I have very little discipline actually. I try to meditate 3 times a day like Smiless. That's the easy part. The hard part is doing dishes and laundry in-bewteen the meditations.

I'm feeling guilty today. I just bought three art books. I couldn't help myself.

I'm not real crazy about change myself. I'm a Gemini and I do have a lot of interests. But just the same I'm also very much of a home-body. I prefer to think of that as 'family-oriented'.

I could live in one place my entire life and never travel very far from home. Especially if that place has a variety of landscapes and a lake.

I do like variety. I also enjoy sailing and canoeing. But I have no great desire to travel or move around long distances. I'd rather stay home and garden or just putter around the house.

Well, if you are meditating even ONCE a day that's more disciplined than me. And, yeah, I know I have the excuse of a full time job and three kids BUT there are days of the week when I am alone and free to do what I want. So there's no excuse. in fact I will set a goal right now. Wednesday morning I will get up a half hour early and meditate. And there's no reason why I can't Thursday morning either.

One thing that helped me a lot was to decide what my purpose for meditation was. The main purpose of many mantra meditations or 'transcendental' meditations is to quiet the mind. Since I already live as a hermit and seldom listen to TV or radio my mind is already quiet. So my main interest in meditations now is shamanic journeying and for alchemy and psychic affirmations.

I do chakra meditations for healing. Affirmation meditations for becoming. And the rest is all focused on shamanism. I do various different kinds of shamanic journeying. I have some meditation CDs associated with faery lore, and I find those quite productive. I'm trying to contact the faery world. I can't believe I would ever say that!

But it's true. I'm actually making some progress in that area. I don't know if you recall but I bought a bunch of faery statues. I bought them partly for in the Labyrinth garden, but right now they are all indoors. I have three 'lighted' fae that I keep on my nightstand next to my bed. This may seem silly to some people but having physical statues to represent the fae can actually help them to become manifest psychically.

These are the 3 fae on my nightstand. They each stand from about 6" to 10" tall.







So I have a shamanic journey that I'm working on that leads into the faery world. I have some books and companion CD with guided meditations that I used to get me started down that path.

The other shamanic journey I use is my own Labyrinth Path which is actually a take-off from Penczak's work.

I have a third shamanic journey theme based on the Qabalah.

This might seem like a lot of 'confusion' but for me it's not. You have to remember I'm a Gemini so I thrive on complexity.

Within the Qabalah itself I actually have quite many journeys as this is the very nature of the Qabalah. It's a very advanced and complex system of journeys actually.

I think I am making progress. You introduced me to all of this through Cunningham (and more so through Penczak). But since then I've also learned from several other authors as well. This was my 'calling' I only wish I had found it earlier in my life.

Even the things the Deepak cover are very similar. His affirmation sutras are basically the same thing that Penczak had me doing in the Inner and Outer Temples of Witchcraft.

In any case, I know this turned out to be a long-winded ramble.

My main point here was that meditation can actually be fun (especially when in the form of journeying). I also meditate in the bath. Usually chakra meditations there. I used to always just take baths almost as a mundane 'chore' of sorts. But now I use bath salts, I burn a dragon oil insence burner, put on some chakra meditation music and soak a lot.

The whole bath becomes a ritual. And then when I get out of the bath I'm ready to go to bed and start in on yet another journey.

I have no time left for "real life" anymore.

No, it's not that bad really. I still do regular things during the day.

It's just that I'm starting to treat these mediations almost as a 'hobby' of sorts. I look forward to them (kind of like going to a movie). It's like watching self-introspective affirmation alchemy movies.

James that post was extremely helpful to me. Thank you for posting all that. I need to work on being able to still my mind.

Another thing I've learned are how to do 'waking meditations'.

I learned this technique from R. J. Stewart's book "The Miracle Tree: Demystifying the Qabalah".

I'm not real crazy about Stewart's style in general. He tends to be a bit 'dogmatic' suggesting that things need to be done in a certain way with certain symbols. I just ignore his dogmatic approach in that regard. But overall I still find much of what he teaches to be quite helpful in general.

One of the things he teaches are call "Waking meditations" (not walking meditations, although he does have something called an 'Earth Walk' (Penczak actually covered the Earth Walking too). Those are 'walking meditation'.

But a 'waking meditation' is really kind of simple, yet it does take focuse.

All it is, is that whenever you are doing something consciously focus on precisely what you are doing. Not so much 'thinking' about it what you are doing, but kind of 'observing' yourself doing it.

Pay attention to ever little thing. Every sound you make, every movement you make, and basically just focus on 'being' in the moment.

This is actually a practice of being in the 'now' I guess.

The idea is to not daydream or think of other things. Just be fully focused on what you are doing. It can be anything, anytime, anywhere. It's a form of 'meditation' because you are focusing on taking in everything without thinking about it or passing jugement on it.

