meditation exercise I

choose a soothing background sound, like a very soft meditative music album, or, listen to sounds of nature while visualizing a smooth flowing ocean current, swishing against the worn stones and sand by the water's edge, with a late spring sun warming the skin and a gentle wind breathing into the roots of the hairs ------
and listen to an occasional bird lit golden by the rays of the sun, one that might whistle overhead while gliding across a perfectly blue sky.

Let the rhythmic tide wash in then dissolve outward, in a very slow cradle like rocking, gentle, slow, like a sleeping heartbeat. Breathe to the sway of the ocean at the most peaceful sunrise, gently, peacefully--- dare not to let the sounds of the tide be disturbed by your breath. Let yourself ascend and become mystified, light-headed, slowly breathing in the sea mist --- and feel each invisible droplet of energy, of the beginning of life, of the same salt water that is flowing through our own veins. Let the mist infuse the body through the lungs, let the energy merge into your blood--- a golden energy originating from the center of the universe from the very beginning of time.

Let the golden energy alight your spirit with warm golden hues that reach out the smallest sparks and rays---

Let those rays reach out and extend to find the bird that flew across the blue sky---
breathe in--- then as you slowly breathe out, let the golden rays from your body reach out and attach itself to the bird flying higher towards the sunlight--- higher into the sky--- farther towards the stars in the universe----

Fly with the bird until you start to reach the edge of space far above the atmosphere of the earth--- and see the wonder of the planets and satellites floating and spinning in all directions-- weightless, but with just enough gravity to hold orbit--- but you are weightless and flying with the golden bird....

Fly beyond the universe, past the darkest blackness ---- until it is so dark you cannot see the bird, but you can feel and know the bird is still guiding you and pulling you to your destination---

Fly with the bird through the darkness until there is no more darkness left---

into the whitest most brilliant light --- where there is nothing else but the brilliant warm light, perfect silence, and the bird that still leads you --- the golden shine of the bird melds into the brilliance of the light and there is then nothing left but the peacefulness and your consciousness, knowing you are there and being fed by this perfect light and peace.

Let the stillness and silence be so pure and deafening... that finally--- there is a sound, a gentle soothing sound. A tone, musical, simple, yet somehow, there is a message. Feel each sound and tone...

See a glow coming from each sound and tone, see colors come out of the light and glow with each tone...

See the colors grow from the sounds and tone--- each one unique and pulsing with the beautiful sound---- pulsing, percussive, with a message...

A single thought or word, with each sound and tone--- a beautiful and powerful message, just for you and no one else.

Then see the word --- see the transformation of the word into a picture within the brilliant light that frames it------

When all the tones are transformed into the final picture, fold the picture gently, carefully-- and cup it into the palm of your hands. Caress it, place it into your heart and memory. Then as the bird whistles, follow the whistle until the bird leads your back through the universe, back to the earth. Glide with the bird down to the edge of the water. Gently land on the sand. Feel each grain of sand tickling, then massaging the skin on your feet. Start to walk on the sand, one step at a time and let the bird release you---

Let the brilliant blue of the sky flush color into your eyes and let the crashing sounds of the tide beat like a slow drum as you walk, then run, and sprint --- then
walk again fast, and be tickled by the water, and watch a dog snap back from a crab --- and laugh at the expression on the dog's face----

then awaken with a great deep breath ---- refreshed --- at peace ----

with the vision of a unique message from the universe, captured in your mind--- to guide your wakened soul into your waking hours.

meditation exercise II

Find a very comfortable and peaceful sunny spot, or a good bright lamp. Close your eyes and face the light as directly as you can. Keep your eyes closed for this entire vision journey. Let the light on your closed eyes be so bright that it is hard to see darkness---

Let the light remind you of the first journey at the edge of the universe. So peaceful, like the golden bird gliding through space… disappearing as it was immersed by light. Let the light cast warmth on you. This time, feel it beaming onto your forehead and cascading over your eyelids. Feel a glow vibrating and radiating from the skin of your eyelids. Let your body settle into its center and pause.... sit with the moment. See the insides of your eyelids--- the light casting color inside resting eyelids. Feel how it is like a warm towel gently across the face---- see the pink and green hues cast of the light inside your eyelids.

