I'm pleased to find more than tumbleweeds blowing by on my return to this topic.
HomePage, it is particularly relaxing. If you wish to remain awake, try sitting upright on a thin cushion rather than chair. It works wonders as your back isn't supported by anything external, meaning you need your core muscles active to maintain your posture - keeping you from drifting.
Anh, this is a huge part of mindfulness - the more you practice, the easier it becomes to remain attentive to the present moment and not become lost in thought. However, it's still damn hard. The mind wanders by default. With practice, you'll become more adept at identifying thoughts as?or soon after?they arise.
devank, close. It's certainly powerfully insightful (and beneficial) to witness the appearance of thoughts. However, if you look deep enough, you become more aware that there is no self ? just a sea of spontaneously arising and passing of thoughts, sounds, sensations, emotions ? no centre to it all. Neither consciousness, nor any component of it is "you". You don't even need to drop LSD to come to this conclusion ? just practice and time
Jamie, yes indeed, it does get easier with practice.
redwing, there are some similarities in the experiences some people have in float tanks and during mindfulness meditation. Including the arising of thought, and drifting "somewhere else".
8fold, I appreciate your input too. It's nice to hear of another whose been profoundly affected for the better by mindfulness meditation. I too have done the "retreat" thing. 10 days of silence and intensive practice in Blackheath. Without a doubt, the experience and its lasting impact?immeasurably positive, and insightful. Mind you, I'd have got a LOT less from it had I not been practicing the technique previously, and often, for some time.
p.s. Sam Harris is an unusual case. Mindfulness meditation is just one of the many, fundamentally important topics he touches on (with great skill).