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There are many meditation groups around the country and if you want to get involved with one they are quite easy to find with a bit of searching out. If it is meant for you to attend one opportunities will arise. As with everything spiritual a trail will be left for you to follow if you are aware. The mere fact that you want to join a group will tell spirit that you are open and guidance will be forthcoming. Many groups do not advertise preferring people to be guided to make the right connections allowing introductions to be spontaneous. If there is not a group you wish to join then with the right help you can start your own. Most groups start as a splinter group or are started by people who have been meditating for a long period with plenty of experience to back them up.
If after careful consideration you feel and are guided to start your own group then your responsibility to the group and safety must be uppermost in your mind. As much advice and help that you can get is beneficial, research is never wasted. There must be at least one or more experienced person present to shepherd the group and to advise when things get a little confused or hairy. As meditation develops there can be some very powerful energy floating about, which can have some startling results so safety is most important.
The room where you are going to meditate must be safe from interruption for the duration. Low lighting, a candle and incense are a good way of setting the right atmosphere. Healing centres very often have a room where meetings can be held and are ideal because the energy will already be present in the building without having to forge a channel for yourself. A room set aside in some ones house for the purpose is as good as any if nothing else is available. It is important to have continuity in where and when the group is going to meet so that you and spirit can adjust the body clock to be ready to meditate at a certain time and at a certain place. A tape recorder is a good medium to record the message from spirit. Sometimes the quality is not brilliant because of interference from the energies present. A supply of fresh drinking water is favourable as refreshment and as a grounding medium when the session has finished. Seating should consist of comfortable upright chairs allowing the feet to rest flat and firmly on the floor. Feet should be shoulder width apart with hands resting in lap. Never cross any part of the body as this acts as a block. Neck and shoulders should be relaxed with the head balanced. Most people tend to lower their heads slightly because it is a heavy part of the body, if anything it is better slightly raised, bringing the spine into line and thus the chakras. An opening prayer such as the Great Invocation will help to focus the mind and will aid as a protection for the following meditation.
From the point of Light within the Mind of God
Let Light stream forth into the minds of men.
Let Light descend on Earth.
From the point of Love within the Heart of God
Let Love stream forth into the hearts of men.
May God return to Earth.
From the centre, where the Will of God is known
Let purpose guide the little wills of men -
The purpose which the Masters know and serve.
From the centre, which we call the race of men
Let plan of Love and Light work out
And may it seal the door where evil dwells
Let Light and Love and Power restore the Plan on
Earth
A guided meditation, where an experienced person leads the group or individual on a journey which is intended to induce a deep meditative state, is probably the most common technique used. We are gently lead perhaps through nature or into a scene of tranquillity or interest. Some people have set routines for this, but it pays to vary the format to focus our attention. Remember that as we close our eyes and relax our bodies letting all the cares of the day slip gently away breathing out negative energy and replacing it with beautiful positive energy, we are all slipping into a meditative state which includes the person leading the group. The state may not be quite so deep because there is a sense of responsibility, looking out for anything that appears to be amiss and making sure everybody present is safe. As the visualisation continues this person may be guided by spirit as to where to take the group or what to point out to them. With this finished we are free to continue on our own. Asking for inspiration on something we have been talking about beforehand or we may be focussed on a card we have picked prior to meditating.
The chakras of the subtle body are an intrinsic element of our meditative state. These centres situated along the axis of the spine act to receive and send energy of differing kinds. It can be hard to imagine these power points, some think of them as flowers opening or wheels spinning but their significance and potential can never be underestimated. The seven basic chakras are as follows: Base (bottom of spine); Sacral (below navel); Solar plexus (between navel and sternum); Heart (On the same level as our physical heart); Throat (at throat); Third eye (above eye brows); Crown (just above head). These are approximate positions only as every bodys body is slightly different but you somehow know where they are once you become aware of their existence.
To illustrate their existence in a very real way you may recall having a conversation with someone chatting away quite merrily, perhaps feeling that you have empathy with the person you are talking to. The conversation may turn personal and a seemingly glib comment could be made. Suddenly and for no apparent reason you feel as though the wind has been taken out of your sales. This is what has happened. Intentionally or not the other person has stolen energy from the chakra positioned at your solar plexus. You feel grieved open and hurt, totally deflated. The sequence of events that have caused this feeling is as follows. In the conversation you felt safe talking about this that and the next thing. As it progressed you relaxed and your empathy with the other person increased and so you felt safe to open up to them on some level, showing your true and genuine feelings, your chakras had opened. When the negative or aggressive comment came out, however innocent it may have been it struck at your seat of power, the chest, so energy flowed out as if you were bleeding. There was then an imbalance in you and in your relationship with the person you were talking to.
Being aware of these centres helps us to control our balance and to protect ourselves from needless energy drains and to open them to good effect when meditating to receive energy or give energy when healing. It is not a good idea to close them down completely in everyday life as we become less aware of what is transpiring around us, neither is it healthy to leave them wide open for all to prod and poke about in them. All chakras can be activated at will except the crown. This one is our spiritual connection, some believe it opens more fully when we are working with spirit, others believe it varies depending on our spiritual development. Either way we do not have much say in the matter. There are trains of thought, which suggest we can increase the size of it using certain methods. I am not qualified to talk on the subject but if you want to find out more there is plenty of reading material available.
