Buddhist visualisation Meditation and other serene Spaces

A C T I V I T I E S ·· M E D I T A T I O N

Visualisation

Visualisation as a technique relies on the power of images and symbols - the most accessible and generally effective of these is words. To 'test' this you could try one of the most simple, yet potent of these - love. Try leading a meditation using just this one word. Even without any special intonation it has a powerful effect on the mind. There are many other words which key into our conditioning and which can be used to access various parts of our being; peace, silence, harmony, compassion, caring - pain, fear, loneliness, tears, etc., and both 'positive' and 'negative' values can be skillfully used to approach different individual or group situations. There is a short list under RESOURCES.

an outer world
& an inner!

Many people have only marginal clarity around the actual state of either their outer world or, often even less so, of their inner. They relate to their environment (in and out) through a series of conditioned, habitual responses and many of these are inaccurate or inappropriate. Using various techniques, meditators can be led to a glimpse - or even a vision - of aspects of their 'actual' world, thus gaining an appreciation and perspective on their apparent. These insights can either be self-realised or come as part of group discussion or, if time permits, with individual attention from the teacher / leader. In the context of peace, love, healing, etc. such attention is almost always greatly valued.
The range of such discussion or attention is enormous and will not be dealt with here. Suffice to say that the most productive path is to get others talking about, sharing or expressing the nature of their experience. This can be done through a series of questions - general discussion - a go around - writing or drawing 'reports' - small groups dramatising their shared experience - a rap, poem, song. Everything that is offered should be taken at face value - whether is seems a fantasy or not. The person is at least expressing themselves and fantasies may be the 'tip of the iceberg' with greater things to come.

The images here are intended as suggestions only - they are very brief and may not be sequential. Space (and time) limits developing potentially endless ideas. Hopefully they will give you a few ideas with which to experiment. Have a look HERE at a few sample meditations I found on the web and one by Ruth - age 9.

ELEMENTS

Using the primary elements of earth, water, fire, air (space).
Earth: samples could be collected by the group and put on a tray in the centre of the sitting circle. There could be a picture of the planet. A mandala.
Images: Bring an image of the whole earth into the mind; imagine being right inside the earth like a creature; imagine all the plants the grow on the earth - the water that rests in the hollows; imagine being the earth mother (parent) and all creatures are your children; imagine the planets are your extended family; our bodies grow like all things on the earth. We live on the earth and are sheltered by it (trees, etc.).
Water: Have a wide shallow bowl of it in the centre of the sitting circle. Each person could bring a small amount from their home area - rain, river, pond, small stream. A small fountain (or tap / hose) could be used in relation to sound meditation.
Images: Gaze at the water for a few moments, close the eyes. Imagine you are in an ocean of blue light; imagine you are a wave in the middle of the ocean; feel the movement of the ocean like a massage - relaxing you. Listen carefully to the sound of the ocean; waves meeting; rolling on the seashore; the sound of gulls. Dive deep into the ocean; the fingers of sunlight; into a crystal cave; flashing brilliance; water; dolphins; movement. Feel all the other life in the ocean. The wave washed onto the shore; the sea calms - is still; the sun is setting over the water. Peace.
Fire: A candle in the middle of the circle. There could be one for each child. Use mirrors or CD's as part of a light mandala.
Images: Concentrate on the flame for a while - go right inside the flame. What colours are there? Close the eyes and gaze at the after image. White inside blue inside yellow. Feel the warmth of the light spreading through the body; be a flickering light body; your flame rises up into the sky; feel the warmth of other people's flame around you; the blue is love - it is joy; the light of all beings filling the whole sky. Go deep into the white centre of your flame; concentrate; see the vastness of it; there is no body; no pain; purity.
Air: An empty glass container. A fan (more tactile for younger folk). Nothing.
Images: Close the eyes; feel the air around you - touching the face, hands - breathing it in; feel the vibration around the nose; listen to the sound it makes as it enters the body. Feel the space in and around you; between all the atoms and molecules; the space of the room; the sky outside is the same space; the insects flying; the birds; thoughts; energy / voices in space connecting - radio & transmitter, people, space ship & control room. The air vibrates, it is alive - in us and outside of us. The trees breathe out oxygen, we breathe in. The air that has touched the top of the mountain will one day touch me - perhaps right now?

