Consider a dream where a wise person is seen in the drivers seat of a fully loaded self-driving vehicle. In this dream, the programming which navigates the vehicle symbolizes the mind. The sensors around the vehicle which detects objects such as other vehicles and pedestrians symbolizes the physical senses. The GPS navigation system symbolizes memory patterns. The driver of the vehicle symbolizes the Spirit. All the materials and components of the vehicle symbolizes Truth, while the engineering and assembly which all together form the vehicle symbolizes Love. 

Consider another dream of a most amazing garment. Truth symbolizes the fabric while Love symbolizes the stitching. Together, they form something tangible, something useable that can be worn. A closer look at the dream will reveal that Love and Truth together combined results in a spark which creates. For, out of the clay and dust from this realm, Love attracts physical cells to form something tangible, a raiment, the human body. The Spirit shines through the cells of the physical body creating a rainbow of light. As the light splits into different frequencies, it activates the energy centres within the body to perform their respective functions as a physical being. Each breath brings life, giving oxygen to the blood stream to energize the physical life, a vessel whereby the Spirit can experience the physical realm.

Programs in which a human being operate can originate from multiple sources, for example parents, teachers, church, friends, social groups, just to reference a few. Traumatic events can also establish patterns. In addition, deep within the subconscious mind, patterns exist which were established during past lives. It is the nature of the mind to create patterns from experiences. Spirit however, can take the driver’s seat and override all the programming. 

Meditation can open the doorway to the mind where all of its programming becomes visible within the consciousness. Spirit can take the driver’s seat, overriding old patterns and establishing a new course or reprogramming for the mind. The purpose for being here in this realm is to create programs in the mind which align with all the facets of the Spirit. This is the Truth which forms the foundation physical life.

It is an amazing feeling to take a deep breath and feel energized. Breath is a sign of life, but what is life? Life is so amazing, precious and wonderful that defining it with words can be an impossible task. The Webster dictionary uses words such as ‘principle’ and ‘force’ to describe life.  For the purpose of this discourse however, a more traditional word, ‘Spirit,’ will be used as the name for this force.

Philosophers debate whether the force called Spirit is contained within the body or held elsewhere. The location of the Spirit is not as important as its nature or its function. For example, when the concept of Love is viewed through the eyes of the Spirit, there is an aura of understanding which surrounds its purpose, power and function.

Life, as detonated by the breath, is filled with such potential that it creates a powerful charge which sparks and ignites and burns within, as an energy called Love. Like blood which nourishes and sustains the physical body, this powerful energy flows through the veins of the Spirit with a similar function with the potential to create.

If life’s potential is stifled, the spark of Love remains dormant. The desire to be creative will not be felt, leaving emptiness and sadness as the result. The Spirit knows  emptiness and sadness should not exist. Thus, its innate desire is to always use its potential to manifest the brilliance of its Love. Additionally, its desire is to shine with such brilliance and to embrace and enlighten all of existence. It is the innate nature of the Spirit which can be felt within during mediation.

Meditation is a key which can open the door to this awareness. Imagine a life filled with the most amazing joy fuelled by the spark of the Spirit, indeed, fuelled by the purest form of Love. Imagine a mind filled only with the desire to manifest only the purest form of Love, Spiritual Love. 

This energy lies within everyone and shines through the physical body manifesting in many different ways. For example, absolute acceptance without any expectation has the potential for both giving and receiving, and furthermore, is founded upon the purest form of Love – Spiritual Love.

Consider relationships which are based on such unconditional mutual acceptance. It is the recipe for growth, achieving goals, fulfilling life’s purpose and ultimately achieving the truest form of happiness.

What makes a person “tick”? Is it a force from above or an influence from  below? Is it the spark of the sunrise or the intoxicating feeling of Love and Truth? Is it the savoury and saucy flavour of material experiences? What creates excitement when light first shines into the eyes each day? Many will not have an answer to this question. Perhaps the answer lies in the first thought which enters the mind. Some will think about tangibles such family school, work or play. Most however, will innately and sometimes subconsciously search for something or someone to provide joy.

