# Zen



## loner1 (Mar 17, 2006)

Okay, so I started reading about Buddhism online, and now I am learning how to meditate. The basic technique is to become a passive observer of your own thoughts. You don't believe or disbelieve what you're thinking, you just say "Oh, that thought was about how work sucks", and you wait for the next thought.

It's also about slowing down the whole thinking process. Instead of getting caught up in racing thoughts about how I'll never be normal or have friends, I have about half the amount of thoughts I used to, and they're mostly about how I can improve this or that. I still have the negative ones, but they just don't have the impact they used to.

This is a lot like CBT! I think it's helping me a lot. I'm not interacting with anyone any better than I was, I just don't care as much about how other people treat me, or what they think about me.

Read for yourself: http://www.zenguide.com

Click on "Principles" and read about "The Eightfold Path".


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## Gerard (Feb 3, 2004)

That's so wonderful. Good for you. I also read stuff about Buddhism. I like it a lot. It feels like a humanistic type of religion. All the world religions are but Buddhism seems to be more humanistic. Anyway I meditate too. It helps a lot. I hope it helps you too. I think it is. So again, good for you.


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## Tantalus (Oct 20, 2006)

Being non religious myself I love to talk about effects of beliefs and religions. It is an answer and surefire way to help some people. Buddhism is very a more "realistic" religion from an overview.

Also martial arts are quite useful. Not in particular the fighting but the training and spiritual side of things like Kung Fu and Tai Chi are amazing.


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## R4ph4el (Sep 20, 2005)

unsure said:


> Anyway I meditate too. It helps a lot. I hope it helps you too. I think it is. So again, good for you.


You should become a rapper.


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## vincentgallo4president (May 13, 2006)

I too, have found this helpful recently. When a thought comes in my head, I no longer immerse myself into it and get caught up in it, I recognize that it is just a thought and that it will pass, when I do that, it passes.

I've also found it helpful to, like you said - change the negative questions I have of myself to a more positive one. Example:

Instead of - Why am I such a loser? Why can't I find a good job?

I replace it with - How can I find a better job? How can I boost my self-esteem.

I've really uncovered an amazing secret of the mind. When you ask yourself something, your mind will answer it and reinforce it.


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