I would like to ask about the meditation?

[zigor]

I'm trying to learn to meditate on my own. I'm wondering about the visions and the beautiful light fields I see.. are they my thoughts (I must close off all thoughts,right?) or they are part of the meditation?

[oshea]

You are a beautiful spiritual being within a temporary physical shell..

Each of those two parts of us have their own awareness, our physical self having limited 3D senses, and our spiritual within us, the awareness of the wonderful world of Spirit, our REAL home, which you are apparently linking with..

In meditation, our primary task is simply quietening down or switching off our outer physical senses and awareness so that our own attention can then be directed to our spiritual knowingness and perception within, which is what you are doing..

If your experience is beautiful then it comes from Spirit, not thoughts from our 3D logical brain..!

Let go the *should*s* and *ought to*s* and just learn to BE and float in that inner space and enjoy where the experience takes you, as long as it is positive and loving, of course..

The spiritual world has many levels and it is we ourselves, our frame of mind, beliefs and desires, which governs the level we gravitate to, the more loving and positive we are at that particular moment, the more beautiful the level we will link with..

Obviously youre doing well!....Well done!ll..Enjoy!

[fiynn]

Some people believe that visions and lights come after you have become good at meditating.

But also a beginner at meditation has to try and get rid of the thoughts that are racing through the head.

Some people think meditation is b***ocks.

I don't know.

[gildas]

Some people believe that visions and lights come after you have become good at meditating.

But also a beginner at meditation has to try and get rid of the thoughts that are racing through the head.

Some people think meditation is b***ocks.

I don't know.

I do my best meditation with my favorite vibrator and a chicken.

Surprisingly I use the chicken where others would normally use the vibrator.

[jobe4]

Read books by Zen Master Seung Sahn. Good Luck! :)

[alroy]

Never close of your thoughts, but always return to them. If you use e.g. breaths as a support; every time you see the light fields, simply return to breath.

The light fields are not thoughts, but by recognising the light fields you are thinking. The moment you see a light field, you have had a thought and have moved away from your support.

Everything that occurs as you meditate are part of your meditation, but the practice is to continue returning to your support. If the only thing you do during the whole session is just returning to your support, then its OK. (This is the case with mindfullness meditation. things works slightly different with some ofrms of insight meditation, though it always starts with this technique)

[deke]

It's confusing to start on your own... but you should also be a bit careful in taking a teacher.
Just by your short question you seem confused but I wouldn't want to discourage you either.
Usually all meditation techniques start with the breath and center on the breath... no matter what comes by as a thought or otherwise.
The idea is not to close off all your thoughts and shut down your brain.
It has been said that we can watch our thoughts pass by like clouds in the sky until the sky clears... not to give them too much significance and also not to deny them totally... really like clouds passing by as we watch a clear blue sky that clears.
And then, yes, this is a "part" of the meditation because this is you engaging yourself in the meditation.

Try some good books:
Don't be offended... this is a good all-round book on meditation that will give you an overview of many different forms and schools of thought....
Meditation for Dummies
http://www.amazon.com/Meditation-Dummies-Book-Stephan-Bodian/dp/0471777749/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268906356&sr=8-1

Another good book that I've read...
How to Meditate: A Practical Guide (Paperback) by Kathleen McDonald
http://www.amazon.com/How-Meditate-Practical-Kathleen-McDonald/dp/0861713419/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268906462&sr=1-1

Best of meditating to you!

[burford]

Meditation is an art of relating our self into satisfaction, admiration and change of way of life.
Meditation also means the path to connecting reality of life in different dimensions for a change, correction of wrong doing or practice, body and mind relaxation. But the foremost answer here is knowing yourself and the expectancy of response from your own magnetic fields or what we called aura. Meditation is good for our body and stress minds to relax. Also, it helps to strengthen our spiritual life and an exercise or practices of a grown people.

[webb55]

The safest technique is the practise of Transcendental Meditation which is effortless and the student of meditation remains in a state of restful alertness and does not have any attachment to the thought process relinquishing all desire just being rather than doing and allowing the mind to transcend the relative level of the mind.

[birkhed66]

The safest technique is the practise of Transcendental Meditation which is effortless and the student of meditation remains in a state of restful alertness and does not have any attachment to the thought process relinquishing all desire just being rather than doing and allowing the mind to transcend the relative level of the mind.

Please, do *not* try to clear your mind or close off all thoughts. After all, who is doing the clearing? It is simply another part of the mind!

Meditation is all about simply being present to what is, without judgment or expectation. If you notice thoughts, good! You are noticing thoughts, and it is the *noticing* that is the awareness, the meditation.

If you notice feelings or physical sensations, good! Simply watch, without analyzing.

Again, if "you" are pushing thoughts away, who is doing it? It is just another part of the mind, and awareness is beyond the mind. Awareness is like a mirror -- it simply reflects what is in front of it, not trying to change or fix it. If a handsome man walks in front of a mirror, the mirror shows him. If a man with a scar on his face is there, the mirror reflects the scar.

This is how your meditation should be -- simply accept what is.

Different people experience different things when they meditate.  It sounds like you have been meditating, and you have seen "visions and light fields."

After fifteen years of meditating, I can tell you the mind will create all kinds of thoughts, images, and dreams to distract you from simply being present to what is.  I have seen all kinds of stuff, and thought all kinds of thoughts while meditating.  

What I have learned is all of it is not significant.  It is all the same:  it is all mind stuff.  And meditation is about coming into contact with that which is *beyond the mind.* 

So when you see visions, simply watch the visions, just like you would watch a thought or a feeling.  This too shall pass.

Over time, little gaps will arise between thoughts. In these silent moments, blissfulness will arise.