I paid to be taught a particular technique of meditation that turned out to be very similar to a form I had spontaneously started to do without even knowing what it was. Several years later, in the midst of a deep meditation I was taught a more technical form.
Generally I propose to inquirers that they sit somewhere quiet with the spine erect and place their attention in the heart and intend and visualise a bright white-gold light flowing from the heart to fill each part of the body, one part at a time. When you have the hang of that you should feel a tingling in each part of the body that receives the light.
The exercise is very simple but has multiple profound effects. Arguably this technique needs little supplementation until the initiate becomes sensitive to the Divine Will.
Post by sallyroberts on Mar 13, 2011 5:21:26 GMT 9.5
I like to meditate to a piece of music - I do so by listening to it very, very carefully - literally note by note. Classical music - usually Mozart - does it best for me!
Sally -- Lodge Light of Amen-Ra No. 717, Or.'. of Surbiton Lodge St. Francis No. 817, Or.'. of Camberley Mark Lodge Nephthys No. 32, Quarries of Surbiton Cofreemasonry:freemasonry for men and women since 1893 On Facebook * On Twitter: #CoFreemason * On WordPress
I'm too twitchy to do eastern meditation with any degree of success. And I do wonder whether this type of work is really suitable for western minds. In a roundabout way I came to a compromise in the Jesus prayer of the Christian faith. In effect, it is a western mantra, whose words are "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner."
A detailed account of the prayer, it's history and how it is used can be found in en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_Prayer. Unlike many forms of meditation, the object of the prayer is not to still our minds per se, but to draw our attention from the Many and to join it with the One.
In the practice of this prayer/meditation it may seem that the mind gradually gives up control and the prayer is saying itself. The object of such a meditation is not the display of phenomena or even the acquisition of inner peace, though that may be an added bonus. Our attention is drawn to the One.
The practice is now promoted in the West by Catholic monks who speak of the Centering Prayer (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centering_prayer) Unfortunately some of these words carry unfortunate baggage, which may impede progress in this form of meditation. Sage advice was given to me years ago: Fake it 'til you make it.
> Sage advice was given to me years ago: Fake it 'til you make it.
I lived in a spiritual community years ago and each day in the meditation room I would observe people who could not meditate. I noticed however that after a couple of years of regular practice quite a number got the hang of it.
There are however more efficient means but perhaps they need to be matched to the constitution, context and progress of the practitioner.
I tried the meditation technique you gave at the top of this thread, Paul. Very potent! Only trouble was I could not sleep for most of the night. Too much energy I guess. Lots of tingling as you mentioned. I have not been game to use it again at night which is the only time I get for that sort of thing.
I usually just imagine being out in the middle of the universe somewhere, or in my secret garden, spine straight but lying down. I get some answers or guidance in both those places, but most of most of my stuff comes via the lucid dream state, including several occasions on clairaudience. I have been attacked in this state also, or was it an Initiation of sorts ... I can't tell. It all ended well, and I am not too keen to repeat the experiences.
Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting…trailing clouds of glory do we come from God, who is our home -Wordsworth
>I do wonder whether this type of work is really suitable for western minds.
This is an interesting question - whether humans have differing natural paths to the inner worlds.
Some humans naturally respond more easily to visual material (visualisation) and others to sound (music or mantras).
By some accounts the essential goal of meditation is to be able to transcend the technique - ceasing to experience the technique and having direct inner experiences.
It is proposed that transcendental experiences can arise through any of the five senses, each of which may be experiencing one of the 3 primary energies, in an active or passive mode, and another factor that escapes me, producing 120 forms of transcending meditation.
Sound and light based meditation are most common but taste also provides valid paths to enlightenment.
Thus the wine connoisseur seeks transcend the physicality of the wine and experience the underlying life essences. Wine, properly made, is alchemical.
Returning to Western minds. It is true that Westerners tend to be in a hurry and with multimedia the Western mind is encouraged not to focus properly. Nevertheless humans must eventually learn to control physical, emotional and mental processes, otherwise they cannot be relied upon to perform precise actions.
Inner control of physical, emotional and mental processes is a precondition for the genuine MM.
Put another way, while the human cannot control its mind, it is exposed to control by other entities.
Like The church telling us we are sinners? I figure God is smart enough to know my status with out any help from me. And for the record I do not believe I was born a sinner ... Tish/tosh! I do believe I came with 'with baggage' ... Unresolved issues from previous lives, but that is not necessarily sin, maybe childish ignorance? A young soul who doesn't know it all yet. LOL
Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting…trailing clouds of glory do we come from God, who is our home -Wordsworth
Lorr, from early youth I believed as you do, to the point of never using the word "sin." Yes, surly God already knew where I had fallen short. But I missed the point. Listing my sins for God was pointless; he already knew. Confession was not so much to God as much as it is for me. We close our eyes to our own faults, particularly if shame covers them. When I acknowledge that act, or thought, or attitude I acknowledge my part in it. I am heeding the words written outside the Temple of Apollo at Delphi: γνῶθι σεαυτόν = Know thyself.
The weight of guilt has nothing to do with it. Guilt-feeling theologians may seek company by telling you are sinful. Just bless them and go on your way. You know where you are going!
In my youth I was taught to confess sins. In the college run by priests, to save time I would go directly to a particular priest's room for confession, avoiding the queue for the anonymous confessional.
I recall that priest saying to me that I was very humble. It did not seem that way to me. I did not regard what I confessed to be sinful. I just confessed because I was taught to do so.
My ex used to say that when she put in a bad report about "the guys upstairs" (immediately superior spiritual entities) they would run around like chickens with their heads cut off.
