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Hello everyone. I am new to this site and have only posted in the Greetings section so far. I was reading some peoples troubles with meditation and were wondering if anyone could help. I found this
exercise a while back and found it quite useful. Hope others find this useful.
Everyone has heard of meditation, some people do it on a regular basis, others do not see a need for it.
But that does not change the fact that for the best inner reflection, meditation is the path to walk.
So I am going to give a basic exercise to strengthen your meditation method. I call this method "Into the Fire" due to the fact that you will be attempting to enter a state of mind that is achieve with the assistance of a flame.
Material Needed:
Candle or Fireplace
Quiet Place for an extended undisturbed period
Relaxing Music (optional)
Loose fitting clothing that breathes and is extremely comfortable
As with everything, you need to learn to crawl before you can walk, walk before you can run, run before you can fly.
Exercise One
Sit in your chosen place and light the candle. Place it away from you about body length. You may turn on relaxing music, but it is suggested that you keep it low enough that it is barely audible. Stare at the candle flame and watch it.
Some people feel the need for a chant, here is one I suggest since it can fall into a rhythm:
As Above
As Below
As Within
As Without
I am One
I am All
As you chant and watch the flame, focus on the flame. See the way it flickers, moves, and the colors within the flame itself. As you do this, attempt to make so the flame becomes your universe, you become the flame. Be aware of your body, breathing and heartbeat. Block out all outside noises, even the nice relaxing music.
It might take time to finally accomplish it, but the final goal of this exercise is to be able to make so the flame is the only thing that you are aware of. You should be at a complete relax state of mind and body. This is something you wish to do on a daily basis, or every other day until you are able to train your mind to allow you to focus only on the flame.
Exercise Two
After you have accomplished exercise one, you will be able to achieve a relaxed state faster and easier than when you began. It is now time to walk.
Sit down in your quiet space, light your candle and achieve your relaxation state of mind. Once you have done this, focus on the color of the flame. Visualize the flame color turning to another color shade.
Again, this will take time in order to accomplish, once you can change your mind's eye vision of the flame to the color you desire, move to Exercise Three. Keep in mind that when the flame changes color, this should be the internal color of the flame. All movement of the flame should exist, getting a blob of color to appear blocking the flame is not what you are trying to achieve.
Exercise Three
Once you feel ready, it is time to run.
Once you have achieved the relaxation and color change exercises, it is time to take it further than just visualizing the flame. It is time to become the flame.
Visualize your third eye opening. This is the chakara locate in the forehead. The color of this third eye varies from person to person. After you can "see" this third eye opening, expand your vision to the flame, embrace the flame and become one with the flame. You should be able to see your body sitting in it's relaxed position. Feel the way the flame moves, see how the world around you appears.
Once you are able to accomplish Exercise Three, move to Exercise Four
Now it is time to learn to fly. By this time, you should be able to run through the three other exercises relatively easily. Once you do, you will reach out to the skies and rise. See yourself moving upwards, through any obstacles that are in your way. You are light as the wind itself, free to move where you will.
Once you can envision this, you have achieved the highest form of meditation that we all seek, you are now traveling on a different plane of existence called an astral plane. Within this plane of existence, you will be able to see things that you normally can not see, and speak with others who are around you.
This is also the plane of existence that you can use to vanquish your greatest enemies: your fears, doubts and weaknesses.
Everyone has fears, doubts and weaknesses; few people know how to actually face them. Simply telling yourself that you are over something is not always enough. Once you can agree with this, move to the hardest Exercise, Five.
Exercise Five
It is now time to do what everyone dreads doing, conquer your inner demons.
Run through exercises one through four. Once you have accomplished that, it is time to expand your vision. Look within yourself and find the fear, doubt or weakness that haunts you the most. Feel it, see it, give it shape and form. See it take shape in front of you.
Once it solidifies, attack it!
One of the greatest battles that we as humans face is that of our inner being. Within us lies all the things that haunt our dreams, the back of our minds while we are awake, and sometimes live past us when we finally move on. It is not a matter of accepting and understanding our inner beings, it is a master of taking control over the greatest possession that we could ever own, ourselves.
You are stronger than anything within you, you are the one who created it and you are the one who can vanquish it. See yourself battling the demon from within that you brought forth. You can not lose if you choose to be the master of your own temple. Feel your enemies strength fail, force it to it's knees, bend it to your will. Call upon all the powers of the universe that are yours to control at this moment.
Call upon the destructive force of the element you have become, fire.
As your enemy fails, you now have a choice. You have created this being, you now stand as master of your own destiny. Humility is the greatest force of justice that we can ever have. Shall you destroy it utterly, or will you yield and embrace what is part of you?
That choice is yours, I can not council you on it. The choice you make shall have part in shaping your future. Has this part of you caused you so much pain and grief that destruction is the only answer, or are you strong enough to take a piece of your own inner being and become whole again, secure in the knowledge that you are no longer chained by doubt, fear or weakness that has haunted you?
This set of meditation exercises can be used for addressing turmoil within yourself, or for reflection on what you have experienced. Modify it as you see fit to meet your needs.
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