Category: Meditation

Let’s Talk Witch – How To Meditate

pagan19

How To Meditate

So exactly where should you begin? Do you have to sit in a lotus position, like a human pretzel? Should you press your thumbs and index fingers together and chant OM? Well, first of all, just relax. If you can do that much, you’re well on your way. The following directions offer suggestions and guidelines to help you get the most out of meditation. You don’t have to follow them exactly. Trust your instincts; if something feels awkward, don’t do it. And remember, give yourself a chance–meditation isn’t something you’ll master overnight.

Let go of any preconceptions about how fast you should be “getting it,” or what kind of magickal experience might result. If you set a lot of expectations for yourself, you’re likely to be disappointed and make learning more difficult. Meditation isn’t something you strive or push yourself to excel at. You ease into it.

Find a convenient place and a comfortable position that you can sit in for a while. The more comfortable your body is, the easier it becomes for your mind to direct its attention toward the purpose you’ve intended. At first, your mind is going to jump about from thought to thought, like a butterfly flitting from flower to flower. Everything from a little twitch in your leg to a dog barking down the road can potentially break your concentration. That’s why meditation is considered a discipline.

Close your eyes and give yourself permission to put the world around you “on hold” for a bit. Breathe slowly and deeply; pay attention to your breath. If may help to shake out your arms and legs or stretch a bit before you sit down to meditate. Some people like to do some light exercise, such as yoga or walking, to release tension prior to meditation.

Begin by committing yourself to just five minutes of meditation a day, then increase the amount of time over a period of weeks. Just sit quietly, with your eyes closed. At first five minutes may seem like an eternity, but soon you’ll stop glancing at your watch and simply enjoy taking a brief time out to relax.

Relaxation Ritual

Relaxation Ritual
It is good to do this ritual before any other rituals are performed.

Sit or lay in a place where you will not be disturbed for at least five minutes.
Get comfortable. If you are sitting, you back should be straight. Whether
sitting or lying down, your arms and legs should not be crossed. If sitting,
rest your hands, palms down, in your lap. Your eyes should be closed.

Visualize a ball of beautiful, warm light surrounding your feet. If you can not
“see” the ball of light when you visualize it, that is okay. Just know that it
is there. truly know that if your powers of visualization were different, you
would be able to see it. The ball of golden warm light always brings peace and
total relaxation. Wherever the ball of light goes, tension departs. Let it go,
and as it goes, feel your feet filled with the warm, golden glow of peace and
total relaxation.

Now allow this ball to rise up your legs and up your torso. Then allow it to go
down your arms to your fingers, and finally up your neck and into your head
until you are completely covered with the warm, golden glow of total peace and
relaxation, and all tension is gone. If you notice tension anywhere, send the
ball of light there and the tension will vanish.

Stay in this state of deep relaxation for a few moments. Know that you can
return to this state whenever you like simply by doing the relaxation ritual. If
you are having trouble sleeping, try this instead of suffering or taking
dangerous pills. Be at one with yourself.

It is important not to go from a state of deep relaxation into total alertness;
the effectiveness of this ritual would be lost. when you are ready to come out
of this state of deep relaxation, take three deep breaths and feel fresh life
and energy coming into your body with each breath. be sure to record your
experiences.

Meditation Techniques

MEDITATION TECHNIQUES

In order to let ourselves relax, it is useful to start from a place of peace, a
center, a point of stability, so the first step, will be to take ourselves to
that place.
Relax and sit back.. Close your eyes, and let your mind start to drift..
Breathe slowly, and deeply, breath from your diaphragm, from your center.. And
as you breathe, sit straight, but remain comfortable.. As you straighten, so
does your spine, and like a pole, it connects you between the ground below and
the airy sky above.. Feel the energy tingle at both ends of the pole that is
your spine, and let the energy flow from the earth, up your spine, and out the
top of your head, dispersing back into the glorious star-filled universe above..
As this energy flows, let it carry with it all the negative emotions, pain,
frustrations, bothers, and tensions that you have built up.. Let it carry those
tensions up through you, and out of you, and let new energy, and a peaceful
state of relaxation fade in slowly..
Now, let yourself relax, and if you want, let yourself sink backwards until you
are lying flat on the ground.. Let your mind drift, and let any thoughts that
surface just surface and float away, like bubbles on a calm day. You can and
will remember them later if you want, but for now, just let them go, and let
yourself float. Breathe deeper, and slow your breathing down with every
breath.. And with every breath, relax your body and your mind even further, and
the more relaxed you get, let your breath slow even more.. (repeat this a few
times, then pause)
Now as you relax, feel yourself enveloped in a cool, comforting red mist.. It’s
neither hot nor cold, and you can just barely feel it against your skin.. Let
it swirl around you, and relax. Feel yourself lying on a cloud, solid enough to
support you, but very very cushioned, very very comfortable. Every part of your
body is supported by this cloud, your feet.. your legs.. your arms.. your back..
your neck.. your head.. all cushioned, all supported, all very very
comfortable.. Now the cloud slowly starts to sink through the red mist, carrying
you along with it.. very, very slowly, and very very comfortably you are carried
deeper and deeper into relaxation.. The mist around you slowly begins to change
from the deep lustrous red, to the beautiful orange of a fall sunset.. slowly,
slowly.. The orange lightens, and the mist changes color to a soothing lemon
yellow.. and as the color lightens, so does your body, you float on the cloud
that carries you barely touching it.. and slowly, the yellow darkens to the
verdant hue of a summer lawn, a green so beautiful, you can almost hear the wind
blowing through grass stalks.. and slowly, the green deepens to the blue of a
summer sky, beautiful and brilliant, an azure heaven surrounding you, and you
still float downward on the cloud.. resting lightly, relaxed and comfortable..
Now the blue darkens and deepens to the midnight purple blue of the moonless
night, dark and peaceful, quiet.. and you feel the cloud you have been riding
touch down gently..
And the mist fades away, and you are lying on your back, on a patch of grass.
The wind blows lightly over you, a very full moon pours down light onto the
field, and you can hear ever so faintly, the crickets and other night insects
chirping in the distance..
Wherever you are now, there will be something that draws you towards it..it
might be a path, it might be a place, it might be another person in the field
with you.. There can be anything here that you desire, because this is your
sacred space, your heart of dreams.. In this place, anything can change, but it
can only change as you let it.. Since you have built this place, you have
furnished it, you have populated it.. It is a place for you to go to explore
yourself, and your connections to the world around you.. Go now, and explore
this area for a time, taking note of what interests you, speaking to whomever
you encounter and wish to.. (LONG pause)
Very slowly, you come to realize that it is time for you to bid farewell for now
to this place. Say farewell to whatever creatures you have conversed with.. bid
farewell for now to any things that you wanted to look at, but have not yet had
time to examine.. They shall be here if you ever choose to return.. Know that
you can return here if you wish to, just by willing it, and bid this place
farewell.. Let yourself lie down again in any small clearing in the place..
Feel the mist, comfortable and relaxing, close in over you again, dark as the
midnight moonless sky, and feel the comfortable cloud form again under your
feet.. your legs.. your arms.. your back.. your neck.. your head.. feel it
support you, and begin to rise, very very slowly, very very comfortably..
breathe deeply, and relax, and rise upwards, and let the dark sky of midnight
fade to the azure blue of noon.. slowly, slowly, rising.. the blue deepens to
the verdant green of a summer lawn, and the cloud keeps rising slowly.. slowly
the green lightens and is replaced by the soothing lemon yellow.. and slowly,
slowly, you keep rising.. and the yellow deepens to the beautiful orange of the
summer sunset, and you rise again slowly, slowly, until the orange fades, and is
replaced by the deep soothing red..
Let your mind still float, and your body remain relaxed, but very very slowly
start to ease back into the feeling of the floor under your back, the sense of
people around you in the room..(long pause to let everyone recenter)
okay. (said, makes sure everyone breaks the trance if they are still in one).

