Philosophical Meditation

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  • Опубликовано: 14 окт 2024
  • At the School of Life, we’ve pioneered a new form of Meditation we call Philosophical Meditation, designed to help with anxiety, sadness and a lack of direction.
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    FURTHER READING
    “Even though our minds ostensibly belong to us, we don’t always control or know what is in them. There are always some ideas, bang in the middle of consciousness, that are thoroughly and immediately clear to us: for example, that we love our children. Or that we have to be out of the house by 7.40am. Or, that we are keen to have something salty to eat right now. These thoughts feel obvious without burdening us with uncertainty or any requirement that we reflect harder on them…”
    You can read more on this and other topics here: goo.gl/tYRYqK
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    CREDITS
    Produced in collaboration with:
    Reflective films/Steve Whittle
    www.reflectivef... #TheSchoolOfLife

Комментарии • 734

  • @o_deabanana4355
    @o_deabanana4355 7 лет назад +262

    these mini docs are low key changing my life.. problem is I love them so much that I binge watch like 7 in one sitting and I don't allow myself enough time to sit and digest properly the lovely advice and content they provide :^(

    • @theschooloflifetv
      @theschooloflifetv  7 лет назад +83

      Thanks very much - and take them slowly...

    • @jenna8515
      @jenna8515 7 лет назад +11

      I try to do one a day during my study breaks as a treat :)))) love them

    • @o_deabanana4355
      @o_deabanana4355 7 лет назад +5

      great idea! I love them too! Hope they keep churning them out, though I imagine it's quite a bit of work

    • @o_deabanana4355
      @o_deabanana4355 7 лет назад +5

      Absolutely. I also sometimes re-watch a day or 2 later if I feel I haven't held on to enough information

    • @simpleforthesimple
      @simpleforthesimple 7 лет назад +2

      We are sharing daily vlogs of spiritual inspiration and adventures, check us out if you want more advice and content to digest!! :)

  • @TheBurg229
    @TheBurg229 8 лет назад +480

    I have to walk several miles to and from work. I use that time to sort out these questions which helps me from going crazy. Though sometimes I do it out loud and I'm sure people think I'm legitimately crazy.

    • @varganhell5438
      @varganhell5438 8 лет назад +11

      You are not alone, I do exactly the same)

    • @TG47GRG
      @TG47GRG 8 лет назад +6

      Capt Char dude i talk to myself before a big presentation or an exam and it helps so much! definately you are not alone. appreciate it!!

    • @sleep3417
      @sleep3417 8 лет назад +4

      Capt Char when i'm not in a hurry i think about a lot of things. including some of these questions and alot of random, pointless but fulfilling things.
      i do talk to myself, but only when i'm alone, otherwise i just mumble.

    • @matthewsamuel1029
      @matthewsamuel1029 8 лет назад +15

      Capt Char, I go for my morning nature walks almost everyday! its my top priority :) and you are not crazy, it will actually keep from going crazy lol I sleep well, I have no stress, not as anxious anymore, and hey I am not fat anymore lol Walk 20 miles a week. So I am with you on this brother, and think aloud!! or sometimes use music.

    • @TheVic331
      @TheVic331 8 лет назад +9

      Hey man, its been proven in many ways that walk (or any type of activity) helps us too!
      Socrates used to take walks during which he talked with others/was giving lectures, he believed that walking while talking helps to clear out the mind. I would say that connecting philosophical meditation and walk is the best option. Dont care about what people might think.
      Brb, I need to find a synonym to a word "walk".

  • @Joe-bn9fz
    @Joe-bn9fz 8 лет назад +83

    To read the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius is another great way for self meditation.

    • @Wingedmagician
      @Wingedmagician 8 лет назад +24

      Or create your own "Meditations" book. His book was meant for him, yours will be custom made. You could start though by adding the prompts you see in this video.

    • @أنوحمزهإسماعيلالحاج
      @أنوحمزهإسماعيلالحاج 4 года назад +3

      I usually listen to Qur'an recitation and it gives me lasting peace

    • @Joe-bn9fz
      @Joe-bn9fz 4 года назад +4

      As a Christian, I listen to the Bible. So I understand you. God bless you, brother. Alhamdulillah إسميل واشيره

    • @أنوحمزهإسماعيلالحاج
      @أنوحمزهإسماعيلالحاج 4 года назад +5

      @@Joe-bn9fz God's peace and blessings be upon you too brother

  • @dena180
    @dena180 7 лет назад +19

    I always have unconsciously done this. But this last year, with the help of psychedelics and getting to altered states of consciousness with meditation, i changed drastically. I lost 60 lbs and i got better at school, i started working out, i clean my room regularly now, and i cook all my meals myself. But sadly, the extra time I always spared for rethinking everything in life, wasn't always there. And i lost a big portion of my enthusiasm and happiness. Though i still know for a fact that i am not the same person i used to be, i also believe i'm much better than the old me could ever hope to be. So if some philosophical meditation is what's missing, then i'd gladly make up room for it in my daily schedule.
    Dear everyone, you are strong and smart and unstoppable. Dont waste your life, take control now. Next year, you'll be happy you did this now.

