This is my “mesa” from the Pachakuti Mesa Tradition: This weekend was the 2nd weekend of 5 over the next two years that we’ll be learning Cross Cultural Shamanic Arts for Personal and Planetary Renewal. It’s been pretty eye-opening.

It has it origins from the Shamans of Peru during the Incan civilization.

The rock in the South is called “Pachamama” it represents Mother Earth.
The shell in the west represents the water element and the moon. It is called “Mamakilla” [ma-ma-key-yah]
The feather in the north represents the element of air and is called “Wiracocha”, [Where-ah-coach-ah]
The candle in the east represents the element of fire and the sun. It is called “Inti”.
The pyramid in the middle can be any “sacred object” it is represents the spirit world and is called “K′uychi” [Quee-Chi]

The Mesa is very personal and everyone’s will look totally different. If you are interested in learning more, check out http://www.heartofthehealer.org/apprenticeships/Workshops

To see the meanings all of the stones on my mesa check out our Facebook fan page:

In 1912, Charles Haanel wrote The Master Key System.  This book was originally a mail order course that consisted of 24 lessons over 24 weeks.  You can find this book online in a PDF format, as it is now in the public domain.

However, many people read this book as a novel, not truly acquiring the lessons in the way it was originally conceived.  So, One Consciousness is going to put this text on this website, in its original format, one a week for 24 weeks, as it was originally intended.  If you do these lessons as they arrive, you will be truly be able to unlock a very special key to success and happiness.

The whole world is on the eve of a new consciousness, a new power and a new consciousness, a new power and a new realization of the resources within the self. The last century saw the most magnificent material progress in history. The present century will produce the greatest progress in mental and spiritual power.

It is my privilege to enclose herewith Part One of The Master Key System. Would you bring into your life more power, get the power consciousness, more health, get the health consciousness, more happiness, get the happiness consciousness. Live the spirit of these things until they become yours by right. It will then become impossible to keep them from you. The things of the world are fluid to a power within man by which he rules them.

You need not acquire this power. You already have it. But you want to understand it; you want to use it; you want to control it; you want to impregnate yourself with it, so that you can go forward and carry the world before you.

Day by day as you go on and on, as you gain momentum, as your inspiration deepens, as your plans crystallize, as you gain understanding, you will come to realize that this world is no dead pile of stones and timber, but that it is a living thing! It is made up of the beating hearts of humanity. It is a thing of life and beauty.

It is evident that it requires understanding to work with material of this description, but those who come into this understanding, are inspired by a new light, a new force, they gain confidence and greater power each day, they realize their hopes and their dreams come true, life has a deeper, fuller, clearer meaning than before.

And, now, Part One….

PART ONE

1. That much gathers more is true on every plane of existence and that loss leads to greater loss is equally true.

2. Mind is creative, and conditions, environment and all experiences in life are the result of our habitual or predominant mental attitude.

3. The attitude of mind necessarily depends upon what we think. Therefore, the secret of all power, all achievement and all possession depends upon our method of thinking.

4. This is true because we must “be” before we can “do,” and we can “do” only to the extent which we “are,” and what we “are” depends upon what we “think.”

5. We cannot express powers that we do not possess. The only way by which we may secure possession of power is to become conscious of power, and we can never become conscious of power until we learn that all power is from within.

6. There is a world within – a world of thought and feeling and power; of light and life and beauty and, although invisible, its forces are mighty.

7. The world within is governed by mind. When we discover this world we shall find the solution for every problem, the cause for every effect; and since the world within is subject to our control, all laws of power and possession are also within our control.

8. The world without is a reflection of the world within. What appears without is what has been found within. In the world within may be found infinite Wisdom, infinite Power, infinite Supply of all that is necessary, waiting for unfoldment, development and expression. If we recognize these potentialities in the world within they will take form in the world without.

9. Harmony in the world within will be reflected in the world without by harmonious conditions, agreeable surroundings, the best of everything. It is the foundation of health and a necessary essential to all greatness, all power, all attainment, all achievement and all success.

10. Harmony in the world within means the ability to control our thoughts, and to determine for ourselves how any experience is to affect us.

11. Harmony in the world within results in optimism and affluence; affluence within results in affluence without.

12. The world without reflects the circumstances and the conditions of the consciousness within.

13. If we find wisdom in the world within, we shall have the understanding to discern the marvelous possibilities that are latent in this world within, and we shall be given the power to make these possibilities manifest in the world without.

14. As we become conscious of the wisdom in the world within, we mentally take possession of this wisdom, and by taking mental possession we come into actual possession of the power and wisdom necessary to bring into manifestation the essentials necessary for our most complete and harmonious development.

15. The world within is the practical world in which the men and women of power generate courage, hope, enthusiasm, confidence, trust and faith, by which they are given the fine intelligence to see the vision and the practical skill to make the vision real.

16. Life is an unfoldment, not accretion. What comes to us in the world without is what we already possess in the world within.

17. All possession is based on consciousness. All gain is the result of an accumulative consciousness. All loss is the result of a scattering consciousness.

18. Mental efficiency is contingent upon harmony; discord means confusion; therefore, he who would acquire power must be in harmony with Natural Law.

19. We are related to the world without by the objective mind. The brain is the organ of this mind and the cerebro-spinal system of nerves puts us in conscious communication with every part of the body. This system of nerves responds to every sensation of light, heat, odor, sound and taste.

20. When this mind thinks correctly, when it understands the truth, when the thoughts sent through the cerebro-spinal nervous system to the body are constructive, these sensations are pleasant, harmonious.

21. The result is that we build strength, vitality and all constructive forces into our body, but it is through this same objective mind that all distress, sickness, lack, limitation and every form of discord and inharmony is admitted to our lives. It is therefore through the objective mind, by wrong thinking, that we are related to all destructive forces.

22. We are related to the world within by the subconscious mind. The solar plexus is the organ of this mind; the sympathetic system of nerves presides over all subjective sensations, such as joy, fear, love, emotion, respiration, imagination and all other subconscious phenomena. It is through the subconscious that we are connected with the Universal Mind and brought into relation with the Infinite constructive forces of the Universe.

23. It is the coordination of these two centers of our being, and the understanding of their functions, which is the great secret of life. With this knowledge we can bring the objective and subjective minds into conscious cooperation and thus coordinate the finite and the infinite. Our future is entirely within our own control. It is not at the mercy of any capricious or uncertain external power.

24. All agree that there is but one Principle or Consciousness pervading the entire Universe, occupying all space, and being essentially the same in kind at every point of its presence. It is all powerful, all wisdom and always present. All thoughts and things are within Itself. It is all in all.

