Meditation Instructions for Sun., Oct. 2, 2011

For this Sunday, October 2nd, the focus for our meditation will be on Experience. There is a joke about people who claim years of Experience in some skill or ability as to whether that consists of the accumulation of greater wisdom or merely the repetition of the same learning. In order for us to truly benefit from Experience it helps if we can examine each success or failure for what it teaches us. Some of our best lessons can come from when we fall short and subsequently gain an understanding of how we might adapt our approach to optimize our chances the next time we try. Even in success there are important insights that can come from determining what combination of factors may have led to the accomplishment. While a lot is to be said for the contribution of sheer determination and will, seldom does one consistently achieve success through mere effort alone. When one has triumphed sometimes there are still valuable lessons in how to perform the task more easily or with better results that come from examining how we managed to do what we did. In each instance, the advantage comes from a desire to seek a greater level of self-knowledge. To turn an Experience into a critical learning episode one needs to strike a fine balance between beating oneself up for a perceived failure and resting on one’s laurels for having made it. In the former instance one is likely placing undue blame and in the latter one is perhaps taking unjustified credit. If one instead were to take the approach of honest self-critique with the aim of future improvement, we would add to our base of Experience in a more positive way. This week in our prayer and meditation let us examine whether there are ways in our life that we can better accumulate true Experience and avoid repeating the same lessons over and over.

As a reminder, we typically form as a group in our focused meditation every Sunday from 12:15 to 12:30 pm (Eastern time) and return to bring more energy to the same theme throughout the week as time permits. If you are unable to participate at that particular time there are instructions posted on how to energetically contribute at either an earlier or later time (please see “Instructions for Meditating at Alternate Dates or Times”). A few minutes before 12:15 you may want to get into your meditation posture and begin the relaxation phase.

Stage 1:
Sit (or lay down) so that you are relaxed and comfortable but your spine is straight and aligned over your pelvis (if seated). Begin by taking several slow, deep breaths. Follow the sensation of the breath down into your body. Breathe into your spine, your hips, and then your legs. Feel the breath reach your feet on the floor and then feel the connection through your feet to the earth's energy. Draw the earth's energy up through your feet into your body. Feel your body fill completely with this energy from your breath and the earth. Invite your own personal spiritual guides to join you in this meditation. Ask for those in the spiritual realm (especially the nation's Founding Fathers) who want to assist us in this effort to be present. If you have trouble feeling centered and fully in your body or feeling grounded to the earth ask Guidance to help you.

Stage 2:
Stay relaxed and begin to make a connection with the others in the group by perceiving that we are present in the same room and formed in a circle. Feel yourself make contact with the person on each side of you in the circle by taking their hand -- one to the right and one to the left. Feel the energy of the group grow as you make this connection. Recognize there are groups all over who are doing similar activities with the same intention. We are connected to them as well as to each other. Feel the grid or network that is created from this energetic connection. We receive energy from it as we feed energy to it.

Stage 3:
Place a brilliant white light over the center of the country. Extend blue rays out from the center of that light in the four directions (north, south, east, and west). The blue rays fill the country from border to border and sea to sea. Connect to the energetic grid or network created across the circle. Use that grid to direct energy to the manitou of the nation (see "Explanation of the Grid or Manitou" for more information) with the intent of sending the energy of Experience across the nation.

The way to do this is to perceive in your body how the quality of Experience feels. Ask yourself how do I feel when I am aware I gain insight from my Experience? How does it feel in my body when I learn something valuable from an Experience that helps me in my life? Hold that sensation and allow it to intensify as you feed that energy to the grid or network with each breath.

Stage 4:
Close by disconnecting from the group circle. Feel as though you release the hand of the person next to you and feel yourself break from the group.

Stage 5:
Thank your guidance and those in the spiritual realm for coming to assist you in this endeavor. Ask them to continue this work from their plane on your behalf. If you are able, you may want to repeat this process throughout the week, focusing on bringing light and energy to the meditation topic. When you do, connect to the same network or grid of energy created by the group at the original meditation session. Direct your intention to help support and grow that group energy. Be sure to disconnect from the group at the end.

If you have feedback or experiences you would like to share please let me know via e-mail to k_miritello@bellsouth.net or kmiritello@gmail.com