THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MEDITATIONS
Look within; look without. When you notice there is no difference between the two, then you will truly begin to understand. -- Galeain ip Altiem MacDunelmor
Meditation has been used for centuries to seek out inner clarity and peace of mind. Druids and many other magick using and non-magick using people often use it to achieve greater heights of focus and concentration, and to correct inner unbalances. For the best effect, one should meditate regularly in order to get the mind set to a proper level. It is a part of Druid lore that eventually, after long years of practice, the meditative state can be reached without effort.
HEARTBEAT MEDITATION
This is a very simple meditation that can be a building block for many future meditations as well as magical workings. It is a useful tool for focus and concentration. To begin, find a place where you will be undisturbed. This should be a place that is peaceful to you. It can be either indoors or outdoors. It is preferable that you begin attempting this with as little noise and other distractions as possible as you get more adept at this one may use meditative music. Get into a comfortable position, close your eyes if desired, and breathe deeply for a few moments. Clear your mind as much as possible and relax. Concentrate on feeling your heart beat. Feel it beat and pulse within your body. Concentrate until you can feel each distinctive beat. If you succeed in this, try to feel your pulse in other areas of your body, such as your arms, legs, hand, feet, midsection, neck, or head. How does the sensation of the pulse in these areas differ from the beat of your heart? How is it the same?
ELEMENTAL MEDITATION
This meditation serves multiple purposes. It clears your mind so that you are better able to focus. It also gives you a more visceral understanding of the natures of each element. It can be a grounding tool to ground excess energy if done correctly. And finally, it is fun!
This is a movement-based meditation, so it is best to find a place where you will not be disturbed, since if others are around you might experience self-consciousness or embarrassment, neither of which is helpful. This place should be quiet and free of outside distractions, and it should also allow for a relatively free range of movement.
SHAMANIC GROUNDING AND CENTERING MEDITATION
As before find a place that you will be undisturbed, you may utilize soft, meditative music for this meditation. As aforementioned, . Get into a comfortable position, close your eyes if desired, and breathe deeply for a few moments. Always keep the breathing rhythmic and steady. Clear your mind as much as possible and relax. This meditation may be performed from a seated position in a chair or on the floor. Once you have cleared you mind of any distraction and have felt your heart beat, focus on your legs and feet. Feel them as if they were the roots of a tree. Feel them borrowing deep into the ground strongly and soundly. Once you have accomplished this and the roots of your spirit are firmly planted within the ground, you are ready for the next step. Focus on your body being like a trees trunk solid and unwavering. Feel the strength of spirit with yourself. Try to emulate every essence of the tree, the bark, the rings that lie within the bark, (past experience and your memories, everything that makes you who you are today.) Every nook and cranny you can possible conjure up in your mind to envision the tree of your spirit. Now onto the branches. Visualize in your minds eye the branches of the tree springing forth from your arms and head towards the sky, reaching ever upwards. Feel the leafy or vine foliage sprouting out. Be the very every essence and all the aspects of the tree. Feel the sunlight or moonlight shining down upon you, feel the winds blowing through you. Always take your time for meditations NEVER RUSH, for when this comes as second nature to you, your meditations will take little effort. Practice these methods and see which works best for you.
If you are having difficulty feeling your heartbeat, stop, take a break, and come back to it later. It may take a few sessions of practice before you are able to feel it with certainty. Above all, don't become frustrated, as this could block further attempts to feel the beat. Once you are able to feel your heartbeat, and the pulse in different areas of the body, you can move on to more difficult things. Try decreasing the time it takes to feel the beat. Ideally, as soon as you think of it you should be able to feel the pulse wherever in your body you wish. Upon succeeding in this, try feeling your heartbeat in more difficult circumstances; while outside walking, while at work or in school, while talking to others. You should desire to reach the point where you can feel the beat as soon as you think to try in any situation without interrupting other activities. As stated, this exercise aids in focus and concentration, but it can also help you use your inner power more effectively, since the pulse of your heart is intimately tied to the flow of your life energy.
Sit on the floor in a comfortable position and spend a few moments feeling your heartbeat and clearing your mind. (You can also choose to stand, but most people do not find this as comfortable.) Then, begin to meditate upon the element Earth. Feel what it are like to be Earth, the sensations, and the emotions, all that encompasses Earth. Allow the expression of these feelings to join your mind and body as one, so that all of you experience these sensations. Most likely during this part your body will remain still, embodying the patience that is Earth, but if the desire to move takes you, go ahead, since Earth can move, whether slowly (as in tectonic plate shifting) or quickly and violently (as in earthquakes).
When the moment feels right, shift your consciousness from Earth into Water. Let this be a smooth transition, as this meditation should flow easily from one element to the next. Call up all the sensations, thoughts, emotions, and movement that is Water. Again let this awareness infuse your body and mind. At this point, it is likely that your body will begin to move, whether in small movements while you remain seated, or in larger movements that require you to stand. This should be near instinctive; do not worry whether the movement is appropriate or "right". "Go with the flow", let your body move as it will to show its connection with the elements. Water movement will most likely be smooth, flowing, graceful movements that are full of emotion. (Keep in mind however, that Water, like all the elements, has a wide range of movements, so something different than the "standards" that are listed here is not wrong.)
When appropriate, shift your awareness gradually from Water into Air. Let the concept of Air resonate throughout your mind and body. At this point, you will most likely begin to move more energetically and erratically about the space. You may try to express specific concepts through your movements. You are also encouraged to make this a vocal as well as a kinetic meditation if that feels right.
Again when you are ready, shift once more from Air into Fire. At this point, as you resonate the concept of Fire, your movements will most likely be extremely energetic and random. You may find yourself bumping into walls or other objects. You might pause for a moment in an odd position, only to careen off again the next moment with the dancing energy that is Fire.
Depending on your purpose in this meditation, you can choose to end it one of two ways. If your intent is to clear your mind and provide energy for focus, then when the moment is right, stop your emulation of Fire and return to a seated position, breathing deeply and fully aware of your body, mind, and the elements all around (and within) you. If instead you are more concerned with understanding the elements or with using this meditation as a technique for grounding, then from Fire, reverse your movements, going back through Air and Water (spending as much time as needed on each) until you are back at Earth. End the meditation in a restful position, whether sitting or lying down, allowing your excess energy to flow smoothly into the Earth. And remember, no matter which purpose you use this meditation for, it is supposed to be fun, so relax and enjoy yourself!
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