25. There is but one consciousness in the universe able to think; and when it thinks, its thoughts become objective things to it. As this Consciousness is omnipresent, it must be present within every individual; each individual must be a manifestation of that Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent Consciousness.

26. As there is only one Consciousness in the Universe that is able to think it necessarily follows that your consciousness is identical with the Universal Consciousness, or, in other words, all mind is one mind. There is no dodging this conclusion.

27. The consciousness that focuses in your brain cells is the same consciousness which focuses in the brain cells of every other individual. Each individual is but the individualization of the Universal, the Cosmic Mind.

28. The Universal Mind is static or potential energy; it simply is; it can manifest only through the individual, and the individual can manifest only through the Universal. They are one.

29. The ability of the individual to think is his ability to act on the Universal and bring it into manifestation. Human consciousness consists only in the ability of man to think. Mind in itself is believed to be a subtle form of static energy, from which arises the activities called ‘thought, ‘ which is the dynamic phase of mind. Mind is static energy, thought is dynamic energy -the two phases of the same thing. Thought is therefore the vibratory force formed by converting static mind into dynamic mind.

30. As the sum of all attributes are contained in the Universal Mind, which is Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent, these attributes must be present at all times in their potential form in every individual. Therefore, when the individual thinks, the thought is compelled by its nature to embody itself in an objectivity or condition which will correspond with its origin.

31. Every thought therefore is a cause and every condition an effect; for this reason it is absolutely essential that you control your thoughts so as to bring forth only desirable conditions.

32. All power is from within, and is absolutely under your control; it comes through exact knowledge and by the voluntary exercises of exact principles.

33. It should be plain that when you acquire a thorough understanding of this law, and are able to control your thought processes, you can apply it to any condition; in other words, you will have come into conscious cooperation with Omnipotent law which is the fundamental basis of all things.

34. The Universal Mind is the life principle of every atom which is in existence; every atom is continually striving to manifest more life; all are intelligent, and all are seeking to carry out the purpose for which they were created.

35. A majority of mankind lives in the world without; few have found the world within, and yet it is the world within that makes the world without; it is therefore creative and everything which you find in your world without has been created by you in the world within.

36. This system will bring you into a realization of power which will be yours when you understand this relation between the world without and the world within. The world within is the cause, the world without the effect; to change the effect you must change the cause.

37. You will at once see that this is a radically new and different idea; most men try to change effects by working with effects. They fail to see that this is simply changing one form of distress for another. To remove discord, we must remove the cause, and this cause can be found only in the world within.

38. All growth is from within. This is evident in all nature. Every plant, every animal, every human is a living testimony to this great law, and the error of the ages is in looking for strength or power from without.

39. The world within is the Universal fountain of supply, and the world without is the outlet to the stream. Our ability to receive depends upon our recognition of this Universal Fountain, this Infinite Energy of which each individual is an outlet, and so is one with every other individual.

40. Recognition is a mental process, mental action is therefore the interaction of the individual upon the Universal Mind, and as the Universal Mind is the intelligence which pervades all space and animates all living things, this mental action and reaction is the law of causation, but the principle of causation does not obtain in the individual but in the Universal Mind. It is not an objective faculty but a subjective process, and the results are seen in an infinite variety of conditions and experiences.

41. In order to express life there must be mind; nothing can exist without mind. Everything which exists is some manifestation of this one basic substance from which and by which all things have been created and are continually being recreated.

42. We live in a fathomless sea of plastic mind substance. This substance is ever alive and active. It is sensitive to the highest degree. It takes form according to the mental demand. Thought forms the mold or matrix from which the substance expresses.

43. Remember that it is in the application alone that the value consists, and that a practical understanding of this law will substitute abundance for poverty, wisdom for ignorance, harmony for discord and freedom for tyranny, and certainly there can be no greater blessing than these from a material and social standpoint.

44. Now make the application: Select a room where you can be alone and undisturbed; sit erect, comfortably, but do not lounge; let your thoughts roam where they will but be perfectly still for from fifteen minutes to half an hour; continue this for three or four days or for a week until you secure full control of your physical being.

45. Many will find this extremely difficult; others will conquer with ease, but it is absolutely essential to secure complete control of the body before you are ready to progress. Next week you will receive instructions for the next step; in the meantime you must have mastered this one.

PART ONE Study Questions with Answers

1. What is the world without in its relation to the world within? The world without is a reflection of the world within.
2. Upon what does all possession depend? All possession is based on consciousness.
3. How is the individual related to the objective world? The individual is related to the objective world by the objective mind; the brain is the organ of this mind.
4. How is he related to the Universal Mind? He is related to the Universal Mind by the subconscious mind; the Solar Plexus is the organ of this mind.
5. What is the Universal Mind? The Universal Mind is the life principle of every atom which is in existence.
6. How can the Individual act on the Universal? The ability of the individual to think is his ability to act upon the Universal and bring it into manifestation.
7. What is the result of this action and interaction? The result of this action and interaction is cause and effect; every thought is a cause and every condition an effect.
8. How are harmonious and desirable conditions secured? Harmonious and desirable conditions are obtained by right thinking.
9. What is the cause of all discord, inharmony, lack and limitation? Discord, inharmony, lack and limitation are the result of wrong thinking.
10. What is the source of all powers? The source of all power is the world within, the Universal Fountain of Supply, the Infinite Energy of which each individual is an outlet.

A Good Night’s Sleep the Natural Way

Yoga before bed, can help you sleep well!

As with any exercise, precaution should be taken if you are dealing with any serious illness or medication. Listen to your body and stop if you begin to feel discomfort. If sleeping problems persist, always see your doctor.

First, kneel down and sit on your heels. If this is uncomfortable for you, you can sit on the floor between your heels. If this too is not comfortable, you can sit in a cross legged position. Keep your spine straight and lay your hands in your lap. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Stay here for about a minute and try to let go of any thoughts, especially any worries or thoughts from your day.

In the same position, keeping your spine straight, lean back about 30 degrees. Use your abdominal muscles to keep you balanced. Breathe long and deep in this position for about a minute.

Keeping the same seated position, cross your arms, holding on to opposite elbows. Start to slowly circle your torso in a clockwise direction. Close your eyes and make the largest circles possible without loosing your balance. Continue circling and breathing deeply for one to three minutes.

Otherwise, bend forward and, if you can, grab your toes. If not, don’t worry and do not strain, just grab your ankles, calves or wherever you can reach comfortably without bending your knees. Keep breathing deeply through your nose and try to relax all the muscles in your legs and spine. Three minutes are recommended here, but you can do as few as one.

