Watcha got? My meditation has yielded some interesting experiences recently. Anyone got some to share? Flow states? Accessing your inner vision to analyze those financials with effortless perfection, yielding deep insights?
Isn’t the first rule of meditation club not to talk about your meditation?
No, that’s the first rule of Fight Club.
And Turd, wtf is wrong with you?
mods deleting posts again SMH
im just being the best turd I can be. What’s with you lately, not getting any stank on the hang-lo?
As someone who has been a runner consistently for 27 years, it has not passed my notice that much of my best thinking happen while letting my mind wander as I long the miles. It goes further than that though. I have noticed constant motion that is both physical and visual (flying on a plane where the motion is not visual does not do it) puts me it a similarly optimal mental capacity. Long road trips in the car are a very similar mental experience to long runs. Turns out the brain waves dominant during long runs are the same at those during meditation (theta waves).
I would describe the mind state I experience during running or a long car trip as kind of like that mental place you get in just before drifting to sleep where this is a lot of reflection and connecting the dots between ideas. It is like my brain is sorting recent inputs, but taking pause to examine interesting connections. It is like being both asleep and awake. The mental activity take no effort and just naturally shifts into focus. This kind of state is conducive to creative thinking and problem solving which is exactly what I am left with as I get back from the run or travel destination. I enjoy it very much.
I have never mediated, but it is highly recommended by my peers in trading. How is it similar or different from what I have described?
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Meditation helps destroy the conception of the self, such as the notion that you are thinking thoughts. And it is probably a more ‘pure’ way to strengthen the mind. There are other things that are similarly helpful, but they often rely on other stimuli to achieve them (hard stretches in yoga, distance in running). It’s tougher to do it without those stimuli and i’ve found much more effective as a result
i’ve had similar but somewhat different experiences during long endurance training. like the pain forces you to step outside yourself (and lose the self pity) in order to continue. I’ve had experiences on long rucks where I sit perched about 10 feet above and behind myself to witness me running. i’d describe that as completely letting go of ones self (completely muting your ego). Once that happens, i’ve often gotten the same sensation as when meditating – a deep visceral connection to everything and feeling like every cell in my body is electrified, like tapping into a deep, unending well of energy. Have you ever burst into joyful tears and laughter while running?
meditating takes a different route to get to basically the same place. that’s more a deep concentration inward. when i focus intently on the area between my heart and spine, i start to feel and see a warm energy/light build there. the more i focus on it and dig into it, the more intense it becomes. once my focus is completely engrossed in it, i let it expand to everything. during this process, insights just appear. like – there is no “you”. "you’ are everything and everything is nothing at the same time, which is to say there are no separate entities in the universe. Sound ridiculous, but try this and see where it leads you. Concentrate really hard on where “you” exist. What is “you”? What are “you” made of? Concentrate long and hard enough on this and you will eventually come to the conclusion that there is no such identifiable thing as “you”.
Ok so if there is no “you” then what is there? I’ll keep digging and report back.
^^
Holy crap! That is way more intense than the kind of experience that I was talking about or what I would expect out of meditation. Seems like there are two schools of purpose when it coemes to meditation. One is just utilitarian. It is practice that strengthens the ability to concentrate and get the most out of mental processes in whatever your practice is. (Perhaps setting aside the ego is part of that…important in trading which may be part of the utility for those participants) I think what you are experiencing is the spiritual side of it. Did you expect to have that kind of experience or did it surprise you?
I crafted the perfect AF joke on a certain issue. I think it was a career high, but the mods deleted it.
I like to drop acid before hopping on bbg and getting weird
I think it’s a matter of where you decide to take it and how deep you choose to go once you learn how to quiet your mind. In any case I hesitate to assign anything spiritual to it. It is what it is and there’s not much value in categorizing it. What’s indisputable is that it allows you to let go of attachments that do not serve you in real life - preconceptions about other people, fears, anxiety, cognitive biases, etc. that allows you to live an authentic life and to connect authentically with other people with your true self. This is valuable in every life endeavor including whatever work you choose for a career. As a result the universe places innumerable opportunities at your feet. This is an indisputable fact.
Wow, didn’t expect TF to go all New Age and Californian. It’s a trip. Cool stuff, dude!
i agree with most of this and training in the gym etc helps life clarity
the highs after long workout or triathlon etc are indescribable
the funny thing is, it’s been around forever. I do see the west incorporating it more (who knows, it probably comes in waves). I’m sure easterners think we’re bastardizing their wisdom but on net I think anything westerners do to acknowledge its validity is a positive overall.
I used to walk around the park an hour before i went to bed to collect my thoughts. During this time i’d engage in deep thought - some of which could be painful because it provided me the venue to actually think about my life (i.e career) in the grand scheme of things. Good stuff TF, you are on another level.
I’m aroused reading this thread.
why painful? Reminds of a great Unbeatable Mind exercise I do on occasion to deal with negative past emotions - shame, guilt, anger. Visualize standing in front of your past self (in as great a detail as possible and in a well thought out ‘safe space’) and simply say “I forgive you” visualize complete acceptance of your past self. Incredibly powerful, and really helps with self-acceptance. You’ll be amazed how eliminating negative emotions about the past will help you in the present.
Turd, did you adopt all of these practices from the Unbeatable Mind? I’m looking for a good, practical resource.