Keeping your eyes closed, move the eyes around in circles, or horizontally or vertically, without pattern. Feel the eyeballs inside the sockets, floating within their orbits, attached, but somewhat independent-- as if they could almost have a life of their own. Let the eyes move around a little more, slowing the movement down. Gently, slowly... explore how much the eyes will stretch their movement at your asking. Give the eyes so much room to move-- let them stretch so far, that the head may try to follow the movement of the eyes.

Let the eyes find a comfortable seat in the sockets--- let them sway to the calm rhythm of breathing --- let them slow, until they rest... and you become only aware of warmth and light enveloping the calm closed eyes...... and your slow, relaxed breathing...hear the breathing for a moment ...

then within the mind, see how the cascading light moves in tiny pulses and beams against the shaded background... see the light moving... washing, caressing, cascading... like a gentle mist on a sunny day, casting many colors, as a rainbow....

... let the brightest and warmest gentle mist of the colorful light be felt by your nostrils---- coming into your nostrils with each breath drawn in. See it moving, around the back of the sinus, down your throat--- feel the warm of the light caressing and entering the bronchial tubes and expanding the lungs...

feel the expansion and contraction of the lungs and chest... see the light casting a healing, powerful glow into the lungs... and see it glowing there... even as you breathe out--- see it getting stronger with each breath drawn in... and watch the little rays of light form tiny energy beams that move with the capillaries of the lungs, gently flowing.... to the heart.... until the entire lungs and rib cage become a single shining light, alive, with the brightest concentration of light, at the heart...

See the ball of light enveloping the heart, outlining and forming the heart...
feel how it warms the heart, how it moves with the heart...
hear each beat of the heart... surge energy into the light... expanding, contracting---
until the overflow rushes into the arteries... with each pulse... traveling... warming... glowing healing newborn energy--- from the sun, from the universe... distant stars....

watch and feel the movement of the energizing light streaming and moving through the vessels of the body... travel with it, around the stomach and abdomen... move slowly with it, to feel each organ, each rib and bone in the body…see each part infused with energy...

travel through ---feel the amazement of the organs together, so perfectly.... living as one...
explore and feel every space inside the body with the light... feel the muscles around each area moving, in unison... light infusing each strand through the life giving vessels that rush through...

continue to follow the light through vessels down into each leg,... alighting each area, down through the thigh... going around the knee, massaging the calf, sliding down the Achilles... streaming into the foot... see the entire leg shining, infused, with the light...

then each arm, to the hands.. one at a time slowly through the elbows...then, each part of the spine... to the very top of the head... until the you feel the rush of energy crawling from the top of the spine through the follicles and the top of the head... radiating..... until the body is completely outlined and radiating light... completely at one with your vision... with your spirit and mind... ... relaxed as one... be awed and amazed at the gift of feeling each part of the body... feel the healing and warm light infusing…

listen to each organ and cell... feel how each part is as one... how each is grateful for life... for connection... for movement... for breath... and how the light is grateful to enter and feel each microcosm and cell within this unique body….

when ready---- keep the eyes closed, and slowly let the head drop and roll the back down to stretch the spine... roll back up to straighten...
move and straighten the fingers and rotate the wrists... eventually stretching the arms...
and breathe in a deep breath... exhale any stale air and excess energy.... breathe in again deeply..

see the light encircling you, still enveloping your body, but starting to move around you like a gentle wind... see it blowing like a feather… surging gentle electric vibrations…
let it dissipate with the air around you... but continue to hold the traces and warmth in your body... as you move your head away from the bright light...

tighten the muscles in your abdomen... straighten your spine again... roll your shoulders... take five faster breaths.... (you may feel like yawning at this time)---
open your mouth and breathe through your mouth a few more times...

