Visualizations as a helpful beginning technique ----------------------------------------------- If you consider that you still need the assistance of other visualizations to help the mind feel the spirit of transcendence, try the following before moving onto a more formal method. Visualisations can be as useful tools, but meditation is more than that. Meditation has to do with what is called ideation. It is always good to stick to a formal meditation practice. These are available for beginners, like the ones described in the MP3 files sent to you. Find a comfortable place on the floor and sit with your legs crossed. Place your hands one on top of the other in your lap, keep your back straight, eyes closed and tongue on the roof of your mouth. Your breathing should be calm and relaxed, through the nose. Spend a minute or so concentrating on your breath, feeling the air flowing through your nostrils. 1. Warm Sun Visualization Continue to breathe slowly and deeply. With each breath, feel the muscles in your body becoming lighter and lighter, and also your external motor and sensory organs are feeling like they are withdrawing from the world into a special inner quietness. Imagine the tension melting away as you continue breathing rhythmically and naturally. Picture yourself sitting on a warm, tropical beach basking in the glow of the sun ... . Visualize the vivid, beautiful colours of the earth (its flowers and plants), the sea next to you, and the sky above you. Feel yourself floating above the earth and sea. As you sit above the world, the warmth of the golden sun penetrates your body and makes you feel warmer and warmer. It surrounds you. The golden rays feel soft and soothing. Now you are far above the earth - into space. Everything around you is so vast. Yet, there is warmth and a familiarity with the vastness. You want to merge your mind with the greater universal Mind that surrounds you. Continue to ideate on this intense desire for your mind to merge with the that universal Consciousness. And while doing so continue using the Baba Nam Kevalam mantra (breathe in with Baba Nam, breathe out with Kevalam). Try this for 5 to 10 minutes. Now come back to earth again - slowly. Imagine yourself sitting on the beach serenely and restfully. Your muscles are loose and limp. Feel your body sinking slightly into the sand making that earthly connection again. The sun's rays and warmth are still with you, surrounding you. You are in a state of peace and relaxation. With each breath, watch your body and ensure that it remains relaxed - at peace. Continue to feel the warmth of the sunlight all over your body, warming you deeply and gently. You want to bring something back with you from your deep space experience where you sensed your mind merging with the universal Mind. This will be the warmth of the sun - a close reminder and link between earth and the infinite space. Visualize the inside of your body bathed in the golden light, absorbing every ray and glowing as radiantly as the sun. A warm, gentle breeze swirls around your body and relaxes you even more .Let your mind and body be totally at peace. Now feel yourself returning to where you sit ... move your hands and feet a little, stretch them. Open your eyes. 2. Mountain Visualization Another thing you can try. Imagine you're sitting on top of a mountain, and that it’s the most peaceful place you can think of. Feel that you're sitting there in complete peace, right on top of the world. Now imagine that infinite happiness is surrounding you in every direction. Feel you're completely surrounded by that infinite peace and happiness. Now start to repeat within your mind the mantra: BABA NAM KEVALAM. Its meaning is "Infinite happiness is everywhere". Feel the meaning, don't just think of its wordy meaning or try to translate from Sanskrit (BABA NAM KEVALAM) to an English meaning (Infinite peace and happiness). Think internally, intuitively, not by words, of the meaning, as you're repeating it. This is called ideation. It is important to take the idea, not just the intellectual analysis. Touching deep into the idea is what builds intuition - it is a synthetic process. Whereas, trying to translate and grapple with wordy meanings is an intellectual mechanism - an analytical process. Feel you're surrounded by infinite peace and happiness, and feel that your own sense of existence is in direct contact with that endless peace and happiness all around you. You can go further and feel that your unit consciousness, a dot in the Infinite Consciousness, is merging with Infinity. Continue for as long as you like, then open your eyes. OK that is fairly basic :). The important point is to develop some psycho-spiritual connection between your mind and the universal Consciousness or Supreme Consciousness. Don't worry if you have trouble concentrating on the mantra and ideation - that's normal. It takes some time and practice to be able to focus on the one thought. The main thing is to keep practicing. If you don't practice, then nothing happens. Well maybe a miracle could happen, but lets face it we're ordinary people and so require practical day to day techniques! ---