Meditation - Types
We are "harmonized" when our three centers are coordinated in unison rather than "in chaos" when each center acts independently of the others (our usual, normal, mechanical condition). We approach harmony when the three centers are each relaxed because then they are comfortably related to one another. In meditation we try to be as physically relaxed or loose as possible, to which is added a neutral emotional condition, to which is added a quiet mind (no thought). A goal is to do everything with the three centers harmoniously related. (Paul Beidler)
Sunrise Meditation
"So in the meantime, exist as you exist. Only do not forget one thing, namely, at your age it is indispensably necessary that every day, at sunrise, while watching the reflection of its splendor, you bring about a contact between your consciousness and the various unconscious parts of your general presence. Try to make this state last and to convince the unconscious parts--not as if they were conscious--that if they hinder your general functioning, they, in the period of your responsible age, not only cannot fulfill the good that befits them, but your general presence of which they are part, will not be able to be a good servant of our Common Endless Creator, and by that will not even be worthy to pay for your arising and existence." (4)
**Variation for Sunrise Morning Meditation
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Start with taking notice of breathing to achieve inner stillness.
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Sense earth beneath feet, become aware in a simple appreciative way with no preconceived notions. Notice the shapes, colors, textures, smells of the earth, the hills, slopes, crevices, rocky formations. Become aware of own physical body, its mold in the atmosphere, its structure: the skeleton, muscles, and its textures, colors, smells. Simultaneously sense own site within larger site of earth and theirs similarities, their earthy nature.
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Then sense all water around, not only from streams but also the moisture in the air, in the clouds overhead, in the soil and plants. Imagine tasting it on the tongue. Sense the water that flows thru own body in the blood, inside and between cells. Sense the exchange of water or moisture between the
outside and inside environment thru mouth, nose, eyes, skin. -
Sense the heat outside and the heat produced inside the body. The heat from the sun and the heat reflected from the soil and the rocks around. The heat energy produced by the cells inside to keep the body at a constant temperature. Sense the exchange of heat thru the skin and the breathing.
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Sense the element of air outside as wind moving thru the grass, trees, plants. Notice any movements produced by air. Then bring attention to breath as air flowing in and out, sense the movement of the nostrils, the lungs expanding and collapsing, the oxygen passing into the blood and carried to the organs.
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Sense all the energies within and without, their sameness and points of connection. Visualize all life-forms as conduits for the magnificent currents of energies connecting all and everything.
In this state of quiet receptivity Ponder : Can we receive any number of impressions and just simply view them as a form of Holy Denying energy entering this conduit where a Holy Affirming energy is awaiting, working together to transform our inner environment into a `cultivated soil' for the germinationand growth of a seed of Being? In this same state can we further visualize the Holy Denying's being released to nourish the earth sprouting new births?
Movement Meditations
All of the Movements could be said to be forms of Meditation and of course Meditation itself could be said to be a form of Self Remembering. The last Movement that Gurdjieff created, Movement Number 39, is an excellent meditation. There are four postures which are to be coordinated with the accompanying music. Each posture is held for six beats. The Inner Work for this movement consists of three 'inner-postures'. The first involves Sensing the whole body, the second with attending to a calm, neutral emotional center and the third with attending to a clear mind, free of thoughts. Eyes are to remain open in a Sightless Gaze, where one attends to ones total visual field as a panoramic field of light, taking in everything at once without focusing on objects andwithout identifying or labelling the impressions as things or actions, good or bad. It takes about ten minutes to do the movement three times. At then end, inwardly sound the "aieioiuoa" and ask - "May the result of this Work become part of my Being."
Sitting Meditations
Any form of quiet meditation is recommended to Seekers provided that it includes the practice of Sensing and that the eyes remain open. If meditation is seen as a preparation for the day and indeed all of our future life, then the ability to remain three-centered while we go about our daily lives with our eyes wide open is a practice worth cultivating. In this regard, Walking Meditation is also recommended. Another aspect of keeping the eyes open is that it helps to avoid passive imagination and visions. Certainly Imagination and Visualization are import parts of Work training, but they are to be cultivated in a different context and for a different purpose.
Walking Meditations
Guided Meditations
Meditation on the Divine Compassion
(from Bert Sharp)
Sit in your usual meditation position and relax. Observe your breathing. As you become aware of the thoughts of the day intruding, turn back simply to watching your breathing. Your body is breathing for you. When settled in this way, begin the meditation.
Become conscious of the existence of the cells which form your planetary body; become conscious of how they freely consented to differentiate in order to go beyond themselves, their individuality, and become specialist cells, part of a particular organ of your body. Did they do this consciously or mechanically?
Go further and become conscious of how these individual organs have given up their individuality in order to relate to one another and so form the complex interactive assembly which is your planetary body. Remember that it is only because of such sacrifices on the part of the cells, the tissues formed from the cells and the organs formed from the tissues, that it has been possible for you to inhabit the body which you consider as your own.
Then go further and become conscious of you, the far in you, observing all this, you and your body, your body the result of the sacrifice of all these millions of individual cells. Then begin to realise that you have a responsibility for your body, for its organs, for each of its individual cells. For providing them with all their natural essential requirements. Observe this profound thought. Meditate upon it.
At this point you may experience a Divine Compassion coming with the feeling of responsibility, of compassion for all the living cells which make up your planetary body. Are you also able to sacrifice your individuality in order to become no longer a human being but an infinitely small cell in the totality of Humanity?
Hold as long as possible this feeling of the Divine Compassion flowing through you. What is it that is aware of it? Real I? Be aware of the very small, the very low, and at the same time of the very large, the very high, and that you, Real I, is the intermediate between the two, the whole assembly forming the Eternal Totality.
If you want more, then consider the following �either or� of formatory thinking:
Is it that the �irresponsible� human fears God and so in the ultimate expects help and forgiveness from Him?
Or by contrast, does the �responsible� human know that he or she cannot know God who therefore may or may not exist, and as a result has to accept that it is all up to him or her, that he or she is responsible for the future of humanity and so must act in the interests of humanity and not of himself or herself? So to be a �responsible� human brings one face to face with the terror of the situation. That one is simply a tool for the use of the Divine. A tool that is not yet in proper order for its use and so must be worked upon by YOU so as to become in better order and so of more use to the Divine.