by Marc Allen
I keep my afternoon ritual simple: I usually just go to a quiet place and say a prayer. My morning ritual, though, is more elaborate, even though it usually takes only fifteen minutes or less. I’ll give it to you here — take it as one example among infinite possibilities, and modify it as you wish.
The power of ritual is that it keeps reminding us what we need to know, and wish to know. Ritual is a direct line to spirit, to God.
A MORNING RITUAL
My morning ritual has changed and evolved over the years, and keeps changing. When I was thirty, it was primarily an affirmation session, and didn’t include prayer at all, except in the ways that affirmations in themselves are a form of prayer. I would list my goals and affirm that each one was manifesting, in an easy and relaxed manner, in a healthy and positive way. As we have seen, that process proved to be perfectly effective; I attained every goal in my ideal scene.
Over the years, I began to pray in these morning sessions, and more expansive results happened in my life even more quickly. Now, on a typical morning, here’s my simple little ritual:
When I wake up, I first try to remember as much as possible from my dreams. If the dream is outstanding in some way, I’ll get up and write it down. This is rare, though. Usually I just stay in bed, recall as much as I can of my dreams, and then deeply relax on my back.
I take a deep breath, and as I exhale, relax my body. I take another deep breath, and as I exhale, relax my mind. I take a third deep breath, and let go completely. I become aware of spirit, energy, presence within. Sometimes that’s all I’ll do, simply spend a few blessed moments being aware of the life force within. Other times I’ll “run the energy,” feel it moving through my body, and circulate it up one side and down the other. If something needs healing, I’ll direct it into that part of my body.
Some mornings this leads to a longer guided meditation, a session of creative visualization that can go in innumerable directions — visualizing my new, revised, expanded ideal scene; praying for success for my next project or the solution to a puzzling challenge; asking to see the opportunity and benefit within what seems to be a problem; sending healing energy to a friend; even visualizing and praying for world peace and sweeping global changes.
Then I get out of bed, put on some old clothes, and head out into my yard for a quiet little walk and prayer. As soon as I step outside, I stand motionless and let all thought go. This is relatively easy to do first thing in the morning. I have a moment of silence, where I simply observe the world around me. It is always fresh and beautiful, full of life. Only in silence can we truly appreciate the beauty of creation.
Then I start to walk and to pray. I always begin by thanking the Creator for the beautiful day, regardless of the weather. Then I usually give thanks for all the abundance that has been showered upon me, and I specifically mention several things I am thankful for.
This always puts me in an attitude of gratitude. It makes me aware that my list of what I’m grateful for is endless — I could spend the rest of my life recounting it, and never come to an end, because it includes every moment of my life and every molecule of creation, in its endless forms.
By this time, I usually reach my backyard, where I have a view of a mountain in the distance. I stop and let all thought go again, and take in the scene. It is different every morning, always changing. The mountain has become a wordless guiding force in my life.
Then I go back to conscious prayer, and I pray to do God’s will, every moment. I ask, What is Your will? And then I take a deep breath, and let all thought go.
I always get an answer, almost immediately, in a still, small voice within, usually something like this:
“You know my will. It never changes: love, serve, and remember.
“Remember to love and serve, always.
“Remember the end of all wisdom is love, love, love.
“Remember the joy that comes in service.
“Remember who you are: a spiritual being in a physical body, a being of light.”
At that point, I turn toward the sun, eyes closed, and feel its radiance in every cell of my body.
“Remember: To offer no resistance to life is to be in a state of grace, ease, and lightness.”
God usually ends up quoting Eckhart Tolle to me! That phrase has become part of my prayer nearly every morning, and is something I often remember and reflect on through the day: Offer no resistance to life. This is the key to a life well lived, to a life of grace, ease, and lightness — and even to enlightenment, which isn’t some distant goal, but the reality of our essential nature. It is who we really are: beings of light and spirit.
I usually end my morning ritual with the kind of affirmation session that was described in the beginning of this Course, though I often go in and shower or sometimes do some writing first. My mornings are completely flexible in this way. But at some time in the morning I usually take another five or ten minutes to stroll around and repeat the words that have had such an impact in my life — you’ll notice this key is significantly different from the way it was stated earlier (Key 23) because of the final two words that have been added:
In an easy and relaxed manner,
in a healthy and positive way,
in its own perfect time,
for the highest good of all I pray...
Then I clearly express each one of my goals as affirmations.
I have five things on my list at the present. I’ll give it to you as an example — find the wording that works for you. The words change, too, over time, and I often change the order, and focus on whichever one comes to mind.
