|
|
 |
|
| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
markern
Norway
171 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 21 2008 : 11:46:19 AM
|
This exact post has been posted by me at Taobums as well. I hope it is OK for me to post the exact thing here. If not I will write it a bit differently. If you deceide to let it be posted, please delete these two first sentences.
Are you doing anything to get other people involved in meditation or energy practices? As I have gained more and more benefits of practicing I have gotten very interested in getting others to start because I see how beneficial it would be to them. I do this when I see a good option for it in normal conversations and I do it by recommending meditation, yoga or Qi Gong to people in web forums when they ask for advice for problems such as anxiety, derpession, ADHD or insomnia. Now I am going to find some mental health forums to find more people to give this advice to. When I feel qualified in the future I plan to give free introductory courses in meditation to give people who would otherwise not have tried it a taste which might get them to continue. My plan is to offer it to doctors, psychologist and students in those diciplins because presumably getting one person like that to practice would lead them to recommend it to a lot of patients. Other ways I have thought of increasing the efficiency of spreading meditation is to offer it to large organisations/buisinesses because if they like the results for a few people that I give a free course to, they might implement a program of free meditation for all their employes. Several businesses has done this. It would also be efficient to offer it for free to scientists/researhcers within fields that might do relevant research such as psychology professors, brain researhers, quantum physicists and philosophers. Offering it as a free course at a health club might make them start offering it themselves if they get good feeback. Physiotherapists, personal trainers, journalists writing about health, school teachers (especially gym teachers), athletes, and anyone belonging to a group that has frequent access to the media will increase the spread. I see this as very worth while becasue no only do I see the benefit for myself in such practices but studies so clearly demonstrate the value for anypne who takes it up in terms of happiness, health and behaviour towards others. So my apeal to you guys is to do whatever you think might make more people practice these things in order to make the world better. Don`t just practice, spread the gospel |
|
|
newpov
USA
183 Posts |
Posted - Sep 23 2008 : 9:30:07 PM
|
markern,
It is wise to be somewhat experienced in cutting your own grass before urging others to cut theirs.
Perhaps reading the first two AYP books, Deep Meditation, then Spinal Breathing Pranayama, and doing these practices for a year while lurking in the Forums here, and getting active by posting your own concerns and questions, would give you some reasonable base of personal experience which would lend the claims you make to others more credible.
You need more personal time to really understand what might be the "benefits" of the spiritual undertaking that AYP promotes. Earthly benefits (for example, relaxation and energy) are less important than heavenly benefits. You need some glimpse of heaven before you can be of service and be qualified to promote AYP honestly. Motivation--just why you are getting involved--is everything! You could learn quite a bit by observing the postings here, coming to your own assessments and conclusions about what drives the many people who are active here.
Another thing you might do to prepare yourself is to read Yogani's novel, The Secrets of Wilder. It pulls together many things you might want to consider for your journey and the journey you would urge for others as well. The chart of practices on page 209 will prove helpful.
Please drop all mention of "free" this and "free" that. Talk about money is a distraction from the seasoning you require. Take time to learn what is important and truly worthwhile in your life. Money is never involved in what we do, nor will AYP make anyone rich.
newpov |
 |
|
|
markern
Norway
171 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2008 : 09:33:41 AM
|
I have been doing yoga for about 4 years and had my first experience of meditation 10 years ago. My meditation has not gotten consistent untill lately but my yoga has been for 4 years.
My basis for thinking it is a good thing to recomend meditation and energy practices to other people is much more the scientific research done on these practices rather than personal experience. My enthusiasm for it comes from seeing the benefit in myself but my basis for saying this is something that should be practiced by a lot more people is scientific research not my personal experience. THere has been done excellent research on mindfulness meditation by Jon Kabatt-Zinn that shows great benefit over a three year period. The people studied got into meditation purely as a last resort to manage health problems or because the program was offered freely at the company they worked for. Numerous other studies have showed excellent results over short and long term. At least one study had a five year perspective. If you combine that with the studies were the brains of short and realy long term meditaors have been scanned and showed exeptional gains in happiness, you are on solid ground when it comes to recommending such practices.
If I had a much longer and deeper experience with these things myself I would not be much more qualified to have opionions on what other people might experience and benefit because it would only be my own experience. The experience of other people on forums would give a better basis for forming an opinion about wether other people should get into meditation or not but it does not come close to basing such an opionion on numerous long and short term studies. Particulary since those studies often include people who weren`t realy interested in the beginning, just willing to give it a try. One could easily imagine such people having totaly differnt experinces compared to those that are naturalu drawn to look it up themselves. However, as evidence shows, it is great fo them as well.
|
|
|
|
markern
Norway
171 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2008 : 09:43:00 AM
|
Please drop all mention of "free" this and "free" that. Talk about money is a distraction from the seasoning you require. Take time to learn what is important and truly worthwhile in your life. Money is never involved in what we do, nor will AYP make anyone rich.
