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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.
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