003: Daily Meditation

"The only important things in life are the traces of love we leave behind."

I was very grumpy today and took out my frustrations on my children. My oldest told me that I had been mean and she felt that I didn't love her. I gave her a hug and told her that no matter how I feel, whether I am angry, sad, happy, confused, that one thing was certain; I would always love her.

Sometimes I forget to remind myself to show love. It's not enough to just tell someone you love them. Sometimes a hug, a kiss, or snuggle is what is needed. I sometimes forget to do this. With the stresses I have been feeling lately, I have forgotten to love. Deep down I always love, but I have forgotten to use it, to let it guide me, to be a part of me.

Even if I'm upset, know that I will love you past my dying day.

002: Daily Meditation

"If you want to really change something, you must walk a new path"

I've come across people who think this means that one needs to change their religion, and though this may be the case for some people, it's not for the general consensus. As a personal meditation, it has nothing to do with religion but with the path I walk in life. All situations in my life are caused by the paths I walk; I need to change course to change those situations.

I've been dwelling a lot on my choices, and wondering if I am making the right ones. I have back-up plans for some, and am at a loss at others. I am taking a proactive approach to these decisions, but at times, that can be difficult. To deal with these emotional difficulties I have begun to search within and to meditate more frequently. This is the new path I walk.

001: Daily Meditation

"For every step forward to gain new knowledge of hidden truths, take three steps forward to perfect your character"

I always try and better myself. Lately, I've been VERY grumpy and easily irritated with the smallest of things. My husband has been on the edge of my nerves everyday for a while now, and my patience with him is very thin. I don't know why this is; maybe I expect more understanding from him than I do others since he has been with me these past nine years. I realized that shortly afterward. I didn't pull this card until AFTER our spat, and I had done so as a means to calm me down. I expect too much of him, things that he cannot give me at my every whim. I need to perfect my character, especially in this area.

Note to self: Have less anger toward the ones you love and expect nothing.

Tree Meditation

Get comfortable, sit with your spine straight to allow the energies to flow properly. Also for this reason don't cross arms or legs. Close your eyes. Think of the moment that you first woke up this morning, and go through the day , event by event , letting it go , until you reach the here and now.
Now you are here, relax.

Concentrate on your toes, all of your attention focused there.
Imagine a beautiful warm golden summer ocean wave, wash over your toes ,staying for the count of three and then as it draws away again , it takes all the tension from your toes with it.

Your attention is then transferred to your feet, again the wave laps at your feet for the count of three, washing away the strain.

Your Focus is now on your calves and again up washes the delicious wave to rid you of the tension stored there

As it washes to your knees, it feels lovely against your skin

Thighs, all is relaxed.

Hips, all stress is washed away.

Belly, count to three, A feeling of peace

Chest, loving energies wash over you

Shoulders and arms, and they totally relax.

Neck , the water massages the stress away

Head , gently after the count of three it calmly washes all tension away , leaving you feeling clear and relaxed.

I want you now to imagine before you a tree. It is exuding a calm and relaxed atmosphere and you feel very welcomed and relaxed. Go to your tree . Explore the leaves, what sort of tree is it?, are there leaves? what is the texture of the bark? what is the soil?

Feel yourself being welcomed by the tree. Why not hug it in greeting? sit next to the tree, with your back leaned against it , and as you do you feel let in to the aura of this tree, and accepted at a innermost level.

You feel you are at one with the tree, and you realise that you have established an awareness that allows you to transcend into the essence of its being.

Feel your roots deep in the ground, deep into Mother Earth. Seeking nutrients and water , discovering in the darkness an intimacy with the soil. Listen, you can hear the water flowing deep underground, feel the cool caressing touch of it. Drink deep the water to quench this trees thirst.

Travel up now, to the trunk of the tree. Feel the potency, the power, feel the stability. Hidden within are secrets, secrets that will endure the life of the tree. Explore the life force here and gain strength from the knowledge found here.

Travel again now , further up the tree, to the swaying branches. Fresh air, scented deliciously with the scent of leaves. sunlight is shinning upon the leaves, giving power, giving energy, nurturing it. Feel the sun also nurturing you. Feel joy at the playful wind playing amongst the leaves and twigs .Feel joy at the beauty around you.

Slowly you travel back down the tree, to the point that you entered.
Feel the link between you and the tree slowly dissipate, slowly , lovingly, dissolve. Leaving a great scenes of camaraderie and mutual respect. Bow and thank the tree, in a means that seems suitable to you.

Slowly and in your own time, become aware of your self and your surroundings. Stretch. become aware of the other people here tonight. when your ready open your eyes.

Source: http://www.wiccanway.net/sylvan12.html

After you are done, answer the following questions:

Did you have any trouble doing this exercise?

If so, what was difficult?

How did you feel before starting this exercise?

How did you feel after this exercise?

What did you experience during this exercise?

What kind of tree was it?

What season did the tree resemble? (Were there leaves? What color were they?)

Describe the tree as well as you can and explain the surroundings.

What thoughts crossed your mind during this exercise? (You do not have to answer this, but please keep track of this in your journal. You may notice patterns that you need to address).