Essential Advice On Meditation

ESSENTIAL ADVICE ON MEDITATION
excerpts from Teachings by Sogyal Rinpoche

When you read books about meditation, or often when meditation is
is  presented by different groups, much of the emphasis falls  on
the techniques. In the West, people tend to be very interested in
the  “technology”  of  meditation.  However,  by  far  the   most
important feature of meditation is not technique, but the way  of
being,  the  spirit, which is callled the  “posture”,  a  posture
which  is  not so much physical, but more to do  with  spirit  or
attitude.
It  is  well  to recognize that when you start  on  a  meditation
practice,  you  are  entering a totally  different  dimension  of
reality.  Normally  in life we put a great deal  of  effort  into
achieving  things,  and  there is a  lot  of  struggle  involved,
whereas  meditation is just the opposite, it is a break from  how
we normally operate.
Meditation  is  simply a question of being, of  melting,  like  a
piece  of  butter  left in the sun. It has  nothing  to  do  with
whether  or not you “know” anything about it, in fact, each  time
you  practice  meditation  it  should be fresh,  as  if  it  were
happening  for  the very first time. You just quietly  sit,  your
body  still,  your speech silent, your mind at  ease,  and  allow
thoughts to come and go, without letting them play havoc on  you.
If you need something to do, then watch the breathing. This is  a
very  simple process. When you are breathing out, know  that  you
are  breathing  out.  When  you breath  in,  know  that  you  are
breathing  in, without supplying any kind of extra commentary  or
internalized mental gossip, but just identifying with the breath.
That  very simple process of mindfulness processes your  thoughts
and emotions, and then, like an old skin being shed, something is
peeled off and freed.
Usually  people  tend  to  relax the  body  by  concentrating  on
different  parts.  Real  relaxation comes  when  you  relax  from
within,  for  then  everything else will ease  itself  out  quite
naturally.
When  you begin to practice, you center yourself, in  touch  with
your  “soft spot”, and just remain there. You need not  focus  on
anything in particular to begin with. Just be spacious, and allow
thoughts  and emotions to settle. If you do so, then later,  when
you use a method such as watching the breath, your attention will
more easily be on your breathing. There is no particular point on
the  breath on which you need to focus, it is simply the  process
of  breathing.  Twenty-five percent of your attention is  on  the
breath,  and  seventy-five percent is relaxed.  Try  to  actually
identify  with the breathing, rather than just watching  it.  You
may choose an object, like a flower, for example, to focus  upon.
Sometimes you are taught to visualize a light on the forehead, or
in  the heart. Sometimes a sound or a mantra can be used. But  at
the  beginning  it is best to simply be spacious, like  the  sky.
Think of yourself as the sky, holding the whole universe.
When  you  sit, let things settle and allow all  your  discordant
self  with  its ungenuineness and unnaturalness to  disolve,  out
of  that  rises  your real being. You  experience  an  aspect  of
yourself which is more genuine and more authentic-the “real” you.
As  you  go deeper, you begin to discover and connect  with  your
fundamental goodness.
The  whole point of meditation is to get used to the that  aspect
which you have forgotten. In Tibetan “meditation” means  “getting
used to”. Getting used to what? to your true nature, your  Buddha
nature.  This  is  why,  in the  highest  teaching  of  Buddhism,
Dzogchen, you are told to “rest in the nature of mind”. You  just
quietly  sit  and let all thoughts and concepts dissolve.  It  is
like  when the clouds dissolve or the mist evaporates, to  reveal
the clear sky and the sun shining down. When everything dissolves
like  this, you begin to experience your true nature, to  “live”.
Then you know it, and at that moment, you feel really good. It is
unlike  any  other  feeling of well being  that  you  might  have
experienced.  This is a real and genuine goodness, in  which  you
feel  a  deep sense of peace, contentment  and  confidence  about
yourself.
It is good to meditate when you feel inspired. Early mornings can
bring that inspiration, as the best moments of the mind are early
in  the  day,  when  the mind is calmer  and  fresher  (the  time
traditionaly recommended is before dawn). It is more  appropriate
to  sit when you are inspired, for not only is it easier then  as
you  are in a better frame of mind for meditation, but  you  will
also be more encouraged by the very practice that you do. THis in
turn will bring more confidence in the practice, and later on you
will  be able to practice when you are not inspired. There is  no
need  to meditate for a long time: just remain quietly until  you
are  a little open and able to connect with your  heart  essence.
That is the main point.
After that, some integration, or meditation in action. Once  your
mindfulness  has been awakened by your meditation, your  mind  is
calm  and your perception a little more coherent. Then,  whatever
you  do,  you  are present, right there. As  in  the  famous  Zen
master’s  saying:  “When I eat, I eat; when I  sleep,  I  sleep”.
Whatever  you do, you are fully present in the act. Even  washing
dishes,  if  it is done one-pointedly, can  be  very  energizing,
freeing, cleansing. You are more peaceful, so you are more “you”.
You assume the “Universal You”.
One  of  the fundamental points of the spiritual  journey  is  to
persevere along the path. Though one’s meditation may be good one
day  and  and  not so good the next,  like  changes  in  scenery,
essentially it is not the experiences, good or bad which count so
much, but rather that when you persevere, the real practice  rubs
off on you and comes through both good and bad. Good and bad  are
simply apparations, just as there may be good or bad weather, yet
the sky is always unchanging. If you persevere and have that  sky
like  attitude  of  spaciousness,  without  being  perturbed   by
emotions and experiences, you will develop stability and the real
profoundness  of meditation will take effect. You will find  that
gradually  and almost unnoticed, your attitude begins to  change.
You  do not hold on to things as solidly as before, or  grasp  at
them  so strongly, and though crisis will still happen,  you  can
handle them a bit better with more humor and ease. You will  even
be  able to laugh at difficulties a little, since there  is  more
space between you and them, and you are freer of yourself. Things
become  less  solid,  slightly ridiculous, and  you  become  more
light-hearted.

Daily OM for Sunday, Sept. 29th – Learning To Meditate

Learning To Meditate
From the Learning To Meditate On-Line Course

by Madisyn Taylor


My wish for you is that meditation can be an opportunity to begin a simple practice of self-acceptance and self-love. If the mere idea of meditating feels uncomfortable—or scary even, that’s okay. Exploring unknown territory usually does. But don’t worry, you won’t turn into a hippie, have to change your friends, or pack up and move to a commune in order to reap the benefits of your meditation practice. This is a gift you’re giving yourself and nobody even needs to know you are meditating, but you just might love it so much that you will want to teach your friends and family.

Let’s take a moment to get clear on what meditation really is. The term “meditation” can refer to any process that leads you to an inner state of relaxed awareness. There needn’t be any big mystery or drama about the process itself, and there’s really no right or wrong way of doing it. There are simply different techniques that can be used as tools to help you focus and quiet your mind, and we’ll work with some of these as the weeks unfold. This will allow you to choose which method works best for you as a person. We have all seen the vision of the yogi sitting crossed legged wearing robes and perhaps meditating in a cave. This is not what meditation is about for most of us and starting with an unrealistic idea of what meditation is about won’t make it an enjoyable experience for you. I still have a hard time quieting my mind and I find that my meditation practice is more fulfilling for me while I’m in nature. Our main purpose here is to help you develop a meditation practice that’s right for you. It’ll be something you feel comfortable doing and that you’re willing and able to do regularly.