1. In an easy and relaxed manner... I am doing God’s will, guided by Spirit every moment. This is enlightenment.
2. In an easy and relaxed manner... my company continues to grow, reaching $_____in sales and $____in profits this year.
3. In an easy and relaxed manner... my books have a great impact in the world. I take a quantum leap in my writing success, selling over_____copies of my books over the next two years.
4. In an easy and relaxed manner... my music is expressed beautifully, with grace, ease, and lightness. It takes a quantum leap in its success in the world and in personal satisfaction.
5. In an easy and relaxed manner... my marriage and family life and times alone are sources of great joy, grace, ease, and lightness.
This is my complete list of goals at the moment I write this — it will have changed by the time you read this.
Each of them is preceded by the words In an easy and relaxed manner, in a healthy and positive way, in its own perfect time, for the highest good of all I pray.
At the end, I add the “cosmic insurance” clause: This, or something better, is now manifesting, in totally satisfying and harmonious ways, for the highest good of all.
And each day I become more and more aware of the phenomenal power of prayer.
Ask and it will be given you.
Seek, and you will find.
Knock, and it will be opened unto you.
— Matthew 7:7
DECLARATIONS
Declarations are a simple form of prayer. Once again, this key is found in the Bible, expressed fully, clearly, and simply:
And you shall decree a thing
and it will be established unto you,
and the light will shine upon your ways.
— Job 22:28
Decree, declaration: Using these kinds of tools you can become a king in his generativity, or a queen in her unlimited abundance, or a high priestess in her power, or a generous and compassionate millionaire — whatever you choose to imagine.
You issue a decree, and that decree is granted. This is the power of prayer.
So be it. So it is.
THE POWER OF MEDITATION
The effects of meditation are countless and endless. They are subtle and quiet, yet they can be extremely powerful, even life-changing in major ways.
Words are inadequate to describe the power of meditation. You can de
scribe the taste of an orange to people who have never tasted it, but they will never know what you mean until they actually taste an orange. It is the same with meditation.
The teachers of meditation I have met rarely attempt to describe its effects or its power. They simply tell us to meditate, and discover it for ourselves.
Those who have gained at least some degree of mastery in meditation rarely tell you anything about their experiences in meditation — if they did, after all, we would probably sit there and expect something like it, and quite possibly miss our own unique experience.
A good teacher of meditation
just keeps pointing the way
for you to have your own experience:
Sit quietly, breathe.
Let all thought go.
Expect nothing....
Carry this attitude into the rest of your life.
THE ESSENCE OF MEDITATION
Just sit. Even if just for a minute, even if just for one breath. Empty yourself, for a change. Instead of thinking all the time and doing things all the time, take a moment to relax, to let go and not think at all, to be quiet and receptive.
That is the essence of meditation.
Meditation isn’t another activity you do. It’s the opposite side of the polarity of activity: non-activity, stillness. Meditation is doing nothing.
Almost all of our time, except dreamless sleep, is spent in activity. It’s good to take some time to experience the opposite side of the polarity. Sit quietly, do nothing. Be completely inactive for a while, and see what happens.
It’s something every child does naturally — but then somewhere along the line most of us forget it and have to be reminded of it, repeatedly.
THE GREAT BENEFITS OF MEDITATION
Meditation has great benefits for us physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. It reduces heart rate, blood pressure, and stress, and has proven to be healing in a great number of physical, mental, and emotional ways. It brings mental clarity to complex situations, and calmness to adverse situations.
Most important of all, it gives us wisdom and a peace that surpasses all understanding.
Obviously the only way to discover its effects is to try it. Simply sit and relax, without expectation, for any period of time, and soon you’ll discover for yourself why meditation is important.
HOW TO MEDITATE
There are countless ways to meditate. Here are a range of them, for beginners and for those experienced in meditation as well. Explore any of them that feel right for you — the ones that feel comfortable, pleasant, easy, and relaxed. Find the simple way or ways that work for you.
BASIC, ESSENTIAL MEDITATION
Become aware of your breathing at this moment. Let your breath out slowly, and let all thought go....
Do it again, with your next breath. Let all thought go....
Find the space between thoughts, even if it’s just momentary at first.
You have just meditated, even if just for two seconds. It’s enough for a glimpse of your presence, your spirit.
Do it again. Do it often, throughout the day, if you can.
WATCHING YOUR THOUGHTS
We can add one more thing to it:
Become aware of your breathing at this moment. Let your breath out slowly, and let all thought go....
