Cardio?

[pj]

I am curious as to others results with various forms of cardio.  I find the the day after a run, my concentration comes more easily and letting go of the physical body takes less time (especially compared to a week with no exercise).

I suppose what I am really interested in is how much easier it is to meditate when the body is at ease.  I wonder if it is because I am still for the most part a beginner and my ability to let go is still dependent on how strong the body's (and mind's perhaps) sensations are.  After a run (and even a day after a run) my body feels more at ease, so perhaps this explains why I can reach deeper states of meditation more quickly the day after a run.

So what has other people's experience been with cardiovascular exercise?  (and/or the effect of bodily discomfort on one's ability to let go)

[Jhanananda]

Hello PJ, and thank-you for keeping the dialog going here.  I have been camping for a week, and just got back this morning, so I have a lot of email and forum dialog to catch up on.

I believe the best person to respond to your inquiry is Stu, as he has been an athlete most of his life.  I have had several conversations with him about the "runner's high" or the "zone."  From reading and hearing from athletes about this experience it is clear to me that the the "runner's high" or the "zone" is essentially the experience of no-mind which is a characteristic of the second stage of the religious experience.

To support your experience of finding increased depth in meditation following a run; from spending more than 4 decades developing the 8 stages of the religious experience it has become clear to me that to traverse these stages of the religious experience one must learn to relax deeply.

[stugandolf]

Well I would answer the question if I knew what the question is?  Really I do not think of cardio as such because I have been an athlete for so long - this was natural and I simply developed it without trying.  To me the most important "meditation thing" is relaxation - that is deep relaxation - try body scanning to relax each area systematically... Stu