Using the chakras in meditation can be very powerful. Some consciously open them to meditate while others allow them to find their own level, whatever feels comfortable is a kind of get out phrase but no two people are alike so it is impossible to set a standard. It is important to shut them down to a safe level when the session has finished. Most groups have an underlying theme of personal development but the energies from which the guidance comes differ immensely. Each leader introduces and sets the tone of the energy that is used in a circle as well as the energies that come to give guidance. Some are aimed at using clairvoyance and the help of spirits others are centred on guides. It does not matter which one is used and sometimes all forces are employed.
When I have the opportunity to lead a circle I particularly like to use chakras as part of a guided meditation. Rather than a guided meditation through countryside or on a beach I like to, make a good connection with the earth energy, perhaps imagining energy flowing up the legs. Then concentrate on opening and balancing the chakras, then joining them with the others in the group producing a collective subtle body. Once done I guide the group upwards through the resulting channel. With both the earth and spirit energies balanced this method is particularly good for accessing guides and giving the opportunity to move up the dimensions. Of cause there has to be variation so as to keep the mind alert but it is a favourite method of mine. In using the chakras to go into meditation means that they have to be used to come out of it as well, making sure that they are at a safe level.
Before the meditation proper is entered into a discussion about a subject or a focus for the following meditation is a good idea. This helps to relax us, raises the vibrations and brings the group together as one with one intention to receive energy, healing and wisdom from the high realms. We also have the opportunity to ask any questions that are on our minds before we start. The use of angel cards or other focussing tools may be used. Each group has its own idiosyncrasies and there are a thousand variations.
Using a focus for meditation helps to stop the mind wandering and worrying whether it is doing the right thing; there are no rights or wrongs. Holding a flower or a crystal is useful. Once tuned into a specific object the spirit is allowed to flow with the energy. The type of flower chosen by a person directly reflects the mood and state of that person when it was chosen. Looking at the way a flower is constructed, how strong the stem is can give us a start to tune into that persons situation and provide some helpful advice from spirit.
One of my favourite tools is ribbons. A member of the circle chooses three ribbons from a bunch of many different coloured and textured ones. When picking the ribbons we may be thinking of each ribbon as past, present and future events or perhaps the physical, spiritual and material slant on a situation in our lives. It is important to convey to the person working with the ribbons the nature of our thoughts and the order in which the ribbons were chosen. Time is then spent feeling and observing the textures and colours, using our intuition to discover what each piece of cloth is saying to us. With practice the insight can come quickly but initially it may be necessary to use the ribbons as a focus in the meditation.
When I first had the privilege to lead a circle I was amazed how little time there was set aside for the actual meditation, ten to fifteen minutes seemed very short, but when I was meditating myself this could seem like hours. After the meditation has ended and we have been brought back to the group slowly remembering all we have seen, heard and felt we then have a chance to share verify and discuss what we have received and what inspiration we have received for others. At some time the link in spirit may be so strong that we are disoriented because our spirit is still deeply routed in an altered state. Pleasant as this is, if we are not going to voice channel it can be difficult to concentrate, we need to break the link. One method is to go back fully to the place we were and concentrate on coming back to the consciousness of the room very slowly, gathering all parts of ourselves as we descend the layers.
If during the meditation you feel you are going to voice channel (I will come to this later), then instead of coming back to the consciousness you need to stay with your guide in readiness. The leader noticing that you are still in a deep trance will come to you first so that energy is not wasted holding onto the link. If several people are in this state then the more experienced should speak last. It is possible to ask the guide who is going to channel to step back without loosing the link, but this usually comes with practice.
When everyone is back safe in the consciousness of the room and those who are going to voice channel have given what they have received it is time to share the experiences. The attitude of the circle has to be a positive one, we have to accept what is given to us in the manner that it was intended, and no two interpretations are the same. There may be a message for someone in the circle or it may be a general message. Working in such a small group wires can get crossed so although the message you have was directed at one member it may apply to someone else or indeed to everyone, and of cause the reverse is true. I always bear in mind that all the messages given may be relevant to me that way nothing is missed. It is always good practice to re-evaluate your own learning constantly. Of cause we may feel that someone is barking up the wrong tree because they have been a little too accurate in the message they received for us. The ego does not like being exposed. If you are not sure whether the insight was for you it is better to accept it and work on it latter than to dismiss it out of hand. If it feels right for you, own it, sometime in the future a situation may arise when you will be glad that you took notice of anothers message and were able to learn from it. It may be showing some future event, providing a way through a potentially fraught dilemma.
It is good practice to corroborate information that you receive with other sources. I have had a few problems acting on just one insight in the past but I learned the lesson fast. The messages we receive in circle can be open to many interpretations so we need to be sure that we have got the right end of the stick and hopefully the right stick to start with. Confirmation of a message can come in all sorts of ways, suddenly being drawn to the headline in a paper that mirrors the situation or getting similar messages through other mediums are all good ways of making sure we are on the right track. Having different people giving us similar messages in one session is a very powerful verification. By looking for verification we get to know the strange allegorical way in which messages are hidden. Seeing similarities and tying everything up is good fun.