Do it again, with your next breath. Let all thought go.... Watch for the next thought that arises, with the attention of a cat watching a mouse hole.
When the next thought arises, let it go.... Find the space between your thoughts.
FINDING THE GAPS
Continue the practice above, with your eyes open or closed, for a minute, or however long you wish. When a thought arises, let it go and return to your breath.
If you continue to do this simple practice, you’ll find longer and longer gaps between your thoughts. Within that gap is silence, stillness, awareness, light.
Relax into the light.
This light is what we really are. We are not just our physical bodies — we are light.
COUNTING BREATHS
Here is a traditional Zen meditation, excellent for beginners and even for those who have meditated for years.
Sit quietly, close your eyes. As you breathe out, count one. Let go of all thought as you breathe in, and as you breathe out again, count two. Count to ten this way, finding as much stillness as you can as you inhale. After ten breaths, start counting over again with one.
If you are a beginner, you probably won’t get past counting to three or four before you will wander off into some labyrinth of thought. Just let the thought go and start over from one. In a short time you’ll find you can go longer and longer before you wander off into thought. Counting breaths gives you a simple, clear way to see your progress.
FINDING STILLNESS WITHIN
Sit comfortably. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath, and relax your body as you exhale. Take another deep breath, and relax your whole body/mind as you exhale. Take another breath, and let all thought go. With every succeeding breath, just keep letting go.
You soon find the space between your thoughts, and as you keep sitting you’re able to remain in that space for longer and longer periods.
At some point, you’ll discover a deep quiet stillness within, a place Zen teachers call samadhi. It is not sleep, though it is as rejuvenating as sleep; you are highly aware, completely conscious, and yet deeply relaxed.
Keep sitting and relax... into samadhi.
Call that deep stillness what you will. It is beyond thought, and therefore beyond words. Yet we want to try to describe everything in our experience, so here are a few possibilities, among many:
Life
Life energy
Presence
The Tao
Being
Great Spirit
Spirit
Ultimate reality
God
The quantum field
Creator
Light body
The Source
Samadhi
Christ consciousness
Spiritual nature
Buddha nature
The Force
Higher power
The Mother Wave
Take your pick. Or come up with something else. Or don’t name it anything at all.
When thoughts arise, just observe: Your mind has become active again. Relax more deeply as you slowly breathe out, and let go of the thought, let go of all activity.
Take some time to be still, to do nothing. Keep sitting, expecting nothing — and someday you’ll discover an ocean of serenity within. You’ll discover a peace that arises within, naturally, easily, effortlessly, a vibrant presence that is abiding and eternal.
Through meditation, we discover our spirit, the glorious part of us that lives forever.
FLOODING YOUR BODY WITH CONSCIOUSNESS
When you are unoccupied for a few minutes, and especially last thing at night before falling asleep and first thing in the morning before getting up, “flood” your body with consciousness.
Close your eyes. Lie flat on your back. Choose different parts of your body to focus your attention on, briefly at first: hands, feet, arms, legs, abdomen, chest, head, and so on. Feel the life energy inside those parts as intensely as you can. Stay with each part for fifteen seconds or so.
Then let your attention run through the body like a wave a few times, from feet to head and back again. This need only take a minute or so. After that, feel the inner body in its totality, as a single field of energy. Hold that feeling for a few minutes.
Be intensely present during that time, present in every cell of your body.*
GOING INTO THE REALM OF PURE BEING
Take at least ten or fifteen minutes for this meditation. Find a place where there are no external distractions such as telephones or people who are likely to interrupt you. Sit on a chair, but don’t lean back. Keep the spine erect; it helps you stay alert. Or choose your own favorite position for meditation. Lying flat on you
r back is fine as well.
Relax your body. Close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths. Feel yourself breathing into the lower abdomen, as it were. Observe how it expands and contracts with each in and out breath.
Then become aware of the entire inner energy field of your body. Don’t think about it — feel it. By doing this, you reclaim consciousness from the mind. If you find it helpful, repeat the previous meditation, and flood your body with life energy.
When you can feel the inner body clearly as a single field of energy, let go, if possible, of any visual image and focus exclusively on the feeling. If you can, also drop any mental image you may still have of the physical body. All that is left then is an all-encompassing sense of presence, of “beingness,” and the inner body is felt to be without a boundary.
Then take your attention even more deeply into that feeling. Become one with it. Merge with the energy field, so that there is no longer a perceived duality of the observer and the observed, of you and your body. The distinction between inner and outer also dissolves now, so there is no inner body anymore. By going deeply into the body, you have transcended the body.