slowly open your eyes………take a moment to adjust your focus--- then ---
stretch your body gently, stand... balance, awaken ....

meditation exercise III

Envision your body as pure light after drawing the misty rainbows through your nostrils from the sun and the universe.
Explore the radiance of your unique self in form--- and become comfortable with your light body---

Feel light, floating, energized and radiant in every cell... alive and sparking... surging from the heart, through the limbs and the spine... through the top of the spine into the base of the head... to the very top of the head... until you feel the rush of electric energy crawling through each of the follicles and the top of the head...sparking... tingling...pulsing….

feel this energy tingling your toes, your finger tips... hear it exploding outward with your spirit... expanding your aura---- freeing your spirit like an eagle taking flight from its nest on a picturesque mountain --

feel your arms tingle with the anticipation of spreading like wings with multi-colored feathers--- pulling you—stretching your mind as you feel lighter… flying… your spirit free, formless or in the outline of your body, if you choose, but without any boundaries….

until you are only light and air, free to glide effortless, dancing with the winds like an butterfly floating in a warm breeze and playfully twirling against a deep blue sky…

feel the connection of the light from the sun and the light of your spirit moving you further up in the sky like a balloon let go by a child - fly higher with the balloon, reaching out into the universe, into space…. to other planets… and galaxies… to other stars….
Float weightless in the universe… let the darkness feel like a gentle, soft, warm womb…. and watch the light from your spirit set a glow of energy in this darkness…

While gliding harmoniously in this vast space… see yourself spinning and playing and moving through galaxies and around planets and stars… listen to the gentle whispers and pitches from your movement in the universe ---

Watch and listen as the rays from your spirit spark off from sparklers from firecrackers…
Follow one of the sparks and be mesmerized by it spinning and growing, exploding into a newborn star, becoming life, energy -- then another spark, then another star…and another

See how your light beams through the reaches of the universe... feel the light of your vision, from depths of your soul... being like one of the millions of stars...

Merging with the rays of the farthest stars...
until connecting to the place you visited before, the place beyond the edges of the universe, where there is no darkness... and where the beautiful tones gently sooth and convey thought and energy… listening for your sparks and whispers and your energy---

As it always has been…. and forever endless… and beyond all boundaries…
feel this thought… know this thought… born anew… craving the songs, visions of life…

When ready to return…. follow the trails of light to the newborn stars, let the traces of sounds lead you back through the darkness… to the other stars… to the other planets….
leaving a thin trail of light and a hum connected to each place.. Connected to you, your light… always connected…. living…
receiving and exchanging energies and thoughts…
like a consciousness connected timelessly…always awake… alive

Then become like an eagle landing… spy a soft clearing with fresh young grass, on soft soil, moist with dew... Swoop down and land on the grass gently with your bare feet.
Feel the energy of the grass surging into the soles with the energy radiating from earth.
Scream like the eagle within your mind and soul--- hear the high pitch echo the songs of the universe….

Let the energy of the earth tingle through the body, traveling through your spine to awaken your limbs and your muscles…
let it feel like a wonderful stretch after a perfect night’s rest on a comfortable feather bed, see a warm, sunlit morning… feeling like you’ve risen from the deepest tender sleep and loving caress…

Then yawn to breathe deeply… and breathe out your first morning breath… as if to greet a first new day… remembering each detail of your dream…still connected to the light…
anticipating the exchange of messages through this connection as it is born in your waking conscious again…
alert….
alive…
living...
then open your eyes…
ground yourself to your physical world….

a true center 'of and from' gravity

When there was a time with too much unknowns, human placed a grand amount of trust into a world deemed mysterious and ruled by supernatural beings that influenced our very core of existence.

In our current world, with so much 'explained' through science, we often wonder if there is even a mystery left to be had. Yet, there is a fundamental basis of core religions subscribed to by most of the advanced and civilized cultures of the world. The sense of oneness that increasingly develops from the studies of the differences of the religions, is that there is a core need for a sense of universal knowing, a universal security and a bonding force with the last of the mysteries, and a human need to feel a belonging in a world that does not see clear to explain our purpose and destiny. It is not for the need to find the ethical divide, nor is it the need to claim a singularity of force, or to satisfy our need to justify our actions.