Air Meditation

Sit in a comfortable position where you can feel the movement of air—either outside or near an open window. Light an incense of your choice, and focus on the swirling smoke. Watch it curl into the air as you and consider the element of air. Play music if it helps you meditate, and breathe deeply. Think of the air we breathe. Think of wind and its power. Air is the element of the intellect and of communication, so consider all aspects of the mind as well. Imagine the air currents moving all around you. Do this for the length of time that it takes your incense to burn.

By: Ember
Source: http://www.llewellyn.com/free/spell.php?spellid=2280

Earth and Sky Meditation

There must be a balance of earth and sky energy in each of us. Both are essential to our lives. Attuning to earth keeps us grounded and secure. Connecting to sky reminds us to dream and wish. Go outside on a bright, sunny day. Choose a firm spot to stand on. Make sure you can see the sky. Stand with your legs spread apart in a V shape. Make sure your footing is secure. Raise your arms outstretched in a V toward the sky. The V shape is symbolic of opening up to receive energy. When ready, say:

I am balanced between earth and sky. I walk with my feet on the ground. (Look at your feet planted on the earth.)
I walk with my head in the clouds.
(Look above at the joyful clouds.)
I am balanced between earth and sky. So mote it be!

Maintaining Focus

This exercise will help you develop your focus and concentration.

First, choose an everyday object for your meditation. This can be a pencil, a glass, or anything else lying around your house. Once you have your object, find a comfortable position, keeping the object visible. Close your eyes, spending a few moments becoming aware of your breathing. After a bit, open your eyes and focus on the object. Observe your mind’s attempts to distract your attention. Whenever you notice your attention drifting, gently return your focus to the object. Continue doing this exercise for two or three minutes.

With practice, you will be able to increase the length of this meditation as your mental discipline improves. When you have completed this exercise, journal about the things you became distracted by. You do not have to tell what distracted you, but please keep track. You will notice patterns that you need to address.

This exercise is from 1001 Meditations - How to discover peace of mind by Mike George. This exercise is worth 25 points.

Journey Meditation

This journey meditation requires you to visualize yourself in a peaceful place. This can be a place you have been, want to go, or a place you make up. The purpose of this exercise is to "escape" from your daily life and all your stress for a short period.

To get started, find a comfortable position. If you plan to picture yourself on a beach (or something similar), you may wish to sit against a comfortable surface or lie down. Once you are comfortable, take a few deep breaths. Concentrate on your breathing. Each breath is becoming deeper and deeper. Your body is becoming light and you feel carefree.

Now picture your peaceful place. Visualize every detail you can. Is it bright and colorful or muted and tranquil? What do you see? Try to use your other senses and pay attention to everything you experience.

If your mind starts to drift, just concentrate on surroundings (your peaceful place) and promise to deal with everything after you have finished meditating. After about five to fifteen minutes, take a few cleansing breathes and let go of the visualization. When you feel focused on your physical surroundings, take a few minutes to journal anything you felt and experienced. Describe your visualization in as many details as possible.

Meditation Excercise

Start by finding a comfortable position. Keep your back straight (not rigid).

Pay attention to your breathing for a minute, keeping it steady and even. Now, notice any tension in your body. You are going to release all of this tension, starting with your head. Feel the tension moving down and out of your head. Once your head feels light, move to your neck. Make sure you push the tension down, so parts that have already been addressed stay light.

Concentrate on removing all tension from your neck and shoulders. Your muscles will feel soft. Work on your arms next, pushing the tension out of your fingertips. You can do both arms at the same time, or one at a time.

Now, work on your chest and stomach. All the tension is draining towards your legs. Your head, neck, shoulders, arms, chest, and stomach are very light and soft. Keep working your way down your body until the only remaining tension is in your feet. Now, you are going to picture the tension moving out of the soles of your feet into the ground/floor. If you are laying down, the tension is being released through your heels into the ground/bed/floor.

Enjoy the light feelings your body is experiencing. Pay attention to how your breathing is changing and how you feel. After a few minutes, slowly start to get up.

Meditation and Visualization

Meditation is an important and useful tool to use when working with magick. It helps keeps us focused and relaxed and can help us and inspire us. To find out more on the history and the benefits of meditation go to: http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/Spring05/Luft/index.htm

According to Webster.com, Visualization is the formation of mental visual images. Visualization is something we all use. Every time we daydream or mentally “picture” something, we are using visualization. Whenever we are seeing something that is not directly in front of us, we are visualizing it. Even though we all visualize, some people have trouble focusing their thoughts on certain visualization.

Visualization can be a very useful tool, in our day-to-day lives and in our magickal workings. We can use these mental images to direct energy in spells, healing, and in many more ways. You can use visualization before an important meeting, before a job interview, before meeting with a real estate agent, or anything else you feel is important. The more detailed and focused you are during your visualization sessions, the stronger, more effective your results will be. Before important or stressful occasions, I recommend you use visualization several times to increase your desired effect.

Food for thought: What benefits do you hope to receive from practicing meditation and visualization on a regular basis?