| There is sometimes a hesitancy to accept that if | | | | "In meditation class we were practicing as we |
| we are aspiring to grow and to extend our | | | | usually do, just sitting quietly with the teacher |
| knowledge and our personal experience we are | | | | suggesting the we count our breathing rhythm to |
| each embarking upon an inner adventure that will | | | | give something for our mind to do. He then |
| lead inevitably to new experiences. Depending | | | | suggested that we quietly thought about our |
| upon our attitude we approach these with | | | | heart as the centre of our being, and where our |
| trepidation or with some anticipation of | | | | love is anchored. To help us grow in our loving |
| excitement in new discoveries. A philosophy that | | | | feeling we should think individually of all the people |
| looks to spiritual development as a path to | | | | we have affection for and then expand gradually |
| greater love, clarity and truth can only lead us to | | | | to the love we have of city, country, the whole |
| experiences of love, greater comprehension and | | | | earth and beyond. At some point I can't recall, I |
| insight. A gentle approach to meditation naturally | | | | felt my heart growing stronger with the most |
| brings simple, wholesome and helpful inner | | | | peaceful, gentle feeling like warm water flowing |
| experiences but never through deliberate seeking | | | | out from me to the whole group, even to the |
| for sensation. | | | | whole world. It was wonderful but it didn't last |
| The following personal accounts may not mean | | | | very long but I felt good afterward." |
| much to you if you have not already had any | | | | Young children will sometimes be able to express |
| unusual experiences of this type. Although the | | | | their thoughts and feelings stripped of any |
| descriptions may be more meaningful to those | | | | contrived or preconceived thought. Spontaneous |
| who can relate to having had similar sensations | | | | expressions from child students are cherished in |
| whilst meditating, to hear of the examples of | | | | my memory affection and appreciation of their |
| others will prepare you and familiarize you with | | | | innocence and honesty. I only wish that I had a |
| some of the variety of psychic sensations you | | | | way to present their sayings at this time and in a |
| may anticipate may accompany your own unique | | | | way that conveyed the beautiful, natural |
| spiritual realization experiences. | | | | responses all the children were inclined to express, |
| "One night I decided to sit down and relax and | | | | given the right quietude and conditions condusive |
| see how far I could get in meditation. Firstly I let | | | | to inner reflection. |
| all the muscles in my body relax. Then I started | | | | However just one memory stands out when as |
| concentrating on my breathing taking deep but | | | | the teacher of an infant class I placed a picture of |
| rhythmical breaths. When I was sure my | | | | Jesus in such a way that all the students could |
| breathing was correct, I tried to make my mind | | | | see it clearly. I was using it to help them to focus |
| relax but I couldn't, then when I stopped trying to | | | | upon a single object to encourage their powers of |
| slow my brain down, it did slow down. My body | | | | observation and gave no instruction other than to |
| then became very light except in the joints | | | | gaze upon the picture without blinking. It was no |
| (knees and elbows) where it was still heavy. Then | | | | surprise that a range of differing concentration |
| to my surprise, I began to feel smaller and smaller | | | | abilities was demonstrated as between the little |
| until I felt only 1 cm square. After this, I felt like I | | | | ones and that the duration was not long. But they |
| was being blown up like a balloon and became | | | | were all eager to tell me what they saw - but the |
| very huge and round. It was the most fantastic | | | | one I recall now is a little girl who explained that |
| sensation I have ever felt." | | | | the picture grew hazy and then 'He' spoke to her |
| Teenage student | | | | and told her 'something important'. This little |
| "Quietly reading after dinner I came across a | | | | evidence confirms the value of the classical use |
| photo of the remains of the great Egyptian | | | | of a visual focus as preliminary to assist in |
| temple at Karnak. I was not prepared for | | | | creating stillness of mind and a meditative mood. |
| meditation, or seated appropriately but felt | | | | In teaching children it will be agreed that it is a |
| compelled to shut my eyes and imagine how huge | | | | mutual and rewarding learning experience! |
| and powerful the structure and imagined the | | | | In whatever guise, meditation brings us realization |
| immensity of the great pillars. This only took a | | | | of some kind. It is accompanied with a sense of |
| few seconds and I had closed my eyes and | | | | discovering a truth when we find or suddenly 'see' |
| recreated the picture only to experience a force | | | | or understand a simple solution to a previous |
| so strong, so powerful and so overwhelmingly and | | | | complexity or even gain a new perception of old |
| yet I identified it with my own being. I have never | | | | ideas. However, spiritual realizations, although |
| before or since experienced anything like it. | | | | accompanied by emotional and mental ingredients |
| However it has left me with the conviction that I | | | | give rise to a totally new experience which is |
| have an inherent ability, should I choose to use | | | | difficult to describe except in terms of heightened |
| my imagination well, to identify and become as | | | | feelings of consciousness of which there seems |
| powerful, strong, upright and purposeful as I | | | | no limit. It would seem appropriate to believe that |
| choose, as long as I select the right focus to help | | | | Meditation is best practised in order to help |
| tune in. As far as I am aware, the others in the | | | | dreams become a reality and that the great |
| room were unaware of this extremely potent | | | | Universal dream or blueprint may one day be built |
| experience I had had. This is the first time I have | | | | upon the earth for the betterment and happiness |
| tried to explain it - and yet it feels so inadequate. | | | | of all humankind. |
| It felt so real." | | | | |