Remember that it is not a race we are all on the path together to help each other not to score points. Many times I thought I had done that thing or this only to realise that I have got to do it again. The reasons for this can be varied. Mostly it is not that we did not learn it the first time around but with the added knowledge and experience that has been gained in development means that new things can be learned from the same lesson or idea.
After all has been given and discussed there may have another meditation that is not to be shared with others it is a time for a private question or inspiration of a personal nature. This finished the circle needs to be closed, giving thanks for the energy and inspiration breaking the links with spirit and perhaps asking for some protection. This format is only one of many but whatever you do ask for the highest possible source, do it for the highest possible reason, protect and act safely and responsibly. There has to be discipline, without it there is no freedom. If we still feel that the link with spirit has not been cut sufficiently to be safe then the method of returning and coming back through the levels cutting the ties and collecting ourselves together is well worth doing. As well as being good for breaking the links, this method also balances our energies, bringing them together consciously in one body to act as one. Walking outside while still in a partial altered state is not recommended, as we need to be fully conscious to drive a car or to deal with the outside world. It brings a whole new meaning to fly-drive.
Every one when they start has the feeling that what they are getting is just their thoughts and nothing to do with using their intuition or spirit guides. Because we are dealing with a force that cannot normally be seen we automatically want to be shown some concrete proof that what we are getting is from spirit. We want them to give us all the information as if by magic. The information is there to be tapped into, but we have to meet them half way. Living in a physical world we think in physical terms and it can be hard to fight through our own negativity and doubts. To believe in other forces we have to believe in our selves to start with and recognise that our thoughts are part of a spiritual process. We think therefore we are spiritual.
Most of us do not have a clue how the brain works but it does not stop us from using it. Anything that appears to be outside our normal experience we immediately make it safe by dismissing it as part of our imagination and therefore without substance. For some reason the imagination is regarded as unreal, it is only a thought process. Without thought processes we could not breathe or eat or drink. It is the core of our beings and the basis of every thing we do. Thought can give the impetus to create wonderful works of art and also cause world wars, changing parts of our planet beyond recognition. So why diminish it as a tool to communicate with other thought energies? Our minds work as a whole, we do not shut our thoughts off when imagining that car we have always wanted. It seems acceptable to use it for material things but not for delving into the perceived unknown. Do not limit yourself.
Spirit guides have to use the same thought processes that we will understand and the gateway to those processes are our imaginations. As trust in our imagination increases it becomes much more than just thinking, the thought becomes tangible, something that is real. The same credence we give to our daily thoughts on what to have for breakfast, or how to approach a problem, is given to received thoughts outside ourselves. Believing what our imagination tells us is the starting point for the cross over from fanciful ideas to actuality. The next dimension is suddenly not that far away.
If we merge our imaginations and our spiritual perception then there is no longer any fear that we are dealing with the unknown. We all exist in our bodies and use our minds and are not frightened to think, even though our minds are a mystery too us. Having a mind allows every one the opportunity to explore it and the incredible space that it contains. Science has proved that we only use a small percentage of the muscle called the brain, and we have developed that part extensively, perhaps it is only the limits we put on our imagination that prevents us from using more of it.
"How do I know the thoughts are from a guide or my own mind?" Is a frequently asked question. There is no easy quick answer to this because everyone works differently. Thoughts that seem to pop into the mind without any prompting are the first indications that we are beginning to recognise outside influences. By acting on those thoughts and giving the information to the person we were meditating on at the time gives us a chance to see how accurate they were. Remembering the feeling when that thought entered our heads helps to differentiate between guides and us. We do worry whether or not it was from spirit or not which can prevent the process from working. A good question to ask yourself is does it really matter if we think it comes from a guide or our own imagination? As long as you and others are receiving benefit then there should be no need to worry.
As spiritual development increases the answers to such questions will be given as the subtle world of guides is explored. The most important thing is not to think that all you are doing is thinking idle thoughts or thoughts that are of you own making. If you have some thoughts on anything even if they do not seem relevant and especially if you dont understand them share them with the rest of the group you will be surprised how accurate they are. Many times I have decided not to share what I have been given because I thought it was no use only to mention it later as an after thought and found that it was the most important message that I had to give.
When I first started to meditate with a group I allowed my mind to wander anywhere without worrying whether it was from spirit or me. In that way I did not block anything coming in. I enjoyed visualising and was not intent on getting the message. Not to say that I was careless but my motivation was to develop the mechanics initially without concentrating on getting mind-blowing information. If the other person could not accept the information perhaps someone else would. My belief that whatever I received was intended, meant that the confusion between guides and my higher self did not get in the way. If you are going wildly off the mark then someone will give you a message hinting at this. As long as your intention is to receive the highest possible energy then no harm can come of it. Again keeping the ego under control is very important. Working with such a subtle energy we can influence any information that is given to us even if we believe that it is of the purest source.
© Phil Ironside