During the course of history, the words “Follow Me” have echoed within inquiring minds. It is a command which conjures images of being led by an older brother or sister, parents, church, government, social norms or even the imagery of the emotional poem “Footprints in the Sand”. 

It is important to realize that society was engineered to create followers. Essentially, people are indoctrinated into accepting, embracing, and following social paradigms. The perpetrators are industry, governments and religion. Self-perpetuation is built into the system, involving many including but not limited to parents and teachers. The purpose is for authority figures to ensure obedience and maintain control. It is a system created by the powerful and intended to benefit the powerful. These ancient pyramidal principles and practices have been purposefully developed, intentionally evolved, as well as and modernized to accommodate current and developing technology and economics. This, for example becomes evident with a closer look at social interaction and relationships in the virtual world of the internet.

This perspective would suggest  at one point in time, Love and Truth were the foundation upon which society was built. In an ideal world, all inhabitants would benefit equally by following agreed upon rules founded upon the precepts of Love and Truth. This is based on choice and autonomy, not control. The mental framework of each individual is by personal choice. Furthermore,  the decision to give away  free will to choose and to accept domination by others is also a choice. 

It is important to be cognizant that agents such as churches, schools, friends, parents, spouses, significant others, industries, governments, just to name a few, all devise methods to dominate the life of others. Thus, it is time to change, to realize what has happened, what still is happening and decide to take action.

Meditation is a tool which can be used to embrace objectivity and tap into the inner source of guidance founded upon the facets of the life-force which are Love and Truth. Choose to listen to the quiet and gentle voice of the life-force appealing to the consciousness to “Follow Me”.

What the mind understands as real are illusions derived from the sensory receptors of the physical body, which are interpreted and reflected onto the consciousness. The human response is based on wisdom from experiences, learnt behaviours and conditioning from external sources. True reality however, transcends such illusions. 

Dreams fall into a category closer to true reality. This perspective could confuse the mind because it falls outside the boundaries of traditional thought. The mind will always struggle to stay in the confines of its social, religious and traditional legacy. Denial is the normal reaction. It takes faith in the profound and sometimes inexplicable nature of life to transcend denial and apply objectively to new, different, and non-traditional thought.

Dreams can be viewed as a language used by the life-force to communicate with the conscious mind. Images from personal life experiences are used as symbols. Combined with emotions, these form an alphabet. Life experiences are unique to each person; thus the language of dreams will also be unique. The symbols, when combined with the emotions form an alphabet, therefore offering a message to the dreamer.

Emotions felt in the dream state are real. The life-force transmits the emotions into the mind which creates a reaction in the consciousness. The dreamer will feel fear, love, peace, pain, anger, hunger, amongst other strong emotions. The physical body would respond to the emotions. For example, fear would cause the body to convulse or tremble. If the images are about a physical attack, the body would feel sensations of the struggle such as running away, arguing or fighting back. Upon awakening, the dreamer would not only remember the struggle, but also the feelings associated with the event. The message in the dream offers an objective perspective of a current situation. This gives the dreamer the opportunity to make different choices and navigate life in a different direction, perhaps away from a dangerous situation.

Images, scenarios and emotions offered in dreams will typically be from past experiences. Meditation and contemplation are tools which can be utilized to examine and understand the dream. The message would be found by looking for parallels between the emotions felt in the dream and those felt in current life situations. Dreams which are ignored will reoccur, offering the message from different perspectives. Dreams will become nightmares if important messages continue to be ignored. Once the message is received and acted upon, the dreams will change or cease to occur. 

Languages such as Aramaic or Latin are tools designed for human communication and may seem difficult to learn. One must realize that the language of dreams is also a tool for communicating between the Spirit and the mind and is a natural part of life. Learning to interpret dreams is an art which improves with practice. Confidence will grow once an interpretation is validated. The Dreamers of the world receive dreams as an opportunity to make life changes because of a readiness to look objectively, inside the doorway of mind, at the mechanics of psyche. Henceforth, the landscape of life’s journey will forever change, with the discovery of this facet of life.

