Meditation: The Scientific Method of Self-Study
Metaphysics, Meditation, and spiritual matters in general tend to be plagued by sloppy thinking. While we do want to be open to new possibilities (this is at the core of properly applied science), we want to have a structured approach to our practice, whatever it may be.
What follows is the modified scientific method for the study of the self.
1. Recognizing a Problem
2. Perform some research/Form a hypothesis
3. Design exercises, or play with exercises you found
4. Pay close attention to the subjective results you get (use a journal)
5. Form working conclusions and continue experimentation
Step 1 does not really require a problem, just something you would like to change or improve. Mindfulness is your best friend here. If you want to work on the self or explore the self, it helps to have an awareness of the components of self first. If you have never taken the time to pay close attention to your 5 primary senses or your thinking senses of internal pictures or internal sounds, now is the time to start.
Step 2 suggests that you research the area a bit before formulating your own hypothesis. You don’t have to make your hypothesis based on this research, but it helps to know what other people who have worked the field have come up with thus far.
Step 3 encourages us to really get to work. This is where we allot time for meditation or other exercises and follow through. This is where we actually run the experiment, and the experimentation never truly ends. It might change direction, but it will continue.
Step 4 reminds us to track our results. Write down detailed descriptions of your