Please wait...An Easy Meditation Technique
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In order to learn any “Meditation Technique”, let us first define the term. According to Wikipedia, Meditation is a mental discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the reflexive, "thinking" mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness. Meditation often involves turning attention to a single point of reference... that may emphasize different goals -- from achievement of a higher state of consciousness, to greater focus, creativity or self-awareness, or simply a more relaxed and peaceful frame of mind. Giving this sense of relaxation and peace, meditation ultimately leads people to find peace within themselves.
The word ‘discipline’ can be unsettling if not downright scary to individuals who are just beginning to choose to utilize this great tool. Not to worry. This is not the military or school. Discipline in this usage is a “practice” or 'thing that one does with purpose.
The Practice of Meditation
Individuals in all parts of the globe have utilized this practice. It is beneficial for individuals of at any level of their spiritual or religious life. It is a great technique for relaxation, and general health. Like anything that one desires to do, it takes concentration and persistence to get the maximum benefit. This being said, individuals who begin with the greatest intentions can become frustrated, angry, and hurt, as they do not seem to be “doing it right.
Not to worry, this technique is easy, and EVERYONE can see positive results. Just be patient. Do not expect to receive incredible visuals right away.
Many individuals, with practice, do receive visuals and can "journey" to different places while meditating. One such example, though fiction is Gerald Gardner's book, A Goddess Arrives. The protagonist in this book uses a small bronze snail to "trigger" himself into an altered state of consciousness, albeit, inadvertently.
Many individuals, pagan and non pagan alike, utilize special devices to assist them in reaching a meditative state. Drums, bells, rattles, chants, and dance are just a few of the techniques individuals use to reach a meditative state.
In some groups, dancing, scourging, and singing are a regular part of rituals in order to assist the High Priestess and High Priest reach the necessary meditative state to help facilitate the actual magical working they are gathering to accomplish.
This article does NOT require any special techniques… just you, some quiet, and the intention to meditate.
There are many sites where you can obtain help with meditation. One such site is The Meditation Handbook by Christopher Calder Another great site for Buddhist meditation is: How to Meditate (see links at the end of this article)
Expectations and Actuality
Your expectations are where everything begins and ends. If you expect to be very successful immediately, and you are not, then see above. So, the first instruction is to set realistic goals.
While some individuals may feel tremendous results when they first start meditating, others are disappointed. It is all up to you. If you have great difficulty concentrating, staying focused, or generally staying on task, then in the beginning you will experience all these same things when starting a meditation practice.
So, be real. "Baby steps" is the answer. Set realistic goals. Five minutes of good silence in your head is great progress for a beginner. If you are the type of person who has the ability to concentrate on one task -- even if the house is on fire -- then set a goal at fifteen minutes of sitting still or longer if you feel you can realistically perform this action.
One Easy Technique
OK, so now that you have read some information on meditation, here is the technique that I use with my clients and myself.
1. Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed.
2. Turn off your cell phone.
3. Wear comfortable clothing.
4. Play some soft NON-vocal music or nature sounds.
5. Close your eyes.
6. Look at the after image behind your eyelids.
7. Take and hold a big breath.
1. Place all your thoughts, anxieties, stress, into this breath while holding it in.
8. Release the breath.
9. Take and hold another big breath while visualizing a clear or white light coming in with the breath. This is a POSITIVE calming energy.
