I have already meditated for 3 years now. My goal with my meditation spiritual practice is to gain insights into the so called I.
I would likte to get enlightened, peaceful and feel free and open. My meditation before have been vipassana and breathing meditation.

What kind of meditation do you suggest?

**Carina**

I get more inclined towards my negative energy. I have not known the positive side. I carry baggage of ideal state of being which really stresses me. Perfect home, perfect relationships with parents, parents in law (important when you come from India) and I ignore and trample upon the goodness and the beauty of today. I live with a lovely human being (my partner) but my state of mind does not let me enjoy that goodness.
A pronounced sense of judgment, worry, anxiety, does not let me enjoy my life. I am quite tired of living on the brink.
From a multitude of spiritual retreats to coaching sessions have not altered my state.
I want to feel calm and one with myself.

Can’t we simply aim at “the whole package” (including personal growth, stress-relief, creativity, spiritual growth, God realization)?
Two decades ago I joined a meditation group. My initial motive was my personal growth. When I joined the group I didn’t know that it was a spiritual community which demanded a strict rules and regulations for the sake of my spiritual growth and God realization. But, at that time it made sense to me, so, I accepted the guidance of my Indian Guru, shifted my primary goal to “the more important” God–realization and staid as a “Sanyasin” for two decades. The essence of his teachings was the heart-aspiration towards the Highest. According to his teachings mindfulness and awareness were less important. However, very often I would find this quite contradictory to my experience and even more contradictory with the many books by many Gurus and other spiritual guides (I don’t mean to judge with this statement, but just to convey the frequent feeling of confusion on this issue). Several months ago I was in a huge shock with the realization that my Guru didn’t actually act in accordance with his teachings. After 19 years, I left the spiritual community and I am still trying to set my goals.
If I cannot choose the “whole package” I would choose the training of my mindfulness, awareness, concentration – simply because these are my weak features.

Best wishes,
Gordana Traykovska

I’m meditating primarily to be more present as I move through the world. Secondarily, to calm my mind of worries and fears, and to get a sense of being connected with God, spirit, the divine, whatever anyone calls it. (And, of course, to become fabulously wealthy and eternally youthful.) Your description, “subtle internal shift,” appeals to me.

I am interested in meditation to alleviate stress, anxiety, and depression in my life, which have all come as the result of a very traumatic life experience last year. Any suggestions going forward? Thanks…

RM

It feels good.

I imagine that I am clearer and more relaxed and effective when I feel the way I do when I meditate.

~ Stacy

The easiest way I can describe the differences between the 2 “paths” is that the “purification” techniques have you attending to the OBJECTS of attention and the “recognition” techniques direct you to the PROCESS of attention/perception. Those other states you described — welcoming, lessening identification, letting go, etc. — are descriptions of the experiences people often have by doing these practices but I don’t use them as verbs to describe what you DO in the practice. Regarding “dark side”… or any “side” for that matter… I don’t have a frame of reference for what that means. We don’t have “sides”, whether dark or light.