So do any of you guys meditate? I have to admit, a couple of years ago, I thought the idea of meditation was new-age bullshit, but I have really found it to be helpful. I've been doing meditations whenever I can in the morning for the past 8 or so months.

I used to be a very angry person. It wasn't until I began working on myself, including meditation, have I really calmed down and began to just let things slide. After doing my meditations, which takes about 10-15 minutes, I feel so relaxed and care-free. In fact, I was having mild panic attacks about 6 months ago and I couldn't do any meditations because they made me feel so relaxed, I thought I was going to pass out (for those who don't know about panic attacks, they make you think you're dying and you interpret any different sensation other than feeling scared and wired as abnormal so your body is like YOU'RE DYING DUDE!). SIDENOTE: Thanks to feern helping me deal with my panic attacks. He was right about it all being in my head from my terrible experience with weed one night.

Many people have the perception, including myself, that meditating is like sitting in a room filled with candles and humming like a monk. While some people may do that, it's completely unnecessary IMO. I simply wake up, take a hot shower, turn on my fan, lay down in my bed and begin to just notice my breath. It brings me into the present moment (as Eckhart Tolle and others harp on all the time). If you scan your body like an MRI feeling the energy in your fingertips, breath deep and try to picture the color that your energy would be, it really puts in you a fucking calm state. I feel like I've just smoked a small joints of decent weed.

Also, if ever I'm feeling anxious throughout the day, I can just begin to notice the air deep in my belly and I'm fine after that.

Anyone else meditate or simply do some sort of calming exercise, other than drugs of course?

Yes. I usually do it before bed because it helps me sleep later. Sometimes when I wake up, depending on what time it is, if the boyfriend's around, etc.

My ex used to do that shit. If it works for you, awesome. Personally I think I'm just too high strung of a person for it to work.

I've heard of people taking tripping drugs and meditating with their eyes closed until the drugs take effect. Apparently, when you open your eyes it's pretty shocking.

I can't completely clear head.

The closest I've gotten was when I tried it looking out of a big window.I was looking at a tree and just focus on the green. But I can't completely take out thoughts inside my head. My mind is always ticking.

It takes a lot of practice to get out of your head. Until you just stop fighting your thoughts and become the observer of your thoughts (separate yourself from your thoughts), they'll go away. There's all kinds of tricks to get rid of your stressful, pointless thoughts. I'm still trying to be in the present moment all the time. Some people, including Eckhart Tolle, say they're always in the present. I'm sure you can re-train your mind to be completely ridden of pointless thoughts. It just takes a long ass time to break a habit you've been doing since you gained consciousness of your world as a child.

I'm an abstract thinker, I guess, in that I rarely think in or with words. And a lot of the time I don't have any kind of conscious thought. If that's what meditation is...meh.

Meditation is all about putting you in a relaxed state...at least for me. One of the "side-effects" is that you get rid of some of your meaningless thoughts and become more present with your reality which can help you in all areas of life (work,study,listening,social interactions,ect.). Also, I don't only think with words...who the hell does? I'm constantly daydreaming about pointless stuff. I'm bad about it. Meditation helps eliminate that.

I'm not saying most people think only in words, but I almost never do. Most people think that's weird, even if you don't. I don't think it's a bad or a good thing.

Anyway, I dunno. You make meditation sound kinda lame.

agreed. it's not that awkward if you really do it though

I'm confused. Where did I imply I have some sort of inner-dialog and who are the people who think you're weird because you don't think in words? About the only time I think in words is if I'm remembering a previous conversation I had or something. If I need to get a job done, I'll picture me needing to get the job done in my head and I'll feel a nagging sensation my consciousness gives me. If anything, you're like most other people.

Are you really serious about meditation being "lame"? Meditation isn't some drug you stick in a bong or snort off a toilet seat. It's just a way to get you more relaxed and focused.

Picturing needing the job done? That sounds even more cumbersome than words.

And yeah, before I had always thought meditation was just another word for coke, so I'm glad this got cleared up.