    • @Hayatiiiiiiiiiii
      @Hayatiiiiiiiiiii 3 года назад +1

      so psychedelics could really help? did u take it on your own?

  • @atypical_moto
    @atypical_moto 8 лет назад +122

    I try to dissolve stressful thoughts by remembering how insignificant it is. I ask, "will this kill me?" and so far the answer has always been "No". Then I hear Eric Thomas' voice in my head saying "You ain't gonna die cus you feel a little pain". And then I get on with my life.
    Philosophy helps a lot too.
    "For fate the willing leads, the unwilling drags along." -Cleanthes

    • @ocamtille9114
      @ocamtille9114 8 лет назад +1

      Kenny Rodger that's the noah elkrief method

    • @atypical_moto
      @atypical_moto 8 лет назад +9

      bamischijfje123 No, I'm correcting irrational feelings. We get caught up in things and stepping back and seeing how silly it is to get emotional about most things, dissolves negative feelings.

    • @atypical_moto
      @atypical_moto 8 лет назад +2

      Ocam Tille I've never read him and I know about it so I don't think it is originally his idea. Most of this stuff was written about in Ancient philosophy. I highly recommend reading from the Stoics. Marcus Aurelius and Seneca covered these ideas quite a bit. Nothing wrong with a fresh explanation though. I might check him out.

    • @user-dr6rt1ji3l
      @user-dr6rt1ji3l 2 года назад +1

      Fate leads the willing; the unwilling it drags. You might have also seen some variation of it, such as Fate leads the willing and drags along the reluctant. Originally this was written by the Roman poet Seneca - ducunt volentem fata, nolentem trahunt, if you want the Latin version.

  • @GreenredProductions
    @GreenredProductions 8 лет назад +86

    Our thoughts control us... always thinking about money and success... but science already proved that happiness is in communication with others, spending time together and so on. Sadly, today we live with tools that create perfect space to be alone almost all the time. We communicate using technology instead face to face. Sometimes I think that the best meditation is being with someone you enjoy being or simply doing some activity that you like.

    • @highwaytothesun
      @highwaytothesun 6 лет назад +1

      no doubt a lovely thought, I'm all for face to face communication but perhaps a bit too broad of a definition of what meditation is.

    • @giantsquid2
      @giantsquid2 5 лет назад +1

      I agree with you totally. We need other people more than we care to admit.

    • @nikolaimaharaj2319
      @nikolaimaharaj2319 5 лет назад

      That's exactly what I want to do but I can't find people to communicate with or they eventually end up leaving me, I just end up lonely often and it's out of my control

    • @unicronprimus7450
      @unicronprimus7450 3 года назад

      And then pandemic says hello.

  • @jamessteele7102
    @jamessteele7102 8 лет назад +38

    The basic point is to set aside some time for thinking and reflection. I disagree with the proposed questions because we should let our minds decide the issues but I know from experience that when I just sit for a half hour and let my mind go wherever it wants, I feel much better for the next day or so, and I sleep better, too. Modernly we move so fast mentally and have so many distractions that we forget to give ourselves a "mental massage."

    • @minhdinh4802
      @minhdinh4802 3 года назад +1

      Very interesting. I shall try your method.

  • @MustafaKulle
    @MustafaKulle 8 лет назад +27

    Very true. Writing down your thoughts is the ultimate catharsis. Keeping a record will help you understand yourself better.
    Thank you School of Life.

  • @gabrieltavares8406
    @gabrieltavares8406 8 лет назад +5

    I cannot begin to express how grateful I am that this video was release on this moment of my life.

  • @eleanorscott9855
    @eleanorscott9855 8 лет назад +23

    God, I love this channel.

  • @MarioDGDG
    @MarioDGDG 8 лет назад +422

    Unthought thoughts.

    • @Wingedmagician
      @Wingedmagician 8 лет назад

      Johnson Sepp it makes sense.

    • @danielr3522
      @danielr3522 7 лет назад +1

      +Leonard Ney The phrase *does* make sense, I think, though I can also see how it might appear to be a contradiction in terms, so I'm just trying to explain it for people who might be struggling to make sense of it.

    • @botondszilagyi6999
      @botondszilagyi6999 7 лет назад +3

      It makes sense as such (if you open yourself to the poetry in it), though thoughts not thought through would be a clearer way to say this.

    • @ThePsychothearapyExperiance
      @ThePsychothearapyExperiance 5 лет назад

      @@danielr3522 no

    • @feli6277
      @feli6277 5 лет назад +1

      Un-Ford Ford's.

  • @SibleySteve
    @SibleySteve 4 года назад

    School of Life is best thing on youtube for anyone who strives to live the words of Epicurus or Marcus Aurelius. Our struggle for Truth, Beauty & Wisdom is real. Reading Camus, SK, or Balzac is so medicinal. All I need is my garden, some cheese and this youtube channel.

