Greetings, Josshahryar. Yes, getting the mind to shut up; what Castaneda called the, "internal dialogue," that is the crux of meditational practice. And yes, it can be VERY difficult. On the one hand, practice is good; keep trying, and you'll see results eventually. however, there ARE some techniques that can help, though what works for me may not work for you, as we are all different. The Taoists, and some others, say to acknowledge stray thoughts when they arise in your mind; don't fight or try to force them out, just recognize them, but remain objective: don't get involved. Let your awareness of them be what dissolves them, before they can get a hold on you and make you lose your concentration. Other paths say to use visualization, such as having a river you can drop unwanted thoughts into, and send away with a positive intent (such as, I'm not going to think about the money Bob owes me right now; I'll deal with it when I see him, so now I place all
thoughts of Bob and the money he owes me into the river. Let them drift away for now). When I first started meditating, it really wasn't so much about achieving that "blank mind" state; it was more about using self hypnosis and visualization techniques. The self-hypnosis was useful for getting me into a trance, and the visualization techniques are a common part of many occult training Paths, as a way to help one with the casting of real magick. You have to be able to create a situation internally before you can make it unfold on this plane via the vehicle of magick.
So I would say that if you try some relaxation exercises, and maybe rather than trying to clear your mind, try for now just holding one image in for mind (like the Star, or yin-yang, or some other meaningful yet simple symbol. A circle works fine). As you become able to hold one image for longer periods of time (if you hold it for ten minutes you're doing really good!), try making the blankness, or just perfect blackness, BE the one object you focus on. In other words, focus on that silent mental state as being that one object of focus. SEE nothing; FEEL nothing; HEAR nothing, and just drift in that nothingness. Picture your consciousness as existing in a void; perfect darkness, with absolutely NOTHING else there. You can't even see the surface you seem to be standing on, because this place is absolute darkness and emptiness. Try some of that stuff, and give it a little time, because this stuff doesn't usually just happen over night. It might take a
good month of solid practice every day/night before you really start to see any results at all. But if you have any more questions, or want some help with relaxation exercises, or if it just isn't working no matter WHAT, I'll be here, and happy to help. I wish you luck, and may the Dark Lord bless thee! Until next time, I remain,
Your Brother in Satan's Name: Nightwolf
