Preparing for Meditation
Let’s Get to The Basics!
We live in a very dynamic world and universe.
Nothing stays the same and things are always changing.
This constant changing and evolving can cause conflict and stress in our lives.
The best way to try and decrease what stress exerts on our Mind and Body is to learn how to use meditation.
Meditation has been used for tens of thousands of years (or more).
There are many different uses for Meditation just as there are many different types of Meditation.
With that said, there are also many different ways to learn how to use meditation.
Depending on your intent and level of experience, each type of meditation can produce different effects and experiences.
So how do you get started?
Well, why not start at the beginning?!
Let’s get started!
Today, we are going to discuss 5 different ways to get used to learning how to use meditation.
But before we can actually meditate, we must prepare our minds for meditation.
Let’s look at 5 Ways To Prepare for Your Meditation:
- Wanting to Meditate
- Preparing a Hot Shower or Bath for Meditation
- Finding Your Special Place for Meditation
- Using Incense for Meditation
- Using Candles with Meditation
In the beginning, you may want to start with the most basic way to learn how to use meditation.
Meditation can be very basic and simple.
But even in its simplicity, learning how to begin Meditation can be a challenge.
Try and remember to K.I.S.S (Keep It Super Simple)
What do I mean?
Well, the purpose for any meditation is to clear the mind.
Your goal is to clear your mind of any and all distracting thoughts.
That means closing your eyes and stopping all the rapid thoughts.
Learning how to use meditation means focusing your mind and slowing down the voices and noises in your head.
Essentially, it means letting go of all the distractions that try to get, grab, and keep your attention when your eyes are open in the waking world!
This, in and of itself, can be super challenging.
But why is it so hard?
The reason learning how to use meditation is so challenging is because we live in the waking world the majority of the time.
The waking world is where we watch tv, listen to the radio, work, drive, shop, pay bills, give attention to family, friends, pets and so much more.
The waking world requires a large chunk of our personal attention, time and energy.
So to give that all that up while trying to slip into the calm, still and silent world of meditation can be a huge feat.
But it doesn’t have to be.
There are certain techniques and exercises I have learned and used over the years, that can really help.
In the beginning, meditation was very difficult for me.
Just like you, I’ve read some books, listened to others, and watched some videos.
But those things didnt really help the unique individual that is ME.
So in a nutshell, there are some very basic and simple techniques that I will share to help you get used to meditating on your own.
Want to Meditate
You must really want to mediate!
It’s really that simple.
I know this sounds simple, (because it is) but it’s also very important.
Some people want to meditate for all sorts of reasons.
They either think its cool, they want to show off to their friends (bragging rights) or because they feel they should know how to.
While those are reasons, they are not good enough.
You really need to want to meditate.
Your wants hold roots and seeds in your feelings and emotions.
Your feelings and emotions are are what your heart, mind, and spirit are attached to.
Your feelings and emotions are larger than life sometimes.
So use the power of your feelings and emotions to help you accomplish great feats that your logical mind can’t do on its own.
However, do not allow your feelings or emotions to completely guide your meditation.
The purpose of true Mediation is to let go.
Sometimes, that means, letting go of who you think you are, who you have been, and sometimes who you want to be, in order to welcome in the person or being you were meant to be and who you will become!
Preparing a Hot Shower or Bath
I have always loved a good HOT shower!
Even in the midst of summer, I will mistakenly take a hot shower, get dressed, then run outside to run errands.
Sweat profusely dripping down my body as I ponder the choice I made in bathing.
A few years back, when I really started getting into mediation and my spiritual pathworking, I found it easier to begin my meditations by taking very hot showers.
How hot you ask?
Well as hot as I could stand it (without burning myself)!
There is something about a hot, steamy water that forces your mind, body and senses to submit!
Before getting into the shower, I would either contemplate a question I had, or I would have a general feeling or vibe about myself, my energy of the whatever I was working on.
The contemplation was usually seated in previous work I was involved in.
So as I prepared the hot shower, I would stand under the shower head allowing the hot water to run and flow over my body.
From the top of my head, all over, down my body.
And I would just stand there… basking in it.
Feeling that heat permeate my body and being would invoke all kinds of feelings, thoughts and sensations in me.
They say Water holds Energy, memories and special properties.
And I believe it.
I also feel that water, which moves, also has a particular energy about it.
Rivers, lakes, streams, oceans, etc all have a a particular vibration or energy about it.
Water coming from your sink or shower is nothing different (except for all the chemicals in it. Water purification systems are ideal).
This particular excersize heavily uses the Power and Energy of Hot, running water to subdue your ego and enhance your senses.
The hot water can be used to distract you from the various thoughts, images, noises and voices running through your head.
But it can also infuse your mind with other thoughts, images, noises and voices (hence my contemplation preparation beforehand)
Hot water showers or baths can be the perfect pre cursor to slipping into that meditative state that most find so very hard to find.
