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Dear Friend,
May this find you well and happy. ********************************* This is the last of your 18 segment weekly email course which you requested on "THE ART OF MEDITATION" taken from the book by the same name by Robert Elias Najemy which can be found as a pdf ebook at http://HolisticHarmony.com/ebooks/index.asp May you enjoy and benefit from it. ********************************** Important note: Meditation should actually be learned from a meditation teacher who can guide through your various stages. As you work with these guidelines, you should seek out a teacher with whom you can have direct contact. If at any point you feel that your meditation is causing you to feel any problems, then please seek out professional help. Always remember that you and only can be responsible for your physical and mental health. ********************************** CONTEMPLATION ON CHRISTıS LIFE AND TEACHINGS We have already mentioned some types of meditations on Christıs name and form, and also the prayer "LORD JESUS CHRIST HAVE MERCY ON US". These visualizations, which you are about to read, can be used as methods of entering into any of the Christ meditations, which suit you, most. One visualization is similar to the contemplation techniques used by some Christian monks. We bring a scene, event or teaching from Christıs life into focus. We concentrate on it dwelling on the message or lesson, which can be received through His words or His actions or some event. After some contemplation, we create a phrase in the mind which for us our message or lesson at this moment. At some other moment the same words or event may offer us a totally different message. This is especially true of the parables because they can be understood at so many different levels. Once we have established a clear phrase in our mind, which represents the message we have tuned into to, we move deeper into the message and find one word (which may or may not be a part of the message) which represents this message. This will usually be a spiritual value such as love, peace, forgiveness, faith, service, sacrifice, humility, strength, fearlessness, devotion etc. Once we have established this word, which sums up in a way the message we found in the original teaching, then we begin to focus more intensely on this word. Focusing on this word, this value, we gradually become attuned to its inner quality or energy. We begin to feel the vibration of this value such as love or peace etc. permeating our body and mind. As our concentration increases, this vibration or quality permeates our whole being, we are immersed in it and become transformed by it. We remain in this bliss returning over and over again to the energy of this quality that is vibrating in our being, or focusing on the Christ in the way which suits us. SURRENDERING TO CHRIST Another way of moving into a Christ meditation is to imagine Jesus standing in front as you sit with your eyes closed in your meditation position. Feel His presence, His energy, His vibration, His love, and His peace as He is standing before you. Let these energies come forth and pass into you. Now mentally imagine that you bow forward and place your forehead on His bare feet. Feel His energy pour into your forehead and purify your mind. Mentally create the feeling that you are surrendering your will, your desires, your needs, the results of all your actions, you body and your life itself to the Divine. Once you feel that this part has come to a completion, mentally come again into the meditative position and imagine the Christ in front of you radiating his energy towards you. At this point we have some options: 1. Imagine that Christıs rays of energy permeate your heart center and then your forehead center and saturate them with this divine energy. Remain in the sensation of this energized state. 2. Imagine that Christıs form becomes very small and moves toward you and establishes itself in your heart. Imagine that Christ is in your heart. You decide if He is sitting or standing there. Imagine that He is emanating His love, peace and power from within you. Remain focused on this, or move into your preferred meditation. 3. Imagine that Christ moves behind you and stands behind your back with you sitting in your meditation position in front of Him. Now imagine that He places His two hands on the top of your head and passes His blessings and energy into the top of your head. Let this energy fill your brain and then move down into the rest of your body. Let this energy continue expanding until every aspect of your being, including your mind, are immersed in this vibration which is flowing in through the top of your head. These Christ meditations can be used as a method of entering into meditation independently of what object of meditation you are accustomed to using. If you belong to some other religion, you may use these methods of focusing with the form you are accustomed to worshiping GOD IS IN EVERYTHING This is another excellent method of moving into meditation, or it can also be used as a meditation in itself. 1. Once you have established your position and the correct state of mind, bring a plant (one you know or an imaginary one) into your mind. Remember that this plant is a projection of the one Divine Universal Consciousness. Say mentally to yourself, "God is in that Plant". Bring another plant to mind, the intelligent force in all beings in expressing itself through that plant. Do this again with another species and remember that this is one of Godıs many forms. 