For those of us who already have a meditation routine, we’ve come to depend on the way our practice enhances our lives. We’ve discovered an ever-present source of inner peace and wisdom from which we can now draw strength, courage, clarity and compassion. It has become easier to respond to situations from a calm and grounded place, rather than acting out old dysfunctional patterns. We’re also better able to navigate our lives in alignment with our own needs and goals. By giving ourselves the space to simply be ourselves, many of the distractions from other people’s agendas melt away. For many of us, meditation has become an important way to take really good care of ourselves. You wouldn’t dream about leaving your house in the morning without bathing or brushing your teeth and this is eventually how you will feel about your practice. A morning meditation will give you the quiet confidence and the strength you will need for your day.

Research has linked a regular practice of meditation to reduced levels of anxiety and stress, in addition to improved immune function and a host of other health benefits. Studies have shown that the nervous system actually begins responding differently to stressful situations—creativity flows more freely and new solutions begin to emerge. What’s wonderful is that many of these advantages occur after just one session and continue evolving with regular practice. As you develop your own meditation program, you’ll be able to track the benefits for yourself, from changes in your mood to improvements in your energy. Soon you will find yourself reacting from a place of centered calm rather than from your head.

GETTING STARTED

The best results of meditation are seen in those who make it a regular practice. And as with anything, practicing consistently carves out a behavioral pattern that becomes more established and easier to follow over time. Try not to be hard on yourself as you begin this process. You’re the only one who can take this journey and the best place to start is right where you are. At first you may not be able to sit for more than a few minutes and that’s ok, but soon you’ll be meditating for 10, 20 or 30 minutes with ease. The idea is to get a habit started, so aim for consistency (i.e., meditating 10 minutes a day, every day) over longer sessions (i.e., meditating for a whole half hour, every once in a while).

You generally don’t need to purchase anything to start a meditation routine and no special equipment or clothing is required as long as you’re comfortable. Some people buy what’s known as a meditation cushion, but it’s certainly not necessary. Some also find that lighting a candle or incense signals an official start to their meditation and this can help the mind to focus. (Chimes, singing bowls and bells may also be used for this purpose.) Next week, we’ll be exploring some particular meditation practices that use candles and incense, so if you don’t already have these around your home, you may want to get some that you’ll enjoy working with.

It is not uncommon for inspiring ideas and solutions to emerge during meditation. I always have a journal with me so I can jot down what comes up and return to my session without fear of losing the idea. You may want to experiment with this as well. It can help your mind return to silence.

Positioning

Let’s explore a few different ways of sitting. You may be familiar with the classic lotus position or half-lotus position (see photos below) in which many long-term meditators are pictured. This position is ideal because it allows for a balanced and unobstructed flow of energy throughout the energy centers of your body. Some people cannot sit this way because they are physically inflexible or having back or knee issues. You may find that over time you gain the flexibility to meditate in the lotus position; or, you may simply decide that an alternate posture works better for you. Please don’t feel that you have to sit in these positions right away, it can take time to build up to it.

The key to remember when selecting your meditation position is that you’ll want to keep your back straight and your palms open or facing upward. There are a few different positions for your hands to take during meditation, but for the purpose of this course we will place our hands open toward the sky and having them rest on your thighs, knees or ankles depending on what is comfortable once you are in position with the rest of your body.

Here are some positions you might try:

Using a Chair: Sit with your feet on the floor, spine straight against the back of the chair, and your shoulders back. If needed, you can add a pillow behind you for lower back support.

On the Floor: Sit crossed legged or in half or full lotus position. You may want to place a pillow under your tailbone for comfort.

On the Floor, against the Wall: If you have trouble getting your back straight, start out sitting against a wall. If necessary, fold up a small towel to tuck under your tailbone. This is usually the easiest position for beginners, with a wall supporting the back. Over time your muscles will get stronger and the support of a wall will likely become unnecessary.

In Your Bed: If sitting up straight is difficult or painful for you, start out lying down. Most of us associate our bed with sleeping and this can be a problem, as it may create the tendency to fall asleep. But turn yourself 90 degrees on the bed if it’s big enough, or turn yourself 180 degrees and do not use pillows—this may trick your mind to stay awake, as your head will be at a different place than it usually is during the night. Once you have more meditation experience under your belt, try to move from the bed. The bed may also be used in a sitting position with your back against your headboard and pillows placed under your hipbones to get a nice straight spine.

Lotus position: Sit upright with your spine straight and crossing your legs, right over left. You can see from the photo that both feet are off the ground and nested upon each of her legs.

Half-Lotus position: Sit upright with your spine straight and cross one leg on top of the other while the other leg is resting on the floor or cushion beneath you.

Finding Your Place

Once you’ve determined the most appropriate way of sitting (or lying down), select what will become your regular place for meditation. You’ll want a location where you can spend time every day without interruption. While it doesn’t need to be used solely for meditation, it is helpful to be at the same place for each sitting—especially as you try to create a new routine. The perfect spot may be your favorite living room chair, or in front of an altar if you have one, or maybe your bedroom if that’s the most serene place. It just needs to be somewhere that’s comfortable and as quiet as possible. Try to not get to preoccupied with not having a special room for meditation, few people have this luxury.

When you’ve found a place that feels good, you might choose to make the area special by having a favorite pillow or candle nearby. These things aren’t necessary for meditation; they may simply enhance your experience and help bring you to a daily routine.

Not everybody has complete quiet time. You may have children or pets that need your attention, a noisy neighbor or cars driving by. Try not to let this distract you. Meditation can be done even under the noisiest of circumstances. Please do not feel like you are at a disadvantage or that you won’t get the results you desire. In fact, you may find the opposite is true. Having practiced meditation in a loud or raucous environment, you might soon discover that it’s become natural for you to be at peace, no matter what is going on around you.

Preparation

Take some time out now to plan your meditation schedule for the week ahead. Ideally you’ll be able to sit during a morning hour, and if it can be the same hour each day, that’s even better. Many people find that meditating just after they wake up is a great way to start the day. If you’re not able to practice until later on in the afternoon or evening, or if you must sit at a different time each day, this is fine. It’s far better to meditate anytime, than not at all.

You’ll probably want to block out approximately 15 minutes for your sessions at this point. This will give you a couple minutes on either side of your practice and allow for a sitting time of 10 minutes. With 10 minutes of meditation a day, you’ll be able to see and feel results without putting too much pressure on yourself. Advanced practitioners will meditate 20, 30 or more minutes per day. Pretty soon you’ll understand how 30 minutes can be an easy routine to maintain.

After your sitting time is over, it’s important to make sure that you’re grounded. Sometimes meditating can bring you into higher realms and make it difficult to transition back to everyday reality. You may feel “floaty“ and this can be a lovely feeling, but it means that you aren’t securely grounded in your body and that is where you should be in daily life. There are many different techniques for grounding oneself, and you’ll need to do some experimenting to come up with the practice that works best for you. You can try focusing your attention for a few moments on your connection to the earth, as though you have a light beam emitting down the tailbone of your body or roots like a tree that burrow deep into the earth’s center. Another way is to hold your attention on your center of gravity (just below your navel) or at the base of your spine for a couple of minutes. Other things that may work are eating a light snack, drinking water, taking a short walk outside, or even stretching.