Bring your spine straight with your legs still out in front of you. Bring your hands to the floor by your sides and use your arms to lift your body off the ground. Lift up and drop down 20 times. Don’t worry; you don’t have to lift your feet. (This move should be avoided if you are pregnant or on the first three days of your menstrual cycle).

The last posture is bridge pose. From a seated position, bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on the floor under your shoulders and lift your hips up. Make sure your hands and feet are planted firmly on the floor. Your arms and legs are at a 90 degree angle to the ground, while your body is parallel to the floor, forming a bridge. If you can, let your head drop back and breathe long and deep. Squeeze your abdominals but relax your glutes, (your butt muscles). Hold this pose for as long as you can from one to three minutes continuing to breathe deeply.

Lie down flat on your back for 30 seconds. Again, breathing long and deep. And here comes the best part! On the next inhale, stretch your hands up straight, as if reaching for the stars. Really stretch, reach up and breathe in as much air as possible. Hold your breath in as you grab hold of some of those stars and start to pull them down. Exhale slowly and pull down as if you are resisting and opposing force—your hands and arms should shake. Pull your hands down to your chest, exhaling fully. Breathe a big sigh of relief. Go ahead let it out! Repeat this motion 3 times and go to bed.

The Yogis have used these secrets to a great night’s sleep for thousands of years. Now it’s your turn to share in the benefits. Do this every night and you will wake up every morning feeling refreshed, regenerated and full of energy to take on your day.

Author: Page Turner is a freelance journalist, Children’s book author and Managing Editor at The RAY Magazine. She is a certified Yoga Instructor and Hypnotherapist pioneering the world of online yoga.

On One Consciousness, you will notice that we are NOT ad-supported. I intend to not advertise on this site, as this is not a money making venture, per se. Down the road we may do certain things to raise money and awareness for various causes, but this will never be a for-profit venture. One thing that we will begin doing, is to showcase lightworkers, spiritual service providers and consciousness raising products and doing reviews on these services and making recommendations.

The first one that I want to talk about is “The Shaman’s Heart Program” by Byron Metcalf. This is a Native American audio program mixed with the Monroe Institutes “Hemi-Sync”. This is a tremendous program that I am currently listening to. It helps us keep in touch with the elements of earth, water, air, fire and the spirit realm with in our heart.

The Shaman’s Heart is ethno-tribal music that is not only breathtaking, but will also induce an altered state of consciousness using Hemi-Sync technology. In this very powerful shamanic composition, Metcalf uses buffalo drums, rattles, udu, clay pots, seed pods, nature sounds, etc. It is very much like going on a mystical trip into a rainforest. I did not know what to expect when I first listened to it (use headphones!), but I can now say that it is incredibly effective and powerful.

The chakra meditation is the most powerful exercise that I have ever done. He literally has our heart beating with the drums and our chakras pulsing energy with each big bass drum. With the shaman, it all begins with an open heart… and this program is sure to help you open your heart center.

I give this 5 out of 5. This is an amazing, consciousness raising product. It is available at Hemi-Sync.com

Although a good number of people try meditation at some point in their lives, only a small percentage actually persist with it. This is unfortunate, as the benefits are enormous. One possible reason is that many beginners do not start with an appropriate mindset to make the practice sustainable.

The purpose of this article is to provide 20 practical recommendations to help beginners get past the initial hurdles and integrate meditation as an ongoing practice in their lives.

1: Make it a formal practice. Set aside a time in the day that is your meditation practice time.

2: Only meditate for as long as you are enjoying it. It is especially important in the beginning that meditation is not a chore.

3: Do yoga or stretch first. Firstly physical activity will draw your own awareness into the body and away from your mind. A practice like yoga loosens the muscles and tendons allowing you to sit more comfortably. Additionally, yoga opens the body not only at the physical level but also at subtle level, which facilitates movement of energy in the body.

4: Pick a specific location in your home to meditate. Ideally the place you choose will be somewhere that does not have much activity at other times. Two reasons for doing this are, the subconscious is conditioned by repetition, so by going to the same place at the same time each day to meditate you can get in yourself to expect to meditate when you are there. The second reason is that when you meditate you begin to create a particular vibration in that spot. With time and meditation and place will become increasingly attuned to this energy of meditation, again making it easier for you to meditate when you are there.

5: Make sure your will meditation time is respected. if you live with others make sure that they understand that you are not to be disturbed while you are meditating. Equally for yourself make the same commitment, for example if your phone should ring, be aware of it and continue your meditation.

6: Create some representation of sacred space in your meditations spot. This should obviously be what is meaningful for you, maybe an actual altar with pictures and objects, or maybe just a special rug and your meditation cushion.

7: Use ritual if it helps you. This doesn’t have to be elaborate it could be as simple as lighting a candle, or a lighting incense. The repetition of a ritual before you meditate, is again conditioning preparation for your body and mind.

8: Commit for the long haul. When you begin with the clear idea in your mind that the greatest benefits from meditation will accumulate with time, and see it as an ongoing process, you are less likely to give up in frustration.

9: Meditate with understanding. Get clear in your mind exactly what you think meditation is and what it will be like before you start. Invariably everybody does have ideas and expectations like this, it is very helpful to make them conscious before you start.

10: Be clear of your motivation to begin meditation. When you understand your reasons and objectives in beginning meditation you are more likely to find a practice or technique that will work for you at that time.

11: Begin with a particular practice that you have actively chosen and commit to doing it for a given time period. Many beginners are constantly jumping from one to type or technique of meditation to another. Your meditation practice is a relationship with yourself, it will not deepen if it consists of one night stands. This is not to say that the practice or technique you begin with is the one you stay with for the rest of your life, but a relationship is best left when you know exactly why it is that you are leaving, and not done simply on an impulse.

12: Educate yourself. Confusion and misunderstanding is primarily caused by ignorance. Find a good teacher, or online community where you can get answers. Read some books on meditation and spiritual practice.

13: Notice if frustration starts to creep into your practice. If you notice this happening take some time to explore what is going on for you, what expectation is not being fulfilled. Then examine the expectation itself, what is it based on.

14: Be honest with yourself. As I said meditation is a relationship with yourself, you are the most important person you need to be straightforward with, and meditation is a key place to practice this.

15: Be prepared for some discomfort. It is normal in the beginning to experience some physical discomfort when sitting to meditate. Most people are not accustomed to sitting still, other than maybe slouched on a couch. Your body needs time to develop strength and openness in the right places to allow you to sit comfortably and alert. Sooner or later discomfort will also be experienced at the emotional and mental levels. If you are not consciously prepared for this it is likely to deter you from continuing.

16: Until you are well versed in your meditation practice it can be very beneficial to use a recording to guide you. This will help your mind to let go of concern about what you are doing, and the recording can act as a guide until you no longer need it.

