Best Meditations While on Tour?
 

Heinz Stücke has said that he spends a lot of the time on the bike meditating (he used that word).

Those long hours in the saddle, or in camp, or in the tent -- what are the best meditations?

What would the best subjects and meditations be?

I'm not sure about the difference between daydreaming and meditation... I usually just think about whatever I'm thinking about.

I would do good old TM.

Shut up, legs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSokDsOwE1g

After about 40 miles, my thoughts are usually pretty simple: Breathe, son. Breathe.

Claritin. No, wait....

Patanalies, the great Yogi defined meditation as, 'the cessation of mental fluctuations.'

I think that kinda describes me when I'm on a bike.

Meditations? Perhaps not. But my mind is always working when I'm riding.

Sometimes, I'm just taking in the beauty of the place where I'm riding, the wind in the trees, the smell of pine on a hot day, the feel of a summer rainstorm or the sounds of bike tires on pavement or gravel. And at times, on secluded roads or abandoned railways, there is no response that properly can express my amazement and joy while I'm in such an amazing place.

Sometimes, if I'm slogging up a big hill or facing a strong headwind, I'm counting the kilometres backward until I reach the next landmark or town. If I know getting to the next country store is as far as getting from my home to a favourite lakefront picnic area, I know it's a manageable distance. Or if the summit is as far as my ride from home to work each morning, I know I can handle it.

There are times when I'll also start to mentally compose the e-mails I'm going to send to friends and family, although by the time I get around to sending them, I've often forgotten what I had planned to say. Likewise, there are times when I'll start working on some creative writing in my head, hoping I'll remember enough of it to get it down on paper in the evening.

I thought the point of meditation was 'no mind'. Don't pick a topic and think about it, but focus on your breathing and if thoughts interupt, just let them go. Don't hold on to any particular thought or feeling and just ride. If you think about something, you are thinking, not meditating. Riding is like a moving meditation. If you can get into 'the zone', then you just ride and it makes things feel almost effortless when you get into that non thinking, riding rhythm.

^++++
It's very hard to do, to just let the thoughts go. Imagine they are clouds in the sky and they effortlessly dissolve. I find I can check my position, speed, cadence, effort level, etc., without it devolving into "thinking." Just be there.

Nodachi has it, though the specifics are just techniques you can do it a number of ways. The point though is, if you follow meditation you don`t really need bike touring. The idea is that if you meditate, you reach Nirvana, there is no better state. Stuff like cycle touring to get in the zone is what consumer culture proposes instead of meditating.

Spalding Grey had a great bit about a vacation while filming Apocalypse Now, or something, in which he pursued the Perfect Moment. He would go on vacation until he achieved it then go home. But with meditation you can get there at any time without leaving home.

From my understanding of some of the Eastern religions, meditation is about reaching that state of "no mind."

In the Christian tradition, meditation takes on a completely different element as there are references to meditating on scripture or meditating on an element of faith. This is not the same as actively studying a topic in an analytical manner.

The Eastern approach, as I understand it, seeks to relax the mind while the Christian approach seems to be one of focusing the mind.

I believe there is a place for both approaches, whether on the bike or in other parts of life.

+1

When I started touring people were paying big bucks to learn how to do transcendental mediation, primal screaming, biofeedback, etc. I think the point was to reach a heightened state of relaxation (which sounds like an oxymoron), an alpha state, etc. I noticed that on my long rides my mind seemed to wander freely of it's own volition and I liked that. It was good enough meditation for me.

I still feel that way. I don't know if it's the repetitive nature of pedaling (like reciting a mantra?) but my mind seems to wander more freely riding than at just about any other time.

The Little Engine that could ! .. I think I can, .. I think I can, .. I think I can ..:roflmao:

Just practice thinking about nothing,that will keep you busy for awhile.

Reminds me of the Buddhist monk who needed oral surgery and refused the Novacain.

He wanted to transcend dental medication.

Hey, you guys've been great! We'll be here all week! Be sure and tip the wait staff -- they're workin' hard tonight.

I don't meditate, I watch the road.
And the surroundings.
And the traffic etc.
I think the FIRST priority is: You are taking part in traffic. that means you have to pay attention.
after all, most of the time you've never SEEN the road you're riding before (that's what touring's all about isn't it?), you should pay attention to road conditions, traffic etc.
In my (perhaps not so humble opinion) that pretty much precludes meditating.

However: please enlighten me if not (pun intended).