  • @sallykirkstephens8415
    @sallykirkstephens8415 2 года назад

    The gentle clear soothing voice of Alain helps too

  • @PrincessLinhLayla
    @PrincessLinhLayla 7 лет назад +2

    This is what I have been doing instinctively my whole life. I was the kind of child who would constantly ask adults the question "WHY" , and when I was met with an answer I would ask even more questions because I could not stand unknowing . When I grew up I couldnt rely on "adults" to answer my questions anymore this habit stayed, so I always did this meditation in my head, to question and seek answers to every problems I have.
    However in the recent years I have been too caught up in everyday stress and issues that somehow I lost this habit, thus losing my will to learn, my ability to understand myself and even if I do understand something, I could no longer express them in words. Until I found this channel, and since then it has become my daily reminder to never let the pressures from outside mess up your internal peace and intellect. :) Thank you for your great work :)

  • @jackmiller9926
    @jackmiller9926 4 года назад +1

    Pause and do the audit as the video goes along, it feels amazing! Really feels like clearing the wardrobe of thoughts and sorting them accordingly before placing them back for you to deal with.
    Creating order out of chaos is called magic, but make sure you have enough balance and control so you are not consumed by the very chaos you set out to create order from.

  • @RiverDogRun
    @RiverDogRun 7 лет назад +1

    Surprisingly, my mind is quite clear and my conscientious is clean. I can't really think of anything anxious or upsetting at the moment. It does help that I have a pretty open personality, and I share what's on my mind with almost everyone. I am also naturally introspective. I sort out my inner closet regularly since I was young.

  • @love_exegence
    @love_exegence 8 лет назад +1

    Philosophical meditation is only temporary relief from our suffering. Eastern meditation is an antidote.

  • @nikokaapa
    @nikokaapa 8 лет назад +1

    I prefer your first version of this video, but for the record: You philosophical meditation approach has really helped me in anxious situations.

  • @rroseselaklee6844
    @rroseselaklee6844 8 лет назад

    I started doing something very similar over 10 years ago - writing questions to myself and then contemplating possible answers. I numbered each one and i'm up to 2000+ now. It has, without doubt, been the most useful mind tool to apply to the problem of 'trying hard to remember all the useful/useless stuff' that was making thinking such hard work for me back then.
    I now say that i don't really know what i think about something until i've written it down.
    Great video - i hope it helps lots of people.

  • @arete7884
    @arete7884 8 лет назад +11

    I use to meditate everyday for a year but i found it wasn't enought , practising zen meditation troughout the day is far superior core confidence,great focus ,performance in everything increased ,great energy , mostly minimal anxiety and i have a pretty severe anxiety disorders and many more benefits, i found say one of the best benefits would be clarity of what to do in life in the next few months or years.

  • @satnamo
    @satnamo 8 лет назад +2

    Everything is in the mind, with our minds we create the world.
    So everything can be change with our mind.
    With earnest effort, discipline and self control,
    let the wise man build for himself an island which no flood can overwhelm.
    Tathagata

  • @nathanmacdonnell9796
    @nathanmacdonnell9796 4 года назад +1

    I've internalised this long ago when I first saw this video. It has been a guiding force for me. Thank you.

  • @arhabersham
    @arhabersham 7 лет назад

    The three large questions: What I am currently anxious about? What I am upset about (and with whom)? What I am currently excited, and ambitious about? Wonderful exercise

  • @radhagupta5770
    @radhagupta5770 Год назад

    this is so great, i practice this every week. School of life is a movement towards better well being, not just a company. I love the app too!!

  • @licandres01
    @licandres01 5 лет назад

    There is so much background on each section of the propessed meditation, it process a lot of material I've been consuming on anxiety management, power of thoughts and mindfulness

  • @GamiCross
    @GamiCross 8 лет назад +24

    I did this to myself a few years ago and it was the absolute pin-point moment my life became better.

    • @bielasp
      @bielasp 3 года назад

      Hey mate, i know it's a 4 year old comment, but if u still have this account, how it was for you? What did change?

    • @GamiCross
      @GamiCross 3 года назад

      @@bielasp It let me organize my thoughts better and to realize I needed to train myself to think several steps ahead about the consequences of any actions before acting

    • @bielasp
      @bielasp 3 года назад

      @@GamiCross that's deep, i really need to try this style of meditation, u still doing it till nowadays ?

  • @mayankimmortal
    @mayankimmortal 8 лет назад +154

    Fuck yeah. Do "intellectual loneliness" next.

  • @azanyahyisrael101
    @azanyahyisrael101 4 года назад

    The best thing about this meditation is that it gets rid of all the head noise

  • @memc4903
    @memc4903 8 лет назад +1

    I use both "types" of meditation. They really do complement each other quite well, in my opinion. It's just a matter of trusting yourself to know when you need to empty the mind and when you need to unwind and understand the tangles that have formed there.