17: Start to look for moments of awareness during the day. Finding space to be consciously present during everyday activities is a wonderful way to evolve your meditation practice. Take advantage, of the time spent waiting in traffic, waiting in line, waiting for anything, to become present to yourself and what you are experiencing within yourself. Look for such opportunities in your day, however brief, simple as they are taken radically change or experience of life.

18: Do it together. Meditating with a partner or group can have many wonderful benefits, and can improve your practice. When meditating with others many people say that it improves the quality of their meditation. However, it is necessary to make sure that you set agreed-upon ground rules before you begin.

19: Don’t stress about it. This may be the most important tip for beginners, and the hardest to implement. Many people in beginning meditation become anxious about whether they are doing it right or not, or whether something they experience should be happening or not. The article, meditation is practice, goes into more detail regarding this.

20: Invest in a good, comfortable meditation cushion. If you need other things to allow your body to sit comfortably in without strain, get them. If you set yourself up with the things that you need, you are removing a future potential pitfall to your practice.

Meditation is one of the greatest gifts that you can give yourself, like any lasting and meaningful relationship it takes energy and commitment, it takes understanding and tolerance. If you put these things in to your practice meditation will become your best friend, and powerful resource.

Ray Baskerville is a healer, meditation teacher, certified hypnotherapist, yogi and proud father. Ray is also the creator and editor of a new online magazine for yoga, meditation, spirituality and personal development. Please visit for more quality articles like this.

I have just come from a 15 day silent Vipassana retreat. I believe that through the practice of integrating Focusing and meditation at appropriate times I experienced a deeper understanding of the relationship between my mindbody and my inner observer and my body’s wisdom in how it and when offers up insights based on direct experience.

This account is a simple reflection on my practice, at this point in time, in a particular context. In it, I am a scribe; writing my body’s experience of a living moment. So in the writing, which implies a sense of permanence because of its physicality, something in me wishes to exclaim: “this too is changeable and who knows what my next moment will bring.” I will briefly outline Vipassana mediation and then go on to describe my meditation practice and how it evolved.

“Meditation is the systematic training of attention. Attention is the deliberate placing of awareness on its object and awareness is the knowing of the object.”

1 Buddhist meditation practices fall into 2 broad categories or qualities of attention-Samatha and Vipassana. Samatha means serenity or calm and this is developed through sustained concentration (Samadhi) on a single, primary object. The breath is one of the most common primary objects as it is easy to find and come back to if the mind wanders. If another object of attention arises and prevails, and this can be body sensations, feelings, thoughts, sounds, visual stimulus etc., then one shifts one’s attention there. When attention wanders again the meditator comes back to the breath or whatever primary object they had originally chosen.

Vipassana means insight or seeing clearly. The cornerstone of Vipassana is sustained mindfulness; a quality of mind that notices what is present, without judgement. “Mindfulness is an aware, balanced acceptance of present experience”2 as it is just now…and just now…and just now. There are 4 foundations of mindfulness in Vipassana practice: mindfulness of body (sensations), mindfulness of feeling tones (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral), mindfulness of the mental and emotional formations (thoughts, desires, aversions) and mindfulness of the Dhamma or teachings or broader patterns of experience. We mentally “note” each experience so as to place our awareness on it. We might note the breath: in-out; rising-falling. We might note sensations; itching, stretching, aching. We might note our feelings: pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. We might note our thoughts; planning, imagining, remembering, intending. This practice is about knowing what you are doing, when you are doing it, in each moment. If you are planning, you know you are planning. If you are recollecting, you know you are recollecting. If you are walking, you know you are walking. Essentially, it doesn’t matter what or where the object of attention is-what matters is the continuity of attention over time.

With mindfulness we become aware of the changing nature of our experiences, the arising and passing away of the data that contributes to the experience, an arising and passing away of each reaction to the experience, the arising and passing away of the meanings we make of the experience. We notice that nothing is remains the same and we may begin to notice our repetitive habits, preferences, inclinations and reactions. We may start to see our made-selves with a certain clarity and compassion; clarity that comes from sustained objective attention and compassion that comes from seeing the frailty of our stories, beliefs, opinions, discomforts, pain, joys, desires, and attachments, that all arise and pass away; that are subject to impermanence.

My Vipassana meditation practice has been something of a paradox. I started meditating in order to both see myself more clearly and objectively, to be less “caught up in” myself. Paradoxically, the project ‘all about me” needed another me “the observer” so, at this point in time, I seem to have more of “me” not less. It seems I have entered into a new inner relationship which has its own particular intrapersonal dynamic.

The next paradox was that in order see me as part of a bigger picture; to get a sense of perspective, I had to be prepared to get closer in. A tug of war ensued between closer attention and the distance, a distance that “the observer” maintained in order to remain mindful and closer in to investigate experience. Ultimately and over time, this tug of war led to a kind of constructed objective-coolness with whatever was arising. In that objective coolness was some relief from my identifications. I could note away; “planning, planning, planning”, “remembering, remembering, remembering”. I was on the meditation object and seeing consistent patterns but I’m not sure I was becoming any the wiser about why so much planning, why was this memory so persistent, why did this particular quality of restlessness arise so consistently? As for the distance; I wondered if a different approach might yield more insights; if I could find a way to “be more with” these experiences and yet not get caught up in or identified with them. And then I chanced upon Focusing. Here, I found a way to be with “all of myself” as it arose each moment. I found ways to interact with something there, a bodily-felt sense that explicated my experience, a bodily knowing that was more than my conscious mind, more than feelings, emotions, sensations and past experience and it included them.

Focusing is a technique created by Gene Gendlin, a philosopher and psychologist. “Focusing is a mode of inward bodily attention. Focusing occurs exactly at the interface of body-mind. It consists of specific steps for getting a body sense of how you are in a particular life situation. The body sense is unclear and vague at first, but if you pay attention it will open up into words or images and you experience a felt shift in your body. In the process of Focusing, one experiences a physical change in the way that the issue is being lived in the body. We learn to live in a deeper place than just thoughts or feelings. The whole issue looks different and new solutions arise.”2 This process, as described, feels good. It releases energy even if what I find there feels pleasant or unpleasant because the shift contains all my direct experience both past and present, and from that place, in my body, something deeply meaningful emerges. For me, I experience this as first-person insight. Through Focusing my living experiences became whole and life serving rather than accidental, coincidental, predetermined or pathological and something to be analysed out of existence.

