Wednesday 19 January 2011

Post No. 212 - Meditation: a variation ...

One of the things I often try to emphasise when doing psychic development exercises is not focusing too much on visual imagery. There are other sensations which can be used - for instance, sounds (one of my past personal development exercises that I sometimes use with others was running through a musical scale and using each note to clear/cleanse/heal my various levels, just as many people would with a colour), scents, etc.

It is particularly useful to adapt techniques to suit individuals - for instance, if working with a musician, I would get them to work with sounds rather than perhaps visualising colours. As an example of that, if someone who is musical is feeling upset by something and wishes to not be, I would suggest they create a musical phrase that expresses the upset-ness they are feeling, and then add another musical phrase (as a separate instrument, perhaps) to this "visualisation" that changes the first into something harmonious or pleasant - or at least acceptable - to them.

Whilst it is not quite that varied, as an example of adapting techniques I would like to write about a meditation I guided my partner through last night.

My partner is a magnificent cook (to me and many other she is truly a chef), and blending tastes is a special skill she has. So, in guiding her through a meditation to help her sleep the problem being not being able to switch off her thinking), I focused on cooking. We discussed this, and agreed to use a vegetable curry using half a dozen vegetables as the basis for the meditation.

The vegetables were arranged (by my partner, using her ability to visualise) in front of her, and then she assigned some of her thoughts to each of the vegetables. [1] She then mentally prepared and blended the vegetables, and then began testing the combined flavour and adding the curry and other herbs - and I suggested that she see what thoughts/views/feelings were coming in with each of the added herbs/flavours to create the balanced and pleasing mixture.

At this stage, the intention is that the thoughts in her mind have been worked on indirectly to create a state of mental balance and pleasure. To help this, I had her visualise tasting some of the mixture and enjoying the sensations of the food.

However, having the thoughts in a relatively quiet state is one thing: to be able to let go of the thoughts so one can sleep is another, so the final stage of the visualisation was to work through storing the vegetable curry somewhere safe so she could access it when she wakes up (later today - I rise before her :) ) by visualising eating it, for instance.

That doesn't read as well as it flowed last night, but it may serve to show the flexibility and adaptability that can be used in psychic exercises, perhaps.

Be creative, flexible and adaptive, and enjoy :)

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr

Notes:
  1. This process went a lot more smoothly after we stopped laughing. My partner had been nodding and "mm-hm"-ing after each instruction I gave, and when I said you don't need to acknowledge each thing I say, she nodded and said "mm-hm" :)

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Tags: psychic development, meditation, visualisation, senses,

First published: Wodansdagr, 19th January, 2011

Last edited: Thursday, 20th January, 2011