The traditional and most common
methods of meditating are based on the mind and can be called ways
of the mind as opposed to the
way of the heart. These methods are an attempt to consciously
focus the mind into a single point focus. Although the point of
focus can be anything one chooses to fit the lifestyle, taste,
temperament and attitude of the individual, each tradition whether
it be spiritual, education, esoteric, or scientific has its
preferred point of focus.
In this regard, as discussed in the topic “Affiliations
you create with meditation” each and every technique and
tradition is created for a purpose. There is an intent that the
creator or creators of the technique or tradition desire to be
fulfilled. That intention or desire is embedded in the technique or
tradition. Anyone who uses that technique or tradition is giving
their life energy to that desire and/or intention. The questions is,
“Is the individual creative spirit being served by what is given or
is it being enslaves to support something that does not necessarily
serve its best interests.”
It needs to be understood there are embedded intentions within all
of the following methods of meditation. Some carry more influence
than others. For example, a detached witness has different creative
implications than an observer. Similarly the concept of prayer has
an embedded concept and understanding about the external creative
power that is usually ascribed to God. These methods have been
selected because they, in some way, support each of us developing a
creativity perspective and nevertheless do help us to hold our
creativity sacred. Information is provided to help decouple the
method from the intention of the creator of the method so that they
come with a little less imbedded creative baggage. As always, it is
recommended you
eat and digest what is provided here and make it your own.
Observing the mind
The first method of the mind is
probably the most traditional. It is probably the best way to get
started. It is to just sit and watch our mind and/or our body. A big
part of the meditation is to realize we can become an observer of
our mind and body.
In this process we just watch. No judgements, no biases. In this
method we do not explore the “who” but rather we just watch. Whether
we watch the thoughts that float through the mind as cloud float
through the sky, or we watch the rise and fall of our breathing in
and out, or other subtle body movements, the process is only to
watch and observe. Observing the mind is about become becoming
aware of what is, as it is. The realization that will eventually
needs to occur here is why we are observing what we observe and not
something else. There reason for what we observe as opposed to
something else. The next step in observing our thoughts is to
pull the string as to why we have the particular thoughts we do
and not other.
In utilizing this technique, we can realizes that in the oneness of
the universe, every step we take and every breath we breath is
sacred. In this realization, we will become mindful of our thoughts.
In becoming mindful of our thoughts our consciousness will shift
from an every day perspective to another perspective characterized
by being observant, detached, and free from judgment. In time we
can begin to see through the event before us and to see what is
giving rise to the event we experience. With practice, we can take
this ability with us wherever we go and no longer have the need to
sit and meditate.
Observing the Observer and the
Detached Witness
The second method of
meditation of the mind and probably the second most traditional ways
is to watch the mind as an observer [as opposed to the detached
witness] and look at and explore the “who” is having the thoughts.
To focus on the “who” is to look beyond the “I” of the statement
“who am I?” In this observation the process is to learn to identify
with the one who knows and is observing and not with the individual
thoughts and disturbances of the mind characterized as the ego. It
is to learn to see the “I” is malleable and changeable.
For example, it is learning to think “I am angry” but not to
identify with the anger but rather the “I” who is experiencing a
disturbance characterized by our mind as anger because of the
experience we have had. It is to realize that if we had other
experiences or different experiences in the past we maybe would
characterize what we are calling anger maybe as frustration or pain.
The realization that will need to occur in this technique to see our
true nature is that the “I” who is observing is experiencing the
state or thought they observe.
In understanding we are only experiencing a state or thought, we can
being to see how we creates what we observe by how and what we
choose. Here we can being to transition to becoming the detached
witness as opposed to an observer. The realization that needs to
occur here is that this “who” is observing is the creator that has
become the detached witness of their own creation. An observer
stands apart from what they observe and does not affect or impact
what they observe. A
detached witness realizes they are causing and/or creating what
they experience but they are capable of standing back and observing
what they themselves have created and are experiencing - they
witness what they have created.
Prayer
The third method is the
traditional way of prayer. In this method, we accepts ourselves as
our mind and our body. Here we see ourselves to be who we think we
are and have come to believe that we are because of the experiences
we have had in this life. In this method, we pray to whomever we
believe God to be and ask God to respond to our prayer. In utilizing
this technique, we must believe wholeheartedly in tour prayer and we
must pray to be the servant of our God and do His/Her/Its will and
surrender to whatever is required.