As Focusing “involves deliberately attending down where activity arises and staying with something”3 this felt sense becomes another object to which I can attend in my meditation practice. In this process, that part of me that stays with and attends to the felt sense is that same as my “observer” in meditation but the quality of my attention has a more embracing, less neutral, quality; a kind of content-less self that can speak for the felt sense, can understand it, and can hold a safe space for it. In this way, Focusing also brings my attention to bear on the quality of relationship I hold with myself. I have become my own good listener to what my body knows and holds. I experience Focusing as a particular kind of relationship or conversation I have with my own bodily-felt wisdom.

“Both Focusing and Buddhism address the issue of being present to our life as it is felt right now. Both are interested in bringing caring and compassion to our moment to moment experience. Both are geared toward reducing human anguish – not by bypassing feelings, but by attending to them just as they are. Both encourage us to trust the wisdom of our own experience, rather than rely upon external authority to tell us what is true or right.”4 Both Focusing and meditation can accompany us to our limits of self-identification because we pay attention at the edge our awareness where something fresh can come, something with which we are not identified or enmeshed. In both practices we are mindful of the discursive mind, emotions and feelings, sensations and then we open into a deeper awareness and relationship with ourselves that invites insight and acceptance.

So, having developed a solo Focusing practice over the last few years I decided to introduce Focusing into my mindfulness practice on this retreat. Focusing has 6 key movements:
Clearing a Space: A checking in. Asking “how am I just now?” or acknowledging what is present.
Sensing the felt sense of the experience: “What does this experience feel like?” Attending to its unclear, fuzzy edge.
Finding a handle: “What is the quality the Felt Sense” “How would it like to be described?”
Resonating: “Is this it exactly?” until a felt shift occurs that indicates that the description is meaningful.
Asking: What is it about x.y.z. that makes me feel like ….? “What is it all about…?” “What’s really in this….?”
Receiving: Welcoming whatever comes as a first step in living forward and being open to something more.

Over the fortnight I noticed three critical shifts in my practice. Firstly, using Clearing a Space at the start of a sit to sense into what had come to the cushion with me and acknowledging its/their presence. After Clearing a Space I had a more centred intention to “sit”, a more spacious start and a safe container for whatever came in the sit.

Secondly, I rested into the support and warmth of “Presence” in the relationships or interactions I was holding with myself; maintaining a safe container for both the “me” experiencing and the “me” noting. Presence is a word also used to describe an aware, balanced acceptance of experience. It has the sense of being able to turn towards something with patience, with warmth, with a gentle kindness. The quality and nature of our Presence influences what will come to our attention. So, at the start of my sit I may ask myself ‘what quality of Presence or attention do I need in this sit, or do I need starting this sit?” I invite my body to let me know what it needs as a safe container in this moment. Sometimes I get expected answers such as compassion, kindness, and warmth. Other times I get unexpected answers such as “curiosity, opening wider, going easily today, light hovering, or patience”.

Thirdly, I noticed the changing role of noting. At the beginning of a sit noting tended to be on the most predominant sensation eg. Was it physical, feeling or thinking? Oftentimes the noting arose out of a persistent sensation or feeling or thought. So if I had a persistent sensation my back I would go there. If a thought persisted I would go there. I found that just doing simple “noting” eg planning, planning, planning; pressure, pressure, pressure led me away from the experience rather than into it. It kind of distanced me and didn’t capture the fullness of that experience. It also had a sense of separateness from the experience. It felt like a stone skipping over the surface of the lake; it was fast, surface oriented and moving “onwards” rather than “into”. So, in the end, rather than just “noting” I tended to acknowledge or say “hello to”. Foe example, “ahhh…hello there planning” or “hello tugging sensation on the inside of my left knee…I sense you there”.
Then I would sense into that something more all about what needed my attention using a focusing approach. My attention would rest on this process of getting a handle and resonating with the direct experience also being aware of the whole quality and journey of “movement” towards the felt shift where the “noting” finally captures “just how it is”. I would stay open to receiving what came and then sensing if there was still something more; if yes:– staying with it; if not:- going back to the breath.

I ended up practicing something like this for the most part:

Breath or Bare Awareness as Primary Object
1. Setting up the sit: posture, commitment, intention
2. Bringing attention to the whole body here in this room.
3. Bringing attention to where my body makes contact, up the back, neck, shoulders, head, face, front of body, contact again…resting into the support then finally in to the focusing space inside.
4. Checking –In: noticing & acknowledging how it is in there
5. Coming to a Clearer Space if needed
6. Inviting my body to let me know the quality of attention it needed just now; inviting Presence
7. During the Sit: Mindfulness of whatever was arising
8. Initially bringing my attention to my primary object, usually the breath.
9. Allowing when attention moves to secondary object and then investigating within a Focusing model – this was effective on both mindfulness of body, feelings and thinking.
10. When felt shift occurs moving back to primary object
11. Remaining aware of Presence during the process

Or: Investigation as Primary Object
1. Setting Intention
2. Asking or inviting “what my body knows and can show me all about……..x,y,z.”
3. Remaining open in through the Focusing movements to what comes
4. Resting in that awareness

Ending a sit:

1. Recollecting experience
2. Coming out mindfully
3. Letting go; becoming mindful of next experience (usually trying to get up gracefully despite stiffness and creaking joints)

I had a number of insightful experiences incorporating Focusing and meditation. I was able to be with the body’s experience, the feelings and the thoughts. One sit, in particular around inviting what my body knew and could show me “all about calm and concentrated meditation” was surprising and affirming. I found that I was able to” just sit” for up to two hours, and up to this point I had been hanging out for the 45 minute bell). I became very aware of the quality of Presence, and I can only describe the experience as going from sticky (thoughts stick, sensations stick etc) to slippery & smooth. My breath became very smooth and even, thoughts came and went but didn’t drag on my attention and body sensations were just body sensations; just another potential point of focus; but a real sense of physical and mental ease developed. I can remember thinking my heart is still and there is no where to go, no other place to be. The detail in those sits was phenomenal and I remember feeling so “at home” allowing and enjoying waves of joy and gratitude at the richness of it all and how my body just knew. These sits lasted for 2 days (and then I got attached to them and all kinds of other responses arose which were interesting in themselves as a meditation object but not half as pleasant).

How about that!!!!!! My body did know and could show me. Focusing gave me a way to invite and allow and stay with my present experience and with investigation. Focusing has taught me to trust my own ability to hold a safe space for exploration, to wait for and welcome fresh insights as they arise from my bodily-felt direct experience, just in this moment.

1. Kearney, P., Introducing the Mahasi Method, May 2006, http://dharmasalon.net/page4/files/06_Mahasi_method
2. Focusing Institute, Focusing Fact Sheet, www.focusing.org/fact_sheet.asp
3. Gendlin, E., Focusing Oriented Psychotherapy, Guildford Press, New York, 1996, p.19
4. Amodeo, J., Focusing and the Spiritual Life, www.focusing.org/focusing_and_the_spiritual_life.html

Since the 1970’s there has been a steady flow of research data on the effects and benefits of meditation. The results overwhelmingly show there are numerous benefits to meditation. In this article we are going to concentrate on the physiological and health benefits.