  • @reinettesylfgreinar365
    @reinettesylfgreinar365 8 лет назад +17

    Eastern philosophy has a wide variety of meditations. So many that I won't bother trying to list them all, however some of them actually focus exactly on this. I find it interesting because you have reached the same conclusion for meditation as Eastern philosophers, but by following the Western path. One reason why that is interesting to me is that you've basically reversed the progress that led to the form of meditation you described at first since that is, for the most part, the Westernized (and simplified) version of the Eastern meditations more comparable to what you describe as Philosophical Meditation. It's a good vid and great advice, thank you for it.

    • @jaykhandwala5533
      @jaykhandwala5533 8 лет назад

      Captain Ithinari can confirm

    • @chrispecta
      @chrispecta 7 лет назад +1

      although the origin of this so called western philosophy is the east

  • @BeaFaubryOlivera
    @BeaFaubryOlivera 8 лет назад +7

    Lovely ideas, I might actually use this myself. I feel that a good addition to this might be "What went well today?" To get a sense of how direction in one's life isn't strictly something to aim for in the future, but to hone our senses to detect signs of it coming into fruition in each day.

  • @Ostsee89
    @Ostsee89 7 лет назад +4

    - What am I currently anxious about? What is this anxiety really about? Tell the story in detail. Confront everything that could go wrong. Tease out, why you would still be okay, even if the worst case happened.
    - Who am I currently upset about and with whom? Why? How might a nice person have ended up doing what this person did to you? If this had happened to a friend how would you have advised them?
    - What am I currently excited and ambitious about? Or: What recently made me feel excited, envious or desiring? Describe feelings as if to a sympathetic friend. Reflecting on this, what might be missing in your life?

  • @AskTorin
    @AskTorin 8 лет назад +21

    This came at a rather perfect point in my life. I thank you, SoL, as I have done many times before :)

  • @nucleartest530
    @nucleartest530 7 лет назад

    Stoicism is the philosophy that keeps me going. This is just that and I love it!

  • @suhailasabah425
    @suhailasabah425 4 года назад +1

    I loved how Arabic translation is so precise! thanks a lot

  • @cinnamonthecat9661
    @cinnamonthecat9661 6 лет назад

    for me personally, i think this can be beneficial to me and even my significant other. sometimes i have a hard time with figuring out what i actually want, so sorting it out and acting as if someone were giving me advice really really helps. i've also recently wanted to be more compassionate with people, and i think one thing that will help me is reflecting on why people do the things they do. this helps me be more empathetic and understanding with people, and i think that's really helpful.

  • @YaraelgerzawY
    @YaraelgerzawY 7 лет назад

    I always do this, it has been my life savior but I do it for far longer than 20 minutes and it takes years to untangle some thoughts, but the outcomes are very fruitful.

  • @Survivethejive
    @Survivethejive 8 лет назад +57

    There is an eastern equivalent. A text from the Pali canon described how unwanted thoughts can be likened to the rotting carcass of a beast, that, when draped around the neck of a young person, would naturally evoke disgust or even horror. From a position of lofty disdain, one then dismisses the unwanted thought as unworthy of oneself. One method described to achieve this is likened to the way a skilled craftsman will use a thin wedge to create room for a larger one, so too must each component of the thought be broken down, similar to the method in this video, until its entirety is revealed as contingent, temporary and therefore from the perspective of the noble man, disgusting and unworthy of him.

    • @Wingedmagician
      @Wingedmagician 8 лет назад

      Survive the Jive nice

    • @simpleforthesimple
      @simpleforthesimple 7 лет назад +1

      We are not our mind... we can recognise these thoughts but understand that they are temporary and separate from our true self

    • @MondoJon1
      @MondoJon1 6 лет назад +1

      Completely agree and will go further to point out that the techniques described in this video have parity with pratyahara -- crudely translated as "sense withdrawal" -- the 5th limb in Patanjali's treatise on yoga. This is an important bridge to meditation, not meditation itself.
      Indeed, it's hard to imagine prolonged, effective and consistent meditative absorption without this ability to analyse and put distance between the senses and their mental and emotional disturbances.
      In that context it's a great video and I will definitely bookmark for friends who are comfortable with self exploration in a secular context.
      I'm also compelled to mention a pratyahara technique whereby conscious thoughts are used as bait to fish for the unconscious thoughts underlying them. Brilliant!

    • @priestofaphroditecosmetolo6274
      @priestofaphroditecosmetolo6274 6 лет назад +2

      Western philosophy is more practical and in my opinion preferable because it helps us reach ataraxia through the practice of stoic exercises: To imagine the worst possible scenario, being conscious of our death daily, and plato’s view that we may see how little our problems are. I find eastern philosophy to be vague, it uses examples and stories which are open to many interpretations. It also does teach much forced suppression of negative emotions, western thought teaches us to purge it through catharsis. My recomendations would be Marcus Aurelius which I consider the Buddha of the West, except he had a far greater impact on my life and admire him far more, for Buddha abandoned his position, Marcus embraced his emerorship selflessly to become the first and only philosopher king to have ever lived and an example to all. I recommend Seneca, Epictetus, Cicero, and Epicurus. As well as of course other classics of the West such as Plato and Aristotle’s works and Pythagoras and his golden verses and mathematics for the soul and daily keeping of a journal to self scrutinize oneself. Also our equivalent of yoga is the discipline of the Kalos Stenos ( you know it as calisthenics) or beautiful strength, a practice which emphasizes the western thought of patience, perseverance, and stoic practice of indifference to pain, the beautiful strife, an art form believed to come from Herakles himself.