Beginning Your Meditation Practice

Now for your first big step. Over the upcoming week, your job is to faithfully follow the meditation schedule you’ve created. You’ll be sitting in meditation for 10 minutes every day and will undoubtedly have some interesting experiences. Try to pay attention to changes in the way you interpret and interact with the world outside of your meditation sessions. Do you feel calm? Anxious? Happy? Frustrated? There’s no need to judge anything. This is simply an invitation to create greater self-awareness, which can help guide the way your practice evolves.

Below you’ll find a step-by-step guide on a basic meditation process. This is the method you’ll be using this week, so you may wish to print out this lesson and carry it with you into your sittings.

BASIC MEDITATION GUIDE

Before you begin:

1. Put on some loose, comfortable clothing that will not bind while you are sitting.

2. Turn off phones, TV, radio and anything else that may interrupt your quiet time.

3. Prepare your meditation area (every time) before you sit to meditate. A light dusting or cleaning up of the area will set the intention. It says to the Universe, “I am ready.”

When you are ready:

1. If you have a candle or incense, a bell or singing bowl, use those items now. Light your candle or incense and ring your bell. (Again, these items are not necessary.)

2. Sit (or lie if you need to) in the position that works best for you and begin to relax. Place your hand on your knees or thighs and open them up towards the ceiling, palms heavenward. Take a giant deep breath and let it out. Acknowledge that this is now your meditation time.

3. Now simply sit and breathe. For the entire 10 minutes, just breathe. Make no judgment on what happens during this time. Most people will not be able to quiet their minds, and may drift into thoughts about their to-do lists, what other people should or shouldn’t have done, and even what’s on the menu that day. Your mind may wander and that’s perfectly okay. As soon as you realize your mind has led you somewhere else, release it and breathe deeply. Do this every time your awareness leaves the present moment. If your mind comes up with something you cannot let drift by, write it down so you can get back to your awareness.

4. At the end of your session, take a couple of minutes to ground yourself.

8 Ways Meditation Can Change Your Life

8 Ways Meditation Can Change Your Life

We can’t imagine what life would be like without meditation. It has seen us through tough times and many life  changes, keeping us sane and grounded and real. Life is challenging enough; we  can never know what will arise next and only when our minds are clear and  focused can we make the best decisions.

How are you able to deal with the madness and chaos that occurs daily? How do you deal with the challenges  of life? Meditation is highly misunderstood and often under-rated yet is perhaps  what it takes to be a truly sane person. How does meditation affect us? How does  it shift our priorities, enable us to make friends with ourselves, to find  answers to our questions?

Here are eight ways meditation can make your life more meaningful and  enjoyable!

1. Living With Kindness

No one deserves your kindness and compassion more than yourself. Every time you  see or feel suffering, every time you make a mistake or say something stupid and  are just about to put yourself down, every time you think of someone you are  having a hard time with, every time you encounter the confusion and difficulty  of being human, every time you see someone else struggling, upset, or irritated,  you can stop and bring loving kindness and compassion. Breathing gently,  silently repeat: May I be well, may I be happy, May I be filled with loving  kindness.

2. Lightening the Load

In a stressed state, it is easy to lose touch with inner peace, compassion  and kindness; in a relaxed state, your mind is clear and you can connect with a  deeper sense of purpose and altruism. Meditation and  medication are derived from the Latin word medicus, to care or  to cure. A time of quiet calmness is, therefore, the most effective remedy for a  busy and overworked mind. Anytime you feel stress rising, heart closing, mind going into overwhelm,  just bring your focus to your breathing and quietly repeat with each in- and  out-breath: Breathing in, I calm the body and mind; breathing out, I  smile.

3. Letting Go of Me

Stillness is always there between the thoughts, behind the story, beneath the  noise. What keeps us from experiencing our natural state of being is the  habitual and ego-dominated monkey mind. Meditation enables us to see clearly, to  witness our thoughts and behavior and reduce self-involvement. Without such a  practice of self-reflection there is no way of putting a brake on the ego’s  demands. From being self-centered, we can become other-centered, concerned about  the welfare of all.

4. Dissolving Anger and Fear

We do not accept or release our negative feelings so easily; we are more likely to repress  or disown them. But when denied they cause shame, depression, anger, and  anxiety. Meditation invites you to openly meet these places, and to see how  selfishness, aversion and ignorance create endless dramas and fears. Beneath  these is a quiet stillness where you can get to know yourself; this is a  wondrous and beautiful experience. Whether you practice for just ten minutes a  day or longer does not matter. You are releasing your limitations, while opening  to self-acceptance and awareness.

5. Awakening Forgiveness

Forgiveness is the greatest gift you can give yourself and  others. As you sit in meditation and watch your thoughts and feelings moving  through you, so you can observe that who you are now is not who you were just a  moment ago, let alone a day, a week, or a month ago. Who you, or someone else,  was when pain was caused is not who you are now. When you experience your  essential interconnectedness you see how the ignorance of this creates  separation and suffering, so that forgiveness for such ignorance arises  spontaneously.

6. Generating Harmlessness

Simply through the intent to cause less pain you can bring greater dignity to  your world, so that harm is replaced with harmlessness and disrespect with  respect. Harm is usually caused unintentionally, whether by ignoring someone’s  feelings, putting yourself down, reaffirming your hopelessness, disliking your  appearance, or seeing yourself as incompetent or unworthy. How much resentment,  guilt, or shame are you holding on to, thus perpetuating harmfulness? Meditation  enables you transform this through recognizing your essential goodness and the  preciousness of all life.

7. Appreciating Appreciation

Take a moment to appreciate the chair you are sitting on. Consider how the  chair was made: the wood, cotton, wool, or other fibers, the trees and plants  that were used, the earth that grew the trees, the sun and rain, the animals  that maybe gave their lives, the people who prepared the materials, the factory  where the chair was made, the designer and carpenter and seamstress, the shop  that sold it—all this just so you could be sitting here, now. Then extend that  deep appreciation to everything and everyone in your life.

8. Being Aware

Awareness is the key to awakening. Through awareness you can see your monkey  mind and all its mischief. Almost everything we do is to achieve something: if  we do this, then we will get that; if we do that, then this will happen. But in  meditation you do it just to do it. There is no ulterior purpose other than to  be here, in the present moment, without trying to get anywhere or achieve  anything. You are just aware of whatever is happening, whether pleasant or  unpleasant. No judgment, no right or wrong. Simply being aware. Enjoy!

Let Me Breathe: A Simple Abundance Meditation

Let Me Breathe: A Simple Abundance Meditation

It’s okay that you feel afraid, wild one, but it is not serving you. Pause  for a moment to release it now, and then return to this meditation any time you  feel the shadows begin to creep back in. Take a long, deep breath into your body  and then release it. Wonderful, do that again… breathe in even more slowly and  more deeply, holding it in for a moment and the release that breath from every  corner of your being, and hold that emptiness for a moment as well. Good. Now,  read along as you continue to breathe these same deep, cleansing breaths.

Let me breathe in the transformative love that flows with ease through  the universe, and breathe out the fear that aches in my chest. Let me breathe in  the healing light of the thousand angels who are holding me in this moment… and  breathe out the dark whispers that echo in my mind. Let me breathe in the warmth  of my spirit community and breathe out the lie of isolation. Let me breathe in  the simplicity I long for, and breathe out the hurt and complexities of  yesterday. Let me breathe in my wild and passionate nature, and breathe out  every obstacle to openness. Let me breathe in the truth that I AM, I AM… and  breathe out resistance to love. Let me breathe in divine abundance and then,  breathe out the need to deny the divine within. Let me breathe in the eternal  flow of love and abundance… and then breathe out to  release all that no longer  serves me.

