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By Lee Ann Cornell
"Meditation: deep serious thought, to
reflect deeply, to spend time in the spiritual exercise of
thinking about some religious theme, to contemplate, to
plan."
Amidst the hustle and bustle in this high-tech, fast-paced
world we live in, there is an ever-increasing need for
meditation; a quiet time to calm the nerves, while gaining a
sense of peace, focus and direction. Finding time in a quiet
place to meditate can often be a bit of a challenge. For
many people in this day and age, the demands of one’s daily
work load keep increasing to the point of overload. Due to
rapid technology, it seems virtually impossible for one to
stay attentive to the present, as moment by moment drastic
changes may occur. Added to this stress are the demands of
children, family, personal relationships, friends,
organizations, community service, etc. The list goes on and
on. Finding time and space to meditate may seem difficult,
but it is not impossible.
Remember the saying, "where there’s a will, there’s a way."
It is important not to let the demands of the world we live
in override the demands of the Soul. If the Soul’s demands
are overridden, one’s sense of identity begins to diminish.
The Soul struggles in torment and it becomes increasingly
difficult to accomplish anything. Some of the signs of this
override are burn-out, brain fade, depression and
exhaustion.
The word meditation conjures up a number of images. First,
there’s the Yogi, sitting in a lotus position, deep in
trance. Then there are those individuals that perform such
feats as walking on coals of fire, or laying on a bed of
nails while experiencing no pain or physical harm in the
process. Last but not least are folks that strike forth one
mighty karate chop, breaking a stack of bricks in one blow,
with no pain or injury to the hand.
One does not need a Master to meditate. The average person
does not spend hours on end in forms of meditation to
accomplish such acts. There are many approaches and levels
of meditation. The state of one’s mind as you approach
meditation is of the utmost importance. If one is harboring
feelings of malice, anger, hate, fear, resentment, revenge,
lust or anything else negative, these feelings, if not
released constructively, manifests into thought form. If you
day dream, or fantasize about hitting someone in the face,
the next time you are confronted by this individual you
might just pop them without any provocation on their part.
The mind has begun to plan; thus we have premeditated
action.
Cultivate the practice mentally of surrounding people that
aggravate you with white light (or the Christ Light). This
light can appear in a variety of ways, such light
encompassing someone in a form of an egg, a cylinder of
light, a beam of light, or a room full of light. Next
mentally send this person the love of God and ask God for a
peaceful resolution.
There is an instant comfort when walking into a holy temple
to meditate. This is because it is a place where people
gather regularly to pray and meditate, invoking the presence
of God. You can also create your own temple for meditation
in a place that contains your personal vibration, your own
little haven where you can block out the world and just be
yourself. Each of us carries our temple everywhere we go,
for the body is the temple of God, housing within it the
soul.
To awaken the spirit of God that is inherent in each soul
from the moment of creation one must go deep within the
recesses of the mind, the heart, the inner sanctuary and
ignite the Divine Spark. This is the spark that shines
through the eyes of an infant or a young child. Reach inward
to regain a sense of innocence and purity. The love of God
and the love of a child are both unconditional.
If you feel as though you have no time or space in which to
meditate, invent the time and space. First thing in the
morning when your feet hit the floor, say in your mind, "I
walk in the light of Jesus Christ. He is my salvation. He
protects me all throughout the day and night." Reflect on
the day ahead and ask for God's guidance. Say prayers while
driving yourself to and from work. Find a quite corner at
lunch where you can read and meditate. Reflect on the day as
you get ready to retire at night and use a few moments
before you drift off to sleep for meditation. You will be
amazed at how much time you can get in for yourself each
day.
It is important to have a focus when entering into a
meditative state. Do not completely blank your mind, or
allow just anything to enter. Focusing your thoughts upon a
single image or idea prevents unwanted thoughts which touch
upon anything and everything access to your mind. You are
opening yourself up to distracting forces if you don't
protect yourself, or have a positive focus. While
meditating, direct your mind into positive channels. Ask
that Jesus surround you with His white light of protection.
Try to sense a loving, soothing and healing light
surrounding you. In your mind's eye, also try to see a
glimmering white light surrounding you. You may not be able
to visualize this at first, but in time you may begin to see
it. Make sure that your focus is positive. Ask for positive
solutions to daily situations.
Focus on things that will bring positive changes into your
life without bringing negative effects to anyone else.
Things may come to you in ways you would never expect them
to. One person's fortune may be someone else's misfortune,
and it might be the last thing in the world you would want.
Remember the saying, "Be careful what you wish for, you just
may get it!" What we pray for or wish for may be much more
than what we bargain for. Remember, if your intentions are
pure of heart and of the light, you will be protected. Faith
is an armor.
When you have completed your meditation, always remember to
ground your energy. It is not productive to be a continuous,
open circuit, receptive to anything and everything around
you. To ground yourself, cover yourself with the sign of the
cross, and imagine a protective shield covering your mind's
eye. If you have found inspiration in your meditations,
recall them, use them, and test them to see if they are
useful to you. Give thanks for the opportunities to grow
through these experiences, and look forward to your next
meditation with hopeful expectation.