    • @williamchamberlain2263
      @williamchamberlain2263 6 лет назад +1

      Think you missed the point: this is about exploring and integrating and accepting, not rejecting.

  • @dzanegulles
    @dzanegulles 3 года назад

    The flashing lights low reception perfectly describes what it feels in my head when I've got lots of thoughts running in my head every second.

  • @JimmyDThing
    @JimmyDThing 8 лет назад +22

    Meditation is absolutely a useful tool, but I would say that you're better off trying to release your hold on the mind. Let go of the mind. A great tool for that is to focus on the breath until you let it go.
    "Notice your mind working. How it plans for the future and visits the past. Notice those thoughts and set them aside. Turn your attention to the white light that is your breath."

    • @JimmyDThing
      @JimmyDThing 8 лет назад

      Fighting strengthens it. Fight through being an example.

    • @pocketfullofshellz
      @pocketfullofshellz 8 лет назад +19

      I practice Buddhist and Vedic meditation daily and while this is essential, it is a very different tool compared to philosophical meditation. Mindfulness and zazen can empty our mind, but it can't intellectually solve a problem or anxiety through logic - it achieves a similar result, but it lacks the rational thinking that philosophical meditation holds dear. The two are very different but equally important.

    • @marcpelletier1366
      @marcpelletier1366 7 лет назад

      No self, no problem!

    • @simpleforthesimple
      @simpleforthesimple 7 лет назад

      Alexandros what Vedic meditation do you do? We practise chanting! :)

    • @marcpelletier1366
      @marcpelletier1366 7 лет назад +1

      If you're going to abuse an organ, choose wisely (:

  • @Wingedmagician
    @Wingedmagician 8 лет назад

    You don't know how much this video helped me. Thank you.

  • @LazyVoidzTV
    @LazyVoidzTV 6 лет назад

    I did this everyday and night since i was 16. I felt as though I knew more than I had before I started noticing undertones following my life but at the same time I knew nothing atall and felt a longing for all available knowledge. I set myself out and I was commonly following what i seen as adaptive truth but the outter world still never gave any direct answers. Iv actually answered these huge questions in my reality! was a dangerous road :)

  • @flaviu7064
    @flaviu7064 8 лет назад +1

    School of Life, I must thank you deeply for your lessons. You clearly have the gift of teaching. Could you make a video about family or parents? Misconceptions, the lack of communication, in what way we should strive for a functional family. I would gladly watch the video if you create it. Thank you very much. Keep making a difference!

  • @milk4you1200
    @milk4you1200 8 лет назад +2

    These videos are so helpful. Thank you for everything you folks post.

  • @vaibhavjain3234
    @vaibhavjain3234 6 лет назад

    just did it. helped me connect with my feelings more strongly. felt like bliss.

  • @SovereignHumanBeingX
    @SovereignHumanBeingX 4 года назад

    This is how I practice Mindfulness

  • @tmalonso
    @tmalonso 8 лет назад +2

    the meditation that can be completely explained or expressed in words is not the constant, eternally unchanging and true meditation ;)

  • @williammelich7803
    @williammelich7803 6 лет назад

    The way you interact with others is a reflection of how you feel about yourself. So figure out who you really are at the core, stay true to yourself, and you will be well on your way to finding inner contentment and true happiness...

  • @ЗакатРассвет-ы2ж
    @ЗакатРассвет-ы2ж 4 года назад

    this voice cures my anxiety.

  • @bb1111116
    @bb1111116 8 лет назад

    - This proposal seems more like contemplation rather than meditation. Contemplation is certainly useful. It can be part of journaling which can help with clarifying thoughts which can reduce anxiety. Psychologists can recommend this practice.
    - Meditation I see as a desire to simplify thought and to find gaps with there is no active thinking.
    Various techniques can be helpful to do this; focusing on breathing, progressively relaxing different parts of the body, staring at an object (a burning candle or an image like a mandala), repeating a phrase (mantra).
    Eventually with daily practice, breathing becomes slower, thoughts become less busy and the mind takes a break.
    - For over active thoughts, regular exercise can also be helpful to bring about more mental clarity.

  • @danielr3522
    @danielr3522 7 лет назад

    I think one of the most profound realisations you can have is that thoughts have no inherent reality. They're illusory, but we have a tendency to take them *so* seriously.

  • @oberstul1941
    @oberstul1941 8 лет назад +3

    There were so many good ideas in this video that my mind came.

  • @ocamtille9114
    @ocamtille9114 8 лет назад +2

    it's amazing how you express in words what i know on an experiencial level.