Need An App for Meditating (Boy, they have everything these days, lol!)

Free Guided Meditation Tool

Have you been wanting to get into  meditation but didn’t know where to start? There’s an app for  that!

Former monk-turned-meditation-guru Andy Puddicombe wants everyone to learn  the power of meditation, and his Headspace project is all about helping people  learn how to meditate. His Headspace app for iPhone or Android is a powerful tool for  anyone looking to learn the basics of meditation and start a regular  practice.

If you’re not familiar with Puddicombe, check out his inspiring TED Talk  above about the power of taking 10 minutes to meditate each day. Or, as he calls  it “doing nothing.”

I just started using the app recently, and I’m already loving it! The basic  program is a series of ten ten-minute meditation practices, which you go through  in order. Each day builds on the previous day’s practice. After that, there are  a couple hundred other meditations that you can try in any order that you like,  though the additional programs are not free.

Before you do your first meditation, he also walks you through a short series  of videos to help you get in the right headspace for your practice. He  emphasizes that meditation is a skill, and that you shouldn’t force it. One of  the things I’m digging most about this program is that he frequently reminds you  that it’s OK if your mind wanders and it’s OK to have conscious thoughts while  you’re meditating. The key is noticing when that happens and observing those  things without letting them effect you.

I also love the tone of the program. There is no new-agey music, creepy  whispering narrator, or strange sound- or voice-effects. He just calmly walks  you through each day’s exercise. If you prefer more of a new-age spin on  meditation, this app might not be for you.

Take Ten, Day One  Video

This is the introductory video from the Headspace Take Ten series. The rest  of the series is available via the Headspace app for iPhone or Android.

Warrior Meditation for Lughnasadh

Warrior Meditation for Lughnasadh

By , About.com Guide

At Lammas, the harvest is kicking in. This is a time of year when the masculine energy of the earth is in full swing. For starters, it’s the season of the spirit of grain, and a time to honor Lugh, the craftsman god. Lugh was not only a craftsman, but a gifted smith and swordsman. The season from late summer to the middle of fall is often a season of heightened energy for those who identify with the warrior soul.

Who Is the Warrior?

The warrior in today’s society is someone who understands the idea of right action. He or she follows a code of honor, and abides by that code even when it may be inconvenient or unpopular. The warrior recognizes that the forces of creation and destruction must be balanced. The warrior is empowered because he or she knows his own circumstances, limitations and goals. Perhaps most importantly, the warrior is someone who has made past mistakes, owned up to them, and learned not to repeat them.

A note on women and the concept of warrior: the notion of masculine energy and a warrior soul is not exclusive to men. Many women have powerful warrior spirits. Think of the warrior soul as an archetype of personal empowerment. Indeed, throughout history, many women have been known as mighty warriors. If it helps you get in touch with your inner warrior, envision some of them as you work. Picture Boadicaea of the Iceni, conquering the Roman army, or Penthesilea battling her lover, Achilles. If you lean towards more current history, consider France’s Jeanne d’Arc, or Grainne’ni Mhaille, the Irish pirate. For those who connect best with pop culture, even television’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly‘s Zoe, or Xena make perfectly good warrior woman archetypes.

Setting the Mood

You may wish to prepare your mind and body prior to starting the meditation. Some people like to take a ritual bath as a method of cleansing the body, and clearing the mind. If you wish, you can anoint yourself with Blessing Oil or another oil of your choice before beginning. Since you’re performing a warrior meditation, why not try adding a bit of war paint to your face and body?

Before getting started, make sure you can work undisturbed somewhere for about an hour. Turn off the cell phone, get off the Internet, and send the kids off to play with friends for a while. Perform this meditation outside if at all possible. Set up a small altar that you can sit in front of. Since you’re working outside, consider using a flat stone or a tree stump as a natural altar. On it, place symbols of the warrior spirit: a knife, a drum, an arrow, a shield — anything that helps you connect with your inner warrior. If you have ancestors or loved ones that represent the warrior archetype to you, feel free to include photographs or other heirlooms. Finally, add a purple candle – purple is the color of royalty and power, and of honor.

Although this meditation is designed to be performed solo, it can easily be adapted into a group practice, or turned into a full-fledged ritual.

Welcoming Your Inner Warrior

Sit before your altar, and light the purple candle. Focus on the flame, and visualize the fiery passion of the warrior soul. Think about the things you’ve done in your life, incidents in which you should have taken one path, but instead chose another. Consider mistakes you’ve made, and how they’ve affected not only you, but other people. Think about the consequences of these actions. Did you learn anything from these events?

Take this knowledge of past action, and move it into the present. As a warrior, you have followed a particular path to get to the present, one with many roadblocks, twists, and obstacles in the way. How has this helped to shape the person you are now? Think about the person you have become, and how you have grown during the different experiences you’ve had.

Now, think about the person you wish to be, and how the past and present will influence the future. Understand that for you to follow a principle of right action, there may be times when you make decisions that are unpopular. Are you willing to stand up for your convictions? Are you willing to live in a manner that will earn you the respect and honor of others? To do this, you must first and foremost honor and respect yourself. One way to live rightly and with honor is to make a pledge, both to yourself and to the gods of your tradition.

As you focus on the burning flames, say:

I am a warrior.
I am one who lives with honor and pride,
in my deeds, words, and actions.
I am a warrior,
and I pay tribute to myself, my family, and my gods,
by living rightly.
Honor is found not in the sword and the first,
but in wisdom, and courage, and strength.
I will make the changes I need to make,
that I may live in an honorable way
and follow the code of the warrior.
I am a warrior,
and I have control over my mind, my thoughts, and my sword.
I pledge to hold truth in my heart,
to hold strength in my hands,
to be honest in my words,
and to stand on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves.
This is the way of the warrior,

and I shall live with honor.

While you do this, envision the warrior archetypes that you wish to emulate. Who are some warriors you look up to and hold in high regard? Think about them, and draw their energy into you. When you are ready to end the ritual, put the candle out.

Meditation Every Day? We Thought Not!

Meditation Every Day? We Thought Not!

An Expert Offers a Brush-Up on Meditation Basics

by Dianus Blackcat

Meditation is the foundation of pagan spiritual practice, and a basic method to improve our mental and physical state in today’s often stressful and chaotic world. For most pagans, the art of meditation is one of the first skills learned in spiritual practice. Yet for many, the value found in daily meditation exercises is sometimes left by the wayside during the course of our busy lives.

Why meditate every day? Because from pressure to complete tasks at work or school, to world politics, we are bombarded with stressful stimuli every day. That stress can negatively affect both our mental and physical health. Simple meditation exercises, practiced routinely, can counter the negative impact of overstimulation on our minds and bodies.

Mental and physical stresses are experienced together, joined like two sides of the same coin. For example, think of something pleasant, such as a loved one or a sunny afternoon. Immediately we experience the pleasant feelings associated with these images. After thinking of something good, we feel good. If we think of something unpleasant, we conversely experience a negative sensation. We grimace at the news. Pressures on the job give us tension headaches. We use this same mind-body connection in ritual when we take an action in the physical plane to activate the astral. By this principle, meditation can be approached as ritual and magick.

Meditation techniques vary from person to person. Often meditation is put into a religious context. It is not necessary to do so to achieve the benefits of reduced stress, but as pagans, we find that a spiritual dimension to life leads to increased happiness and health. Some practitioners burn incense and play New Age music. Others might sit in various yoga positions and fast or otherwise modify their diet as part of their meditation routine. Despite the variations, virtually all meditation practices do have some attributes in common: a state of deep relaxation, a quieting of mental chatter and a keen awareness of either our internal state or external surroundings.