When stillness encompasses the moment, the embracing life-force is felt pulsing within consciousness. Remember this feeling when it occurs during meditation, as it is a sign that the doorway to a new reality or new state of being is opening. Once this is experienced, life will never be the same again. The wine has been tasted and the mind is intoxicated. The desire will be for more. 

The desire to embrace this profound feeling will permeate the consciousness. The desire to follow this feeling will be felt with each breath. The nature of personal desires will change. Past issues which  held importance will no longer be the focus or feel significant. Be prepared to face a whirlwind of new experiences. The mind will look through the eyes of the life-force and  perception will be different. With these new spectacles, the consciousness is now emboldened to embark on a new path. 

A desire to return to the place glimpsed within the consciousness and during the moment of stillness will awaken. This desire holds the potential to navigate life back to the original state. Life in the current environment will be questioned, on this path. The suitability of relationships, jobs, places to live, etc., will be questioned as to whether they are aligned with  this new direction. On this journey, emotions from past experiences will awaken. The concepts of Fear and Love connected to the past will be questioned. Even dreams will change and offer a profound source of guidance.

During this journey, the stillness felt within is a moment of awareness which will illuminate the consciousness. This feeling is the true nature of life which has been hidden under the proverbial bushel basket for an eternity and is now illuminating the path being travelled. With each breath, the illuminated consciousness will embrace the desire to shine more brightly. 

As the light strengthens and grows, it will permeate each cell and organ, energizing the physical body. Life will feel different. The human body will feel different. Life will begin to resonate with facets of the life-force such as Truth and Love. Peace, joy and happiness will result.

Recognize when the sensation of the life-force being felt outside the meditative state. Realize that this sensation can be felt during each moment of life. This can be manifested with an attitude of expectancy during daily meditations. A sign the life-force is actively commanding the physical experience can be validated with the presence of the innate desire to manifest the values of Love and Truth. It is important to learn how to recognize when the life-force is commanding a situation. Realize this urge is an appeal to the consciousness to follow this enlightened path. Embracing the Life Force is  the basic nature of Life is the embodiment of Love and Truth.

The conscious mind is a mirror of physical life. The mirror is out of focus during meditation. When this happens, the mind is essentially inactive and the conscious connection to physicality is temporarily halted. This opens a doorway to the subconscious. In deep meditative states, similar to the state of dreaming, data flows through the door into awareness. Before the door closes, it is important to transfer this information to the conscious mind. Failing to do this means the memory will be forgotten. It is for this reason that dreams are easily forgotten. Mentally reviewing the dream before stirring the body would strengthen the memory. Similarly, reviewing what is given in meditation before stirring the body will transfer it to the conscious mind. Thus, an important aspect of meditation is mastering the state of being still.

Discovering the doorway to meditation can happen in several ways. When traditional avenues are unable to offer answers to the questions which flood into the mind, seekers explore non-traditional sources of information which may lead one to a meditation class.

Upon arrival at the doorway of the meditative journey, a multitude of questions and visions of euphoric experiences will fill the mind. Be ready with a positive attitude of expectancy or hopefulness. Put away any anxiety, take a deep breath, and be ready to embrace the state of calm. Have no expectations except for the answers to the questions which will fill the mind. These are the questions which will be the subject of the first meditation. 

Each life is unique and complex and would require several sessions to fully crack open the doorway which offers answers. For some, it may require a whole lifetime – but be not dismayed; for the prize will be worth the effort. 

Remember, meditation is a journey. Understanding the state achieved at the end of the journey is the purpose of this stage. Here lies the conundrum: The traveller is embarking on a journey to fulfill a purpose without knowing the goal. Life is complex. The state at the end of the journey is similar to the state of the journey when  it began, eons ago.

Such a journey requires faith. In the truest sense, transcend traditional denominational thought, and view faith simply as self-trust. It is with trusting that there is a greater purpose in life. It is trusting that this purpose will be achieved. It is trusting in the dynamics of life.

Each life is unique; thus the journey will be unique for each person. The challenges along the way which resulted in current state of being have been unique. Thus, the return journey back to the original state will also be unique. Remember this is the last goal. 

