Meditation
Meditation is a way in which it is possible to be reminded of who we truly are; an eternal soul in a perfect state of love. It is a process by which it is possible to withdraw from the so called reality of this world and enter a state of oneness in silence with all that is.
It is not essential that we meditate, or a prerequisite to being “spiritual”: because firstly each of us cannot be anything but spiritual as this is what we are, spirit, and at anytime we are connected to our divine source. It is just that we are so often easily distracted and we can forget, albeit temporarily, who and where we really are. It is in the forgetting that we can feel separate and powerless and cause ourselves and others pain and suffering.
Meditation is a method of entering the silence in which we can be reminded of the truth; love and freedom.
“Meditation can often be used to separate one from another”. One may say, “I sit for hours in deep meditation”, and one may say, “I don’t feel very good, I don’t even sit for a second in meditation”. Does that mean I am less attached to the Godhead than that person? Another may say, “When I go into meditation I become completely connected to God”. So there’s rendering others who don’t even spend a second in meditation thinking, “mmm, that means I’m not connected to God at all”. This cannot be, for we are all connected, each of the other to the other, within the other, because there is no other. Within the individuation the mind body soul that turns up as a separate individual appears to turn up as a separate individual meditation is an opportunity not to say, “I am better than you, because you see, look I spend hours in meditation”, not that at all.
Meditation can help the individual actually achieve a place where they are able to access that connection. And with the accessibility of that connection comes the insights that help the purification process. Now some people do not need meditation for this purification to actually occur. And if you actually use commonsense there are many cultures and many civilisations that have never heard of meditation, let alone practice it. This does not mean that they are not connected to God, this does not mean that they are not as we are, but there are some cultures that encourage meditation. This does not mean that they have the answers; this does not mean that they have any more wisdom than the person who has never even heard of God let alone spend time in hours of meditation supposedly getting closer to God. It is not possible to get closer to something that is you. It is rather like me saying if I stand and stare at my hand for long enough my thumb will be closer to my finger. There’s my thumb, and there’s my finger. They’re on my hand. So meditation is an opportunity, if required by the individual, to go within and by going within there’s the enquiry, within the enquiry is the process of purification, within the process of purification comes the self acceptance, the self love, hence within the self love is”. Shadow Sands
It is important to be careful that meditation doesn’t create separation, or the perception of separation. Each has their path.
Meditation – The Forgiveness Project
The Story of Your Life So Far - Attunement.
Sitting comfortably in your chair, feeling your body against the chair and your feet on the floor, close your eyes and gently come to rest, feeling the in breath entering the body and filling your lungs and gently exhale and empty your lungs as you breathe out.
Imagine a colour and see that colour fill your body with every in breath, breathing out, exhaling the colour and filling the space around you, gently repeating breathing in and breathing out in a peaceful rhythmic movement.
As you breathe in and out see your body filling with that colour and radiating out and see the colours of everybody in the room merging around you. As you sit surrounded by these colours notice your body relaxing deeper and deeper and deeper, more fully.
Now become aware of a being entering your field of vision, a being who knows and loves you.
Become aware of who they are to you this is your guardian who will lead you, protect you and guide you on this journey.
Notice your feelings as they greet you. In their hand is a book, visualise this book now, notice the colour and the texture, notice anything about the cover of the book that interests you, become aware that this book holds your story and contains many memories of this life.
Notice the feelings now arising within you about what may be held in this book, and consider carefully your reactions to these feelings, do you want to reach out and embrace this book with all of its memories, or does this book make you nervous at what you will see?
Again look at the feelings that arise and treat them with love and understanding and know that they are there to be felt, not discarded and pushed down.
Notice now that the being reaches out and hands you the book gently reach forward and accept the offer, placing the book on your lap.
Now open the book at the page that you are drawn to.
How old are you in these pictures?
Who are the pictures of?
What is happening in the pictures?
How are you feeling as you look at these images?
Now turn to the next page in the picture book that you are drawn to?
How old are you in these pictures?
Who are the pictures of?
What is happening in the pictures?
How are you feeling as you look at these images?
Now turn to the next page in the picture book that you are drawn to?
How old are you in these pictures?
Who are the pictures of?
What is happening in the pictures?
How are you feeling as you look at these images?
Now turn to the next page in the picture book that you are drawn to?
How old are you in these pictures?
Who are the pictures of?
What is happening in the pictures?
How are you feeling as you look at these images?
Is there anywhere else in the book that you are drawn to?
What has drawn you to these images and what do you need to understand from them?
Are you happy to leave the book for now?
Now that you have taken everything that you need from this book at this moment close the book and hand it back to the being in front of you.
Now imagine all those people from the situations that you have been observing in your book gathering together.
Take the hand of the being and ask them to lead you to the person you most need to talk to and stand before that person.
What would you like to say?
What do you need to say to this person?
What questions are unanswered in your relationship with them?
Is there anything you need to tell them knowing that you are in a safe place and your guardian is beside you?
What do you need to hear from the person in front you?
Are you able to kneel before them and acknowledge the part they needed to play in your life, and the part you played in their life?
What do you need to say or do in this moment?
If you feel you are unable to kneel, what would it take to enable you to do so?
Ask your guardian to help you.
What do you need to hear or do to be able to kneel before this person to acknowledge the gifts and lessons they gave to you?
Now ask your guardian to take you to the next person that you need meet.
What would you like to say?
What do you need to say to this person?
What questions are unanswered in your relationship with them?
Is there anything you need to tell them knowing that you are in a safe place and your guardian is beside you?
What do you need to hear from the person in front you?
Are you able to kneel before them and acknowledge the part they needed to play in your life, and the part you played in their life?
What do you need to say or do in this moment?
If you feel you are unable to kneel, what would it take to enable you to do so?
Ask your guardian to help you.
What do you need to hear or do to be able to kneel before this person to acknowledge the gifts and lessons they gave to you?
Now ask your guardian to take you to the final person that you need meet for the moment.
What would you like to say?
What do you need to say to this person?
What questions are unanswered in your relationship with them?
Is there anything you need to tell them knowing that you are in a safe place and your guardian is beside you?
What do you need to hear from the person in front you?
Are you able to kneel before them and acknowledge the part they needed to play in your life, and the part you played in their life?
What do you need to say or do in this moment?
If you feel you are unable to kneel, what would it take to enable you to do so?
Ask your guardian to help you.
What do you need to hear or do to be able to kneel before this person to acknowledge the gifts and lessons they gave to you?
Your guardian knows that humility is the window to love, allow yourself to open that window.
It is now time to return knowing that you can re-visit the other people at any time you feel ready to and anyone else who may have appeared in your book. Your guide is still with you, thank your guide for their support and love and for showing you who you needed to spend time with.
Reconnect now with your breathing and notice the colours around you and acknowledge any changes that may have occurred, reconnect with your breathing feeling your body in the chair and your feet on the ground, noticing the energy in your body.
Begin to hear any sounds that are in the room now, becoming more aware of the sensations in your body, gently coming back into the room.
Moving your toes, stretching your fingers and open your eyes when you are ready to come completely back in your own time, into the room. Fully present.
Revision
a Write down all the remembrances, feelings and conversations, if any, that you have just experienced.
b Note any areas of conflict, past memories, regrets, guilt or shame
The Forgiveness Project- copyright 2008
If there were a few insights or surprises you might be interested in participating in The Forgiveness Project. For more details go to Healing.
We do hope to shortly be able to bring you an audio version of this meditation and others, which you will be able to download or listen to online.