I mean samatha/vipassana or whatever.
I encounter things relevant to atheism sometimes when I meditate.
What do you mean “encounter”? Also, what kind of “things”?
When I meditate I sometimes perceive strange stuff. That’s the encountering.
I have encountered what might be called “spirits” and a “creator”. So that’s relevant.
Think of it as a telescope or a microscope. It delivers a new way of seeing. Among other things.
Think of it as your idle mind wandering and making stuff up for its own amusement.
I’ll keep my own council, thanks anyway.
What’s your meditation technique?
Well, you offered advice, I returned the favour. I do progressive muscle relaxation.
Interesting. How effective is it compared to, say, a massage, hot-tub or vicodin?
I’ve never taken vicodin, I only know it exists from English-language media and the internet. PMR does entirely different things than a massage or a hot bath. It’s a very active process to achieve a different body feel and more awareness of your body while also calming your mind. I don’t really feel qualified to explain what it does because I still need loads of practice and I only got what the point is after I had practical training.
Have you gotten results?
Nope. That’d be the next religious nonsense.
As an atheist, I love to meditate. Meditating is not something religious. It’s just spending time feeling your own body and relaxing
For clarity, are you saying that you think meditation is nonsense? If so, why or what about it do you think it’s nonsense?
The part that this particular form of meditation isconnected to Buddhist religious and spiritual practices.
There are perfectly secular or non-spiritual forms of meditation. This is not that.
[…] this particular form of meditation connected to Buddhist religious and spiritual practices […]
[…] perfectly secular or non-spiritual forms of meditation […]
Could you cite some information on both of those to help me understand exactly what you’re referring to?
I apologize, but I’m not the best to explain it, particularly to the specifics of Buddhist meditation. But really, mediation is a catchall for any sort of mental discipline or conditioning. Like practicing mindfulness or simply maintaining a state of calmness, right?
What OP asked specifically about is samatha and vipassana, which are forms of meditation from buddhist teachings. They’re inherently buddhist. Samatha is itself not particularly offensive; it’s basically a technique for mindfulness and focus. But vipassana? it’s the pursuit of enlightnement through meditation and gaining insight into ‘reality’.
I’m not particularly surprised by the OP reporting the encounters with “spirits”. Deep meditation places you into an altered mental not entirely unlike that of psilocybin. Except meditation is lighter, doesn’t last as long, and one has more control of where one’s experiences go while on the trip.
I have no reason to believe the OP’s encounters with spirits was anything other than their brain falling into an altered state and doing what it could to oblige their beliefs and expectations. not like I can very well interact with their spirits in any meaningfully or tangible way.
I apologize, but I’m not the best to explain it
For clarity, I wasn’t really looking for an explanation of what they are — I was simply unsure exactly what you were referring to.
Do you ever pay attention? Do you ever concentrate?
