Meditations

There are a lot of styles of and instructions on meditation floating about in our "New Age" culture. "Experts" in the field vary seemingly on every point of meditation - if you should sit, how you should sit, how you should visualize, how long you should meditate, etc. ad nauseum... Personally I believe that meditation is as unique as the person whom is meditating. Even in ADF - our elders teach us to sit in a very specific way and that we should meditate for at least an hour! AN HOUR!! I can't sit still for that long!! My meditations last me usually five to twenty minutes. I had one once that lasted a half an hour and I was abruptly sent back because I had left a candle burning and was told in no uncertain terms that if I did not blow it out my home would burn down.   :op
My meditations though, while short, are concise and very clear and vivid. My purpose here is to share my techniques in the hopes that they help some short-attention span individuals, like myself.

The first thing I do is get into a comfortable sitting position - usually cross legged, but with my butt higher than my ankles (sitting on a firm pillow or blanket) so my legs don't fall asleep. Now, I have to close my eyes to do any sort of visualization, some of you, may not need to do this. I then focus on something - usually I start a deep breathing pattern and count the beats of my breath to myself. It is absolutely impossible for me to clear my mind of any thought, this technique gives me focus, while opening up my breathing and blood vessels. I know when I am ready because my counting and breathing will sync into pattern and then I will be able to start my visualization. When I meditate by myself I always use the same meditations. I have two that I use - one is strictly a tool for direct answers and one is a general meditation, where my questions may or may not be answered, but I learn other information as well. I find it hard to meditate in a group setting with a leader, because unless I am really in sync with that leader, they either go too fast or too slow for my meditative state.

My general meditation, where I can't really get into where I go, I can share my starting point. I am always in ritual robes and I start at the head of a trail in a thick forest at midnight on a full moon. I always follow the trail out to the other side of this particular forest and walk through some hilly/marshy areas and end up at a lake shore. It helps to create a pattern if you use the same meditation but it is not necessary. In fact it is not necessary to start your visualization by picturing yourself anywhere at all, you could just focus on your breathing and see where your visualization goes. Also, I never have music playing in the background or incense burning when I meditate. Call me superstitious, but I feel that you could set yourself up for creating a "habitual need" of these things by using them - and consequently never be able to meditate without them.

This is all I am really at liberty to get into publicly - according to my own codes and those of others, but if anyone has any questions for me, please feel free to email me.

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