View the mind as a tool with access to all of life’s challenges and experiences filed away somewhere in the ethers. There are thousands, or even millions of files which represent the journey to the present. These files can enter the mind during meditation. Dreams can open the doorway into this gigantic filing system. Meditation and dreams are similar in this way. They both have access to that ethereal filing system. Meditation is a tool used to understand dreams and dreams are a source of guidance for meditative journey. As one embarks on such a journey, the embracing life force will offer guidance and direction from both sources.

Consider a mountain climber. The other side of the mountain only becomes visible from the summit. The journey to the top would not be direct but more-so a meander along navigable pathways. It would involve many days and many strategic trips and problem-solving. Unavoidable obstacles would be met. It would need strength, courage and perseverance to reach the summit. 

Consider a mountain-dweller, someone born on the mountain top. Propelled by curiosity, the mountain-dweller embarks on a journey to the valley below, following navigable pathways. Challenges along the way offer experience and wisdom. Then, due to the long and arduous journey, the true purpose is eventually forgotten. The goal of exploring the valley is no longer the focus. The challenges of physical needs and survival changes the focus. Eventually, the true goal is lost. The mountain-dweller now wanders through life from one experience to the other. In quiet, contemplative moments however, feels an emptiness and wonders what might be missing.

The mountain climber and the mountain dweller represents life in society. There is always progress in one direction or the other. It is the dual nature of this realm of existence. 

Meditation shows the nature of life regardless of the direction being navigated. Achieving meditative stillness is the state which reveals the answer to the original question. The great challenge in meditation is being still, not only in body, but stilling the tempestuous mind. The meditative state of stillness reveals how amazing life can feel and can always be.

Take a slow, deep breath and slow the pace within. Take a slow, deep breath, be still, and feel the silence. Listen to the silence. Be still and become embraced by the silence. Become one with the silence. 

Within the silence, there is a feeling of deep peacefulness. Within the silence, answers will emerge.

The purpose of this stage of meditation is first to recognize the silence within, and then experience the feelings associated with it. A doorway between past memories and the conscious mind will open when combined with an attitude of expectancy. Initially, emotions from the past experience will enter the mind followed by feelings associated with the experience. Know that from this point on, life is seen with new light and the trajectory of the journey on is forever changed. The doorway to knowledge of the past can now be opened. When combined with wisdom, this will be the start of the return journey.

Somewhere in the deep recesses of the mind is continuous chatter. The mind is always busy exploring something. A closer look at the internal dialogue will show threads connected to desires within the psyche. These desires relate to unique aspects of the person’s life. The nature would be physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. It is the responses of both the mind and the life force to such desires, which propels life.

The mind’s chatter will relate to a current or anticipated everyday situation such as higher education, finding an amazing job, acquiring great wealth, achieving health and longevity, improving physical beauty, visiting far-away places, or finding a soul mate, twin flame or even acquiring the meaning of life. Feelings related to the ego of the person – such as the need to experience power – would be associated with the chatter. These feelings however, often fall in two categories. They are either seeded with fear or love. Choosing based on love, leads in one direction and choosing based on fear, leads in a totally different direction. These define two unique pathways or directions in life which in essence is the dual nature of existence.

The presence of wants or desires offers an opportunity to the conscious mind. It is the opportunity to exercise the free will, and to choose a direction in life. What happens next is the response by the life force. This will be unique to each person predicated upon tradition, economics, or even an innate fear. 

To explore this further, consider an example where the wish to feel powerful fills the mind of a person. Perhaps it is a parent seeking respect from children, or someone who wants to be controlling in a relationship. It could also be  a boss that bullies,  a CEO of a huge corporation demanding results, or even a prime minister or president of a country who wants power over the lives of the people. Innate intentions emerge from such wishes.The challenge in meditation is being able to view this situation with objectivity: find the intention and make a conscious choice on how to respond.

The one with the wish to feel powerful sees only two options:

1. Embrace the path of power.
2. Choose a different path.

The mind would analyze these options considering pros and cons. On the surface, choosing would seem a simple process. Karmic history will influence the decision. The journey of experiences (defined as karmic history) brought the person to the current situation. This history will influence all decisions. Additionally, emotions often emerge from karmic history. Perhaps the person abused power in the past and it resulted in guilt, regret and shame. The memory of all such experiences are available to the life force throughout eternity. For most, the memory of the events would be vague shadows. However, the emotions such as guilt, regret and shame would resurface when similar situations occur. 