  • @kiamberblake5212
    @kiamberblake5212 8 лет назад +14

    It's funny how I just got done writing in my journal and I come on youtube to see this new video. I really love these videos. Thanks for sharing :)

  • @ricardobejeraste3569
    @ricardobejeraste3569 8 лет назад

    I finally found someone explaining exactly what I do and what I suggest people to do in their lives. Although I think the creation of topics (the 3 topics you mentioned) might be counterproductive.
    This might sounds like I disagree with the video, but in fact I totally agree.
    I just think that the creation of topics is for slightly organised minds, and this isn't the usual setting. Once you start all you can do is free association. Just drop on the paper everything that it is on your mind. I realised that once you have enough pieces of a puzzle you will be naturally draw to it, being that your main topic for your, as you call, meditation. I also realised that once you put up on a paper enough pieces of a puzzle, it will magically disappear from your mind (it doesn't really, but it work almost as if it did) clearing up space for the other thoughts. The more things you organised, the easier will be to organise the rest (like a messy desk that you slowly clean by making piles of the same topic, and eventually the desk is so clean that you can use it to organise a pile or two).
    This was the reason why I started a blog (because I think faster than I type and type faster than my handwriting, and also because I tend to lose things in the lack of organisation of my computer, and I would like to have my puzzles in an organised, safe place where I can go to if I need).

  • @jennifergrado7296
    @jennifergrado7296 5 лет назад

    It all boils down to knowing ourselves properly first

  • @noelpratt5268
    @noelpratt5268 8 лет назад

    What we have here is a mental catharsis, which is helpful. I do it occasionally, but instead of writing the notes I brainstorm everything by talking it out loud to myself. Any catharsis can help pave the way for what is actually meditation in the Eastern sense...or the Thomas Merton way too, perhaps. I would properly call this an exercise. Real meditation, when it is evoked, goes beyond "mentation" by direct observation & acceptance of whatever arises -- thought, feeling, moods, noises, etc. Eyes open or closed or alternating. The allusion in the beginning of the video to traditional meditators focusing on sounds, etc., that's not really an active focus or concentration they're doing, it's letting go. You're creating the space to allow anything, pleasant or unpleasant, to bring you out of your shelled-in self. Birds or jackhammers equally effective, though of course we might well prefer birds.

  • @jackdawmystery9408
    @jackdawmystery9408 8 лет назад

    I've been doing something very much like this since I was 12, I'm still working on being completely honest with myself, but I've made huge progress since I started, not just because I grew up. (I'm 18)

  • @palcsoke
    @palcsoke 8 лет назад +1

    This was so blissful. I've noticed the beneficial effects immediately after the practice.

  • @Nitephall
    @Nitephall 6 лет назад

    Thank you so much for this video. My journaling has been stifled, robotic, and arid, resulting in my simply not doing it anymore. But on the evening after watching this video, a vertitable fountain poured forth from my pen, or rather my fingers. Its like before I didn't have the right or the proper skill to put my real thoughts on paper, but since your video gave me "permission" to do this, the thoughts and impressions just flowed. I was quite surprised actually.
    Psychologists always talk about the problem with our thinking, but I've never thought that what I do most of the time could be called thinking. Thinking is something philosophers and theoretical physicists do. What I do is exactly what you describe: get lost in a cloud of undefined gloom, in a static of unthought thoughts that short circuit my brain and cause my limbic system to work overtime. I'm at the mercy of what I haven't clarified for myself. Of course it's not always easy to tease out exaclty what I am thinking or feeling, because my subconscious is a hell of a lot smarter than I am. That's why I'm also doing dream analysis.

  • @Lord_Arn
    @Lord_Arn 8 лет назад +2

    I was distracted from part of the video while trying to clean a smudge off my screen, only to find the smudge in the center top was part of the video.
    These have been helpful to me and I share them with people who I feel have the outward signs described, hoping that they will understand that I'm trying to help them.

  • @xyttra
    @xyttra 6 лет назад

    I discovered this by myself one time when I was smoking weed. That time made my severe depression go away for a whole week!

  • @ashitasehgal453
    @ashitasehgal453 7 лет назад +1

    one of the most beneficial and substantial youtube channels i have ever come across- thank you for this :)

  • @Promatheos
    @Promatheos 8 лет назад

    I agree with many other comments that this is not meditation. It's introspection.
    Meditation is a practice to not identify with your thoughts.
    However, as a guide to introspection, it's a well made video with good ideas.

    • @Wingedmagician
      @Wingedmagician 8 лет назад

      Promatheos have you ever heard of the book Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (the Roman emperor)?

  • @genn.623
    @genn.623 6 лет назад

    Stoicism is strong here I love this channel so much

  • @arunkrishrockzz
    @arunkrishrockzz 7 лет назад

    Some things in life means a lot me and I lack the vocabulary to put them in words. So I compare it to equally important things that had happened to me. Your videos mean to me as much as the laughter of my most favorite woman and the conversations that I've had with my best friend. You are my Savior Alain! :) ♥♥

  • @blujoker5400
    @blujoker5400 8 лет назад +2

    is thinking that clearly really a good thing. as far as i know we never really know what we want, all we look for ends up being unsatisfied.. why not just stop thinking? why not forget your ambitions and act only on your instinct. isn't that more pure.