The difficulty in using this method to explore our true natured is
understanding how our God communicates directly to us. For us to
understand our true nature we cannot rely on God speaking through
any external source or vehicle. That is, we cannot not rely on any
intermediary (physical or nonphysical) telling us what God wants for
us. Rather we will have to come to understand our own unique way of
communicating with God. Although God may use external messengers, we
will first have to understand our unique nature to see how the
external messengers are a part of our nature.
The realization that will need to be made here is how do we know God
is communicating to us and not some lesser spirit or entity whether
that lesser spirit or entity speaks internally or externally or is
physical or nonphysical. The question here is how do we know God,
not necessarily as a personal God and One Who cares about us as an
individual. Rather, what is our personal experience of God such that
we know it is God communicating when He/She/It chooses to
communicate to us.
Our problem with prayer is that we ask and ask and ask again for
messages, for signs, for communications. But we are too concerned
with the mundane affairs of the world and/or listening to what
others tells. Or, we are too afraid of what God may tell us to do if
it is not what we want to do.
We rarely take the time to listen. We take even less time to explore
God. Many of us are too afraid to explore God for fear of making a
mistake, doing it wrong or otherwise somehow annoying or making God
angry. Exploring God and our relationship with God is sanctioned by
very few traditions. The reason for this is quite simple. If you
come to know and understand God, you don’t need a tradition. You may
use a traditions to help create what you need to create but you will
need no tradition to know God.
How can one hear if we are not listening and looking for how the
communication is occurs? Listening can, and will, take time. We need
to be patient. We need to be careful to listen to for both the inner
messages and the outer messages of “coincidences.” It is natural and
normal for a human to long and to want signs now without waiting.
Live in a time where things occur quickly and we want our answers
quickly. We want the answers to our messages right away. As was
discussed in the topics “Why
the Second Half of the Journey Took Nine Years” and “An
Evolution in Understanding” understanding takes time. Similarly
questions asked early in life that give rise to
the subconscious journey into exploring creativity eventually
did get answered. However, the answers took two to three decades to
be fully answered.
Listening for communications from the Divine is a skill that can be
developed. As with any skill it takes time to develop not because it
is hard to listen but rather, our mind keeps getting in the way and
distracting us with its thinking. To learn to listen, we need to
practice being quiet by going within and ending the ceaseless
chatter of our mind. We need to learn to live in the moment before
mind can jump in and judge any thought or intuitive insight we have.
Then we have to take the time to listen and create the space to
listen. Then and only then will we hear. We will see the signs and
receive the messages and at the same time, we will have developed
the art of patients
Single point external focus
The fourth way to meditate is to
hold a single focus on some internal or external object. In this
method, the mind stays focused on this single point rather than
moving from thought to thought or external distract to distraction.
Most traditions offer some object of focus. Some use a sacred name,
a mantra or sutra, a sacred sound or the image of some mystical
individual such as a living physical entity like the guru or some
non physical entity such a Buddha, Christ or Krishna. Other esoteric
traditions utilize such things as candle flames, crystals, crystal
balls, pendulums, cards, drumming, dance and other similar items.
In reality, it doesn’t matter what we use as a focus of our
meditation. The power of meditation is based on developing a single
point focus of the mind. What we use as a focus only adds emotional
energy because of the beliefs the individual has about the object of
focus. This is why a muse can be so powerful in a creative endeavor.
As we works to keep our mind on the object of our focus, we will
encounter our mind wondering back and forth from thought to thought
or distraction to distraction. When this occurs, we only need to
bring our attention and awareness back to the object of our focus
and continue the process. Eventually we will develop the ability to
hold a undisturbed single point focus.
When we can hold a single point focus, one of two things will
happen. Either we will 1) have a mystical experience somehow related
to the object of our focus or, 2) we will come to see how we have
created what we experience. Creating a mystical experience related
to the object of our focus could be a visitation by the non physical
entity we have used or we experience of some supernatural power such
that we think we have found the key to the universe in the
experience. Here we stay in the illusion created by mind. If we can
see how we create what we experience, we can come to the realization
that we create any and all our experiences such that you have found
the key to creation. In this realization we do discover our own
powers of creation.
When we have developed the ability to have that single point focus,
the realization which needs to be made is what does the “I” want do
with this focus. What does the “I” wish to create. We will be
creating our experience by how and what on which we chose to focus
our attention and awareness. We need to be willing to take full
responsibility for what we create, its implications and how we
choose to act based on what we create to become a conscious creator.
Otherwise we will set ourselves up to be a victim.
