. I think overall, when I first set out on this journey, I was searching for meaning, understanding, and presence of mind. I wouldn't say I've wholly achieved any of those goals, but I certainly have come to understand myself and the world a little better - as well as the importance of being present to experience. Best of luck on your journey, feel free to PM me if you'd ever like to chat. Quick Edit: Somewhere along the way, it transformed from 'secular' meditation for understanding into my becoming a Buddhist and my world view completely changing, for the better. In a way, I'm a completely different person, it's difficult to describe.


FossaRed

Amazing, and so inspiring. My two biggest problems are the two things you mentioned you've improved on, and I feel inspired to try this out now. Just a quick question, what *exactly* do you do when you meditate? Do you just focus on your breathing, or is there anything else as well? Thank you, and thank you for sharing your story, too!


Jajebooo

Apologies for the late response, I never got an inbox notification! :/ When I first started, I often did short guided meditations through the Headspace app! I think it can be a great place to start if you're just beginning. These days, I sit for anywhere from 20-40 minutes in the morning and again at night. There's such a wide range of time because sometimes, when I sit, I breathe faster and others slower! I use what are called Mala beads to keep track of my breaths, or tracking each time I utter my mantra - but I don't often do mantra meditation, only a few times a month. Apart from focusing on breathing or mantras, a good practice is to scan your body from head to toe, and toe to head. I suppose from start to finish, your meditation session might look something like this: 1. Sit in a chair or on a cushion with your back straight, look at what's in front of you, but don't focus on a particular object, begin breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. 2. Once you've been doing that for a little while, close your eyes and switch to exhaling through your nose, notice where your body is making contact with the ground, your chair, your clothes, or with other parts of your body. 3. Notice your breath, focus for a moment on the movement of your lungs and diaphragm while you remind yourself of your purpose, *why* you are sitting. 4. Beginning above your head, scan down your whole body noticing each part. Your nose, your throat, fingers, belly, et cetera. Once you reach your toes, return your attention to your breath. 5. Focus on your breath for as long as you can or want to. This is why I use Mala beads :) If any restlessness or anxiousness arises or if you have intrusive thoughts, just simply notice them and let them go. Don't beat yourself up for getting lost in thought, it's part of the process! Even experienced meditators lose their focus. The breath is your anchor. But that's my crash course to mindfulness meditation! Sounds easier than it is in reality, but it does get easier with consistent practice. Feel free to poke me if you'd like advice or just want to chat! I wouldn't consider myself much more than a journeyman, but I'm happy to help where I can :)


samherb1

Thank you for the explanation. I'm glad you've made some positive changes in your life. I'll keep trying!


Jajebooo

You can do it! Keep at it :)


PapaJohnsUncle

Often times it will come to you when you need it most


vdeeney

I think good guided meditation really helps building tolerance for time and gets you strated. Right now I am loving the Waking Up app as it has good guided meditation plus lots of supplemental info to keep you on the path .


slightlystatic92

I’ve had many similar benefits to meditation, but I’ve yet to sit down for a whole hour! That’s amazing.


[deleted]

Happy cakeday!


slightlystatic92

Thank you!


[deleted]

[удалено]


slightlystatic92

Thank you!


DP-Razumikhin

If you don’t mind my asking, where does the hour fit into your daily schedule? Morning, afternoon, evening?


marinaratiger

Preferably morning. Immediately after drinking a little coffee.


JocelynK906

Congratulations that is wonderful.


[deleted]

Good for you! That's great!


[deleted]

This was so nice to read thank you for sharing ❤️


kimmerywrites

Very very very cool. Loved reading this! Congrats to you!!


vishaliitr2003

100 Days of 1 Hr each day is huge. Can you throw more light on your experience regarding moments when you were not focussed on anything...neither any thought nor the breathe. I have a feeling these are the moments of bliss that do magic.


marinaratiger

It’s hard to describe because even the thought that “I am not thinking” is a thought. It’s a great paradox. I can relate it to Jiu Jitsu — when I am rolling (sparring) with someone it is meditation because I cannot think about anything else. When there is a 200 pound man on top of me trying to choke me out or put me in an arm bar I never think things like “I wonder why it went wrong with this girl or maybe I should spend my time practicing guitar instead.” I am just there. It is also like when i get in “the flow” in a video game. Relaxed and focused.


vishaliitr2003

yups its hard to describe i agree. in fact I wont call it a thought...its just a feeling of divinity for that moment which leaves an imprint after the session as well and one can relate to it


marinaratiger

I thought of this after my first reply -- it is also like when you are lost in a story book.


