My Take on Meditation - non-mystic

[KirSa_EnigmA]

Good morning forum, 

Over the years I've become increasingly disheartened with the amount of 'woo' surrounding models and tools of the mind.  Having struggled for many years with my own concerns, I tend to experiment on myself and weed out what's useful from the mess of information out there.  Sometimes to my own detriment.  But, it does yield some fruit.  So, I'd like to share my recent 'take' on the essence of meditation.  

Disclaimer: Of course, do what works for you, but I believe almost every model I've seen can be summed up in the outline below. And if it's outside of this scope, then it's most likely mystical and - well, each to their own, and if you need that, then all good, not here to change your mind, but personally, I think we can do better. 

Here it is: 

Meditation Types:

Type 1 - Narrow Focus Training:

Train your attention on a single point, whether it's your breath, a dot on the wall, or a mental image. Bring your focus back when distractions occur. 

Type 2 - Broad Focus Training:

Focus on the present moment, encompassing all perceptions you currently experience. Be aware of your body and mind in relation to the surrounding environment. (AKA: Situational Awareness, body scanning, mindfulness, etc)

Type 3 - Transition Training:

Focus on one thing to the exclusion of all else (Type 1), and then broaden your attention to become situationally aware of all things in your current environment (Type 2). Move between the two modes intentionally to develop control. Move focus intentionally between points, and increase/decrease scope of attention.

Type 4 - Problem Solving & Creative Thinking:

Apply focus (Type 1) to delve into specific details about a challenge you're currently experiencing. Pull back to assess the broader context (Type 2). Oscillate (Type 3) between specific details and their particular contexts to discover insights & potential solutions.

Correlations to Thinking Styles

• Type 1 could be described as vertical thinking: specific and focused. Allowing exhaustive & complete analysis of one subject area or field. Detailed, Logical, & Systematic.
• Type 2 could be described as horizontal thinking: broad and expansive.  Allowing exploration and integration of other Type 1 details. Creative, Flowing, & Expressive.
• Type 3 could be described as diagonal thinking: vectors crossing multiple fields, platforms, styles, or disciplines.
• Type 4 could be described as building knowledge outwards in valencies, combining information from multiple areas while maintaining focus on one specific concern.
• With practise and skill it's possible to hold multiple points of attention at once while also considering broader contexts for further exploration.

Key: 

Type 1 - Red

Type 2 - Blue

Type 3 - Green

Type 4 - Multiple instances of the image to discover patterns/correlations/common demonimators,etc.

Hope someone finds this useful. 

~ K

[tyme]

Very interesting @KirSa_EnigmA ,

Do you have any links to research or anything about the above? That is, how each 'type' correlates to a thinking style?

Sounds quite interesting.

[KirSa_EnigmA]

No links to research to link to I'm afraid. I've come to this model mostly on my own. There are a few influences. But I'm not at home right now so can't quote them accurately. I'll take a look tomorrow.

Generally though, the types are skills we all have to some degree and can develop.

But the thinking styles are more a description of our tendency to have more skills or experience in some areas than others.

Type one might prefer 9-5 work in one focused field. Eg accountant or electrician.

Type two would not enjoy singular focus or structure and prefer drawing from multiple sources. Eg, artist or entrepreneur.

Someone who could combine both might be both focused and versatile... Making them able to excel in many fields.

And someone who can apply these skills on the fly to address a problem might be a negotiator or trouble shooter. (just examples)

The idea is that the more proficient in information integration and finding unique correlations or connections, the more power you can have in any given situation.

/shrug. Just an idea. Makes sense to me though 😁

[Appleblossom]

Loved your analysis @KirSa_EnigmA 

I have done various meditation styles over the decades.

Also have sciencey and creative sides. I do not think of them as either/or.

Mindfulness may have evolved to deal with the wooish aspect, which is sometimes leans into magic secrecy and hubristic attitudes... tho Mindfulness is not the be all end all ...

Welcome to the forum

Apple

[KirSa_EnigmA]

Thanks Apple,

I may need to review the wording of my work since I did not intend to create an either/or alternative between reason and creativity. More to demonstrate the synergy between them.

Glad you liked my ideas.

Thanks for the welcome 🙂

[Messylife]

@KirSa_EnigmA 

Wow. I have a lot to learn about meditation. 

I tried to slow my mind and set a click for 3 mins to do type 1 and type 2 meditation styles you mentioned. I struggled to stay focussed. Obviously I need practice. 

Type 3 - intentional attention is beyond me for now. I will try again later. I wonder if there is a recommended time to undertake this meditation style. 

Type 4 - creative thinking problem solving appears to be ultimate accomplishment of meditation. That is...to concentrate on an issue and find solutions. This is my biggest challenge as I have so much going on and so many tasks. My thoughts are scattered. 

How do I eat an elephant? One bite at a time. 

I just did 6 mins of brain exercise and it was really hard but really good. Thanks for that. Glad I stumbled on your post today. I can't state how much I need it. 

Now I'm going to do 3 mins of Type 5 meditation (from a retreat I did years ago) I will call it free thinking. Let my mind free to think about whatever and be conscious of what appears in my thoughts. I wonder if I was to count the topics how many I will find in 3 minutes. 

Cheers

[tyme]

Very interesting @Messylife . I'm glad you did your 6 mins of meditation. I find it so hard too, but very rewarding once I do it. 

All the best with it!

[KirSa_EnigmA]

@Messylife Hey this is awesome!  

I'm so glad you found some help and usefulness with my breakdown of meditation as I understand it.  

I appreciate you sharing your progress.  I love the 'free thinking' style too.  I tend to do a lot of this in the shower!  😄 

~ K

[Harmonium]

Wow. I find this useful and enlightening. Thank you for sharing. Don’t know if I’ll ever be the same after reading that…in a good way. It reminds me a bit of parenting young kids - single focus, broad focus, multitasking. Parenting makes me feel present and stops a lot of my mind wafting. I do yoga, so I’m typically holding the thought of how to stretch further or keep alignment and not topple over usually. lol. But I find it incredibly zen and oft enter a phase where I can go for hours. I like the body/mind connections that comes from active meditation like this. Sitting still is impossible for me - I get tired. I wonder what your thoughts are on combining movement and brain training? Would it be optimal to try to be still while doing it? Because that would be a challenge for me… I will read this post over and over likely. It really got me thinking. Thank you for the tips.

[Appleblossom]

Love how this thread has evolved @KirSa_EnigmA 

kudos to you 

Your post was great 

I was just discussing 

@Messylife @tyme @Harmonium