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A Sample Form of Occult Meditation
A typical form of Raja Yoga method of occult meditation might run something like this:
First, find a time and a place where the work can be done without interruption or distraction. Early in the morning is the best time, before the mind becomes preoccupied with the mundane affairs of the day. And daily regularity is important.
Sit in a straight-backed chair with the spine erect, yet with the body comfortable and relaxed... Take a few slow, deep breaths while you empty out of the consciousness any personal matter that tends to cause anxiety or distract attention.
Lift the consciousness, through the creative imagination, to a focal point outside and above the top of the head. See this as the lower mind, the analytical critical mind stilled and quiescent, a quiet pool of light. Project a line of light upwards to the soul centre, seeing the soul as a brilliant sun, a radiant source of energy. This is the real spiritual self.
Visualise a further projection of the line of light towards the higher or abstract mind, the lowest aspect of the divine Self. Hold that lighted alignment in the imagination and by visualisation. This should only take a few minutes.
Pause for a moment, aware of the light and energy of the soul as the central point in consciousness. Then, holding the mind steady in the light, meditate for a few minutes on a seed thought, for example, "Let the soul control the outer form and life and all events. Let love prevail. Let all men love."
Examine the words first with the analytical mind, then seek to penetrate to the real inner meaning. What would it mean if the soul were in control of all life on earth and if love were the energy relating all mankind?
Then visualise the flow and precipitation of energy throughout the planet from the highest point of divine life to its lowest point of physical manifestation.
Pause for a few moments of reflection on the ways and means of working out the energies of light and love in all areas of human life, in all parts of the world.
Finally, acting as a channel for the transmission of energy and as an act of service to humanity, pour out the energies released during the meditation process.
Clear the mind, treat the body
By LINDA STAHL
More and more people are adding meditation to their healthy lifestyle checklist.
June Pittleman of Louisville did just that when she started experiencing nausea, headaches and dizziness but regular medical diagnostic tests didn't reveal any source of the problem.
Gradually, as she practiced meditation, the symptoms abated.
Now her physicians know meditation is part of her daily life. So recently, when she was at the hospital for an outpatient procedure and her blood pressure shot up and a nurse asked Pittleman's doctor what to do, she told the nurse to have Pittleman meditate for 30 minutes.
In a half-hour, Pittleman's blood pressure went from 200/120 to 120/80, she said, and she could be discharged.
"The nurse had a strange expression on her face when she came back to tell me my doctor wanted me to meditate," said Pittleman, who recently related the story at the Siddha Yoga Meditation Center in the Highlands, one of the local places where people can learn meditation.
Rita Hayes, communications manager for Norton Healthcare, participates in a meditation group. She uses meditation to control the symptoms of her multiple sclerosis and said her neurologist is supportive.
Hayes believes her combination of traditional medicine and meditation is a winning one. "I was diagnosed when I was 23," said Hayes, now 36, "and I'm still ambulatory and don't use any walking aids."
"The mind is far more powerful than we could ever imagine," she said.....
To read more on the
healthful benefits of meditation go to:
How To Meditate
Choose a quiet place and a time when you won't be disturbed for 10 to 20 minutes. Close the door, turn off the phone and set an alarm so you won't think about time passing.
It's important to find a posture that's comfortable for you. The classic position is to sit cross-legged on a pillow on the floor. This is a stable posture for long periods of time. However, if you have arthritis affecting your knees, hips or back, this may not be comfortable. Instead, try sitting in a chair with your back supported and feet flat on the ground. Try to remain still, but if you are in pain, don't suffer: Adjust your position as needed.
If your back or joints are hurting so much you can't sit still for 20 minutes, try a walking meditation. Choose a place to walk where you don't have to worry about obstacles and can concentrate on your meditation technique. You can also lie down on your back for meditation, but you may fall asleep as you relax.