Nearly all forms of meditation have one thing in common, that is relaxing the body. When the body relaxes, the mind follows. Directly experiencing the inter-relationship of the body and mind, is then a significant benefit of meditation. This awareness is a doorway to increasing self awareness and self empowerment.

The relationship between body and mind is a parallel direction of scientific and medical study. That they do effect each other in positive and negative ways is now pretty much undisputed, and the complexity of ways and means continues to be revealed. With this understanding has emerged the significant role that stress place in the development of illness and dis-ease.

Combine then the positive benefits of regular, conscious relaxation and the development of self awareness, including the presence of stress and you have a winning formulae. It is this later point which means that there is a whole dimension of greater benefit from meditation over simple relaxation practices.

Let us now look at the relaxation component, in order to understand it’s health benefits. To do this justice we need to understand the autonomic nervous system, or ANS. The ANS governs and regulates involuntary functions of the body, which means all the wonderful things your body does on autopilot. We do not have to tell our bodies to breath, or our heart to beat, or have our food digested, our our immune system to protect our biological environment, or our pupils to adjust as the light source changes. All of these things and more, are handled for our best interest and well being by the ANS. The purpose of all these functions of the ANS is to maintain homeostasis – a stable constant condition.

There are two aspects to the ANS, the Parasympathetic and the Sympathetic systems, which we can view as two different survival functions that have the opposite effect on the ANS. Most people will know the Sympathetic system as ‘fight or flight’ which occurs when there is the perception of immanent danger. When this response is activated, all available energy is readied to fight or flee for survival. In this state the function of the immune, digestive, and reproductive systems decreases or stops. At the same time adrenalin is pumped into the body, heart rate and breathing speedup and blood moves to the exterior of the body to power the muscles. In addition the higher functions of the mind give way to the powerful emotional impulses that drive survival. This is more or less what happens when we are ’stressed out’.

The Parasympathetic is then the opposite, it is the creation of homeostasis I described earlier, in which each bodily system function to its best current capacity.

It is easy to see then how the regular and accumulative experience of stress, depletes the bodies ability to maintain healthy function of its systems. On the other hand we can also understand how conscious relaxation is a beneficial factor in maintaining health, both physically and mentally. But there is more….

Neuroscientists have found that meditators shift their brain activity to different areas of the brain. Activity in the stress indicating right frontal cortex moves to the calmer left frontal cortex. This mental shift reduces the negative effects of stress, and indeed mild depression and anxiety. There is also less activity in the amygdala, the flight or fight center, where the brain processes fear. Multiple studies have shown that participants who meditated for even a small amount of time develop more alpha waves with decreases in anxiety and depression.

In 2003 Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn, from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, did a research study of stressed-out employees of a high-tech company in Madison, Wisconsin. The subjects were separated into two random groups. One group of 25 people learnt meditation for two months. Sixteen others were used as the control group. The brain activity of all those taking part was scanned three times during the study: first, at the beginning of the experiment, second, when meditation lessons were completed eight weeks later and finally again four months after that. The brain scans showed that the meditators had a definite transfer in brain activity to the left frontal lobe, the brains happiness and joy center.

Here then as a list are the physiological benefits of meditating

* It stabilizes the autonomous nervous system.
* It reduces the heart beat.
* It reduces the speed of breathing.
* Blood pressure drops.
* The Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) increases.
* EMG activity increases. (the electrical impulses of muscles at rest and during contraction.)
* Cardiovascular effectivity goes up.
* Breathing effectivity increases.
* The skin receives more blood.
* Stomach function and bowel function improve.
* The endocrine function is heightened.
* Muscle flexibility increases.
* The intake of oxygen gets stronger.
* Mobility and flexibility increase.
* The hand-eye co-ordination increases.
* Reaction-speed increases.
* Body posture is improved.
* Strength and resistance increase.
* Stamina increases.
* There is a heightened energy level and vitality.
* Peoples weight is stabilized at an ordinary level.
* The ability to sleep increases and the time people need to fall asleep decreases.
* Pain is weakened.
* Stability is improved.
* Depth perception increases.
* There is a heightened degree of relaxation.
* There is a lessened degree of muscle tension.
* The production of serotonin increases.
* Menstruation pains are softened.
* Increases serotonin which influences moods and behaviour. Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression, headaches and insomnia.
* Reduces anxiety attacks by lowering the levels of blood lactate.
* Decreases muscle tension (any pain due to tension) and headaches.
* Helps in post-operative healing.
* Enhances the immune system.

Ray Baskerville is a healer, meditation teacher, certified hypnotherapist, yogi and proud father. He has taught meditation and yoga and practiced healing all over the world.

Ray is also the creator and editor of www.lifedivine.net an online magazine for yoga, meditation, spirituality and personal development. Please visit for more quality articles like this.

(An Excerpt from The Visionary Vibe Report from my own blog dated 12/15/08)

Stillness – cultivating stillness.  Being still even in the midst of much activity, even in the midst of major shifts and adjustments going on all around us, even in the midst of external crisis both large and small.  Breathing and being.  Breathing and being.  We are now called to still ourselves and to be the Eye again.  So much is being shifted and re-configured both externally and internally and we are being called to allow the “upstairs team” to work on us – helping us to heal and recharge from the work of the last year and to allow the clearing of the canvas as we look towards the new.

How can we best cultivate stillness?  Time in nature – watching and observing the moment by moment movement of the Earth.  Being in touch with the heartbeat of the Mother – the Schumann Resonance is a great start.  Can you go inward and focus?  I’ve posted here an audio meditation that will help you to connect to the deep feminine, the heart core of the Mother that is the place from which our ability to be still lies.  

Connecting With The HeartBeat of the Mother – Meditation

Sometimes (usually!) the biggest challenge to being in a state of stillness is our mental body!  Our mental body is highly enmeshed with the idea of time and is like a caged animal – pacing and fretting that there isn’t enough.  There isn’t enough time to get A B or C done, there isn’t enough resources to go around, there isn’t enough room for everyone,  these are some of the thought forms that our mental body sends through our minds that cause us to be continually in a fight or flight mode.  When we are in fight or flight mode – there is no way that we can be fully present to what is unfolding in the moment.  When we are in fight or flight – that pacing, frustrated, caged beast place -  we are very ineffective in what it is we wish to manifest and all of our creations are tinged with this energy.   When we are in fight or flight it can be very difficult to disengage too and to settle into the place where nature/Universe just brings us all we need synchronistically.   We are caught, trapped, emotionally and mentally either paralyzed or running in circles and not really getting anything accomplished at all other than raising our blood pressure and often “stirring the pot” and causing those around us to have the flight or fight response activated too!  Ultimately the fight or flight mode leaves is in a place where all we can concern ourselves with is survival – the impetus for this is the fear of death.

