Hi RichardS;
I can really only tell you my experience with Meditation. First off reading books and taking courses will not open the door for you. For many years (like over 15) I tried everything I could to find what it took to unlock that secret.
Finally at the ripe old age of 38 I found my Teacher who was an Aikido Sensei. He had been a student of the Founder of Aikido and also of a well known Zen Monk. I spent 5 years with him. He had me do Ki Breathing everyday for at least an hour, sometimes up to 4 hours.
He taught me silly little things like "just relax", living calmness, mind and body unified, making one, do nothing. Some days he made Darth Vader look like a rank beginner and others Quan Yin could use him as a Model of Compassion.
Doing meditation with him was very intense in those days. It was some pretty great training. Alot of it was feeling based and really difficult to explain to someone who had not experienced it.
An example is cutting with bokken (good sword), just drop the sword from over your head (while holding it) and then try to stop it at waist level without bouncing the tip. Without calming your mind you will never do it. This opens
up a way to develope calmness that you can use in meditation. Once you get this feeling you can then use Binaurel Beats from Beta to Delta (or Gamma)
practicing calmness and will deepen your experience. You can practice it in everyday life.
A calm mind is your greatest asset.
My Teacher is 90 years old now and unable to do meditation as he once did.
I do miss those times with him. He is still a great friend and teacher to me.
The last two years I have attended the Spring Forest Qigong Retreat because of the deep level and quality of meditation I experienced with Master Lin.
You could pick any subject to learn meditation, Tea Ceremony, Tai Chi, Aikido, Zen, Qigong, Yoga, etc. But it is the qualtiy of the Teacher that makes it all work the right way and that you as a student get the most benefit from.
Hope that helps
Jeff