What is this supposed to mean? I write that I think it is a good idea to offer courses to people for free rather than the normal rate charged for a yoga or meditation class becuase it would make people that otherwise would not attend try it out. You telling me that I need to find out what is realy important in my life is extreemly provoking as I have only underlined that I think it is easier to spread such practices and hence happiness to more people if it is free of charge. It seems to me that you read my post with your own particular issues as lenses because what you write has no meaning with regards to what I wrote. |
|
|
|
1cleverPretense
USA
15 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2008 : 10:53:16 PM
|
hi mark,
I like your enthusiasm and desire to be of help to others.
That being said, I can tell you when one is not ready then what you consider to be of value will likely have none or very little to that person(s). I believe I can safely say this as my personal experience has verified it numerous times. I had to go through all sorts of dead-end avenues of self-gratification (and the accompanying painful disappointments) before I became even remotely ready to consider some deeper questions about myself and reality to bring me to where I am now - which is an absolute beginner at yoga/meditation (just about to order the AYP easy lessons book).
I say all this just to maybe balance out the zeal which you seem to have in helping others. Then again perhaps it is not my place and if that being the case I offer my sincere apology. To me the greatest "spreading of the gospel" has always and will always be done by our private lives than by formal teaching (standing in line at the grocery store, coming across a person whom I immediately dislike, etc.). How I proceed through the ordinary events of the day speaks volumes to both myself and others. I tend to believe when I have the hang of that then further opportunities to cooperate with the "divine song" will present themselves naturally.
Hope this helps some.
By the way, since you have so much more experience with this stuff than I maybe you can help me with some of my immediate concerns regarding meditation? If you have time, I would be grateful for it. Thanks..
Be Well
shervin |
Edited by - 1cleverPretense on Oct 05 2008 01:30:18 AM |
|
|
|
markern
Norway
171 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2008 : 4:54:20 PM
|
Hi 1cleverPretense! I appreciate your reply and see your perspective.
As I write I have done yoga regularly for 4 years and although I tried meditation for the first time 10 years ago It is only recently I have gotten a fairly steady practice. So from personal experience it is very limited what I can tell you about meditation. However, I have read a lot of books about meditation and energy practices and I have talked quite a lot with some very experienced practioners and have a former monk with experience in budhist tantra, Taoist alchemy and Vipassana, so with a basis in that I`d be happy to share my perspective. With regards to yoga I have more personal experience and I have recently done a teacher training. Email me and I`ll say what I can. But, this forum is full of far more experienced and qualified people so I would ask here as well if I was you.
|
|
|
|
1cleverPretense
USA
15 Posts |
Posted - Oct 07 2008 : 01:08:48 AM
|
hi mark,
Thanks for your reply. I appreciate your offer of help and will be writing you shortly to gain some perspective on my practice.
Many thanks..
Be Well
shervin |
|
|
|
enlightenmealready
USA
37 Posts |
Posted - Oct 10 2008 : 08:47:01 AM
|
Although I will admit that Markern may sound a little overzealous, his enthusiasm is not at all alien to me. I felt the same way when I stumbled on to AYP.
As usual, Yogani has a reasonable take on this topic. Check out page 81 of his new book "Eight Limbs of Yoga". As Yogani says, "Everyone is able to teach yoga from their own level of experience."
Keep in mind how simple the basics of deep meditation are. I see no reason why a near novice would not be able to pass that knowledge on. It may prove to be just the spark someone is looking for. If not, then Markern's suggestions will simply be ignored. No harm. No foul.
I also note that Markern starts out by saying "When I feel qualified in the future..." It appears to me that he is correctly tempering his enthusiasm. Let's not throw a wet blanket over it. |
Edited by - enlightenmealready on Oct 13 2008 09:45:42 AM |
|
|
|
markern
Norway
171 Posts |
Posted - Oct 10 2008 : 4:06:27 PM
|
I also note that Markern starts out by saying "When I feel qualified in the future..." It appears to me that he is correctly tempering his enthusiasm. Let's not through a wet blanket over it.
Glad you saw that reservation. I have no plans of teaching anyone meditation in formal courses before I feel realy qualified for it and that is many years down the road. I also almost exclusively recomend that people take up meditation or yoga by going to classes. I do not recomend that I teach people myself. However, I do teach some very simple Vipassana to friends who are interested because it is fairly straight forward to teach and safe. However, I always tell them that in time they will need a proper teacher. I explain very well about possible dangers like Kundalini syndrome, possible ways to avoid and correct such things. I also give them an outline of different meditation traditions and what I have read about them in books and on forums to give them a feel for the field. I also explain the dangers of pranyama, the disagreements about the dangers of pranayama etc. All in all the few people I have taught are sent a way with a much better preperation than I got at my extreemly expensive TM course or than I have ever gotten in a yoga class where meditation was included. I often think it is taught irresponsibly and without any explanation of what to realy expect.
|
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
| AYP Public Forum |
© Contributing Authors (opinions and advice belong to the respective authors) |
|
|
|
|
Spreading the gospel