10. Release this breath.
11. Take and hold a third breath while visualizing a pure white or gold light coming in at the same time.
12. Place your being-ness into this energy.
13. Imagine this energy going throughout your entire body.
14. Send this energy out with your consciousness through your crown and out of your body.
15. Exhale and breathe normally.
16. Send your consciousness out to space.
17. Notice the house below you, then the entire area.
18. Continue extending your consciousness into the sky until you can visualize the curvature of the earth.
19. Picture yourself arching your back and looking up.
20. See a spiral of light with a black circle in the center.
21. Extend yourself into the center black circle – remember you are perfectly safe.
22. As you enter the center of the spiral, it is warm and inviting.
23. As you extend into the center of the spiral, it becomes a roller coaster type movement, going down and to the left.
24. Spiraling lower and lower at a safe speed.
25. After a time, notice a light at the end of the tunnel.
26. You get closer and closer to it.
27. Soon, you realize it is an opening or door.
28. You stop at the door. The doorway has a gold frame. Notice the details.
29. Look out onto a peaceful meadow, see the flowers, and smell the grass, trees, and ground.
30. Step out to the meadow, sit down and feel the sunshine on your body.
31. After a time, you get up, stretch, and feel refreshed.
32. Notice that there is a Silver Door in the distance.
33. Walk toward it. When you get there, look back and know that you can return here at any time.
34. Step through the door, and find yourself back in your own body.
Some final thoughts:
This technique is very effective, do this for several days and weeks. After a while, you will find that you can stay in the meadow longer and longer. It serves as a good beginning technique that will serve you well in all your endeavors.
Good Journeying
Origin of Reiki
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Reiki is a natural healing method given by the Universe. It is important to remember that while Reiki can help an individual heal many of the causes of dis-ease in a person a Reiki practitioner is not a medical doctor and one should not ignore medical doctors. Reiki works on the energy that is in each of us and allows one to heal oneself. This is not to say that many sicknesses are curable with Reiki. As long a person directs the body’s self healing processes toward the injured or sick part Reiki can heal.
The process that will be revealed to you in Reiki II allows one to feed REIKI energy to the effected areas by placing the hands in the effected area as long as the energy is flowing from your hands. This works the same way for yourself, which is what we will learn here in Reiki I. Even with serious illnesses the effects of Reiki is proved by which even a serious injury gets favorably well when the injured person is given Reiki Treatment in the early stage. Reiki is only to touch the part by hands
Reiki is colorless, odorless, voiceless, and unscented. Consequently, it is impossible to see Reiki energy and feel it. It is a special sensation of feeling on both healer and client’s bodies.
Usui Mikao Memorial
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Memorial of Reiki Founder Usui Sensei’s Benevolence
It is called ‘toku’ that people experience by culture and training, and ‘koh’ that people practice teaching and the way to save people.
Only the person who has high virtue and does good deeds can be called a great founder and leader. From ancient times, among wise men, philosophers, geniuses and founders.
The founders of a new teaching or new religion are like that.. We could say that Usui Sensei was one of them.
Usui “Sensei newly started the method that would change mind and body for better by using universal power. People hearing of his reputation and wanting to learn the method, or who wanted to have the therapy, gathered around from all over. It was truly prosperous.
Alternative Medicine and Healing Modalities
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Alternative medicine - What is it?
According to Wikipedia alternative medicine,is defined in the modern western world as, a practice that encompasses any healing practice "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine. Notice that this is extremely jingoisitc. The definition automatically implies that "alternative" is not "conventional". Conventional, is defined as what is accepted - by whom? Who decides what is conventional and what is alternative? In China palm reading, herbs, phrenology, and meditation, are conventional and the west defines it as "alternative". It is my contention that this is an arbitrary term that has grown to be accepted by the west as truth. This article discusses many types of medicine and healing that are useful and beneficial and are not part of the accepted medical community. Let us examine the definition of conventional medicine According to dictionary.com conventional medicine is Medicine as practiced by holders of M.D. (medical doctor) or D.O. (doctor of osteopathy) degrees and by their allied health professionals, such as physical therapists, psychologists, and registered nurses. Other terms for conventional medicine include allopathy and allopathic medicine; Western medicine, mainstream medicine, orthodox medicine, and regular medicine;and biomedicine.. So, from this definition we see that a treatment is alternative, dare I say, UN-conventional, if it is not practiced by an individual who fits the above definition. Therefore, it is subjective, and changing. To illustrate this point not to far in the past an Oestopathic doctor, or chiropractor, were considered alternative, or un-conventional.
To Lineage or Not to Lineage (Reiki Style)
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To Lineage or Not to Lineage (Reiki Style)
Over the years I have felt that Reiki lineage is unimportant. As a matter of fact, for a very long time I deliberately did not give my Reiki Lineage as a protest against what I perceived as a bogus, unimportant, and truly artificial way for some practitioners to glorify themselves. The main reason for this was that human nature being what it is - a small number of practitioners seem to view issues of Reiki lineage as really being issues of prestige.
