What is meditation?
You might consider what was intuitively reported in a Renaissance Portrait meditation evaluation during a Spiritual Focus Weekend.
Would suggest that this one begin to perceive meditation as the thoughts that populate this one’s thinking. It is where this one lives moment to moment as much as it is where this one might go to. (10999BGC5)
This idea definitely stimulates us to consider the quality of our thinking and how it is related to meditation rather than being separate from it. Consider that wherever you are in your thinking is your meditation. The question then arises, what quality of meditation do you want? Do you want scattered meditation? unconscious, reactive meditation? blaming meditation? angry meditation?
Or would you prefer meditation that is a highly attuned state of awareness. This is what we usually call meditation and what we reach for in meditation. It is a peaceful state. It is not a passive state but a highly receptive state. In an open state of mind, you are listening or receiving divine energy, divine inspiration, divine guidance. It is a way to listen and commune with God. You want to cause your mind to be very still, open and receiving, as well as attuned and alert so you may listen, watch and expectantly wait to hear the voice of God, see the face of God, and dwell in the mist of God’s presence.
When we meditate we are endeavoring to come into the realm of our true essence or nature. Right now most of us are very far away from our true natures. Some of us have caught a glimpse of or even temporarily dwelt in that sacred place of peace and joy and would like to be there all the time. The outer world still holds too much of a fascination and attraction to us, much more than that inner world of silence. Our senses are bombarded with stimuli from the time we wake up until we go to bed. They keep our days filled with noise and activity that is often shallow, giving us excitement only in the moment and leaving little time for inner search and contemplation.
It is the inner work that this one often avoids. This one is very enamored of the outer, more expressive and interactive work in the world, but this one is not as familiar nor at peace with the same inner world. (10-9-99-BGC-2)
The desire for peace, for understanding, for depth in life must become as strong or stronger than the desire for outward stimulation. The attraction for inner silence must hold a place in proper perspective with the external activity. It is then that true meditation can begin.
It is my hope that the suggestions in this book will aid you to dwell within your real nature more often and for longer periods of time. The funny thing is that if you could surrender all your limitations, outward identities and negative thinking you could dwell there right now. However, the attachment to these identities and thoughts is great and in most cases unconscious, so in the beginning we all need as much help as we can get.
Eventually you won’t need anything that’s written in this book. If you want to go to New York to climb into the Statue of Liberty and look out at the beautiful New York harbor you will need some help getting there: money, a plane or train ticket or a car. You’ll need a map. But once you arrive you can throw all of it away because you don’t need it anymore. You’re there.
The same thing is true of meditation. Once you can live meditatively, you’re there. You don’t need a meditation pillow or incense. You don’t need a quiet place. You don’t need breathing techniques. You exist in the eternal now; you are one with creation and are in a state of perpetual constancy and attentiveness. Until then . . .
Yoga to stretch and relax the body
It is important for the body to be relaxed and the spine to be supple for good meditations. Yoga stretches are good for this, especially those that focus on the flexibility of your spine and legs and the relaxation of the muscular system. If you have difficulty sitting for the desired length of time because your body becomes tired or strained or your back starts to hurt, then a few yoga postures and stretches before you meditate will help to lengthen and relax these muscles.
It is very important for your spine to be supple, flexible. This is because there is energy that flows up and down the spine during meditation. If your spine is stiff or out of alignment it is important to take care of that before you meditate. Chiropractic attention is sometimes recommended in our Intuitive health Analyses as being beneficial for this. Here are some yoga movements to help align and massage your spine and keep it flexible for meditation. All yoga needs to be done slowly and thoughtfully giving attention to what is happening to your body.
1. If you are on a wooden floor or a hard surface, get a blanket or some padding underneath you. Sit on the floor. Bring your legs up to your chest close to your body like you are wrapping up in a little ball. Wrap your arms around your legs. Roll back. You can push against the floor with your toes to help get the momentum started. You are going to be rocking back and forth along your spine continuing to keep your body in a ball. You may hear some popping. This is your spine aligning. This action massages the muscles along your spine and feels very good. It is particularly good if your back is aching. Continue this rocking motion for as long as you desire.
2. Position yourself on your hands and knees. Arch your back up bending your head down. Then slowly bring your head up, and at the same time arch your back the opposite way. Look up. Repeat this movement several times rhythmically moving your head down and up and arching your back in both directions. If you find your back is stiff, you will want to do this many times.
3. The Plough
Lie on your back with your hands at your sides. Slowly lift your legs up and over your head until the toes are touching the floor above your head. Hold this for as long as you desire. Then bring your legs slowly over and back down.
A variation of this is once your legs are stretched over your head to bend your knees and bring your knees close to the side of your head. Hold this pose for as long as desired and repeat.
4. The Cobra
Once you have stretched your spine one direction, you need to stretch it in the other direction. So the Cobra and Plough go very well together. Lie on your stomach with your head straight resting your forehead on the floor. Your arms are bent and your hands are palms down on the floor just below your shoulders and beside your chest. Slowly push up with your hands and lift your upper body off the floor arching your back. As you arch your back bring your head back as far as possible and look up. Hold this pose as long as you desire then slowly bring your upper body back to the floor turning your head forward for the forehead to rest on the floor again. Repeat this several times.
5. Twisting the body moves the spine in a little bit different direction. Stand up with your feet at shoulder width apart. Extend your arms out to your sides at shoulder level. Twist your upper body around to the left swinging your arms around to help with the momentum. Then swing your upper body around to the right. Continue this twisting motion in a smooth flowing rhythm.
Breathing
Another activity for helping to calm and clear the mind is breathing. If your mind is active and your body is busy, your breathing will be very shallow and fast. Focusing a little time on your breathing is very quieting. Cause your breathing to slow down and also to lengthen with each breath. Breathe in on the count of six and holding it for a count of three then exhaling for a count of six. Then lengthen to eight and four, then ten and five where your breathing becomes more lengthened and quiet. When your breathing is slowed down your body and outer mind slows down too.
Your breath is what connects your soul to your body. By focusing a little time on your breathing, this helps to calm the body and bring your mind out of the physical thoughts of the day and direct it to the inner mind. Of course, this is where you want to go in your meditations. You want to be very still. When your mind is quiet you can move inward and you can be close to God. The way you can get close to God is to quiet the outer noise in your mind and body and move your consciousness inward into the stillness.
Another kind of breathing that can still your mind and body is to breathe and focus on the abdomen. When you inhale, extend the abdomen out. Then exhale and bring the abdomen in. Make sure your breathing is slow, and endeavor to continue to slow it down all the time focusing on the abdomen moving out with each inhale and in with each exhale. You will find your thoughts quieting down.
|