  • @mariagarza1269
    @mariagarza1269 4 года назад

    I loved you for this video. This is exactly what I need right now. You are heaven sent. ❤

  • @MackTheTemp1
    @MackTheTemp1 7 лет назад

    I do like the metaphor of the cupboard of the mind.I usually love these videos, but I'm not terribly impressed with the three questions in this one because it's so narrow. I like the idea of rationally formulating the right set of questions and meditating on then recording them. The mental audit is another great metaphor! Know yourself by walking round the tree one step at a time.

  • @Cristobels-Green-Boots
    @Cristobels-Green-Boots 7 лет назад

    Alain -- you are my heart's delight!🙏

  • @Mezilesialan
    @Mezilesialan 8 лет назад

    I recommend a few days of Buddhist meditation , at a centre. Try it, and you will experience the natural process of mental purification.

  • @PeterMuskMusic
    @PeterMuskMusic 8 лет назад

    im practizing this particular meditation.. also aother kinds... but this one too... its great ...

  • @kanameitsuki8130
    @kanameitsuki8130 8 лет назад +19

    So a lot of the commenters here completely missed the point. This is simply a method, perhaps more effective, of clearing out your thoughts and truly understanding them. As opposed to relaxing in meditation and not trying to unpack why you are feeling the way you are

    • @gustavoh.schulmann9390
      @gustavoh.schulmann9390 6 лет назад +2

      but the purpose of meditation is to detach from thoughts(the mind), only then you can know who you really are and go beyond suffering caused by the mind

    • @SjorsHoukes
      @SjorsHoukes 6 лет назад +3

      There is a clear misunderstanding in a lot of people that meditation is meant to be, as you say, relaxing. It can be, but that’s not the purpose. In eastern meditation you have to sit upright and be alert to your body, breath, and any thoughts that pop up. That is why many bring it up here as a better option, because it encompasses much more. The exercise in this video is more pragmatic and less concerned with the ‘true self’.

  • @smilingontime
    @smilingontime 7 лет назад +2

    YOU MAKE ME FEEL WONDERFUL.. you should know that

  • @bingoberra18
    @bingoberra18 8 лет назад +1

    Very good breakdown of three simple yet effective steps to calm down. You should make a "calendar" type note book with enough space for each question.

  • @armartin0003
    @armartin0003 7 лет назад

    I like this a lot better than Eastern meditation and the mysticism which surrounds it.

  • @felixlarssonrudfeldt1523
    @felixlarssonrudfeldt1523 8 лет назад +1

    Wow, personally this has been the most practical video you have uploaded so far. I have been needing something like this for dome time now without know how to make it into a physical action and what kind of questions I should be asking myself. Truly great work.
    (I do not know why, but I am a bit jealous of you for coming up with this, I guess that is just one of many things I have to work with.)

  • @regianecostadahora5463
    @regianecostadahora5463 7 лет назад

    Thank you school of life

  • @juliusfinkas
    @juliusfinkas 7 лет назад +1

    This helps immensely!! I usually only do the first part in the mornings when I am most down because I don't have time for the others, but still, it's really reassuring and comforting. Thanks for the content, it's outstanding 👍

  • @mmv3547
    @mmv3547 8 лет назад +7

    I needed this.

  • @BrandonSchleifer
    @BrandonSchleifer 7 лет назад

    I do this all the time. I look at the worst case scenario so that I know that failure isn't that bad, and that takes a lot of the pressure off.

  • @homeline1234
    @homeline1234 8 лет назад

    thanks for posting this and every other video on this channel. All of them tries to make a point, boldly and unashamedly backed up by good research. It is a breath of fresh air to watch school of life videos. In the last three years, I have undergone this style of introspection seriously. Since I lean more on the analytical side, it was easy to get into it. What I have noticed over time, however, is that as you go deeper into the process, the process demands more of your energy. In order to have more energy available, I have to forego other activities for the short term. It yields good results because it forces to re-visit things you think you have resolved or accepted as "status quo". That being said, if a person leans more on the sentimental side, it could be counter productive

  • @gordonrbarnes
    @gordonrbarnes 8 лет назад

    What a great tool to help us understand our own minds. - Thank You

  • @amirehosseyni
    @amirehosseyni 8 лет назад

    OH MY GOD ! Recently I had this experience of having a head full of cement ! I couldn't pin point it and couldn't find a way out of it ! This is very very helpful to me , thank you a lot for these practical videos school of life .Thank you !

  • @empathylessons2267
    @empathylessons2267 8 лет назад +5

    Interesting idea.
    What would you suggest for individuals who have figured out what the root of their stress is and still experience the symptoms?
    Personally, I believe learning and thinking about OTHERS' suffering is key to reducing ones own stress.
    We can accept our problems and allow ourselves to suffer, but when recognizing how much everyone suffers, we can feel better about having an imperfect life.

