Meditation Master Credentials, Part I
January 7, 2008
I could write a tutorial about how to meditate. There is a plethora of websites ready to dole out advice about how to meditate on the web. I have decided to give you my non-existent meditation master credentials by relaying my personal experiences first. How can I possibly expect you to believe that I know what I am doing or that I am genuine without providing a little background?
My first experience with meditation was in high school on a health and fitness day (which only happened once in the four years I was there). If I can recall correctly, the day was focused on health and fitness of the mind, body, and soul. How quaint. I can only remember three of the classes well. They were Aromatherapy, Organizational Skills, and Introduction to Yoga.
Introduction to Yoga was an embarrassing experience for me, with members from all grade levels present… and boys. Hormonal teenagers attempting to bend and stretch in ways that sitting at the computer and on the couch actively counteract by encouraging inaction is not a pretty sight. I remember pressing my feet together and not being able to put my knees down as the unnaturally calm Yogi Master teaching our group did. I actually found him to be annoying at the time. I resented his peaceful presence. He had us close our eyes and breathe slowly. My mind was most certainly not cooperating. I kept peeking at other people, distracted by thoughts and fears. The only thing I learned from that experience was that I enjoyed the idea of having a quiet mind. I did not forget that idea. However, I did not remember to continue educating myself about how to acquire a quiet mind until college.
My first real attempt at meditation was absurd. I wanted enlightenment, a spiritual experience. I wanted it fast, like the quality-lacking food one can find at the local fast food drive thru. I read about breathing techniques. I read about Om. I read about breathing in through my nose, out through my mouth. I sat on the floor of my apartment with my eyes closed. I became impatient almost immediately. Shouldn’t something be happening? I ended up feeling a little light headed, and greatly disappointed. I concluded that meditation was not for me.
I maintained a lingering curiosity. Years went by. I slowly began reading again about the benefits of meditation. I have found much of my information on the internet. Meditation quiets your mind and allows for healing energy to surround you. It can bring a peaceful calm. Solid resolve. Positive feelings.
Several months ago, I finally invested in a book called You Are Psychic: The Art of Clairvoyant Reading & Healing
Well, not too silly actually. I bought the book because I read portions of it at the bookstore that truly resonated with me. I began my first real meditation on a flight to California. This was an interesting experience. I was practicing grounding myself and the space I was in. Does that not sound idiotic considering I was flying? At one point, I was practicing grounding the energy of the plane. This means that I was attempting to move negative energy with my mind out of the plane and into the earth (Not take the plane down with my psychic-ness). It was funny when I did the grounding visualization, because several people got restless at that precise moment and decided that they would all make their way to the bathroom. Hmm, coincidence? Maybe.
Anyhow, my attempts to do what the author suggested was a true learning experience for me. I am not sure how it occurred, but I developed my ability to see things in my mind. I had previously believed visualization to be something I already knew how to do.
If you can close your eyes and see where your car is currently parked in your mind, then you have the rudimentary tools to learn how to visualize. For me, visualization is actually the creation of New images in your mind to assist you in meditation. I began to see progress as a result of reading You Are Psychic: The Art of Clairvoyant Reading & Healing
I will have to save the rest of this enticing read for my next post.
Posted in Meditation, Spirituality
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