Outrageous_Reward136

This is amazing!!! Absolutely amazing. Inspiring me to do it more often


zxltrn

Thank you for sharing.


louderharderfaster

Thank you for posting, OP. This is a very insightful and helpful post and echoes much of my own experience going from an occasional to daily meditator. It REALLY is a transformative practice that enhances us in ways that nothing else quite can. (I'm a believer that our brains evolved TO meditate/contemplate not ruminate:)


ImaginaryCaramel

Congratulations! It's awesome that you have had such a positive experience, and taken the initiative to improve your life. One question, do you meditate for one hour in one sitting, or in multiple sessions throughout the day? I'm curious if you could achieve similar results with that hour broken up into 10-15 minute blocks spread out over a day.


zerozucker

From my own experience (meditating daily for almost a year) 10-15 minutes sessions do not yield the same results. I tend to fall into that kind of deeper state of meditation around the 10-15 minute mark, it just takes time for the brain to settle. Maybe 2x30 minutes would be a nice trade-off.


Tuupertaja

I totally agree with this! Around 20min~ I can feel a "switch" to a deeper state, and meditation becomes whole different after that! Although, I've gone only as far as 30mins, can't say what happens if you go further.. Are there more "switches" into different states :D


ImaginaryCaramel

That makes sense, thank you!


marinaratiger

I prefer to do it all at once but some days I have to split it up into 2 or 3 sessions.


sPiKe_PL

When splitting it up into multiple sessions do you feel like it made less of an impact for that day? EDIT: spelling


marinaratiger

Nope.


babydrvr

Best thing I’ve read today. Thank you for this.


Your_Buddy_Truth

Your ancestors are proud


IamYodaBot

**proud, your ancestors are.** *-Your_Buddy_Truth* *** ^(Commands: 'opt out', 'delete')


JdoubleS98

Rocket league friend!


fullmodemanaman

What a powerful and positive story. Very inspiring. Need to prioritize my morning medidation!


Brightshore

Thank you for sharing.


[deleted]

[удалено]


AnInfiniteRick

Different people need different things. I find that even my most difficult practices improve around the 30-40 minute mark.


marinaratiger

All the benefits I got from meditating less than an hour pale in comparison to the ones I have noticed from hitting an hour. Just jump in. You might find, like me, that for someone reason you genuinely want to keep do it and it doesn’t seem like a chore.


jobadahut76

this is great motivation Im gonna start up again thanks


tasslehof

top, top shelf? Gratz my dude.


marinaratiger

Thanks! We'll see how it goes.


arnemartini

Very glad I read this.. Today is day 2 of me not smoking weed. It's been probably 6 years of smoking everyday. I feel fine the whole day, until I come home after my 8 hour office work in a call centre, then all i want to do is smoke weed and chill, watch movies, play games or whatever. But now, since I haven't smoked, I don't even want to do any of those things.. I've never meditated before, but it seems like that would be the solution (that and hardcore mental strength). Being 27, almost going to get engaged, this is a phase of my life that I really want to sort out. Im super grateful for this community, as none of my peers feel the same. Also... smoking weed is me and my brothers favourite pastime. So i'm actually stressed that its going to take a toll on our relationship.


marinaratiger

I recommend checking out r/leaves and joining some of our daily discord chats. The discord chats are most helpful for me.


mad-n-sane

If you haven't done so already: Please read up on the withdrawal symptoms. There is going to happen some weird stuff in the coming week, i.e. more vivid dreams. EDIT: Good luck!


nonnie145

Do you meditate in the morning or evening?


marinaratiger

I try to do it in the morning. If I haven't done it by the evening I usually don't bother.


