Not necessarily transcendental meditators!! But does anyone meditate? I've dabbled, and keep trying to dabble, and as far as i can get, i do simple 'breathing meditation', sittin quietly, eyes shut, relax muscles, focus on breathing. it takes a while to 'stop thinking' but eventually can tap into a 'worry free state'. oddly, a few times when meditating in a group thing, i have found myself faltering and almost goin into a kinda depersonalisation, which is never a nice feeling.

If anyone replies to this, please don't reply with shit, only intelligent comments, and if they have to be witty, make suyre it's actually funny. i'd rather have no replies than some pile of crap

EDIT plus any simple techniques? nothing that's bogged down in mantras etc

I've been meditating in one form or another for twenty years now.  Over the years, the practice has become less technique-oriented (concentration exercises, relaxation and breathing techniques, chakra work) and more a slipping into an empty mindfulness by watching the breath,  and being present through listening and sensing.  But I do have a favorite "technique" called Tonglen, a Tibetan Buddhist compassion meditation.  You begin by relaxing into empty mindfulness.  Then you allow yourself to imagine someone you know who is suffering.  It could be someone close to you, or a homeless person you pass every day on the street, anyone. Let deep compassion for their suffering rise up in you, as any separation between you dissolves.  When inhaling, you visualize their suffering joining with yours, merging in a dark cloud.  You feel their burdens being lifted along with yours as it rises out of you into the clear light.  As you exhale, you visualize that light, joy, love and peace entering both of you.  Inhale, exhale, suffering out, peace in.

It's interesting you mention Cooped that "going into a kinda depersonalization" is never a nice feeling.  For me, it doesn't feel much better than meditating in a group, feeling your ego totally disappear and blending into a bigger whole.  You get a group of people raising their energies together at the same time and it can be a powerful thing.

1) Soaking -  One way  I tap in is through soaking music.  You can find free soaking music here.  www.soaking.net I like listening to the music only.  I just kind of lay on the bed and empty myself. 

2) Tongues - Another thing I do is speak in tongues.  I am not talking about the loud tongues you see at many churches.  There is a place for that but not during meditation.  It is during meditation that you draw deep within.  Soft tongues. 

3) Pslams - Another thing I do is read the bible.  Somewhere like Pslams.  I find a pslam I like.  One that is living or alive today.  How do I know that?  It kind of draws me in like a dance or romance or the words seem to jump off the page.  I began to read and I feel lifted up.  I keep reading and going higher and higher and it feels like flying.  I stop when I can no longer go any higher.  It is then that I began to speak these beautiful poetic words put there are not my own.  The words are in my language but the words are too beautiful to mine.  I then began to connect.  It is here where I don't know where God begins and I end.  We become in union.  It is  in this place that it is like intercourse.  But it is deep within.  You  begin to fly and you feel bigger on the inside.  Other ways you can get here are by chanting, silence (waiting until you feel the breeze come, this can take hours for some people)  and then just floating and riding the waves.

4) Senses - Another way is to tap into your inner senses.  The senses of the heart.  The senses that are deep within.  Here is a way to practice this notice the things you take for granted every day.  Notice your family and friends.  Notice the coffee cup you drink out of or your way to work.  Here is an example.  There is a lamp beside my computer.  I am looking at the lamp and I am seeing the beauty of it.  I have never noticed the lamp in this way before.  I feel kind of connected to the lamp now.  I mean it gives me light.  I am sorry lamp for taking you for granted.  ( I am not tripping on anything right now.  LOL)  I think you know what I mean.  Notice that homeless man on the street or the stars at night etc....

5) Do daily acts of kindness -  Do nice things for people throughout the day.  Say things that enourage and love people.  This somehow makes it easier to tap in when you are alone.  The love seems to build up within you and spills out of you in the secret place.  Take care on your journey.  :) 

I misread this as Any Mediators. 

Susan

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

Heh, I did the same.

As did I.  :-)

Shall we start an online service of transcendental mediators?

Susan

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

I have this book on addiction and it talks about meditating when an urge to use (whatever, food, nicotine, sex) comes on as a way to peacefully consider/overcome/reframe the underlying problems or a conflict.

- Concentration Meditation (focusing all attention on a detail of an object or candle flame)

- Mantra Meditation (focusing all attention on a word, phrase or sentence)

- Mindfulnes Meditation (observe your thoughts, slow them down, let them go)

- Loving-Kindness Meditation

(where you sit quietly, clear your thoughts, and direct compassionate statements to yourself, to someone close to you, to a neutral acquaintance, to a difficult person, and to the universe:

May I be at peace with myself/May I know joy with myselfMay I be relaxed and well/May I feel love for myself/May I feel peace and calmness within myself

OR

Tranquility in front of me/Calmness beside me/ Stillness around me/Compassion inside me

- Laughing Yoga (force yourself to physically laugh)

I can see all these techniques helping negative thoughts/the world fall away.