The person in the example has the freedom to walk away, forgoing the opportunity to face and overcome the past, thereby allowing fear to dictate their direction in life. The person would also have an innate awareness of the potential the situation offers, realizing  with the freedom to choose also comes the opportunity to revisit a situation and relive the deep emotions. With strength, courage and wisdom embraced through meditation, the person would choose to manifest only love and truth, thereby transcending the events of the past. In the case of the parent, only love and acceptance would manifest. The boss or CEO would manage with fairness. The prime minister or president would lead with fairness, love, compassion and justice. All of these actions would transcend the events of the past, forging a new direction in life. This is a path of growth through change.

The free will to choose is the force which navigates life. The simple act of choosing navigates the path that life will follow. Whenever there are inner wants, the responses can lead in different directions. The foundation of duality lies here. There are two choices, two directions and two pathways. One path leads back to the original state. The other follows the current trajectory. The dual nature of life is always present. Meditation will become the compass pointing to the way home, the original state of existence when the journey of life started.

Be aware of your purpose, or have an objective when embarking on this journey. The awareness of identifying an objective or a purpose will aid in framing the sessions and help define a path towards that goal. 

Realize that many people meander through life aimlessly; living from day to day unaware of any purpose or objective. They are simply following a pattern imprinted by parents or society, and therefore denying any calls from within. Subconsciously however, there is a purpose and a path which has been established by a very long history of personal choices; choices which emerged from emotional, mental and physical challenges along the way. These are the choices which have defined the life as it is in this moment. These are the choices which navigated a path from the original state to the current state of existence here and now.

How does one become aware of this path? Some feel propelled to seek answers after a surviving a personal tragedy. Similarly, a traumatic experience can cause a change in focus and fill the mind with questions. Others may naturally be seekers. What is crucial however is the awareness of questions and the quest for answers. How those questions are addressed becomes pivotal on the journey ahead, and have the potential to change the trajectory of life or define a new path onward. Where would this new path lead? Perhaps it is about revisiting the physical, mental and emotional challenges which were defined the past.

During meditation, an elevated state is achieved where the conscious mind becomes attuned to the life force within. It holds the potential to open a doorway into the past; awakening the buried memories and emotions filed away eons ago which are still impacting life today. Meditation will offer a new perspective on life. It offers the wisdom to make different choices when faced with similar emotional, mental and physical challenges. New choices will result in a change of trajectory.

Meditation will not only offer answers, but will also present many questions. It is a journey where one’s consciousness and their relationship with life will be observed and scrutinized by the subconscious life force. It is the opportunity to see the self objectively. It is an opportunity to dissect and disassemble the conscious and understand the subconscious self. It offers the opportunity to reassemble and rebuild the self on a solid foundation – the metaphoric rock of eternal truths held together by the motor of eternal love. This is the purpose to be realized and then ultimately embraced on this journey called mediation.

In essence,  the purpose for being here at this time and place is to embrace the opportunity to change. Growth is only possible with change. The purpose of life can be defined as growing towards the totality of self. It is about the return journey. It is about returning to the original state of being which existed before the journey of choices began, where one can truly say and mean, “I AM ALL THAT I AM”.

Meditation is a journey. To master a musical instrument, the musician must practice often. Similarly, with each meditation, the skill is improved. It becomes easier to sit quietly for the desired period of time. It becomes easier to quiet the mind. The experience becomes deeper, more satisfying and more enjoyable. It becomes a time that is treasured.

Before outlining the process, here are some definitions. Meditation is sacred. For the purpose of this discourse, the word sacred would be defined as pertaining to the Spirit. Spirit is defined as the life force within. Soul can be perceived as the collective conscious and subconscious experiences of a particular lifetime. A living being on this planet is defined as the sum total of all experiences of all lifetimes.

Life is sacred. To explore the essence of life is a sacred process. Meditation is an exploration of life within, thus mediation is a sacred process. Preparation is as important as the act of meditation.