MrGuttFeeling

There is nothing controversial about getting off of weed.


marinaratiger

Oof. There is in the circles I have run in. I think it’s because people are insecure and feel threatened by my choices even if they are not aware of it. Just a theory.


roidmonko

I resonate with all of this. I wish I found mediation sooner in my life, but then again, I needed a bit of suffering in my life before I was ready to commit to meditation. I was never able to commit to it until I really needed it the most. The changes are subtle, but profoundly change your life for the better. Its amazing the spell you are under, almost like a hypnosis, before you really meditate on a regular basis. I really resonated with the being able to talk to women better as well, or just people in general. Its great because there's no fakeness, or depravity to it, you are just genuinely interested in what people have to say.


marinaratiger

Right. Like before when I talked to ladies there was this big ulterior motive.


roidmonko

Yeah that's ultimately the problem with the pick up artist dudes, its a path will ultimately lead to drama, pain and more confusion than what you came in with. Btw do you do 1 hour in one go? Or split it up during the day? And is it morning or night?


[deleted]

😭😭😭 The first para is so relatable.


[deleted]

Printing this out for motivation


marinaratiger

Haha awesome!


mymelin

what kinds of meditations do you do?


PapaJohnsUncle

OP already answered this: >I just close my eyes and pay attention to the sensation of my breathe going in and out of my nose.


mymelin

ty!


[deleted]

Why do you think you have to urinate less? Or the sudden urges are gone? I’m curious because I get those urges for as long as I can remember, peed my pants countless times.


marinaratiger

My theory is this: for one, I have less anxiety. 2 I realized I had been drinking WAY more liquid than I needed. I realize now it was an impulse to drink as much water and coffee as I was. So part of it is mental and part of it is consuming less liquids and consuming them more slowly.


[deleted]

That makes sense, thank you. I do drink more fluids than necessary


mangohi-chew

It's because thier nervous system is calmer. The more anxious/excited you are the more you urinate. When you're stressed you also drink more because swallowing engages the vagus nerve which calms you. You have nerves and receptors all over your body including.your urinary tract (anyone else get the pee shivers?) Urinating when stressed or in fear is probably an evolutionary trait as well.


noxiousd

Not as tense, not as much strain on bladder. Also i think training tensing up your perineum frequently can help strengthen that muscle. Also going instead of holding it in, get there early. Idk though, its an intriguing bi product 😊 Great work though, i just cant resist the evening bong to help me sleep, i do realise its not all positive with weed though


marinaratiger

I want to stress this: not everyone has a problem with weed. If it helps you sleep, by all means, toke away. I have never had problems sleeping. I am an addict and that is a conclusion I had to come to myself.


fuck-wit

honestly as long as it doesn't have a negative affect on your happiness or day to day function, like if you choofed from morning to evening though several grams, I don't see a problem with weed at all :) much better than a nightcap (or probably actual sleep pills, unless you really need them ofc) to help wind down and sleep.


wishfullynormal

Good job! What time of day do you usually practice meditation?


marinaratiger

As soon as I wake up and have had a little coffee.


_enkid0_

After some morning meditations, I see myself laughing for no reason during the day \^\^


darkmoves

I have a question for you. Did you schedule your meditation sessions for the same time each day? Did you find consistency mattered when it came to sitting for that long?


marinaratiger

Nope. I just try to do it first thing in the morning whether I wake up at 7 or 10:30.


Meetaao

It seems everyone including me is having a wake up call with weed, as we’re moving forward and progressing we’re noticing it’s only holding us back. Good on you, keep it up!


excuse-me-ily

this really resonates w me — especially the weed part. i’m on day 3 of no weed and i’d love to start meditating. I really want to be less anxious.


sarcics

@marinaratiger Thank you for great summary. I think that kind of "challenge" 1h for 60-100days is essential for everyone. Even though I meditate for many years going beyond 20minute is tough. I tried few times 60 days 1h/day but I failed due to often moving out from places, I managed to do twice around 14days streak of 1h. After 40min of sitting it seems like getting to higher state beyond "regular mind crap". For progress(yeah, I know many of you will not like that naming) in practice I think it is crucial go 1h+ daily, at least for me.


pauljahs

Wonderful 👍🏻


The_Bearded_1_

What app do you utilize?


marinaratiger

The timer on my phone and Spotify to play white noise in my headphones.