TRAVEL

These can be in relation to various elements - travel in the air, water, land - or just journeys.
Flying: Sitting very still on the edge of a forest. A great eagle swoops down and you climb on its back. Rising up. The land getting smaller. Too heavy - you need to drop some things. (physical: watch, book, etc - emotional: worry, fear, etc.). You fly higher; into the clouds. Land on one - other flying beings there - people you know and trust. The sun pierces the cloud above and you are all bathed in brilliant light. What sounds are there - the wind - songs of higher realms - all around are singing. The clouds are swirling about you, warm from the sun. Fly back to earth - it looks so small - not so big anymore - land - relax - peaceful.
Space: Climb aboard the ship. Take off, the earth falling away behind, weightless, no body. Leave the ship - stars are brilliant, the moon and the sun and the earth can all be seen in the distance. Listen. The universe is turning - the planets are smiling - the cosmos is dancing - can you hear the music of the universe growing? The sun glints on your face shield like a friend winking - you wave - a giant arm of flame shoots out from the sun in greeting - the man in the moon grins. Distant galaxies like atoms and molecules under a microscope. Back in the ship - light - bouyant - refreshed. Land on the moon. Bounce about in low gravity - dust in elegant swirls around your boots - the earth rises blue. Return.
Water: This is very accessible to most people so associative images are very believable, so not difficult to develop.
On the water: sailing, surfing, paddling, white water rafting, inflatible in an underground grotto, canoe on a river, etc.
Images: movement, life, sun, warmth, light, reflections, fish, dolphins, wind, becalmed, still, slick, oily, rolling, crashing, foam, spray, wild, black, tranquill, potential energy, island, sand, beauty, birds, endless etc.
In the water: swimming, diving - snorkle or scuba, mini sub, riding with dolphins, having taken an oxygen pill (last for hours they do).
Images: silence, life, fish, current, light, dark, cold, warm, floating, weightless, noise, peace, solitude, space, vast, 3D.
Land: The range of terrains is enormous but natural environments are best - desert, jungle, beach, island, tundra, mountains, snow, ice - Antarctic, rivers, waterfalls, cliffs, caves - ahhh, what a wonderful place it can be.
Images: pick the terrain and then pick your nose - what I meant was! Create the space in your mind and just describe it in as much detail - bearing in mind why you might be there; going to the desert oasis to find the book of truth - the mountain to meet the master - the jungle to face fear - and all to find freedom.

ENERGY

Palms: Our hands are incredibly sensitive. Many religious pictures show saints with their palm raised and energy radiating out. Hold your hands with palms facing, as if you were holding a ball about 20cm diameter. They are relaxed. Close your eyes and very gently and slowly move the palms in toward each other until the 'ball' is about 10cm (don't make the size thing too literal - feeling is of most importance). Move them in and out and try to get a sense of energy flowing between the palms. As you move them together you can feel the energy compressing in waves as if there was a soft balloon between them. See how big you can have the space and still be able to feel the energy flow - this will increase with practice.
Love: Probably the most potent of all. Meditations aren't to find what it is but to find ways of contacting it, experiencing and learning how to maintain its presence in our life. Circles are best. Use the image and memory of a loved one to get in touch with the feeling to begin with. Use them as an easy access point. Practise love meditation often - even if it is just a (seemingly) mundane repetition of the word.
Palms: Have the group sit facing inward, eyes closed, with one palm raised radiating love to those in front of them. When one arm gets tired swap. Try using both hands. Use the word mentally to give extra energy.
Hearts: In pairs standing opposite each other about a metre apart. This is similar to palms (top) but we are using two heart centres instead of two palms. Move a little closer - closer. Feel the love energy. Or is it anxiety, or self-consciousness? Discuss. Either way the underpinning is love which melts all before it (eventually).
Listening: Try sending love energy, the word, a thought pulse - telepathically to another in the group; or several if you wish. Did anyone feel anything? Make eye contact with the one you were sending to. As the leader you could do this with one or two least likely to bechosen.
Metta: The Buddhist classic. Bringing the feeling of love and kindness into the heart - bathing one's own being with it then radiating it out to loved ones, to neutral people, to difficult people, to cultural groups, whole continents, whole planets, all the insects, creatures under the sea, etc. Here is a sample guided metta meditation. [see: LIFESTYLE - MEDITATION - METTA]
Nature: External: the wind, earthquakes, tides, moon (lunar phases), sun, water, kinetic (whole galaxies moving), rivers, waterfalls, seasons. Internal: blood circulation, the heart, breathing (wind), heat, weight, digestion (fire), sexuality. Getting in touch with our environment both internal and external. The visualisation could be a journey - either external or internal - or linked images to evoke the power of various energies.
Light: A wonderfully primal energy - as fire [see: CRAFT - LOTSA FIRE] - lightening - electric (lamps, torches, fairy lights, etc.) - the SUN = our life force, a sparkle on the still water, the glint in someone's eye, refracted in a dew drop, through a spider's web, fingers through the mist, piercing the clouds, a sunset, sunrise, the stars, the moon. Ansell Adams, photographer, talked lovingly of the benediction of light. Have it shine in the heart - beam out from our eyes - to each other across the circle.
White light: Imagine a waterfall of white light about 10cm above your head and feel it flowing into the top of your head and through the whole body. Feel its pure, clear energy coursing down through your neck into your heart. It fills every corner of your being - arms, legs, feet - until there is no seperation between you and the flow of light. You are a shining, radiant being. Notice the concentration of light at the centre point between the eyebrows. Try and hold that point steady, let it grow from a point into a large shimmering disc. Move into that glowing space. There is no fear, no danger, just pure energy and power. [this is a good 'protection' meditation against fear - people, nightmares, bad feelings, etc.]

Try letting other members of the group lead a meditation.

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