In the ensuing confusion, some choose to not believe in a universal force or deity. Others choose to not believe until it is proven to them. There can be even more, who choose there is a non-existence for "such silly notions". And then, there are the ones who believe, who impose and who uphold their deity as the supreme sole being and themselves as the carriers of justice. Thus, politics and egocentric opinions enter the ring of spiritual argument and sway pendulums continually in directions skewing each of us away from our center of gravity, claiming we've evolved from our primal cores. This is where it becomes confusing-- as I seem to recall everyone from teachers to clergy telling me balance with an axis of center of gravity is necessary for our sanity.

Once, someone told me our intuition is never confused, so if our instincts and emotions feel confused, it is a sign of a negative force removing us from our true self-nature. So confusion is also a sign and a gateway-- for us to being our seeking, to claim our place and earn our self-awareness. Our curiosity and our seeking, and our creativity-- is what defines our differentiation from our primal core. We can choose to evolve from our primal selves, through spiritual, mental and physical evolution. It is our destiny to merge our universal spiritual link to the raw primal physical one within our most conscious selves - which insinuates a "balance". So how can I assume I am fulfilling my own evolutionary destiny if my vision becomes skewed? How do I remain on my own paths?

It is then I choose to block away the reality as I know it, entering the mystifying world deep in my psyche that sleeps. I deny not all the gifts of learning and experiencing all of the beautiful religions and cultures around the world-- the glory of Christ, the beauty of Allah and the peacefulness of Buddha, and more. I accept all of these things, I embrace them. I walk into them. I move to the world before their existence. I face my primal core-- the animal nature we all have inside. I choose to feel the state of being before there was judgement, with the rawness and purity of knowing only life and existence, the cycles of birth and death, regeneration and destruction. A peaceful swaying of rhythmic cycle, like the ocean tide rising and receding --- like the supernovas that stretch and retract in phases---- like a slow and smooth, gentle heartbeat. It's a state of knowing a permanence and a powerful connectivity that exists with no sense of denial or possessions and no knowing of existence or non-existence. It is a place where self-love of all that we are, the harsh primal core that can be angry, fearful, naive, loving, joyful, glorious and innocent all at once--- animal-like or pure and angelic-- it is the piece of the universal spirit that lives within us---

it is sometimes called our "God" center-- the one Buddha, Allah, Jesus (Christ), perhaps found---

in their own balance--

by loving and accepting their responsibility to their total self--- without any denials or regrets, within their center of gravity, merged with their central self away from physical gravity, but also merged with all of existence, all at once.

what a peaceful place it is, and what a synchronized symbiosis it would be--- if...

being grateful

A surprise box of gifts awaited me today at a post office box. In it were special treasures with special histories and applied meanings, each bearing a flow of pure heartfelt energy. In disbelief and speechless shock, I carefully open and feel each one with such a deep gratefulness and awe, I am uncertain as to how to express this in return. The extreme care of each ribbon and package was as evident as the detailed compositions on various stationary.

It was not the gifts themselves that touched me most. It was the amazing dedication and loving care, the preparation, the thought. The beauty of the energy could be felt, seen, smelled, touched --- making each opening a savored moment to treasure in an everlasting unique memory. These fond minutes become imprinted as genuine human relations that only humans have the capability of giving, sharing and experiencing with each other. It is the sum of these moments that give us a reality check from the ‘wired and wireless’ world of internet, television, mobile phones, GPS, LANs, satellite radios, etc. It is these moments that remind us to continue to have faith and trust in each other and in humanity.

This truth is one to be nurtured. It is our duty and our right --- our inheritance in order to preserve our future. We are not so far removed from our inner selves and the recent human pasts to have forgotten what we can truly offer, and how we can touch each other. It is not too late to remember how to behave like an individual positive, creative and loving human, no matter the robotic and personal assistants hired, for only then can we communicate and learn about our true nature. Some may even find their souls again---
And learn just how connected to the universe we always can choose to be if we listen...

