[nprateem]

Not judging, just pointing out it's possible to go further and just hang out in the present moment. That can bring the experience to daily activities, which can bring about surprising changes.

In fact, it's not even necessary to switch off thinking. The key is to give no value to thoughts that come up (unless you're actually engaged in focussed thinking, eg intentional planning, problem solving, etc), or emotions. It changes everything.

An example: I've been suffering from melancholic thoughts for some months, carrying a heaviness with me I couldn't shed. I recently decided I'd had enough and I didn't want them any more. I decided they were nothing to do with me, much in the same way as I'd treat a fart - some process that occurs but which passes and I forget about. This has resulted in a subtle but significant transformation. The melancholy has been replaced by something difficult to describe but no longer heavy and depressing, and at times elating.

[haswell]

As someone who practices meditation regularly, I’m in agreement that coming in direct contact with the present moment without judging is incredibly useful.

But I think that in the context of science, a deepening understanding of the complexity of existence or interconnectedness brings with it a kind of awe and wonder in and of itself which further enhances the impact of such practices.

I think there’s a certain irony in trying to put the notion of spirituality into a box, when I think the notion is about worrying less about the existence of boxes.

[swayvil]

Hey I meditate too. Vipassana. You?

[haswell]

A mix of Vipassana and Zen with a side of Dzogchen philosophy. I’ve found that exploring a few paths has had a kind of triangulation effect that has helped me better understand the core ideas.