Moving or running hot water would be akin to the elements of Water and Fire uniting with the movement.
These two elementals are the corner stone of most Higher Spiritual Path Work (and High Magick or High Science)
Fire and Water both symbolize the right side up and upside down triangles which make up half the Six sided Pointed Star.
Within that Six sided pointed star also lies the other two elemental symbals, Air and Earth.
This is the secret behing the Six sided Pointed Star.
Finding Your Special Place
One of the most important aspects of meditation is to feel calm and be at peace.
Both with yourself and your environment.
So finding a safe and secure place to perform your meditation is very important.
Your goal is to elimate any noise, disturbance or distractions that could hinder your abilility to slip into that other place of being.
Your environment plays an important role in the depth and quality of your meditation.
Try to choose a place where you feel safe, secure and most importantly is quiet.
Some people tend to have a special place such as a room in their home, a corner in the room of their home or even a place outside the home.
While some prefer the quiet areas, some tend to prefer areas where nature is alive and thriving.
Those places can be beaches, rivers, lakes or streams.
Some even prefer rockey mountain areas or forests.
Why: Because these places are rich and alive with the Energy of Nature.
Some people feel more at peace with nature while others might find these places to be too busy, noisey, not available or not close enough to their location.
Whichever environment you choose, just make sure you feel safe, calm and at peace with the area.
As you work more and more with your meditations, you will eventually begin to feel more comfortable slipping into that alternate state.
Trust me, the process will become easier.
Over the course of the coming days, weeks, months and years, you will start to build up, or reenforce, your personal energy.
Your environment will start to reflect and absorb the subtle energy that your Mind, Body and Spirit are creating via your Meditations.
You and the enviroment will eventually blend together and become one.
This is another reason that that it is important you pick an environment to work in, which feels safe, comfortable, and secure.
Using Incense
Incense has been used for spiritual and religious ceremonies for thousands of years.
Incense is used to tap into your sense of smell.
Your senses are the keys to accessing higher levels and planes of consciousness or existence.
Bot only that, but when using incense, it can help to take your mind and thoughts away from the current state (of mind) you are in.
As mentioned previously, the purpose of meditation is to leave your current state of (consciousness) or being.
When used properly, incense can help give an edge to your meditations.
Note: While incense, along with most tools, can be used for meditation purposes, it is not explicitly needed. Anything extra you add to your practices or pathwork can either add or take away from the main purpose of your work.
Never become too dependent on anyone one thing in particular.
Remember, all you really need is YOU and the UNIVERSE.
The rest is secondary.
However, if using incense, candles, or any other tools or supplies helps make you feel more comfortable, then by all means… use it.
Using Candles
Candles, like incense, have been used in spiritual and religious ceremonies for thousands of years.
While incense is used to enhance and change your senses via smell, candles are used to enhance and change our senses of sight.
Additionally, candles can also be used to illuminate dark rooms, areas and environments.
Remember, being in a safe and secure environment is very important.
Candles can be used to gain or enhance your focus, thoughts and mind.
Bonus Content!
The Seven Chakras
A few years ago, I started working with the various parts of the subtle body known as the Chakra System or Shen Centers.
There are 7 main chakra centers in a persons body.
These chakra systems are associated with particulart energy system parts, or subtle organ systems in the body.
Additionally, each chakra system is assigned a different color.
What I began doing was working with candles of a different color symbolizing each chakra center.
I would light the candle and watch the wick begin to transform from an unlit wick, to a little baby flame to a larger flame.
I would sometimes sit there for 20-30mins or more, watching the little flame dance around in front of me.
It was quite entertaining!
Flame would dance, wiggle, expand and condense while casting light and producing shadows on the walls around me.
After doing this for months on end, I eventually began to feel as if each candle and flame had its own personality or essence.
I even began (receiving or) giving the flames names as I worked with them.
To this day, working with those candles and those little dancing flames has added to my focus and attention span when I perform my meditations.
I am able to focus more and it has added to the creative faculties I use when working with esoteric of spiritual energy.
But more on that later.
In conclusion, learning how to use meditation has many benefits.
Meditiation can help calm when you are stressed.
Meditation can help enhance or heighten your awakening senses.
Meditation can also help raise your consciousness, therefore making you aware of things you may not have been able to sense previously.
Whatever your reason for learning how to use meditation, remember the 5 steps above to help you as you embark on your path of inner and outer personal and spiritual peace.
In our next exercise, we’ll actually get into learning different types of breathing and visualization techniques.
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Ra is a practitioner of Kemetisim, Neterism, and the rituals and beliefs of Ancient Kemetic-Egypt. Ra has helped thousands of people from all walks of life. Specializing in the Tarot and teachings of the Middle Pillar and Tree of Life. About Ra