If only one by one at a time--- if only each person chooses to continue to create these moments…. maybe the overflow of gratefulness with open heart just might bridge gaps and heal wounds with new bonds across the barriers of negative suspicions and reactions. If only, we would return to the humanity we could, should be, celebrating and embracing, rather than worry about the material values and lack of time. If only we had the courage to be in this place all the time, instead of part of the time. If only---

devaluing ourselves and our future---- observing our past…

In the era before modern industrialization, there was a sense of living within the molds of natural cycles as agriculture provided everything from transportation to clothing and food for us. Then something happened.

In the 1800’s, modern economic theories went through a boom period—a blend of mathematical arts and neo-politics, combined with inventions that suddenly allowed expanded travel and new visual perspectives--- created a medium ripe with opportunities of growth.

With the grandeur of travel and the growing world, imagination grew. Jules Verne wrote of the mysterious worlds within the world we know--- far away travels to ‘discover’ and wander to. Oscar Wilde pushed the sexual boundaries of the Victorian era while amusing the very proper households during evening cocktails and private parties. Science Fiction, Transcendentalism, Modernism and more, became born by a fireside in Switzerland as the new crop of writers influenced by the pre-Bauhaus and growing revolt against the puritanical standards tested boundaries. As railroad barons expanded their control of commodities in the USA, Zepplins took to the air and telegraphs made global communications across seas faster --- acquisitions grew, ships grew and dreams grew. The elite classes would develop even more taste for power through acquisitions--- and eventually, as individuals traveled further, it became less easy to transport the stock of amassed items.

By this time, almost all ‘discovered’ or ‘integrated’ civilizations had been practiced in the use of monetary exchange systems, whether in precious metals or printed notes. Contracts, remittances and legal demands in written, sealed form were ‘common’ among the civilized or advanced nations. To replace the weight and volumes of amassed items, it became a convenient luxury of the elite classes to simplify and carry ‘exchangeable’ goods, like money. Slowly but surely, it became the basis of the new training; we trained each other to understand the greater the amount of ‘money’, the more privileged and educated, the more blessed, the more ‘selected’ and powerful---

Conquests were not yet over, of course. However, conquests would amass more – but in order to conquest, it cost ‘money’ to pull farmers away from their crops and factory workers from the production lines. But in the days of nature based cycles and early industrial life, the suffering could be compensated for by some as people were well accustomed to ‘save for a rainy day’. There was hope one day, they too would amass enough to start a different life in a different place. Perhaps they might invest a little extra into the local church or business, or local community affairs, but in the anti-colonial imperial world, there was less likely to go to governments that would engage in conquest wars. Without solidarity by religion or by feudal monarchs, it would need ideology and shared imagination. It would mean people would have to be taught a new value system on money, where if the returns from wars and conquests were not directly shared with everyone, the farmers and the factory workers wouldn’t notice. It would mean people would have to get used to seeing the tangible as an intangible, so they’d be removed from the physical reality and place their ‘faith’ in a new banking and economic system, validated and vouched for by their government.

Then there came credit. A perfect imaginary hole we call ‘investments’ but where we sign the rights of our real earned assets and collections to those awarded the authority to create paper returns for investors. Generations later, we’ve all become accustomed to the complexities of the terms and the ever-changing theories and derivatives. And we are sold on the idea of using the ‘value’ of our ‘assets’ on paper as collateral towards buying cars, boats and houses on ‘credit’. Little, if ever, do any of us actually ever touch and feel, or see the actual ‘money’ now. Slowly, we’ve traded in bulky full wallets containing notes and turned all of it into mysterious electronic transactions to ‘speed up our lifestyle’. We are somehow convinced this is the ultimate barter system, where we are directly receiving goods while exchanging for such against the hard earned electronic dollar value automatically deposited into an account, somewhere. Or, we are awarded with goods if we have now amassed ‘credit’ to do so, instead of actual ‘money’.

