Health and Greetings!
Confession time: My meditation and "formal" practice have been virtually non-existent for the last, oh, four years or so. It's been a period of letting marinade the book knowledge and Mystical collectiva, imbued with go-with-the-flow Willings and acute observation. Cyclic. Winter.
But...
It's TIME again...
Too potent a punch of that ever-prevalent balance of Beauty and Beast bullshit has taken seed in my life of late to deny otherwise.
I'd venture that 90% or better of my 'magic' work is done via meditation. (The more subtle needs of the past quatro anos aside, since they've been sans said...) That would include 'Ceremonial', healings, affirmations, and visualization.
Visualization is the Grand-daddy of Magic. The cornerstone, if not the entire foundation... but I sense digression-- a sure sign to earmark a word for future post fodder, then carry on the here and now...
There are four primary 'styles' of , or exercise in, meditation which I advantage.
- the Zen approach, or No-THING (stilling the mind)
- River of Thought
- Mantra
- Concentration
River of thought is not so far removed; it allows the 'presence' of the unconscious or sub-conscious images, but asks you do not grab and focus on any particular one. Watch them flow by, like the water massaging the banks in its passing...
In reverse, Concentration meditation's goal is to pick ONE thing-- a dot, a mandala, a sunset-- and focus intently on that to the exclusion of all else. Hold it. Mind wanders? (And it will!) Gently but firmly focus it back on the issue.
Everyone's familiar with mantra, right? This can be one simple word (the most known being the "OM" of om mani padmi hum notoriety...), or a phrase, or... well, you got the jist.
[Looks like I might have to series this topic, because each of these four deserve expounding on!]
I always let the night, or the aether, or the Source-whatever steps in-- dictate the direction of the remaining session. But only after... [Bum bam BAAAHM!]
Watching the Breath...
THE FOLLOWING IS ONE IN and OUT BREATH:
Inhale through the nose... see the air move all the way down the chest, the abdomen, the groin, the thighs, around the knees and into the calves, then ankles, then into the feet.
That's the IN breath...
Out follows the reverse; I like to visualize (SEE?! HA!) the Breath leaving the feet, then ankles, then... because doing this BREATH will learn you to imbibe it with the Power to carry out Will-- essentially akin to muscle-memory training athletes do: even if unconsciously, you are learning to focus and concentrate all your power into that Breath, hence send it to do as you so Will.
Now, when I'm 'in shape' and meditating nightly, I start my session with TEN of these breaths. In fact I've had nights where naught else was done but breath-gaze. Shigata ga nai, neh? But whatever-- when i start Sitting again, it might only last three counts. Depends on concentration.
And, it really IS a training thing... endurance will build as nights pass to dawns pass to twilight to...
You'll be amazed...
I have been. To the point of literal prostration.
I need sleep People.
Thus I go. [Alone, Alas! where IS She who is Yin?!?]
Hmmm.
Probably everywhere...
Har!
Hail and Farewell, Folk!
Cygnus