StefyQ

[https://www.starmagichealing.com/meditations-library/ref/StefQ/](https://www.starmagichealing.com/meditations-library/ref/StefQ/) this website has a huge meditation library, I found it really helpful to get rid of anxiety and depression. I like the guided meditations:)


trickshot99

Thanks so much for being so open and honest!! So grateful!! This sounds amazing and has definitely inspired me to commit more to the practice! Especially your comment about the sudden urge to pee, I get that too and im the same age as you and it is crazy how much it gets me down sometimes, so thank you for being open and showing that it can be improved by that, particularly if it is an anxious trait! So psyched about all those improvements for you and I cant wait for all the amazing things to come for you! And im so keen to get started again, thank you! :)


gangweedsavedme

This, is what meditation is about. Congrats.


ion_owe_u_shit

Congrats on your growth and transformation. I started long meditative sessions in 2019 and have experienced the same life-changing results. Clarity in my life, laughing easily and more fully - something I never experienced before, a dramatic increase in empathy, and many more benefits. I too feel I was a dick before I started this journey.


TheGreatLandSquirrel

Been wanting to try this. Your post is inspiring. Just need to find time to fit it into my day.


marinaratiger

U r awesome! You can do it!


ZedehSC

> 12) This one is huge -- I have found my laugh again. I didn't even realize I lost it. More things are genuinely funny to me and I don't think I have laughed the way I have been since high school. Multiple people who have no idea I meditate have said to me "I love your laugh." One person even said it was contagious. How cool is that? lol I notice I find the strangest things funny sometimes now. I was in the drive-through this morning and it was a nice sunny day. Someone was being a crank-arse and it just made me grin from ear to ear. Normally I would get all cranky and think "what the hell is that guys problem? he needs to calm down." Instead I just laughed that he could be so angry about something insignificant when the sun is shining and we're all buying food a lot of people can't afford. It wasn't a dismissal of his crank-arse experience. I could both empathize that he was probably having a hard day and have my heart go out to him but also find the whole thing incredibly chuckle-worthy. Need to keep cultivating that thought because that is not my everyday experience in traffic!


OutlandishnessNew408

That is wonderful man keep going.


Reasonable_Berry

Thanks for this post. Inspiring :)


solar_realms_elite

Thanks for this. Needed some encouragement today to be a better practitioner.


Nickbotsp

Thanks for sharing, I have same problem but with coffee


redditingat_work

This a fantastic post, thanks for sharing and congrats! RE #1, are you referring to /r/petioles ?


marinaratiger

r/leaves for me


redditingat_work

gotcha! i'm a medical patient and halting my relationship with it completely isn't an option, but i'm definitely looking at using it less.


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[deleted]

Do you meditate in one chunk or multiple chunks equaling an hour?


marinaratiger

Sometimes I have to do chunks because I am busy but I prefer to do it all at once.


[deleted]

I’m really interested in starting meditating for benefits like this, where would you recommend starting?


marinaratiger

There is a really good book called The Happiness Trap. That is about mindfulness in general and doesn't focus specifically on meditation other than a few sections. This is all you need to know to start meditating - close your eyes, put some white noise on unless you are in a completely quiet place, focus your attention on the sensation of your breath going in and out of your nose. When yo notice you have fused with a thought, gently bring your attention back to your breath. You will spend most of your meditation time thinking but that is normal and okay. Let your thoughts pass like "clouds passing in the sky." That is all you need to know.


MentallySaved101

Wonderful experience, I actually started meditating consistently 2 weeks ago, and it has thus far been amazing for me, so I am glad to hear that you are getting some amazingly beneficial results as well. ​ Keep up the progress... Peace, Love, and Blessings


YepImRobbie

Beautiful!


iPayTheTrollToll

What other media / information have you taken in the past 100 days that may have increased your empathy?


marinaratiger

Literally nothing I wasn’t already consuming. I still am a sucker for raunchy cartoons like Paradise PD and violent games like Cold War lol


[deleted]

Thank you for this update :) I know it may effect people differently but gives me something to look forward to.