It’s a funny thing when humans separate themselves from the tactile and sensory sensations from the physical things. We separated ourselves from nature enough that most children will never know the sight of curious wild fawns peering into their cabin bedroom windows. Eventually, almost no children in the Americas will taste a ripe apple as they pluck it off the tree for the first time by them.

As we separate ourselves from the complex flow of real cash, the numbers in the accounts become more blurry and the commercially large chain of economic linguistics run from one network advertised rumor and promise to another. We are told to be responsible and trained to follow the leaders of our generations. Confused and dazed and distracted by material desires like flash video images that influenced the MTV generation, we mindlessly wander into the advice of the neighbor’s favorite financial consultant and accountants. We cast out our trust and faith in ourselves while casting it blindly into (paid) advisors who are merely strangers. Then action films and television scripts command the time for our imagination to grow, as the days are spent walking amidst the multitude of human suits that toil for hours in a flow chain usually thousands of miles removed from the actual product, for the sake of our debit accounts becoming ‘credited’ with a paycheck that is hardly ever ‘cashed’ directly anymore.

And when the balance numbers decrease or become a negative value—we have become accustomed to assuming the values will ‘bounce back’ or, if we still have enough credit, we can ‘purchase’ extended time on things owed for a while. An endless cycle of imagined cash flowing in so many directions, we are asked to purchase spreadsheets programs and ‘quick books’ on our computers so we can ‘track’ it better.

It seems that shifting the physical reality of a solid piece of money, from gold, to silver, to paper notes and now to credit --- we are ultimately depreciating the physical sensation and when fully imaginary, it may become as valueless as a fairy tale. We’d not have any need to respect or appreciate what its origination was. We’d become even more confused as to what our productive purpose is for. A number in a networked computer system, just doesn’t seem to have as much value as an intangible object.

It’s funny how a smell or a particularly soft cloth might conjure up images of our childhood comfort zones, whether a musty smell of a grandparent’s basement or a damp pet, and a favorite teddy bear. Vaguely, I might occasionally recall the interior of an old bank on a Friday afternoon, when the mimeograph ink and stamp pads left slight chemical smells in the air with all of the fresh smell of money since the might have more on a Friday to accommodate everyone. There would be annoying long lines at times, but often, the memory of community members saying hello while in line, and the latest gossip from the tellers--- and the smiles by the bank managers handing out lollipops to children. One could sense the pride of hard earned labor as cash was counted into their hands. People would have respect for the cash, as they gently sorted what would be spent for groceries, going out, and bills. The tellers might also verify their checking account balances so the checks they need to send out next week would clear.

I don’t think all of this was done intentionally or planned in such organized fashion as to create a global domination matrix by a grand consortium. But I do often wonder the what if it were the days before credit and banks--- if barter systems would allow people to place their positive creative energies into creation of a practical and desired item—that could be exchanged for fresh corn and watermelon from the neighbor’s garden or farm. What if a grandmother’s special apple pies were baked fresh in exchange for a hand knitted scarf --- and the smell and sight and feel of those items were to be cherished again.

Instead we watch numbers going up and down on a screen not much different from the television videos that help create our modern fairy tales.

I wonder, what can we do to shift value back into our intangible system? How can value be added into the computer generated spreadsheets again? How can we feel that value again? Will we place more faith and trust back into ourselves if we can understand value again? If we can make those unappreciable things tangible again, how much more can we ‘feel’ again?

self-questions on self-faith and universal balance

Can one ever feel secure when competition surrounds or is imposed upon them?

Can one relax if ever the motto is to compete or fail?

Can spiritual self-guidance find faith in a world practicing a new religion of capitalism and aggressive economic imperialism?

Can uniqueness of an individual be celebrated in a world built on mass manufacturing and marketing?

Can a universal balance overcome and sustain?

Are we prepared to accept the responsibility of the challenge to assume each small role and duty for the universe instead of only receiving from its "miracles"?