Like say you're say you're cooking a mean. Just focus on every little thing you do and try not to day dream. Also try not to think about anything beyond what you actually need to think about. Just focus on the sights, sounds, feelings, etc, that are actually happening.

Also, don't try to do this for extended periods. Just try to do it maybe in like 5-minute bursts. Just be aware that you are focusing on what you are doing without 'thinking' about it anymore than you need to think to actually accomplish the task.

He claims that this is every bit as effective as other forms of meditation.

I was starting to get into that and then I kind of let it slip away. I really need to get back into doing that more often. It's really good for things like doing dishes or making meals, and things like that.

Also, you should never push yourself to an uncomfortable level. If you're you tried of focusing on what you're doing then allow yourself to relax and worry about your taxes or whatever.

The idea is that if you try to do this just a few times a day you'll find yourself doing it for longer periods of time naturally.

At least that's the theory anyway.

I ended up falling out of it altogether. I guess it does take a certain amount of stick-to-it-ness.

I really need to get back into that. I found that I was actually more productive when doing that.

Anyway, don't burn youself out by over-meditating now.

That is such a great suggestion! That's something I can do even on my busy days. But, you're right in that I'm sure it takes just as much effort as other kinds of meditation.

I don't know if other people do this and I don't think it can be counted as a form of meditation. But when my mind is just reeling from something for an extended period of time and I need relief, I play hard rock music like AC/DC really super loud. You can't think at all and it feels so good. Like a brain massage.

Meditation gives me a profound focus on everything I do. It allows me to actually acknowledge even the slightest things and appreciate them for being a part of my life.

Meditation also gives me a clear conscience, which also allows me to think rational to the point of simplicity. We actually complicate too much during our lifespan. Keeping it simple, but still effective to the sense of completing actual projects, even if they are small helps endures productivity and ability to find the energy to do more leaving to great satisfaction and happiness.

Meditation is a part of my life.

I know that meditation has so many different terms in today's society and so many different ways to practice them. In the end I just like to keep it an traditional way and as simple as possible. It is a personal preferance that I choose for I want to clear my mind when meditating to allow to see clear and become more focused in my everyday events of life.

Yet in the end, whatever works best for those who meditate, is always the one that should be chosen. The flexibility of such practices is usually a good sign that its teachings are on the right path to a peaceful heart and mind.

I agree, Smiless, that there are probably different ways to meditate and you have to use what works best for you.

How do Native Americans traditionally meditate?

Hugs & Good Morning All... wishing everyone a fantabulous day!

You will be perhaps surprised to know their spiritual trances and meditations are very similiar to Shamanic beliefs in Asia where it originated.

It is said and believed by many historians that the Natives have travelled across the Bering Strait when it was connected to settle on this continent.

So in the end Native Americans are Asians, or so it is said!

When you study the facial features and cross examine them with Asians and Native Americans you will see many similiarities.

They also have a special canal digging tooth only found by them that also when cross examined are similiar I read somewhere.


So as the thousands of years changed the actual practice of Shamanism of Native Americans may have changed a little, but its core practice is very similiar.

Shamanism at least the older tradition is a art of transcending into another world and talking to spirits. If you go to youtube you will some very old videos in black and white of how journalists had the opportunity to see a older shaman get into this stage. It is odd looking for the westerners, but if you understand its core belief system it is just another way of praying or meditating.

Very interesting indeed

Some of the Shaman I work with do "journeying". They use drums to get them into a trance like state. It is the same as meditation only they feel they are traveling to either the upper, or lower worlds. This is where they go to do Soul Retrieval... to find lost soul pieces that left at one time from drama, trauma, abuse, pain...etc. Which they believe affects us in this life...we are incomplete because a "part" fled.

Good Morning beautiful souls. It is a beautiful day! Look around you!

You are not alone even if you think you are! Look around you!

There is much to see even if you have seen it before! Look around you!

Life is beautiful even if you don't believe it to be today! Look around you!

Enjoy the simplicity of a flower or a nest on a tree! Look around you!

You are loved even if you are alone at the moment and don't feel it! Look around you!

It is in the end all in the perspective of your mind. If you don't feel it then you must study more about it. Life can and is beautiful, fun, exciting, and full of compassion if you want it to be.

Good morning all,

I'm off to see the wizard. The wonderful wizard of Liquid Plumber.

I've got a pain in the drain today.

Meditating on it didn't seem to help much so I'm off to Wal-Mart for a plunger and a snake.

See ya all later.

James you are not meditating hard enough that is why!

Watch out for the wicked witch(inner critic). I heard she always tries to stop anyone from achieving their goals.

Lilypetal good day to you beautiful. I hope all is good with you.

Every thing is wonderful in my little world!! How about yours, Smiless??