Begin to meditate by quieting your body and mind with a few deep, relaxing breaths. Bring your attention to the word, phrase or object you are using for focus. You can silently repeat a sound like “om,” or focus your attention on the sensation of your breath as it exits your nostrils. Gently hold your attention there. Don't try too hard, or you'll be tense. Just let your thoughts and feelings drift by without getting involved in them. If your mind wanders, keep bringing your attention gently back to your focus. Don't judge yourself or your feelings. Just sit.
As time passes, you may feel yourself relaxing. Or you may find it agonizing to remain still: Your legs may ache or your mind may be racing with thoughts, or you may be bored. This is all normal and fine. See if you can just sit there, observing and accepting moment to moment whatever arises. Eventually, you will be less prone to distraction.
At the end of the session, take a few deeper breaths. Wait a minute or so before doing anything else. You may be surprised at how calm and rested you feel.
Meditate every day for about 20 minutes. Studies show people report benefits after a few weeks.
“Here’s what I'm encouraging you to try: not to be the perfect meditator, but just to be any kind of meditator - to be the meditator that you need to be. Because the best piece of advice I ever got about meditating is that you can't do it wrong. You may be half-assed at it, like me; you may not be able to do it when you're picking out your own funeral music over the Rockies. But however, whenever you do it, it will help you.”
Peggy Northrop – Meditation Can
Help You—Yes, You! – Organic Style magazine March 2004
Top 10 Myths about Meditation
Sharon Salzbergy – Insight Meditation Society
You need to sit in a lotus position.
'The Buddha talked about meditating in any of four postures: sitting, walking, standing, and lying down. If you can't do sitting meditation, you might do walking meditation. If you're in a wheelchair, you might do wheeling meditation.'
You need absolute quiet.
'Our practice is based on mindfulness, or paying attention to your experience. Rather than feeling you have to meditate in your closet, trying to block out everything, incorporate the experience of sound as something else to be mindful of."
You need to study first.
"Many teachers will suggest that you not study in the beginning but that you plunge right in. It is a very powerful experience, for once, to pay attention to what is true for you and no one else."
Meditation makes you passive.
'It doesn't mean letting people walk all over you. Instead, you discover that it helps you make informed decisions. You come to a place where you can recognize what you are feeling, and you can make a choice: 'Do I want to send that angry e-mail or do I want to wait?' It's up to you.'
You'll become unemotional.
"When the Dalai Lama was in New York City recently, he burst into tears. He was sitting there weeping on stage and everyone was like, 'Oh, God! What should I do?' But he was simply moved by something. Meditation hasn't removed me from the ups and downs of life, but I can roll with the punches more, with less sense of disappointment and personal failure.'
You
can't meditate if you have an active life."When my colleague Kamala Maste began her practice, she was a single mother, working two jobs to make ends meet. At first, her teacher, Munindra, strongly encouraged her to set aside a portion of each day for formal meditation. Kamala kept pointing out that there was no way she had time. Finally Munindra asked her what she did more than anything else. She thought, and then responded 'Wash dishes.' Munindra went over to the sink with her and together they practiced mindful dishwashing. You can work meditation into your day, no matter how busy you may be.'
If you lose focus, you are doing something wrong.
"Our minds will perpetually wander, and progress can be measured in terms of our ability to let go and begin again. Nasty, bitter thoughts aren't a call to blame yourself, and thinking isn't a sign that you are failing."
Meditation is too hard.
“We all can do it for a moment or two. Think of your meditation practice like learning to play the piano, and try to have more reasonable expectations. If we were taking piano lessons, we would realize that its not going to sound great right away, and we have to persevere."
Meditation is a selfish activity.
“If somebody said, 'You can do this thing for 20 minutes every day, and help your friend,’ we would do it. If we say, 'It would really help me we think, 'Oh, it's not worth it. 'But it is."
Meditation is a religion.
A Trappist monk came often to Barre, and he would say, 'Meditation is like going to outer space; you see your home planet in a different way.' Many Christians and Jews learn meditation without the intention of a Buddhist. There are skills that can be taken from any belief system or dogma, and they help make you a better human being." *
Organic Style magazine March 2004