Cultivating a practice of coming into stillness at least once each day (more often is even more wonderful!) will allow your body/mind time to re-set and relax – and provides great benefits – physically, mentally and emotionally.  Be like the great trees – grow slowly – enjoy each unfolding moment – bring awareness and presence to your days.  Breathe, take time and make it your friend.  Make death your friend.  When you can befriend death you can bring meaning and purpose and presence to each and every moment – you can realize that you are eternal, immortal and everlasting at the core of your being and that your consciousness can never be extinguished.  From this mindset you begin to thrive in the world, you begin to truly step into your power and become eminently effective in the world.

Amethyst Wyldfyre is a multidimensional shaman, healer, artist, author, blogger, performer, speaker and psychic who lives and works in the Merrimack Valley of NH.  She can be reached through her website or blog for more information.  She can also be followed on Twitter at @AWyldfyre.

Recently, I have been looking at different Mudras and trying out different ones for energy…  and intuitively, this new mudra created itself in my mind.   The name of it that came to me was  “Crossed-finger Infinity Meditation”.

On both hand make an OK sign and connect the two, creating an infinity symbol, ∞.

Interlock your "OK signs" to create Infinity symbol.

If it doesn’t quite feel comfortable, switch the OK fingers so that the other thumb is on top.  This can relieve a bit of tension, however this tension actually helps release tension from other areas of your body.    

Now that the OK signs are interlocked, go ahead and touch/connect your middle, ring and pinky fingers.   

Connect your other three fingers. Now feel the energy flow!

After a few moments of you will be able to feel the energy flowing through your hands in a way that you may have never experienced before.

You may find that you want to sit on a pillow, cross your legs, close your eyes and meditate for a few minutes.  It almost seems like that hand mudra helps connect your consciousness to the infinite pool.  I’ve personally experienced some of the best meditations in my life while using this hand technique.  

This hand mudra has no other name that I have discovered.  If someone finds reference of this or more information about it, please share.  

Make it an extraordinary 2009!

During the holidays, it is a good time to reflect to find the true meaning of Christmas and to find the true meaning of your existence.  Christmas is an over-publicized, over-hyped time of year certainly, but it is a great time to reflect with your family, friends and loved ones.  It gives us the opportunity to reach out and share with one another.

Christmas is about giving, and feeling the connection with your loved ones.    The new year is right around the corner, so the next few days will really best be spent in meditative reflection.   The spirit of Christmas can last all year round… it doesn’t have to be just 1/365th of the year.  :-)

-Travis Wright

Connect to the Infinite, Divine Light!

Each of us has our own path when walking towards the light of self-realization. It is expressed through all that connects us to our spirit, whether it is through words, music, energy work, art or dance, to name just a few. No matter what form it takes, our purpose is to follow that expression which brings us to a union of body, mind and spirit—to One.

Living an authentic life; as prescribed by the 5 principles of Reiki, the Yamas and Niyamas of Yoga or the ‘basic’ truths of any religion i.e., acceptance, love, understanding, compassion or any emotion of lighter vibration, should be at the fore of our thoughts. It is the authenticity of our lives no matter the dogma or ritual we adhere to, which is important. It is with these intentions that we can release the barriers that keep us from seeing beyond illusion or what in Yoga is called Maya. This is often referred to as the veil, though more appropriately, it is all that is nature manifested.

Once authentic connection to this energy is made, messages are received depending on one’s abilities and interests; forms of perception. When we connect to that energy how it works through us, is as individual as are each of us. We all have a unique way of relating to this cosmic/universal/god/void/absolute energy. Some prefer to personalize it defining it as spiritual guides or angels, others see light, others sound or smell or taste or feeling or touch sensation—each of them are real and valid. We are all different, yet the same, how the mind translates the message is based on our own experience. So the journey to understand the “self” is perhaps the jumping point for how it is to fall into place; commencing within.

Meditation calms and quiets the mind, providing clarity and connection to the energy of the universe. That which comes within this state is a gift; sleep and dreams provide another avenue of an alternate awareness which opens this connection. An intention placed upon the mind prior to meditating or sleep can assist in allowing the mind to step out of the way so that the answer may be received. It is pertinent however, to understand that forcing the process can impede the progress. Sometimes the harder we force and grasp the further the goal retreats. Letting go or allowance prepare us to receive all that we seek. In my experience, when we are ready then all things come of their own accord. There is an ease.

When I was teaching and studying dancing I was moved to choreograph, the music moved me and I had visualizations of specific movements within space. Music stimulated a visual response as I ‘saw’ movement, so sight/vision and sound were at play.

Since returning to more spiritual pursuits and energy work this visual inclination led, in dream state or what I consider an alternate reality, to complete information sessions and simple knowing. Following this path also opened other channels of reception, as it was within a dream state that sound manifested in the form of musical notes to be a used in my energy work. In another dream it was light that manifested. I perceived beings of light and a name that was sounded upon emptiness; I observed an exchange between ‘God’ and the Archangel Michael.

Now, I am ‘moved’ to write, again this is just another form of creative expression, a flow from one area of interest or concentration to another. The manner of the messages has changed or at least the imagery has modified to suit the current situation. Entering yet another altered or heightened state of awareness/consciousness in meditation, I observed a discourse on material for a training manual and an attunement process to assist others and help them pass along this information, guiding the inner journey.

Whether physical or spiritual, the experiences were felt to be real. The persons or light beings or sound or movement or words appeared in dream or meditative state. The information was as real, and some even more powerful, as those I received in physical reality through traditional hands on methods.

Any creative expression opens channels to Oneness, with music I sing and my body responds with dance, I think and my mind creates words and I write. We can all connect to all the information that is, was and will be; no matter the name we call it. As we grow along a path to light we reach and move towards our fullest potential, developing abilities which are indeed just manifestations of One.

©T.S. (Tim) White, 2008

All rights reserved.

www.TheSereneWay.com

More like this @ SimpleTruths

The Science of Cultivating Greatness!

As a scientist I value productivity, creativity, and effectiveness. Twenty-five years ago during my involvement with cancer clinical trials I was shaken by a young person’s death. I decided to investigate the spiritual realm. I found spiritual teachings that can be merged with my scientific perspective. This “scientific spirituality” has been responsible for much of my growth.