Reiki here in the west is an ability conferred via initiation, each practitioner should (theoretically at least) be able to trace their lineage back from teaching master to teaching master - right back to Usui-Sensei. In fact, the variations of the Reiki Master Symbol was the way that lineage was originally shown. There was no reason for a student/master to show their entire lineage, any competent Reiki Master could see which line a particular individual was from just by seeing the Master Symbol they used. In today's information age with the easily obtainable copies of the variations it has become common practice for Reiki Master teachers to show their students at least some of the variations that they themselves know as well as the one they particularly utilize.
I am speaking here from the Western Perspective, and as I have experience with the Japanese style as well as the 'Western Style, I carry two lineages.
In Usui Shiki Ryoho and also in some of the more recently evolved Reiki styles, considerable emphasis is placed on awareness of ones lineage and each student is provided with lineage details as a matter of course. This actually contributes to the problem.
Lineage in itself, is of no importance. I still proscribe to the practice of offering a mini-treatment to a questioner of lineage, and if they feel a difference, or the energy, that SHOULD be lineage enough. However, in our Western specialist driven society, I feel that the lineage question should be addressed.
In the Craft of the Wise, which I am also involved in, lineage is VERY important. However, in recent discussions with the elders of my tradition, it seems that recently the vouching for a particular teacher is most importantly determined by other means than seeing lineage. Hence, why I always instructed students to show their lineage by the PRACTICE of Reiki.
As I reassess my opinions I have determined that for myself and my students there are at least two reasons why some disclosure is important. I do not show lineage to anyone who has not completed and actually begun Reiki III.
The first reason is that like any other Eastern Spirituality or practice, elders and teachers are respected. So, it is a matter of Respect. The acknowledgement of lineage is a way of honoring and respecting their elders.
My second reason is that with all the flavors of Reiki in existence (and with further new variations still evolving) the more aware a practitioner is of their own specific lineage in the 'Reiki Family', the more they can come to understand the various influencing factors which have shaped the teachings they themselves have received.
True, this second reason is actually part of the teaching of the style of Reiki however, it is at least a justifiable reason none the less.
Just some thoughts,
Alfred
All Praise of Francis Assini
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HERE BEGIN THE PRAISES OF THE CREATURES WHICH THE BLESSED FRANCIS MADE TO THE PRAISE AND HONOR OF GOD WHILE HE WAS ILL AT ST. DAMIAN'S:
Most high, omnipotent, good Lord,
Praise, glory and honor and benediction all, are Thine.
To Thee alone do they belong, most High,
And there is no man fit to mention Thee.
Praise be to Thee, my Lord, with all Thy creatures,
Especially to my worshipful brother sun,
The which lights up the day, and through him dost Thou brightness give;
And beautiful is he and radiant with splendor great;
Of Thee, most High, signification gives.
Praised be my Lord, for sister moon and for the stars,
In heaven Thou hast formed them clear and precious and fair. p. 153
Praised be my Lord for brother wind
And for the air and clouds and fair and every kind of weather,
By the which Thou givest to Thy creatures nourishment.
Praised be my Lord for sister water,
The which is greatly helpful and humble and precious and pure.
Praised be my Lord for brother fire,
By the which Thou lightest up the dark.
And fair is he and gay and mighty and strong.
Praised be my Lord for our sister, mother earth,
The which sustains and keeps us
And brings forth diverse fruits with grass and flowers bright.
Praised be my Lord for those who for Thy love forgive
And weakness bear and tribulation.
Blessed those who shall in peace endure,
For by Thee, most High, shall they be crowned.
Praised be my Lord for our sister, the bodily death,
From the which no living man can flee.
Woe to them who die in mortal sin;
Blessed those who shall find themselves in Thy most holy will,
For the second death shall do them no ill.
Praise ye and bless ye my Lord, and give Him thanks,
And be subject unto Him with great humility.