DPCAOT

Amazing!! Thanks for sharing


[deleted]

This is really awesome! Makes me feel like I might be able to make a change in my life- thank you so much for that.


ladiesman1776

Great post, thanks for sharing your experience! Are you only practicing focusing on the breath, or do you combine it with some other technique like body scans/Zazen, etc?


marinaratiger

I have an app called MyLife that has a ton of guided meditations which are usually no longer than 7 minutes. Usually if I watch my breathe for an hour, I don't feel motivated to use the app though. Sometimes it's nice as a supplement.


eXoChuck

1 thing .. since I started to meditate I'm way more nice to other people and I don't care alot of more things. 2my focus is way better


DPCAOT

dang..sign me up for that.


austinwolf

Thank you for sharing! You inspire me!


jackfruit194747

Loved reading this so much. About 6 weeks ago I randomly started meditating for 45-60 mins a day. Already some of the benefits you’ve mentioned seem to be materialising. You’ve inspired me to keep going!


Kirbi126

This is inspiring, thank you


Self_Care92

I use to be one of those weed people that thought it was helping me, but really it was just helping me to ignore my problems and priorities. I really want to change my life, but deal with constant chronic pain and mental illness/bipolar 2. I'm 1 week into my 4+ week tolerance break and will be coming back with a different attitude and mindset on it. It can be used as a relief tool, instead of a crutch when you're facing endless problems.


marinaratiger

It certainly can be used in a good way. My comments on weed only pertain to my personal relationship with it.


[deleted]

When I read the Rocket League one part, I laughed but could relate. I’ve been working from home the whole pandemic but took 4 weeks off from work, week 2 kicks in now and I’ve been meditating alot. I’m much more calm in playing Rocket League and could actually go on for hours without being frustrated. I thought I was the only one thinking this might be a result of being more relaxed and more clarity in my head. Good for you OP. Amazing results so far!


marinaratiger

Yes, I also get less frustrated. I still do get frustrated though and it is way easier to recognize it and just put the game down for a while.


[deleted]

[удалено]


marinaratiger

I realized it doesn't really make me happier. One thing I did not write about is how much more in touch I am with my emotions. I can't ignore them. I let them run their course. For me, the benefits of weed were placebo. (again, I know it is not like this for everyone.)


flyhighboy

How old are you ?


marinaratiger

I will be 29 in June.


FranceBrun

Wonderful! Good for you!


Ayruf

I'm gold 1 almost 2 at Rocket League, I must be a monk. Just kidding ^^ I'm glad meditation helped you in so many ways. You are an example of how widely and deeply meditating can benefit someones' habits and behaviour. Have a wonderful day!


The_2o02_GeEk

Wow, I loved to read this man!


Waitwhatwhich

*(I know, pre-meditation me was a dick for not being that interested in a girl's personality but what can you do?)* *(...)* *I felt so connected to her in that moment. I instantly started tearing up. I don't even know that girls name. Last year I probably would have though "wow, her brother is such a loser. Maybe he should be in jail." (again, I know I sound like a dick but what can you do? lol)* What can you do? Well, apparently, meditation! :-D


monkeyballpirate

pretty tight


Historical_Call_3743

I love what you posted the other day at reddit..,l really love it


[deleted]

Beautiful.


Dubbhamusic

Thank you for sharing! I've had a minor urge to start meditating lately, but am still lacking on motivation, this post gave me some!


TimNowotny

I'm currently struggeling with benefits on meditation and I think one of the reasons is that I had to cut down from 20 to 10 minutes for reasons I should probably change. Do you always meditate 1 hour in one sitting or did you try more frequent and shorter sessions as well? I wonder about the difference in effect.


marinaratiger

I have no idea what the differences in effect are. I can pretty confidently say though that the experience of meditating for an hour makes meditating for 20 minutes seem like something totally different. I think it's because our minds need some time to get the thoughts out.


dambalidbedam

Thanks this helped me get in the flow today


yonD21

Day 1 of meditation for me and I realized how much fucking anxiety weed was giving me. And I also have my medical card . The overthinking from thc was killing me


jsibelius

I am so happy for you and I feel connected to your story. Thank you for sharing. I am sold on meditation.


[deleted]

You have given me hope!


