How to clear your thoughts and relax

LegacyUser

This is not anything like the most serious issue that has ever been here, but maybe some people would have insight on how to relax. More specifically, how to clear one's mind of everything and relax.

Posting on a message board is about as "relaxed" as I can get, but I'm always thinking. Talking to several people lately it seems that they all can completely clear their minds and relax. I have never done this, even going to bed I'd think about loads of stuff beforehand. I even tried to get hypnotised in the past couple of years (for a different issue) but was totally unable to relax enough for it to work.

Would anybody have any suggestions on how I can just clear my mind and relax completely in nothingness?

BraziliaNZ

Look up Eckhart Tolle, he's all about how to switch off the thinking

ultraman1

Run..

Zen65

Seánanmhí wrote: »

Would anybody have any suggestions on how I can just clear my mind and relax completely in nothingness?

The world is full of distractions which make it hard to empty our minds. Our society has evolved into one where information is constantly accessible, in many formats, to the extent that our minds are often just constantly hungry to receive more, even though in truth we have exceeded our ability to learn anything from the flood of data that now washes over us. Information has become a drug of sorts, and we are addicts.

What makes it hard to clear the mind and relax is that the echo of our data-filled day reverberates in our head long after the data has stopped arriving. There is no easy CONTROL-ALT-DELETE option to stop ourselves from thinking. The trick is simply to stop thinking about matters outside ourselves.

Sports practitioners have learned how to do it. My first advice therefore is to take up a sport which includes a lot of mental work such as a martial art (my personal bias) or golf, or archery, or similar. Team sports, and sports like swimming which consist of repetitive motions are not ideal as the body can perform these actions automatically and so the brain is free to "chatter" as you swim. No peace in that!

In the meantime try something like this: drown your thoughts in a single experience. I find I can do this by listening to an intensely emotional piece of music. It can be anything that appeals to you, but something like "Adagio in D Minor" can do it for me, or more contemporary music like "Requiem for a Dream", "Time to Say Goodbye" (Andrea Boccelli / Sarah Brightman), "Return to Innocence" (Enigma) etc etc. If possible find instrumental only versions so as not to be distracted by the meanings of the lyrics. Listen to the music through headphones so you cannot be distracted by other sounds around you. As you listen, try to focus on how the music interacts with your own breathing. Experience the rise and fall of your chest as you inhale and exhale. Imagine how that feeling of cleansing would be experienced by the rest of your body. Experience the feelings in your feet, your legs, your stomach, arms, hands etc. Heighten the experience by contracting the muscles in turn as you think of them, then relax and feel the rush of blood into the muscle.

The aim is not to completely clear the mind, but rather the fill the mind with experiences only from within your own body. Focus in particular on your breathing; hold each breath for a few seconds before releasing it. As each breath leaves you, feel the sensation of thoughts leaving your mind also. Focus on the use of your stomach muscles to control the breathing, so that rather than breathing only into the upper part of your lungs you draw the air as deeply into yourself as you can. Hold for three seconds, ... exhale. Pause for three seconds. Start again with inhalation.

A sports practitioner can focus on how the perfect golf/tennis swing, the perfect punch or kick, the perfect dance performance will feel. This enables them to visualise these movements clearly so that when they call upon their body to perform it they are more ready to do so. This also drives out external thoughts, producing the effect that you call "clearing the mind".

The mind does not fully clear, other than being in a coma (and the jury is out on whether or not it experiences thoughts even in that state). The state of "mushin" (clear mind) is obtained by removing all external thoughts so that only thoughts about your own existence remain.

I hope this helps.

Be at peace,

Z

kellsbells73

try the 4-7-11


ly down tv off close eyes hand on stomach
take a deep breath your stomach should rise not your chest
let this breathing in last for 7 seconds then slowly breath out stomach should flatten try and let this happen over 11 seconds and do this 4 times you will go into a relaxed state if you do it correctly .

pheasant tail

OP you said you want to clear your mind and relax in a complete nothingness,that sums up mindfulness which im currently going through,if your serious about it or it becomes worse id reccommend you buy a book on it,mindfulness for dummies would probably be best Just read up there,thats exactly what zen65 is talking about but keep it simple!!

Ave Sodalis

OP, just quickly to mention, if there are any mediation classes in your area, please avail of them.

Clearing the thoughts and relaxing is really the point in mediation despite it having religious connections. It does not have to be religious at all

Overheal

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tao_of_Pooh

“You'd be surprised how many people violate this simple principle every day of their lives and try to fit square pegs into round holes, ignoring the clear reality that Things Are As They Are.”


“The main problem with this great obsession for saving time is very simple: you can't save time. You can only spend it. But you can spend it wisely or foolishly.”

I'm lacking good access to the passage I actually read for my English classes but it's a wonderful read - even the few pages that I have done - and will change your attitude about like me, your need for constant stimulation and something to think about. There's a lot to be said for balance in life between stimulation and meditation. In fact most things I noted have an interesting polar opposite: one which is usually integral to appreciation it's counterpart. Silence and Cacophony. Food and Hunger. Yin and Yang - which is of course the symbol that one assocatiates with Taoism. It's an interesting philosophy but in short OP try heading outdoors somewhere comfortable and just sitting down and relaxing. Don't bring the phone or the iPod.

AnonMous

Hi Op,

I used to feel the same way that you described in your post.

I tried many different things, but the one that worked for me was meditation. Look up "relaxing guided meditation" on video and just listen to them and do what they say and it'll help in no time.

After I started doing that, I did a course on mindfulness, which is also a type of meditation. While I don't meditate every day, I am certainly more relaxed now than I have ever been.

girl2

Hello. Try the yogic pranayama breathing technique known as alternate nostril breathing. It is fairly simple when you get the hang of it and it definitely works. It is a great technique to settle the mind and soothe the nerves. Am using the phone here, otherwise I would type out the instructions. Hope it works for you. PM me if you need any other tips, I have quite a few I could share with you

LegacyUser

Thank you to everybody. You were all so helpful - you in particular Zen65. Coincidentally I got the Eckhart Tolle book a couple of months ago and got as far as the first ten pages. It was superb. Real life has interfered in full force since so I haven't got back to it.

I got one of those Boards Yoga Foundation course vouchers which I have to use before February so hopefully I will find out much more about the different types of yoga and meditating and which one will suit me as a result of it.

For the moment my principal New Year's Resolution is to cut down on internet discussion fora time and use all this time to develop a healthier more zen spirituality.

Athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh/ Happy New Year to all.