The recommendation made here is this material is that if we are
going to use any object or entity for meditation, we contemplate
life itself and the creative life energy that flows within our own
heart and sustains our being. That is, we contemplate our own heart
and what it means and as the energy is unfolding. It is recommended
we use the focus of the heart to contemplate life and how our inner
state is reflective of the outer experience and how the outer
experience affects the inner. For example, “How do I feel and what
am I experiencing externally because of how I feel?” or “What am I
experiencing externally and how do I feel internally about what I am
experiencing?”
In many ways a variation of this fourth way is the traditional way
of the classroom education. In the classroom, we sit and focus our
attention and awareness onto, or into, the subject we are tying to
learn. In this classroom process we exclude all distraction and
external input other than the topic at hand. The teacher becomes the
single point object of focus for the topic. This method of teaching
is in many ways opposed to the alternative. The alternative is
almost an opposite way of learning. The alternative way is where we
learn by doing and experiencing and what is learned is a byproduct
of the experience. The alternative to the classroom is discovery and
exploration. It is experimentation. So too with exploring the truth
of our own nature. We can sit and focus our attention and awareness
to create the understanding about how we think things should be. Or,
we can learn by doing and being true to our nature in every way
discovering and exploring who and what we are.
When we are taught the methods of the way of the mind, we are
normally instructed to sit such that we keep the body steady.
Sometimes we sit even to the point of denying all body sensations so
as not to be distracted. However we can just as effectively meditate
by laying down, sitting in a chair or even walking or doing
anything. It needs to be understood when we are told to sit and keep
the body steady the goal here is to stop thinking and to observe and
detach to become mindful and aware.
Each body sensation we have ultimately gets translated into a
perception of the mind. Since we are trying to keep the mind steady,
it would seem it only makes sense to keep the body steady. It makes
sense to turn off the body as a source of distractions and the
thoughts that arise from the body sensations. Some meditations even
get to the point of forgetting the body and/or literally denying the
body.
However, from the view point of meditation held in this book, the
purpose of meditation is to use meditation as a tool in the
application of understanding of one’s true nature. To deny the body
or forget the body, we will be denying our own true nature and its
creator/Creator for it is our own nature is what created the need
for the body we have. We can deny the body temporarily but we will
need to fully integrate it in all that we do.
What we will find if we explore our own true nature in the
spontaneous and innocent childlike play of discovery and exploration
is that our body is a part of our nature. Although we will discover
we are not our body. We will discover we are an infinite
consciousness with unlimited creativity. We will discover our
particular body is a reflection of the best vehicle available to us
to have an experience of our true nature and what that nature
desires to experience.
Our body, is more than a vehicle and/or a suit for our consciousness
to use for a physical experience. Rather it is our consciousness and
what it thinks and believes manifested in physical form as a human.
If you wish, take a piece of paper and place it over the imprinted
numbers of a plastic credit card. Take a pencil and rub the lead
sideways across the paper over the number of the credit card. The
piece of paper now contains the credit card numbers in pencil. The
credit card numbers are perfectly functional on the piece of paper,
except for the magnetic strip. For all practical purposes, the piece
of paper can function as a credit card. The numbers are what is
important, not what they are imprinted on nor what used to make the
imprint. Neither the plastic credit card or the paper are what is
important.
So too that essence that is us. Our body is much like the credit
card or the piece of paper. It is imprinted with all that is us. The
numbers survive and exist and are perfectly functional even if the
form - the plastic card or piece of paper is destroyed. But as with
the plastic credit card, the magnetic strip allows the numbers to be
used in a way that the paper cannot.
So too the body you have. The body allows the essence that is us to
be used and to have experiences that cannot have in any other way.
It needs the physical body for the experience. So the body is
simultaneously not us for we are fully functional without a body .
But is also us for our essence is imprinted on the body so our
essence can be used in particular way - that is for a particular
type and kind of physical experience.
What you will find is that in exploring our true nature that if we
wish to truly understand our true nature, it is more important to
intimately explore our body and use it rather than denying the body
or the body’s needs in any way. If we keep the body detached as we
continue to meditate we will most probably fall into another habit
as deep as any other.
There are a variety of other ways and techniques to meditate and
some additional ones discussed on this web site. Some are relatively
common like
visualization and
guided meditations, and others like
omphaloskepsis [staring fixed at one’s navel] are rarely heard
about let alone practiced. But the use of any of these techniques
can get us started exploring our true nature. Unless we learn to
become aware and awake to (1) our thoughts and what we believe, (2)
what you think and why you think the way we do, (3) what we intend,
and (4) what we are longing for deep within our being, we will not
reveal to ourselves the true nature of our being. Each of these have
a way of masking an extremely important aspect of the true nature of
our being. That is, they mask exactly how we have created and are
creating the experiences we have for our true being is ultimately
that of on unlimited creator.
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