Many people find it challenging to experience all three of these common attributes at the same time. They may try to silence mental chatter with a forceful effort, only to end up negating their attempt to remain relaxed. They may become so relaxed as to fall asleep, countering their attempt to remain aware. Meditation is not always easy, but the methods are quite straightforward and simple. Even if we have mastered the techniques, like any skill, meditation becomes easier and more rewarding with practice.

Stress is experienced in the body as tension. The origin of that tension can be a mental source, such as the memory of an argument, or a physical source, such as bad weather. What many people forget is that the mental-physical link works both directions. That is, just as our body responds to thoughts, our thoughts will respond to our body. Many people become grouchy when hungry or depressed when overtired. When we reduce the physical tension, we experience a relief of mental tension. Knowing this gives us our first step in successful meditation: deep relaxation.

Step 1: Deep Relaxation

Find a quiet place were you can comfortably sit upright and not be disturbed. It is helpful to have a small kitchen timer or other alarm to keep track of the time for you, so that you are not preoccupied with how long you have been meditating. Take a moment to tense up and then release each muscle group in your body, beginning with your feet, then legs, then gradually moving upward. Twist your torso, then lift and stretch your arms. Finish by moving the muscles in your face to make exaggerated facial expressions. Wrinkle your nose; stretch your mouth. Really let go, but do not strain yourself. Remember to continue breathing deeply. When you draw in a breath, push out from your belly to expand your lungs. Doing so will increase the amount of available oxygen in your lungs, aiding your relaxation. Be sure to exhale fully to prevent dizziness.

After you stretch out and relax, you are usually aware of internal thoughts and feelings more than anything else. We might hear a little voice inside our heads or have a constant internal dialogue going on. We rehash old discussions, worry about unpaid bills and criticize our hair or clothes. This is the mental chatter that we need to quiet from time to time, for it is often the most insidious cause of stress in our lives.

We cannot always control the external events that have an impact on us, but we can do something about our reaction to those events. Silencing the mental chatter can give us just the break we need to help us to view external events more objectively. I believe that an underlying motivation for overstimulation in today’s society is the desire to escape relentless self-dialogue. When we process input, we are distracted away from our egos.

Our egos tend to consume a lot of our energy by worrying about superficial, cultural matters. By adjusting our focus away from them, it helps us to connect to that divine part of ourselves that is a great source of spiritual connection and inspiration. Remembering this gives us our second step in successful meditation: silencing the mental chatter.

Step 2: Silencing Mental Chatter

After having stretched, still breathing deeply in a relaxed way, allow your gaze to fall upon some pleasant, yet emotionally neutral, focal point. I recommend you light a candle ahead of time that you can focus on, but anything pleasing to you is fine. It can be a religious object, a flower or some scenic view. Just look at the object. Do not think about it; just watch it. A candle is useful because it will flicker and change, making it easier to observe without boredom because it changes unexpectedly. Do not make mental notes or judgments. As thoughts come into your mind, simply allow them to pass. Do not attempt to force the thoughts out of your head. You are awake and alive, and thoughts will come to you. Rather, continue to pay attention to your focal object. Watch it as if it is about to jump out at you and you don’t want to miss a thing. By focusing your attention on this single object, time will pass and you will realize that the mental chatter has stopped.

When we calm down the voice of our ego by focusing our attention, we suddenly become aware of a great deal of information that we were missing due to our focus on internal dialogue. For many, that internal dialogue is of a criticizing nature. With that internal critic out of the way, it becomes much easier to face the challenges we may have been suppressing. Facing any hidden or suppressed emotions is the best way to release them from our lives and improve our mental and physical health. Knowing this gives us our third step in successful meditation: keen awareness of either our internal state or external surroundings.

Step 3: Keen Awareness

When observing the focal object of your meditation, allow yourself to also notice your surroundings. Notice the temperature of the air around you. If you are outside, is it calm or windy? Is it hot or cold? Listen for any sounds. Is there traffic on the road outside? Is there a bird singing somewhere? Do you hear some people having a conversation somewhere else in the house? Allow yourself to simply be the observer. You may begin to feel a deep connection with the world around you. You may also have sudden flashes of images from previous or current challenges in your life. Allow yourself to view any memories as if you were watching the events of a fictional character in a movie. Simply observe. The detachment from these images may be difficult at first, but concentrate on remaining relaxed and remembering to breathe deeply.

Meditation is a skill that improves with practice. Regular meditation practice will reduce stress and lead to a happier and healthier outlook on life. For positive results, meditation should be performed every day for at least 15 minutes. Each of us can afford to take 15 minutes out of our day to do something good for ourselves. After a while, you may find that troubles in the news and in life, although still troubling, can be dealt with. When we are relaxed and energized through these exercises, we are more able to face challenges. There may be times when we are particularly upset and might feel that we cannot meditate during a crisis. When we are most upset is precisely the time when we need meditation the most. It will help.

Meditation helps us to understand ourselves because it requires us to carefully pay attention to our inner thoughts as well as the world around us. When we pay attention to the world, we can more fully interact with it. When we can interact with the world, we can change the world and cease to be helpless and fearful. Often we approach the world by talking out our opinions and thoughts, projecting sometimes false ideas on others. Meditation is a way to stop the talking. Simple meditation exercises, when practiced routinely, can counter the negative impact of daily stress on our minds and bodies. When I stopped talking, I listened. When I listened, I heard. Listen, and you will hear a world within and around you, inviting you and loving you, divinely connected.

Visiting the Well of Release (A Meditation to Process Pain)

Visiting the Well of Release

A Meditation to Process Pain

by Melanie Fire Salamander

Okay, it’s that time of year again. I don’t know about you, but the  first part of the year, New Year’s through Valentine’s, way too often finds  me breaking up with someone. I hate it! You’d think I’d have figured out  how to avoid it by now. But the pain of leaving, or worse of being left,  never seems to get easier. All I seem to be able to hope for is a few more  tools for dealing with it.

Even if you’re lucky enough to avoid this pitfall, pain is all  around us. Life, as the Buddha said, is suffering. This is a bad time of  year for family pain, our having just gone through the holidays. The earth  lies fallow, exposing her wounds: building sites like open sores, old mines  and dumps, places whose ruin makes you weep. And it’s a dark time of  year, when during long nights and short dreary  days all the specific, personal drek we’ve avoided  in summer and fall can rise and engulf us.

Don’t let that happen! You can process pain. Not shove it, to find it  later, having grown runners to other, older pains, but truly process it — be in  it, feel it deeply, then let it go. It’s not a hasty process. Expect to do this  work over and over again. But each time you do, I promise you, you can and  will let go a little pain. It’s hard work, because to release the pain, I find,  you have to feel it again and know its roots, its causes, which usually go  back to sufferings of early life or even before. But if you’re willing to do  the work, you can heal.

Following is a meditation to help that process happen. In honor of  the season and of the goddess Brigid, I’ve built into the meditation an image  of a sacred, healing well, an image of this goddess, whose holy day Imbolc  or Candlemas is. To use this meditation, either record it on tape and play  it back or ask someone to read it to you. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes.

Before starting, find a comfortable place where you won’t be  disturbed; take the phone off the hook and if necessary shut out your pets. If  you’re prone to falling asleep, try sitting up as you meditate, preferably on a  chair or against a surface that helps keep your back straight; alternatively,  you can sit cross-legged or in lotus position. If you have  problems relaxing, stretch out on a bed, couch or the floor.