2. Now do the same with various kinds of animals. See each one as an unique material manifestation of the one Divine Consciousness. Remember to choose each time at least one type of animal which you fear or dislike. Then do the same with some types of insects. 3. Now bring some persons you know and remind yourself of the same truth, and try to feel it. See each person as divine and feel the same respect and love towards him that you would feel toward God, if you were able to meet Him. Christ told us many times in various ways, that God is the consciousness in every being, in the prisoners, the poor, and even in our enemies. 4. Be sure then to bring into your mind people with whom you have difficulty in communicating, or towards whom you have negative feelings, and remember that they too are unique manifestations of the One God. 5. Bring your family, parents, children, siblings and spouse to mind and see them too as divine beings. 6. Then bring your own self, your body and personality and realize that these too (you cannot be the only exception on the earth) are manifestations of divine consciousness, and feel the love and respect towards yourself that you deserve. At this point you can move on to your regular object of meditation, or continue on in this way, remembering that whatever comes into your mind is a manifestation of the divine. Persons, events, places, thoughts, feelings, pain, problems, situations are all manifestations of the only cause for whatever exists, God. (If these concepts are foreign to you I would again suggest that you read "The Miracles of Love and Wisdom" and "Universal Philosophy"). MEDITATION ON THE ENERGY CENTERS This meditation will be described in detail in another chapter. We will give just a small description here, because it can often be used in combination with the other forms of meditation. The energy centers are certain points in the body where the bioenergy is more intensely focused. These points are along the spinal column. They are not physical and cannot ordinarily be seen by the human eye. These energy centers are stations, through which the higher spiritual energies are transformed into certain types of more gross energy necessary for action, thought and existence in the physical body. Each center colors this pure cosmic energy with the quality of that particular center, just as a colored film colors the otherwise white light passing through it. Each center has to do with another quality of human energy, with other motivations, other needs and desires. Each center is a "sub station" for the soul, through which energy is distributed to the various organs, limbs and all the cells of the body. When this energy leaves the body, the body dies and begins to decompose. Our thoughts and feelings are very much affected by the energy center which is most activated at a certain moment. These centers are stimulated by various external factors, such as what we eat, what we see and hear, what company we keep and the places we frequent. They are also stimulated and fed by our conscious and subconscious thoughts, needs, desires and feelings. The process of evolution is accompanied by the rising of this energy towards the higher centers, which are colored by more spiritual tendencies, needs, feelings and thoughts. By focusing on these centers, we can energize them and create more harmonious connection between them. Focusing on them also helps to activate a purification process in which they throw out whatever is held in them which is preventing our evolution. It is for this reason that one needs to be careful not to over do such meditations on the centers. Too much concentration can start a purification un-stressing process (like that which we mentioned in chapter 5) which might bring about unpleasant reactions which we may not be ready to handle given the present circumstances in our life such as responsibilities towards family and work. If one lived in a monastery, he could take more risks with such techniques. For this reason, I would suggest the following guidelines: 1. Practice concentration on the energy centers only under the guidance of an experienced teacher and after the necessary inner cleansing (physically and emotionally). 2. Do not overdo it. More is not better. 3. You can use it more safely when using with other objects of meditation. For example focusing on love, light, or the Christ in the heart center or the forehead center. In this way we imbue these centers with the spiritual vibration of the object of concentration. 4. During the first years do not focus on the three lower centers. Work first on awakening the heart center and then the forehead center. When you are well-established in love (the result of the awakening of the heart center) and Spiritual discrimination - wisdom (the result or work on the forehead center) then begin to work on opening the other centers. The concept here is that these centers are like flower buds that are still closed and thus manifesting only a small portion of their potential. As they become energized, they flower and much more of their previously hidden potential is available to us. This subject is a large one and we have given you little information because we believe that whoever wants to flow path must necessarily have a teacher who will guide him step by step. INSIGHT MEDITATION This is a very ancient meditation which can be used as a method of moving into meditation, or as a means of smoothing out tense energies, while one is in meditation (especially when one is making too much effort,) or even at the end of any meditation, so as to smooth out the energy and create balance. Independently of these possible uses, in combination with other "objects", it is a powerful meditation in itself. After establishing your position and state of mind, begin to