Life is like a collage of vignettes from our personal contacts, professional aspirations, needy passions, and dealing with the “hygiene” issues of handling all the details of our daily lives. Often rifts develop between competing demands for our time, attention, and commitment. Optimum effectiveness involves wise juggling of all the needs and prioritizing the “wants” while healing the rifts. I believe that the use of scientific spirituality is the surest method to maximize productivity.

“Scientific spirituality” seems like an oxymoron. Generally one doesn’t think that science supports spirituality. What is it? It is using a scientifically proven method to find our true self. The “spiritual” I discuss is not religion. To me “spirit” is our true essence. If a person is in tune with his or her spirit it means that that they can be in tune with the spirit of a co-worker or a loved one. Scientific studies support spiritual assertions of meditation’s benefits.

Meditation is but one of several methods to access the spiritual realm. Having been an executive officer in a highly competitive industry for over 20 years, I find scientific spirituality invaluable in accessing the part of me which is best able to resolve conflicts, prioritize my time, and illuminate the path to success and my passions.

How many times have we acted out of extreme emotion then realize the error after relaxing or a good night sleep? Many times we might feel overwhelmed by a problem or issue. The expression “sleep on it” is excellent advice. I have experienced tremendous insight on key issues at 4 o’clock in the morning in a half-sleep state. This is another way to access our spiritual self.

Spirituality teaches ways to quiet the mind. Scientific studies validate that during meditation specific brain functions cease and access to creativity occurs. Stress triggers the opposite in the brain where “scream-like messages” drown out the logical and creative. Meditation is merely quieting the mind so that the best of you can be heard and recognized. Whether or not you consider yourself spiritual, accessing your true self allows wise priorities and creative solutions.

For those who find meditation difficult I recommend sitting quietly in a comfortable position with your eyes closed and concentrating on a moment in your life which you cherish. Recall the surroundings, the sounds, the sights, the smells, and your feelings. Then allow yourself to lock in that moment by playing it over and over again with one hand making an OK sign by touching your thumb and forefinger.

Whenever you need to access this state sit quietly and make the OK sign. This is called NLP or neuroligistic programming another proven method to quite the brain.

You might think that the patterns which you developed in handling stress, fear, and anger cannot be changed. If so, I want to change your mind by rewiring your brain.

Use your mind to change your brain. I have utilized meditation to help individuals for two decades. Coincidentally, only in the last two decades has science recognized that the brain can be rewired. Until the 1980s the dogma was that after adolescence the brain’s connections cannot be changed. Now we know that meditation can change the brain. The paradigm that brain creates mind is replaced with mind mapping our brain wiring.

In the 1980s it was discovered that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients who practiced meditation could rewire their brains and hence reduce or eliminate the OCD urges. The unwanted urges to incessantly wash one’s hands or to constantly worry if a door was left unlocked can prevent individuals from holding a job or retaining relationships. In a meditative state, if the patients focused on an enjoyable activity such as sitting in their garden rather than washing their hands, the brain became rewired diminishing the OCD impulse and strengthening the connections to alternate thoughts and behavior. Brain scans before, during, and after such exercises provide unequivocal evidence that mind changes brain.

In like manner, let’s rewire the brain. In a relaxed meditative state recall a time when fear or anger triggered a response you would like to take back. Now imagine the appropriate response to replace the one you wanted to take back. Ok, now insert the new response. Recall other situations you wish to reframe and repeat this exercise. The more times you repeat it the more you will strengthen your ability to respond in an appropriate manner.

Like the OCD patients you can eliminate stress instantly by focusing on something pleasant and making the OK sign.

To heal the rifts in our lives, utilize this tool of scientific spirituality. As the wise one in you develops the winning strategies and the jackpots arrive realize that you have accessed the spiritual you.

Leo Kim is a Ph.D. scientist, a CEO in biotechnology, spiritual healer, and the author of Healing the Rift: Bridging the Gap Between Science & Spirituality. Email: leo@healingtheriftbook.com Website: http://www.healingtheriftbook.com Phone: (760) 448 2859.

Awakened Heart Meditation

by LaSara Firefox, MPNLP

This meditation is modeled on the loving kindness meditation from Ezra Bayda’s book, Being Zen, and further modeled on many practice for what in Buddhism is called generating bodhicitta.

This Awakened Heart meditation is designed to encourage awakening, develop presence, and to cultivate compassion. Bring your whole self to this experience, and come fully present in what is.

Before beginning the recitation of each line of the prayer / mantra / meditation, take a full breath in. Release the breath gently as you recite the line. Allow a pause between recitation of lines as you become conscious in drawing a deep, full, gentle breath. Be conscious of the words you are speaking as they form in your mouth and leave your lips, powered and empowered by your breath.

The second set of the meditation can be repeated as many times as you want, and may be used to bring your practice of compassion into fullness. I recommend that you devote each repetition of the second set to only one person, and repeat it as many times as you desire, or have the “bandwidth” for.

Hold the person you are dedicating the set to in your mind. You may want to imagine your compassion and love pouring out with your breath, and enveloping the recipient with gentle, glowing light. You can envision them circled in love, compassion, light, whatever image works for you.

A practice that I find healing and consciousness-raising is to devote the first round of the second set to someone I love with no resistance – one of my daughters, for example. Then with each additional round, i stretch my compassionate heart a little wider, including those who I may have recently felt some conflict with. Then to those beings – living or dead – who really stretch my compassion.

On the third round, if it helps you to increase the awakening of your heart, you may visualize the earth, the galaxy, the universe, all time and space.

Enjoy your practice. May this act benefit all beings.

May I be present in the awakened heart.
May I address that which clouds the awakened heart.
May I experience this moment as it is.
May this act benefit all beings.

May you be present in the awakened heart.
May you address that which clouds the awakened heart.
May you experience this moment as it is.
May this act benefit all beings.

May all beings be present in the awakened heart.
May all beings address all that which clouds the awakened heart.
May all beings experience this moment as it is.
May this act benefit all beings.

I am present in the awakened heart.
I address all that which clouds the awakened heart.
I experience this moment as it is.
This act benefits all beings.

About the author:
LaSara Firefox, MPNLP, is a coach, trainer, and author. LaSara helps clients find balance in their lives, and alignment with their personal and family-held values. She teaches and coaches internationally. She’s wife to an outstanding man, and mom to two brilliant girls.

You can find out more about LaSara at http://www.lasarafirefox.com. While you’re there, be sure to check out her December coaching special – the VERY affordable Body, Mind, and Spirit Renewal program.

(Feel free share this article, in its entirety. Repost, send to your list, share with friends. Please include all links, and LaSara’s bio.)