The Meditation

Close your eyes, and begin to relax. Take a few deep breaths: in,  out; in, out. Feel your body, wriggle your fingers and toes, your nose, your  hips and arms; roll your head. Feel where your body ends and what’s around  you begins. Feel the air around you, the surface underneath you. Be here  now, present in your body, in the present moment. Feel yourself begin to relax.

Continue to breathe deeply, and begin to release the cares of your  day and week with your breath. Be completely here in the  present moment.

Throughout this meditation, you will have a complete, deep  experience, and you will remember everything you sense and learn. If you need to  return, you can always recall yourself to the physical world by moving your  fingers and toes. You will feel utterly safe and protected throughout.

Relax more fully still, and breathe deeply. Feel in the center of your  body, behind and below your belly button, a spark of life, your life, your  eternal fire. Feel that flame pulse with life. Let that flaming center send a  spark of energy downward, a liquid trail like molten fire, down through your  groin into your base and down into the earth. Feel this energy flow  downward, through the foundation of the building, down into the deep, wet,  cold earth, the soil, through hidden underground streams, cool water  slick on rocks, and below that into the solid rock of the earth’s mantle. Feel  the personal flame from your body push down through rock into the deep  core of the earth, the earth’s molten center, where all is fire as it is fire  inside you. Feel your own personal fire connect with the energy of the  earth, deep and red, the red glowing heart of the earth.

At the same time, feel a spark of energy flare upward from  the center of your body, up through your torso, through your neck,  through your head, through the top of your head into the air. Let this  energy flow upward through the air of the room, through the ceiling, through  the roof of the building into the cold air. Let the energy fountain up, up,  up, through the cold damp air, past clouds of rain and ice, up into the clear  sky above all clouds. Feel your personal fire energy connect with the fires  of the sky, the energy of sun and stars and moon, fiery, swirling sky energy.

Feel your deep energetic connections to both earth and sky,  tap into those connections and deeply feel them. Let sky energy begin to  flow downward into you, and at the same time let earth energy flow upward  into you. Feel the two energies combine in your center, swirling together  gently and cleanly, into one combined healing energy. Let this energy  flow outward from your center, filling your torso, filling your lungs and  throat, filling your head, filling your groin and pelvis, your legs and arms,  touching and washing away remaining tension, cleansing and healing. Let all  negative energy you can let go of flow with this wave out through your  grounding. Let negative energy, tension and pain and anger and everything you want  to let go of flow sweetly and cleanly down your grounding, into the  earth, which can reuse the energy for other things.

Now let a wave of sky energy come through you again, combine  with earth energy, and fill you, cleansing you, and wash away another layer  of negativity down your grounding. Release everything you need  to release. Keep any information you require, but release pain, tension,  fear and error with the cleansing, healing energy down your grounding.

And again, let another wave of sky energy come into you, combine  with the energy of earth, fill you and cleanse you, washing trouble and  pain away down your grounding into the earth. Feel your deep connection  to earth, and let trouble and pain wash into the earth. Keep any  information you require, but let all the pain you can go into the earth.

Feel yourself cleansed and sparkling, full of earth and sky  energy, and deeply connected to both earth and sky. Ground out any energy  you

don’t need into the earth.

Now imagine yourself at a stone boundary marker, standing beside  a gravel road. It is dusk, wintertime, and you are in farm country. The  landscape is wintry, with a light dusting of snow, the tree branches bare of leaves,  but you don’t feel the cold. Smoke rises from chimneys of houses here  and there, some far away on bare hills of cropped brown. The air smells  cold and of woodsmoke.

You turn and walk a while down this road. To either  side are fields full of stubble, tan. As you pass, crows rise  cawing. Far across a field, you see a lone scarecrow standing.

The road slopes gently down a hill, and you come into a small  wood. Tree limbs rise gnarled and black around you, shadowing the road.  A rabbit raises its head, brown against white shadowed snow, looks at you  a moment and bounds away.

You come out of the wood into a flat landscape, cropped fields to  either side behind board fences. You walk awhile, the scenery barely  changing, all in colors of brown and grey. The smell of the air changes, and  you realize you must be coming to a body of fresh water. Walking forward,  you crest a shallow hill and see before you stands of rushes around a large lake.

You continue forward on the road. The gravel stops, and you keep  going on an earthen path. Tall rushes stand at either side, the air brushing  through them, whispering. You push down the path through the rushes and  find yourself at a dock where a small rowboat is tied up, oars lying in  its bottom.

From here, at the lake’s edge, you have a clear view across. A band  of gold haze lies along the horizon, between long bands of  grey-purple cloud. The water is steel-grey, and in the center of the lake lies a  small island, crowned by a grove of birch trees. The island attracts you  strongly, and you decide to row out to it.

Knowing this is the custom of the place, you get into the boat, untie  it, and fitting the oars to the oarlocks begin to row. The island is not  far away, but it takes longer to get there than you think it will. The boat  moves slowly and dreamily through the twilit water. The twilight stays constant;  the sky does not get darker. This seems strange, but you feel perfectly  safe and protected, and you accept that twilight stays in this place.

You come to the island shore, step out onto gravel and pull the boat  up so it won’t float away, setting the oars in its bottom. The grey water,  tinged lavender in the light, laps the gravel shore. You walk toward the grove  of birch, and again though the trees don’t seem far away, it takes you longer  to get to them than you thought it would. Things move slowly in this place.  All around you lies dusk-purple light. Know that you will  remember everything you need to from this place.

You edge between two birch trees and come to the center of the  island. Here sits a stone well. Over the well hangs a weeping willow. The long  arms of the willow move gently in the air, rustling.

You see among the willow branches, sitting on the edge of  the well, a woman clad in sage-green. Her hair is  long, falling almost to the ground, and a very fair blonde,  or colorless, or grey — it’s hard to tell in the light.  She greets you and tells you that this is the Well  of Release, and she is its keeper.

You greet her with reverence. You know she is no ordinary person but  a goddess. (Pause briefly.)

She asks you what you would release, and you tell her.  (Pause briefly.)

She asks you to sit on the edge of the well, sit comfortably. When  you are seated, she asks you go deeply into the problem you would  release, saying she will protect you as you do.

You agree to her suggestion and begin to go into the problem in  your mind. See the problem in your mind. See pictures of scenes around  this issue, the people involved, the places. Take some time and bring the  problem you want to release fully into your consciousness and emotions.  (Pause for some time.)

Feel the emotions around the problem. Name these emotions. Be  in them. Avoid resisting them, but let them be present and flow through  you. Feel them fully. (Pause for some  time.)

The keeper of the well watches you, understanding fully  and protecting you as you do this work. When you have fully gone  into, recognized and felt the emotions around this problem, she nods  deeply and says she will give you something to hold this issue, a symbol or  object to contain this pain. She holds out her hands, and between them is  this symbol or object. (Pause briefly.)

You take it into your own hands. This symbol is a container and is  meant for your use, to protect you. You feel perfectly safe and protected.

She instructs you now to put the problem you want to release into  the symbol, to let flow into the symbol everything you need to let go. You  do so gently and fully, letting your emotions and memories and  thoughts flow into the symbol, keeping only that information you need and  letting go all pain into the symbol. (Pause for some  time.)

Once you have put what you need to into the symbol, the keeper of  the well cranks the well-handle and draws up the bucket. She instructs you  to put your symbol into the bucket, and you do. It goes easily, no matter  how big or amorphous it is, as if that’s  where it belongs. It disappears into the bucket.