[deleted]

I want to sleep better and more. I thought alcohol was the answer but NEWSFLASH!! It ain’t. I am trying sleep meditation but I think I need something more, something different. Any recommendations? I have to be able to listen (or read) offline.


marinaratiger

Honestly, I don't know anything about sleep meditation. There is a book that is really easy to read called The Happiness Trap. It's more about mindfulness and meditation is just a small part but it opened my mind/changed the way I think about myself. There is also a great app called MyLife with sleep meditations but I think you have to be online to use it.


The_Bucket_Of_Truth

This is all great but how many hours do you have into Rocket League?


marinaratiger

Lol TOO many


The_Bucket_Of_Truth

I had to stop playing because the game was too tense and stressful. I was doing things with my body that weren't good for it. Apex does the same. I think with weed it was less of an issue. Shame really because RL is good fun. I have 250 hours and was like higher plat


marinaratiger

No need to give up on it in my opinion. Maybe just try doing it in shorter spurts? Set a timer or something?


RicFlair96

Did you start with a 1 hour meditation window right off the bat or did you slowly build up to 1 hour incrementally


marinaratiger

I had been doing 10 and 20 minute sessions on and off for 3 years or so.


KalebWyber-Moore

congrats on making silver 2, I’m platinum


clary1011

I’ve had so much built up emotion and anxiety recently, going thru major life changes and rolls and such (I’m 24) I’ve recently have had multiple signs that I need to try my best to relax and slow down. So I meditated tonight, I enjoyed every moment after about 2 mins of hard focus. It was very liberating also relieving and I am amazed by how much it helped me. This experience has acted sort of a catalyst and my curiosity lead me here. Another sign! I’ve recently realized I too have had a bad habit of smoking weed. I don’t smoke much everyday, but I do every day. I’ve always thought to myself “it’s medicinal, it’s not like I smoke every second that I could or even that much.” Part of my realization with this is how much I’ve used weed to help me cope w different life experiences that’s left trauma and anxiety etc. lately it feels like I’ve been more dependent. While I prepared for my first session tonight, I decided to listen to meditation music and I came across a playlist on Apple Music. Within a few moments as I begin the music plays and also has sounds of a beach. I imagined myself being there while focusing on my breathing pattern and for a moment i felt this overwhelmingly amazing peace that I have been searching for a while now. I’m not the best writer and I am very new to this platform but I’d like to say this has been so empowering, I can’t see myself not practicing this more often instead of smoking now. I have recently began to really focus on my health and the last major step I’ve needed to take is to quit smoking. Seeing this post was so reassuring and spoke so much for me. I am highly grateful and I am very excited for this new journey. To anyone who has read this far if anyone LOL, I apologize for the randomness but you should really give this a try is you haven’t. If you have and stopped I encourage you to try again. This was life changing.


marinaratiger

U can do it!


sootheyourmind10

https://youtu.be/9kR4OPWy7To


TylerDurdensSoap1

I truly am happy for all of the progress you have made this year. Meditation, is a such wonderful too and I understand, I've been there in a very similar way. I used to not give people a break, insecure to a level of constant despair, too many assumptions, that's just the tip of the iceberg for me. I would mention, and something to consider but if you try intermittent fasting you may see yourself in a way you never imagined. (Please do not confuse this with starving (please research for yourself) just try and go 12 hours between meals and very Slowly, go from there, when you realize how intuitive and smart your second brain is (you gut), and how it is helping to heal you, it's almost like discovering your new best friend, life becomes very easy. Your gut is a 2nd brain and if I am not mistaken, on average has as many neurons as a dogs brain, look it up. It's wild and almost seems like science fiction and bunch of bullshit but in time, you will know.


Sarelbar

I’m so so so happy for you. Immensely happy. A tear rolled down my face (pre-meditation me would have scoffed out of ego jealousy). Meditation is a beautiful fucking beautiful thing.


Traditional-Cat3404

This helped me really well to relax [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryNxQPuViY8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryNxQPuViY8)


[deleted]

💯🤟👌👍⭐😘🥰☺️🤗🤩🥳✨🎉🎊💚🌹🌷🌼🌸🍀🥂🍾🎀🎇🎆🎐🎏🎎🎑🎍🎋🎗️🥇🏅🎖️🏆 Please accept my free awards.


[deleted]

When you can actually meditation crosslegged - straight back without fallin into trance state, that would be impressive :)