Up until 1984, if I thought
of meditation at all, I thought of it as prayer, for I was brought up in the traditional
Southern Baptist church. In 1984, I was depressed, and in an emotional turmoil about
my marriage and my life. I felt like a great hurricane was blowing all around me
and tearing me apart at the seams. Some people didn't even notice my distress. I'm
glad that at least one did.
One of the women I worked with came to me one
day and asked if I would like to attend a meditation class with her. Her friend Laura
was holding classes in her home and I agreed to give it a try. Elaine, my co-worker,
was very interested in the Edgar Cayce phenomenon and was a frequent visitor at the
Association of Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.) In Virginia Beach, Virginia.
I attended my first meditation class not knowing what to expect. It turned out to
be a very peaceful experience with people who were very easy to be around. We sat
on chairs, the couch, or the floor, wherever we felt most comfortable. Laura's dog,
a little Shih Tzu , made friends with everyone and sat very quietly in someone's
lap or beneath Laura's chair during meditation.
Laura told us of her spiritual
guide, Joseph, who assisted her and explained about some of the principals, or basics,
of what she would try to teach us. I never was able to put a name to it. Was it spiritualism,
metaphysics, or New Age, (which seemed to be gaining a lot of attention at that time),
or something else? I couldn't be sure and (as usual for me) I never asked for fear
of appearing stupid or uninformed. We learned a little about chakras, auras, and
trances and it was all very intriguing as I love to adventure into unknown areas.
During meditation, soft music was played and we were told to close our eyes while
Laura and Joseph led us down tunnels and paths, into temples and through the clouds.
We were asked to try to envision these images on the blank screen in front of our
closed eyes, to see the people mentioned and to talk to them if we felt like it.
Now, for a person who's crafty and writes poetry and short stories, my visual imagery
is just about nil. Have you ever sat in a doctor's office and, out of boredom, tried
to see faces or pictures in the nondescript patterns in the carpet? Well, that's
about how I felt when asked to see these things on my blank screen. I looked. I looked
harder. I can think of these things, but I can't see them, not then, not now. No
matter, I kept trying and sometimes I really did feel like I was dancing among the
stars, but I just couldn't see their radiance, or the guide who had taken me there.
As the meditation drew to a close, we were told to take our time coming back, stretch,
and open our eyes.
It was a soothing, calming experience. When we were finished,
a discussion session was held to go over what we had felt and seen. I was envious
of the other class members who had grand trips and visits to tell about, in vivid
color and detail.
One evening, Laura was trancing and Joseph was talking
to each person in the class through her. She stopped in front of me and Joseph said
"And this little one has more imagination than all of you combined!"
I thought to myself, "Boy, he sure doesn't know me very well!"
I practiced at home, bought some meditation tapes, read a few books and eventually
started attending a local non-denominational chapel where meditation and "message
services" were practiced. I liked the relaxed atmosphere. I liked the people.
I really liked the hugs. You didn't see that so much in the churches of my youth.
This weekly hug session was new to me. I've seen it in the same, or different, form
in other churches many times since then. Sometimes it's just a "shake hands
with your neighbor" sort of thing. Sometimes everybody hugs everybody and you
really feel warm and loved, like family.
Through all my inner turmoil, while
the storm raged on and slowly blew itself out, I held onto my sanity with the help
of meditation to keep me centered, and the love and concern of my new friends. Had
I not had the calming influence of those meditation classes, I'm not sure I would
be here tonight tapping on this keyboard.
All of my life I've been searching.
Ever since I was a child, I've had feelings and ideas which didn't fit in with traditional
religious beliefs. I believed in reincarnation before I ever knew anything about
the eastern religions which embrace that idea. I believed in spiritual communication.
I didn't believe exactly as the church taught. I just didn't seem to connect with
it all somehow. I knew there was something out there waiting for me unlike anything
I had known before. Taking those early meditation classes set me on the path to figuring
it all out.
Over the years, I tried several different meditation classes
presented by the different chapels I attended. I always chose the beginner courses.
I felt I still hadn't developed any further than the beginner status since I couldn't
see what everyone else saw. The one thing I did consistently see was a bright blue
or purple light which swirled about or occupied my whole screen. And, after meditation,
I always felt uplifted and more energetic.
Recently, in our local newspaper,
I saw a small ad for Eckankar with their URL. (www.eckankar.org) Somewhere among
the books I'd read since I started meditating I'd seen that name before.. When I
saw it again, I knew it was time to find out more about it. Eckankar is the religion
of Light and Sound. It is a meditation based religion which places great importance
on dreams and learning through dreams. It believes, not that we have a soul, but
that we are soul, using this body as a means of attending our earthly "classes"
(lifetimes) here. We all come from God as soul, but need to be tempered and educated
here before eventually returning to our source to become co-workers with God. The
word Eckankar comes from the term "Eck" which is an ancient name for the
Holy Spirit. Both Light and Sound are embodiments of the Holy Spirit. When meditating,
that blue light I see is an indication that the Eck (Holy Spirit) is with me. You
see, all this time, I felt I wasn't seeing anything in my meditations. Actually,
the problem was that I didn't know what I was seeing or its significance. I wasn't
a failure after all! I still need to go further for there is so much more I will
one day see, but it will come slowly...and now I can wait in peace and under- standing.
In Eckankar, HU is an ancient love song to God and is used in many meditations. If
you would like to try an easy meditation, I offer this one from "35 Golden Keys
to Who You Are & Why You're Here" by Linda C. Anderson, published by Eckankar.
First, sit comfortably in a chair with both feet on the floor and your hands resting
comfortably in your lap.
"Close your eyes, and fill your heart with
love. For a few minutes,
breathe deeply. As you exhale, sing HU..." (Pronounced
like the name
Hugh, in one long drawn out breath...H-U-U-U-U-U. You may
continue this for five to twenty minutes, then stop.)
"Pose a question
or surrender a problem to God..." (Sit quietly and...)
"Be open to
receive answers or unique perspectives as they filter into
your mind..."
"You might hear the Sound of God as a sound in nature ...." (Or as a
musical sound) "Also, you may see a white, yellow, purple, orange,
pink,
green, or blue light. It could appear as a ray or shaft, a ball or
sparkles of
light, or as a star. This is the Light of God. It is the Holy
Spirit filling
your heart with Love."
Just pay attention and see what happens.
When you're ready, open your eyes. Even if you don't see, or hear, or feel anything,
it will not have been a wasted experience. You'll be more rested, and better able
to meet the remainder of the day.
In this still, calm place inside yourself
you enter into the eye of the storm. While life swirls on around you with sometimes
hurricane force, you have a quiet place to rest and gather strength. Then, during
the day, if things become hard to handle, close your eyes, take several deep breaths,
and, even if just for a moment, think back to that peaceful place within. Meditation
may not be a cure-all or end-all solution to everything life can throw at us, but
it sure is a step in the right direction.