Then the well-keeper lets the bucket back down into the well.  The Well of Release, she tells you, lets into an underground stream, a stream  that is able to change and break up pain and trouble and old blockages  and let energy go where it belongs. You look down into the well, and you  see the bucket hit the water, the dark water with just a ripple of light, see  the bucket go into the water, disappear into the water. As it does, you  feel released of your pain, you feel it gone. (Pause  briefly.)

Now the keeper of the well brings out a crystal decanter full of  water, and she motions you to stand in a silver-edged basin whose drain  feeds into the source of the well. “This is the cleansing Water of Release,”  she  tells you. You see the water in the decanter sparkle with its own  inner light. She pours the water over your head; it cascades down over you,  and you feel not wet but as if cleansing, healing energy were going  through you, washing away the last vestiges of pain and trouble, releasing the  last blocks and letting them pour downward into the  underground stream and into the earth. (Pause  for some time.)

The well-keeper smiles at you and says, “Now you are cleansed  and healed, and in token I give you a gift.” In her two hands she holds out  this gift, and you take it. You examine it, and she tells you what you need  to know to understand it. (Pause briefly.)

Know that you will keep the memory of this gift as you need  to, and all else that you need to retain.

Now you say your good-byes to  the keeper of the well and thank her. (Pause briefly.)

Leaving her, you pass out between the birch trees, and on the gravel  shore find the boat. You draw it toward the water and get in, push off with  your oar and slowly row back to the lake shore.

At the lake’s edge, you tie the boat to the dock, replace the oars in  the boat bottom and, turning, walk back through the rustling reeds along  the path. You pass through the reeds to the long flat land, the road with  brown fields on either side, and into the dark wood. You notice that it has begun  to get dark. But it is a reassuring darkness, a warm and  protective darkness, a blanket drawn over the land that lets it sleep.

You pass under the black, gnarled branches and out of the dark  wood, and you walk up the slope of the hill, looking at the cropped fields on  either side. You greet the scarecrow and the crows that rise from the fields to  caw at you. You continue along the gravel  road, the landscape getting darker around you, and you find yourself  back at the boundary marker from which you started.

You settle down beside this marker. All around you darkness  falls, comfortable, comforting and calm. Know that you will  remember everything you need to from this meditation. You will keep  everything you need to keep.

You begin once more to feel your body. You are coming up from  trance, feeling warm and relaxed yet energetic. Feel your body; wiggle  your fingers and toes. Feel the surface below you and the air above.  Retain in your mind everything you want to remember from this meditation.

Feel yourself present in your body, present in the here and  now. Notice your breath; feel yourself draw breath deep into your lungs and let  it go. You feel present and calm yet full of warm energy.

Breathe deeply once more, and open your eyes.

Blue Light Dream Meditation (Snow Moon)

Blue Light Dream Meditation

(Snow Moon)

Glue light is used to wash negativity from your energy field.

Before you go to sleep, lie back comfortably. Take a deep breath to center your awareness. Imagine a bright cobalt blue light shining in a stream into your power chakra at the base of your stomach. Sense its warmth as its begins to energize you on every level of your being. Starting in your gut, it sends out a positive harmonic that neutralizes any discomfort or negativity it encounters. Sense it moving through the various parts of your body, mind, and spirit, eliminating anything negative.

After eliminating the negative, the blue light then starts accentuating the positive energy in you. Imagine that you can take the bluelight and manifest it into anything you want. Realize that all you have to do is wish it to be and it becomes reality.

While you drift to sleep, tell the blue light what you really want and who you really want to be. Repeat to yourself over and over:

“Bright blue light, please empower my dreams.”

Life As The Witch – Simply, Easy Meditation for Today’s Busy Witch

I know in today’s society we are all very busy. Rush here, rush there, The whole time your mind is swirling with thoughts of what to next, where to go and much more. A witch, in particular, needs to be able clear all the daily grime out of her mind. If she doesn’t then she won’t be able to cast successful spells. Concentration and visualization these are basically the main part involved in Spellcrafting. To achieve concentration and visualization, we must start with meditation. Meditation lays out the ground work for us learn how to control our mind and our thoughts. After we have mastered the skill of meditation, we can then move on.

I found a wonderful meditation. It is simple to use. I know the new ones to The Craft will love it. The older Practitioners might find it too simple. The name of the meditation is “The Heartbeat Meditation.” I hope those that want to use it enjoys it!

This is a very simple meditation that can be a building block for many future meditations as well as magical workings. It is a useful tool for focus and concentration. To begin, find a place where you will be undisturbed. This should be a place that is peaceful to you. It can be either indoors or outdoors. It is preferable that you begin attempting this with as little noise and other distractions as possible as you get more adept at this one may use meditative music. Get into a comfortable position, close your eyes if desired, and breathe deeply for a few moments. Clear your mind as much as possible and relax. Concentrate on feeling your heart beat. Feel it beat and pulse within your body. Concentrate until you can feel each distinctive beat. If you succeed in this, try to feel your pulse in other areas of your body, such as your arms, legs, hand, feet, midsection, neck, or head. How does the sensation of the pulse in these areas differ from the beat of your heart?

How is it the same?

If you are having difficulty feeling your heartbeat, stop, take a break, and come back to it later. It may take a few sessions of practice before you are able to feel it with certainty. Above all, don’t become frustrated, as this could block further attempts to feel the beat. Once you are able to feel your heartbeat, and the pulse in different areas of the body, you can move on to more difficult things. Try decreasing the time it takes to feel the beat. Ideally, as soon as you think of it you should be able to feel the pulse wherever in your body you wish. Upon succeeding in this, try feeling your heartbeat in more difficult circumstances; while outside walking, while at work or in school, while talking to others. You should desire to reach the point where you can feel the beat as soon as you think to try in any situation without interrupting other activities. As stated, this exercise aids in focus and concentration, but it can also help you use your inner power more effectively, since the pulse of your heart is intimately tied to the flow of your life energy.

Basic Breathing Meditation

Basic Breathing Meditation

 

Our minds are constantly active, always jumping from thought to thought,  emotion to emotion.  Getting in touch with the nonlocal intelligence, the  universal soul that lies within us and is part of us all, requires finding a way  past the fog of distracting thoughts that typically hide it from us.  We cannot  fight our way through a real fog.

If we are quiet, we encounter moments of pure silence, and through these gaps  we can glimpse the deeper level of the soul.  Each glimpse increases our  understanding, and eventually our consciousness becomes expanded.

Controlling the flood of thoughts is very difficult for most people.   Beginners can sometime become very frustrated, but frustration is just another  thought, another emotion that gets in the way.  The goal is to release all  thoughts, quietly, passively.

A common way to begin meditation is to gently focus on one thing so that it  becomes more difficult for stray thoughts to enter your mind.

To begin a breathing mediation, find a comfortable position.  Sit in a  comfortable chair, with your feet flat on the ground.  Place your hands in your  lap with the palms facing upward.  Close your eyes and begin witnessing your  breath.  Observe the inflow and outflow of your breath without attempting to  control it in any way.

You may find that your breathing spontaneously gets faster or slower, deeper  or shallower, and may even pause for a time.  Observe the changes without  resistance or anticipation.  Whenever your attention drifts away from your  breath to a sound in the environment, or a sensation in your body, or a thought  in your mind, gently return your awareness to your breathing.

Once a person becomes comfortable with simply sitting quietly and focusing on  breathing, I recommend adding a mantra, which creates a mental environment that  will allow you to expand your consciousness.

 

Adapted from The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire, by Deepak Chopra  (Three Rivers Press).