fredclaymeyer (Fred Meyer)
Basic Info
26, male
Lives in
Boston, MA
Meditating for
10 years
Meditation technique
Shamatha-vipashyana, tonglen; I sit cross-legged, eyes open, and follow my breath. I also notice the quality and nature of thoughts. Tonglen is a compassion practice.
Affiliations
Buddhism - Mahayana, Buddhism - Shambhala
Influences and sources of support
The Path is the Goal (Book or written material), Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism (Book or written material), Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind (Book or written material)
About
Along with David, I'm working on Medivate. I also like jazz music and comedy.
Groups
A Better Medivate, Compassion Poetry, Motivation, We meditate 10 minutes per day, We meditate 20 minutes per day, We meditate 30 minutes per day, We meditate an hour per day, We meditate two (or more) hours per day, Meditation Questions, What works for me, Boston Shambhala Under-30, Question of the Week, Fred and Clara, Listservians, Path of Freedom 30-Day Challenge
| Date | Duration | How it felt | Public Comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/31/26 | ||||
| 10/30/26 | ||||
| 10/29/26 | ||||
| Goal | Sit at least forty minutes per day, six days per week, for two weeks. | |||
| Reward | Some sort of food | |||
Current Experiences in Meditation
I struggle to practice longer than ____ minutes, but find it easy to meditate shorter than ____ minutes.
| I am happy with how often I meditate | |||
| I am happy with my session duration | |||
| I feel like I understand "how to meditate" | |||
| I can meditate without much difficulty | |||
| I find meditation enjoyable | |||
| Meditation is yielding results in my life |
Originally taken: 14 years ago
Meditation in Daily Life
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Challenges in Meditation
| When my life is difficult or very "energetic," it's really hard to practice with any stability | |||
| It's like I know I'll enjoy doing it when I start, but I still don't want to beforehand | |||
| Difficulty simply willing myself to practice | |||
| Strong emotional experiences | |||
| Perceived lack of results or progress | |||
| Philosophical or spiritual doubts | |||
| Frustration, feeling of not "getting it right" | |||
| Confusion about meditation technique | |||
| Doubts about efficacy of meditation | |||
| Physical pain or discomfort | |||
| Boredom, restlessness | |||
| Lack of time |
Originally taken: 14 years ago
Motivators to Meditate
Why I'm interested in meditation: "In general, it's the basis of how I understand my life"
| Spiritual insights or experiences | |||
| Developing compassion for others | |||
| Mindfulness, "presence," clarity | |||
| "Sub-clinical" psychological problems | |||
| Improved mood or happiness | |||
| Physical pain or maladies | |||
| Religious reasons | |||
| "Clinical" psychological problems |
Originally taken: 14 years ago
Brainstorm of Reasons to Meditate
| Because it is what my life is about | |||
| Because it helps me tremendously | |||
| Because people need help | |||
| If I don\'t, I become terrified | |||
| Because I function better | |||
| Because I respect great meditators I have known | |||
| Because it makes me happy |
Originally taken: 14 years ago