Meditation

Please note: The use of the terms "First Cause", "God" and "Divine Energy" in the following paragraphs is not meant to be misconstrued as an over-riding of your own belief system. The terms are being used generically. Feel free to substitute whatever name, term or phrase that resonates with you.

The process of turning our will and our lives over is not a one-time action. It is at least a daily re-commitment. To be proficient in one's spiritual practice is the same as being proficient in any other endeavor. It requires dedication and repetition. It has been my experience that a daily discipline of meditation and prayer, starting first thing in the morning, is the best and most effective method of turning over our will and our lives. The more we meditate and pray, the easier they become to do and the stronger our connection to First Cause becomes. I list meditation ahead of prayer because I believe it is the more efficient means of growing spiritually. There are two ways of connecting with the First Cause. The act of meditation raises us up to the First Cause while the act of prayer calls down the First Cause to us. In addition, the act of meditation allows us to connect with that part of ourselves, the love and the light, that is at one with the First Cause. This is our reminder that we are not alone and that our validation comes from the First Cause and not the people, places and things that we permitted to validate us in the past. The act of prayer allows us to reaffirm our conviction in the virtues we practice and to be thankful for the help in their implementation that comes from the First Cause of our understanding. One of the results of a stronger connection with our First Cause is the establishment of communications from the First Cause. As our connection to the First Cause grows stronger, the First Cause's communications to us become clearer. Though the forms these communications can take are infinite, the most powerful and direct one is that of intuition. Our intuition will always tell us what we need to know and show us what direction our course of action should take. The more we practice the faith of acting on our intuition the stronger and clearer it will become. And as stated before, sometimes the outcome of acting on our intuition will be extremely painful. It may be that these painful episodes are the vehicles for the lessons we are here to master.

Meditation is a very personal practice and differs from one person to another. There is no wrong way to meditate, no one posture that is more powerful than another. As Rumi once said, "There's a thousand ways to kneel and kiss the ground." What I believe this means is that each and everyone of us are one with the First Cause. Therefore, any time we have the intention of connecting with the First Cause we are in meditation. The following is the way I meditate on a daily basis, first thing in the morning. This is being given as a suggestion only. You are a Child of the First Cause, create your own or feel free to use mine or some combination there of.

One of the beliefs I have is that the best way to grow in meditation is to have a steady, consistent practice. For me this means meditating at the same time each day, sitting in the same place, facing the same direction and using the same breathing rhythm and the same centering tool. I start my meditation each day with the stating of the same intention, "God, I sit here in quiet and stillness with the sole intention of connecting with you." As soon as I have stated my intention I do a focused breathing exercise. I do this exercise four times. I breath in through my nostrils and envision the air as Divine Energy and route it up through my Third Eye Chakra, across the top of my head through my Crown Chakra, down the back of my head, down the spine, through the Throat Chakra, through the Heart Chakra, the Solar Plexus Chakra, the Stomach Chakra to the Root Chakra. At this point the Divine Energy turns upward, passing through the Stomach, Solar Plexus, Heart and Throat Chakras to be expelled as breath through the mouth. What this focused breathing does is twofold. First it opens all the Chakra. Second it attunes them to each other. If you feel guided to do so, you can pay special attention to any one or combination of Chakras. Once the Chakras are open and attuned, I start with some rhythmic breathing. I inhale, gently, through my nose and exhale, gently, through my mouth. As I do this I, quietly, repeat the mantra "Thank you God for filling my heart up with Love" and focus my attention on feeling my heart being filled up with Love. After a half dozen or so breathes I focus my attention on my third eye. The third eye will remain my only focus throughout my meditation. When I catch my mind being active I gently return it to my third eye. The third eye is very important, both as the starting point of the breathing exercise and the focus of attention during the meditation. The representation of the bodies life force path as a coiled snake indicates that the third eye, the head of the snake, is the final destination of the raising up of our Kundalini or Prana. I meditate for between twenty and thirty minutes. I allow myself to return to consciousness whenever I am moved to do so. Sometimes its shorter than twenty minutes, sometimes its longer than thirty minutes. Upon completion I simply say "Thank you God for your Presence in my life and thank you God for showing me how to see your Presence in everyone and everything that is presented to me this day.