Prepare the environment for a sacred process. Each individual is different, thus the process is unique for everyone. For example, the steps may include processes such as cleansing oneself, wearing a garment chosen for this purpose, dim lighting, scents, or quiet and soothing music. Choosing a quiet place away from any potential disturbances is equally important. Next, select the time and duration.

Preparing the body is the next step. During meditation, the body will object to sitting quietly. The muscles will complain. The skin will itch. The back will hurt. To address these concerns, gentle and relaxing physical exercise would help. For example, yoga, stretching, flexing each muscle or neck and shoulder rotations. Twenty minutes of walking or four or five minutes of gentle exercise should be sufficient.

One of the most comfortable postures to choose is sitting on a firm and solid chair where the feet can comfortably be placed flat on the floor. The chair should be deep enough to support the back in a comfortable erect position. Some may choose to sit on the floor cross-legged. Choose whatever works best for the body and the time period chosen. Whatever method is used, keep the legs gently apart and the hands on the lap facing downward. If there is a desire and an inclination to clasp the hands, then do this initially until the position can be comfortably changed to the lap. Posture is important to enhance and not restrict the energy flow of the life force.

Meditation should be viewed as a journey. When learning, one of the first steps to meditate is acquiring not only an awareness of the mind but also knowing when the mind is quiet. It is important to recognize when thoughts enter and how to address them.

A basic understanding of the mind will aid one in this journey. It is called a journey because there is a beginning and an end. The beginning of the journey is the current state of being. The end is the final objective; however as one meditates, the final objective can shift and change. It can change due to personal growth or because of changes in perceptions and awareness.

View the mind as an entity where random thoughts can enter. In truth, thoughts are not random. Each thought has a basis and an objective. The nature of thoughts is infinite. Some thoughts have greater power than others based on the attention they demand. Thoughts can emerge from recent, past or hidden memories. Similarly, the senses have the power to trigger forgotten memories. Hearing a song or being in a certain place for example, can awaken memories of past events or experiences. Furthermore, stronger emotions associated with those events or experiences – such as anger, love, jealousy, etc., — may emerge. How these emotions are addressed depends on the nature of the individual.

Each person is unique, with a different past and different experiences both of which created the nature of the individual who exists in the moment. Thus, each individual reacts differently to stimuli from their environment. One of the objectives of meditation is to help shape the nature of the response to stimuli

The process of thinking, and the actions resulting from said thoughts, are natural functions of the conscious mind. Other factors relevant to the intrinsic nature of an individual are free will, choice, courage and power. There are deeper aspects which extend beyond the mind that form the building blocks or foundation of the life force within. The actions of an individual, choices and response to situations are determined by the nature of those building blocks. Meditation offers the opportunity to disassemble and rebuild, based on different mental architecture. The individual may choose to rebuild using materials such as Love and Truth. Thus, meditation is a tool which can be used to shape or direct the response to thoughts.

Embarking on the journey of meditation is the result of a personal choice perhaps due to the desire to change, or the desire to embrace the essence of life. There are numerous reasons for choosing this path. However, what is most important, is honouring that choice. To honour a personal choice is simply honouring one’s self.

On the path of meditation, be aware that distractions will appear. The mind likes to be busy. It likes to chatter about experiences, situations, hopes, desires, etc. The nature of the mind is to have fun. The mind likes to play games. The mind likes to be in control. The mind does not like change. Ultimately, the mind likes to feel safe. It is also important to realize  that the mind’s basic nature is self-protection. The mind does not like to be quiet or to meditate. Meditation will be viewed by the mind as a threat for two reasons; change and loss of control To explain, the primary objective of meditation is change. What is more threatening however, is losing control to a force greater than the mind — the life force within or more commonly described as the Spirit.

When it’s time to meditate, be prepared for the shenanigans of the mind that seek to kibosh said plans to meditate. This is where real power comes into play. The free will to choose is far more powerful than the mind, as it is a function of the Spirit. It is very important to remember this. When it’s time to meditate, manifest that power from within and choose by honouring the commitment made to self.