  • @MrChaluliss
    @MrChaluliss 8 лет назад

    Ey ive been doing this for a while now, though its basically just how i journal. I just write how I'm feeling and try to dig to the roots of it so i can set those feelings at ease and move forward with a clear mind.

  • @user-pe8cu1vs6d
    @user-pe8cu1vs6d 4 года назад

    Thank you so very much. This is just right for me.

  • @coreycox2345
    @coreycox2345 8 лет назад

    This seems like a smart idea and good supplement to the kind of meditation that is a release from the self. There is always real life to deal with before and after one's meditation practice. This could transform the waking parts of life in ways that I can only imagine. I will give it a try. Thank you, School of Life.

  • @teresaramos1377
    @teresaramos1377 2 года назад

    Muchas gracias. En éste mundo tan saturado de estímulos, siempre viene bien encontrarse un momento para sí mismo.

  • @johnmacward
    @johnmacward 8 лет назад +1

    There indeed was another video about this however I'm glad you made this simplified and clearer version. The other one, while beautifully narrated (if you know what I mean) was a little overwhelming and confusing...

  • @user-us1fx9gm2z
    @user-us1fx9gm2z 8 лет назад

    I will certainly try this. Thank you.

  • @Morale_Booster
    @Morale_Booster 8 лет назад +1

    Wow. I've been trying to hash out my unthought thoughts for years through journaling, but I couldn't seem to cover everything. I needed a format like this one. Thank you SOL! 💋

  • @carbono12videos
    @carbono12videos 8 лет назад +57

    The other video on the same subject, with a girl discussing the same idea, was so nice... I would like do know why aren't we seeing more videos with her.

    • @chupes231223
      @chupes231223 8 лет назад +12

      She was hot

    • @carbono12videos
      @carbono12videos 8 лет назад

      ***** Thank you, so glad to read that!

    • @jodicompton5561
      @jodicompton5561 7 лет назад +1

      I saw that earlier video, too. I suspect the reason they re-shot it is that so many commenters seemed utterly distracted from the message by the sight of Dr. Roxburgh in bed (she is rather easy on the eyes).
      Same idea holds, though. I took up philosophical meditation and do it every week, now.

    • @carbono12videos
      @carbono12videos 7 лет назад +1

      Jodi Compton I think you are right. And something else: some important ideas are too good to come up only once. Re-stating things is sometimes even more important than bringing up new ideas - that most times are not even that new...

    • @danielbeke951
      @danielbeke951 7 лет назад +2

      Her voice is one of the most pleasant I ever heard. I don't know what is the exact reason she is not in the videos anymore, but I really hope its not the comments because that would be a really bad response from SoL .

  • @alexdiaz1492
    @alexdiaz1492 7 лет назад

    This is already reassuring. best video of knowledge by far in my day.

  • @franciscoalfonso4824
    @franciscoalfonso4824 8 лет назад

    Thank you..... this video puts me back into clearing and putting order with the thoughts coming in out of my mind.

  • @GizaRockPemaNyingje
    @GizaRockPemaNyingje 6 лет назад

    This is one kind of vypassana (logic, an reason founded) meditation according to Tibetan Buddhism :)
    The focusing on something it's the shamata meditation, used in Buddhism, Hinduism and new age movements

  • @qwertyuiopLT
    @qwertyuiopLT 8 лет назад +4

    Tried that when you posted that similar video a while ago. It took wayyyyyyyyyy more than 20 mins and I wasn't even halfway through. Tho it could still be an interesting multi-hour exercise to do once a week or two

  • @leonvvd
    @leonvvd 7 лет назад

    Being aware of thoughts and feelings during meditation on itself increases the grey matter in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. This on its own makes it able to silence the default chatterbox of the mind and regulate and control impulses (increases willpower to do what you really want without feeling bad or nervous)
    Mantra which has scientific basis:
    Non reaction to emotions
    Non judgement to thoughts (acceptance of yourself)
    Have no wants (trust the future will architect itself properly for you, do what you can in the now only)
    Use the mind to describe the above briefly and objectivly without reaction or trying to push something away
    Key in this is: feeling happy is not the goal, being aware is. Just be aware. Awareness above all

  • @YCJONI
    @YCJONI 8 лет назад

    This is an important video - it ties together the tools given to us by School of Life in many of its other videos. Good one. However, this should be a complimentary way to meditation, the word used in its traditional sense - that is, the mind ought to be emptied for a relaxed experience, rather than drilling deeper into our thoughts which are entangled in the very first place because they involve difficult questions. The latter can be very dangerous to our mental health without constantly reminding ourselves that we must not allow ourselves to fall into the downward spiral of thoughts, or worse, using an internal philosophical discussion to escape reality.

  • @scentsoftravelmeditation
    @scentsoftravelmeditation 5 лет назад

    I have meditated for a long time, but this is one of the best videos I have watched to date. 💙
    Thank you.