observe the various parts of the body. One method is to allow your consciousness simply to become aware of the parts of the body which make themselves more evident through feelings, sensations or even pain. Just become aware of this part and accept it as it is. Do not try to relax it or change it. Notice its condition and accept it. The same can be done concerning feelings or thoughts passing through the mind. They can be recognized and accepted. It is like watching the contents of a river flowing between its banks. You are on the banks. When you see the movements of water or some leaves, you do not reject them or become attached to them. You notice them and let them flow. You do not say this is good and that is bad. Sit in the same way on the banks of your consciousness and just watch the various phenomena such as physical feelings, discomforts, pleasures, temperature, tiredness, desire, an insect on your cheek, wind on your face, thoughts which come about the past and the future. None of these concern you. You do not reject them. You do not resist them. You acknowledge their existence and allow them to continue their flow. You are not concerned or affected. The same meditation can be performed in a more methodic way called "sweeping". We allow our awareness to sweep through the body in a systematic way feeling, acknowledging and accepting the state of each part of the body before we move on. There are many methods of "sweeping". I will presently mention only one here. Bring all of your awareness to the center of the top of your head. Feel and accept the sensations or state of that part of your body. Now feel the area, which would be a ring around the center of the top of your head. This would be a band about two centimeters in width. Feel, acknowledge, accept and then move. You now move onto a similar band about the same size or a little larger which is further out from the center. After stopping, feeling and accepting, your band moves down over the forehead and encompasses the forehead, temples and back of the head at the level of the temples. The band continues to move down the face as you feel simultaneously the front, sides and back part of the face and head according to the level of the downward moving band of awareness. It moves down into the throat region, where you are simultaneously aware of the front, sides and back portions of the neck. The band then grows larger and moves down to encompass the shoulders, upper chest and upper back. It continues to move downward in sections touching all parts of the chest and abdomen. It then moves into the legs, moving down one leg at a time, or both legs simultaneously. Once arriving at the toes one can begin moving back up again toward the top of the head, passing through each area in the same way with the band of awareness covering the front, sides and back of the body at each stage of its upward movement. This can continue for the complete duration of the meditation as your awareness moves up and down continuously feeling and accepting and moving on. There are many variations of this sweeping technique. Some prefer to move only from top to bottom. That is once they arrive at the toes their awareness jumps up to the top of the head again and they start moving down again. Others prefer to move only upwards. Most need to work separately with each arm and leg before being able to work with them simultaneously. Most parts of the body need to be worked on, "opened up", if you like, to our awareness with more slow and concentrated work on those parts of the body before one can have the intimate awareness necessary to sweep in this way. It is often beneficial to be guided by someone at first. This meditation has special healing powers and is an excellent technique to be employed when one is ill or has some damage such as broken bones or pain. This opening of the body to the mindıs attention and acceptance brings healing power into all parts of the body. As already mentioned it is an excellent way to enter into any meditation. It is also very helpful after any meditation to make a few passes through the body so as to relax and bring harmony to the energy flow. This is especially important for those who tend to try too hard when they are meditating. It is also a way to balance the energies or work with pain while in the process of any other type of meditation. After a few passes we can return to our original "object". NOT THIS, NOT THIS This is perhaps the king of all meditations. It has no object of concentration. It rejects all mental objects and phenomena as illusion and as not being that for which I am searching. What am I searching for? MYSELF, my real identity. It is very simple, I ask the question "Who am I?" or "What am I?". The truth is, however, that anything that I can observe cannot be my real self, because I have to be something other than what I am perceiving in order to perceive it. I cannot be the perceived since my consciousness must be positioned outside of the perceived in order to perceive it. When my eyes see a car, they cannot be that car. My eyes cannot see themselves. They can see only a reflection of themselves. Can we trust this reflection? We want to see the real thing. Being aware of the changes taking place in the eyes, I cannot be my eyes. 1. We establish our proper position physically and mentally. We begin to search for our real identity. We can start with our legs. "I am not my legs". I exist without my legs". We feel our abdomen and realize that to be able to feel it we must be something other than that to feel it. We move on to the chest. This is not my real self, for I perceive it and thus I must be something other than that in order to perceive it. I am not my arms. I exist without my arms. I am not my face or head for I am aware of them and thus must be something else which is aware of them. 2. Then we move on to more subtle aspects of our reality. I am not the sounds I hear, the sensations or pain I feel. I am that which is hearing or sensing those. Yet I am aware of sensing them and, thus, I must be something even more subtle which is aware of that part of myself that is perceiving those sensations. 