Beyond Mind

By Patrick J. Harbula

 

Possibility the greatest challenge of meditation is to go beyond the realm of personal identification. How does one go beyond thought? There have been techniques developed throughout the ages to aid in quieting the mind.

The most common of these is the use of mantra, either audible or silent. The silent mantra is, as you probably know, the method of the ever popular Transcendental meditation developed by Maharishi Mehesh Yogi. Another method is that of becoming familiar with the environment or identifying with the environment to such a degree that one becomes the environment and ultimately the universe or all that is. These are two effective methods of meditation that were developed in ancient times. Both of these require releasing the mind. What follows is a method somewhat more self-directed.

One of the characteristics of the new age is that of developing the powers of the mind that go beyond analytical aabilities.it is increasingly important to create methods of meditation that include a balanced tension between letting go and direction.

This process is based on the concept that there are seven planes of existence, each plane having its own vibration and density. Many religious and philosophies have accounts of these planes, as they are called by the esoteric schools of Sufism and Theosophy. The Bible makes reference to seven kingdoms of God. They related to dimensions in psychic terminology. Channeled material frequently uses the term densities.

The seven planes relate to the seven chakras or centers in the etheric body and seven rays of energy that make up the manifested universe and are illustrated by the seven colors in a rainbow (counting white as one color, being the integration of the 3 primary and 3 secondary hues). They exist in an international sense rather than a spatial sense. For the sake of clarity spatial terms, such as higher/lower, will be helpful in describing them.

The lower four planes correlate to the four elements of manifestation. These are the planes that we are concerned with relative to meditative technique to be described. The densest plane vibrates at lowest frequency and is the physical plane, thee element of the earth, which is experienced with the five senses.

Second is the plane of emotions or astral plane, it is the field of dreams and desires. It has the illusion of oneness in which there in no experience of time. This plane is represented by the element of water.

The third plane is that of mind, represented by the element fire. This is the plane of thoughts. According to esoteric schools, each of these planes has a higher and lower correspondent. On the physical exists both the dense physical and the etheric physical of which the aura is a construct. On the astral/emotional there is both higher astral on which vision of light and beauty can be contacted and there is lower astral, of nightmares and darkness. These are not good or bad they are simply polarities. There is the higher and lower mental plane. The higher being the intuitional mind and the lower the concrete mind. Various meditative techniques work with either of the polarities. This techniques, however, deals primarily with the higher correspondences of each plane. The fourth plane, represented by the element air, is the plane of spirit or the Buddhic plane. It is known as the plane of oneness or bliss. Characterized by archetypal symbols, to use a Jungian term, it is the word of “form” about which Plato has written. These symbols are the seeds from which “new” ideas emerge or are intuited. Each plane becomes progressively lighter and dense in relation to its element: water is less dense than earth, fire is less dense than water, and air is less dense than firer.

In the meditative process which follows, we will be working with lightness of consciousness. It is a process of letting go, of direction and of holding a tension between the two, and ascending or moving (using spatial terms) into the Buddhic plane. One of the common difficulties that can be experienced is the emergence of thoughts. If this happens, simply recognize that you have move back into lower mental plane: center and again let go and direct yours awareness to become lighter than thoughts. If you begin getting drowsy or fall asleep you have moved back into the astral plane. These should not be judged: simply recognize them, re-center and ascend (or move within). The process may be difficult at first but merely requires practice and self-training. The value to be gained from meditation may not be noticed immediately: a period of time will reveal amazing strides in growth and self fulfillment.

This process is presented and can be used as a guided meditation by recording it on tape or having it read aloud. However this is not required and once the technique is learned, its effectiveness will be enhanced by self guidance. It should be modified to relate to yours own particular language and training. The guiding takes you to what may be experienced as the Buddhic plane. Very few in human form have gone beyond this plane of awareness, but for those who have mastered the Buddhic, the last line of the ascending meditation allows you to go beyond air.

Begin by aligning your physical, emotional and mental awareness which related to the first three planes. Breathe deeply and relax the physical body…. Visualize yours body in its etheric form as light and color. Notice how easy it is to let the color and light create harmonic patterns…. Allows yours awareness to become lighter by becoming sensitive to lighter energy of yours emotional body…. Visualize a pool of water with ripples settling until the surface appears as motionless as glass….. Now sense yours awareness becoming lighter by seeing a flame upon the still pool…. Focus on that flame of materials energy and notice how easy it is to direct it to a point of complete stillness…. See a beam of light, the light of yours energy of soul surrounding the flame and holding it steady…. Spend a few receptive moments in that light.

Again sense yours awareness becoming lighter…. Let go of yours identification with your emotion…. Let go of your identification with your thoughts…. Notice how effortlessly you become lighter than your thoughts…. As you continue to let go, direct the awareness of yours lightness into the next lighter sphere…. As you become aware of archetypal symbols allow yours self to embody them…. Simply begin to dwell in this consciousness of blissful poise…. (Allow about 5 minutes.) Now let go a little more and become lighter than the symbols you may have embodied…. Sense yours awareness becoming lighter than air…. (Allow another 5 or 10 minutes.)

When you have complete your experience bring yours awareness into yours mental body. Notice the nature of yours first thought as you re-enter your mind. Formulate plans to integrate into yours everyday life yours meditative experience and any insights you may have become aware of from the various symbols you may have seen. Focus yours awareness on your emotional body: integrate the experience into yours feelings. Notice how the experience into your feelings. Notice how the experience of bliss and new insights feels. Finally sense the experience in yours physical body; notice what yours cells feel like through embodying the experience. Affirm yours intention to remember the value of what you have learned in the daily working-out of yours purpose. Open your eyes with a fresh, uplifting attitude of fulfillment.

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