3. I am not my thoughts because I am aware of them. I am also aware of a consciousness, which is aware of that part which is aware of the thoughts. This all might seem very confusing. But it is not when you practice it. Neither do you have all these thoughts. After the first few times it all becomes totally automatic. Your mind simply disperses every object of consciousness as not "me", not what I am looking for, not the truth, just a temporary wave on the ocean with no permanent reality. In this meditation, whenever the mind falls on any mental or physical phenomenon, it allows it to dissolve, to disappear. It is as if your awareness itself is like those "ray guns", so predominant in science fiction movies, which make their target disappear instantly. We are eventually left with awareness itself as our object of consciousness. Each will experience this awareness of witness differently. Some may experience void, others some type of bliss or states without time or space, in which their existence has no size. I would suggest that this is an advanced meditation technique and not useful for most beginners. I would suggest that you leave this for a few years, and pick it up later if it feels right to you. Most require a more concrete object of concentration in the beginning. JUST BEING - NOT TRYING The supreme meditation, however, is not to meditate at all. Inherent in any verb (and thus also in the verb "to meditate") is a sense of effort or trying, of seeking to achieve something. This feeling of seeking is, however, the antithesis of what meditation is all about. The process of meditation is a natural elevation of consciousness, until it transcends the world of dualism, and the world of time and space. When this transcendence takes place there is no separation. All is one being. All is God, All is divine. We are back in the Garden of Eden, as we were before we "ate from the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil". Thus, real meditation is just being. It is a total acceptance of the perfection of all things. It culminates in the union with all that surrounds one. But, since the mind would never experience this on its own without some help, so we are forced to fight fire with fire, or remove a thorn with another thorn. Since the mind is the problem, the fire, the thorn, then we are forced to turn it upon itself in order to overcome its reign and end its illusion. Thus we turn the mind upon the mind telling not to allow its "other part" to get out of line, or get lost in its endless thoughts about the past and future. We train it to avoid senseless negative thinking. We educate it into tricking its own self out of existence. From this is born the feeling of effort or success or failure in meditation. All of this, however, is a part of the illusion; but a necessary part of the illusion. The mind cannot be overcome otherwise, and there is no liberation or real freedom for a person who has not transcended his mind. Thus the final goal is this one act; is the cessation of action, the unification of doer, object and doing. Effort itself is an obstacle to this, but at the same time it is the only way to arrive there. Thus one must meditate to arrive, but needs to understand when and how to give up all effort as he approaches. It is like climbing up to the top of hill so that we can see everything. There we no longer need to climb, unless we are so used to climbing and trying that we cannot stop. Meditation then is a delicate balance between control and gentle effort combined with a letting go, a surrender of every effort. This same balance of effort, without attachment to the result of our actions and the surrendering to the Universal Will is also the key to life itself and every other effort we make. In choosing an object of concentration you may want to return to and read again chapter 7, before going on. SOME KEY THOUGHTS 1. Meditation is a natural process of coming to inner silence. 2. One cannot try to meditate - let yourself be meditated. 3. The process is one of controlled - letting go. 4. Follow the changes that come from within. 5. All meditative experiences will be different - do not compare. 6. The value of meditation lies in its harmonizing of body-mind-soul. 7. Let the inner silence be a springboard for a creative life. 8. Accept responsibility for creating your reality. 9. Accept the ego structure - but become liberated from seeking security outside of the soul. 10. Let go of attachments - identify with the nature of the soul. This completes your email course on the Art of Meditation. We hope that you found it useful and interesting. May you be well on all levels of your being. ******************************** From the book "THE ART OF MEDITATION" by Robert Elias Najemy which can be downloaded as an ebook pdf file or ordered from http://HolisticHarmony.com/ebooks/index.asp ******************************** B> ********* Membership is free and you can access 600 articles, chapters and ebooks for free.Become a Member********* Our Free ezine Claritygreater health, happiness and harmonious relationships. Click to subscribe/unsubscribe to Clarity E-zine May you be well on all levels of your being.
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