One with the Sublime in Your Spine! Part Two
Mystics and ancient sages in all spiritual traditions have known that meditation is the gateway to higher states of consciousness, and to an increased sense of bliss and happiness in life in addition to a greater experience of the sublime – a word we have been using to refer to and define - something that is greater than ourselves and where we are able to encounter states of ecstatic bliss.
The writings of early Christian mystics who lived in the desert for approximately three centuries, and that of yogic sages who taught for thousands of years – known for their spiritual writings, practices, and teachings - make many references to esoteric practices, often bearing an incredible similarity to each other.
Variations of the breath technique just described in the last section are practiced and taught today in different traditions. Over the years, I have been taught several variations by my yoga and meditation teachers. You can search for and find some of the variations of spinal breathing on the Internet. Some techniques were passed on from teacher to student in an initiatory way. A few are more complex and remain secret even to this day.
The practice presented here in this course is very accessible and simple and easy. You do not need to add anything else to the technique and anyone can do it. If you continued meditating in this way for the rest of your life, you would still deepen your practice experience profoundly over time…
Ancients knew and taught – mostly to select individuals considered worthy of initiation – that the spine is a supreme vehicle for connecting to the sublime or to something greater than our selves because of the powerful energy centers we have located there. Meditation practices focusing on the spine have been considered a gateway to the Divine for thousands of years.
Ancient Indian and Chinese texts illustrate major energy centers along the spine, in addition to documenting energy points or meridians throughout the body. Indian teachings refer to seven major chakras for example. The energy centers and meridians within our bodies are naturally activated when we receive or do energy work like acupuncture or yoga. These energy centers can especially be activated when we meditate.
The practice of meditation purifies our body and energy system over time. As a result, we can lose our desires for certain foods or behaviors. This is not unusual. Over time, those who practice meditation find themselves committing to greater self-care.
This will affect our eating and drinking choices – what our bodies seems to want or not - will change, often on its own, but it may also affect all things consumed. For example, it may affect our choice of relationships, what we might desire to read or what programming we may feel drawn to watch - even whether nor not to watch the news or engage in social media. This can certainly be another benefit of the practice by simplifying our lives and refining our consumption habits, which invariably frees up more of our time.
If you incorporate this subtle but very powerful breath technique into your overall routine, you will enjoy the additional benefits it will offer. But do remember that you are the best judge of what works for you. Try it for a while and see what effect it may have on you and your overall practice.
I know that if you are willing to put in the time to practice regularly and consistently, it will not be long before you find yourself feeling more joyous, content, and blissful most of the time. And if you keep at it – you’ll find that the times when you are not in that state of peace and contentment will become even more rare. At the very least, you’ll be able to get yourself back on track more quickly!
Reflection/Journaling Question:
What aspect of this section inspired you or surprised you, and why?
What did you learn that you found particularly interesting?
NEXT
Mystics and ancient sages in all spiritual traditions have known that meditation is the gateway to higher states of consciousness, and to an increased sense of bliss and happiness in life in addition to a greater experience of the sublime – a word we have been using to refer to and define - something that is greater than ourselves and where we are able to encounter states of ecstatic bliss.
The writings of early Christian mystics who lived in the desert for approximately three centuries, and that of yogic sages who taught for thousands of years – known for their spiritual writings, practices, and teachings - make many references to esoteric practices, often bearing an incredible similarity to each other.
Variations of the breath technique just described in the last section are practiced and taught today in different traditions. Over the years, I have been taught several variations by my yoga and meditation teachers. You can search for and find some of the variations of spinal breathing on the Internet. Some techniques were passed on from teacher to student in an initiatory way. A few are more complex and remain secret even to this day.
The practice presented here in this course is very accessible and simple and easy. You do not need to add anything else to the technique and anyone can do it. If you continued meditating in this way for the rest of your life, you would still deepen your practice experience profoundly over time…
Ancients knew and taught – mostly to select individuals considered worthy of initiation – that the spine is a supreme vehicle for connecting to the sublime or to something greater than our selves because of the powerful energy centers we have located there. Meditation practices focusing on the spine have been considered a gateway to the Divine for thousands of years.
Ancient Indian and Chinese texts illustrate major energy centers along the spine, in addition to documenting energy points or meridians throughout the body. Indian teachings refer to seven major chakras for example. The energy centers and meridians within our bodies are naturally activated when we receive or do energy work like acupuncture or yoga. These energy centers can especially be activated when we meditate.
The practice of meditation purifies our body and energy system over time. As a result, we can lose our desires for certain foods or behaviors. This is not unusual. Over time, those who practice meditation find themselves committing to greater self-care.
This will affect our eating and drinking choices – what our bodies seems to want or not - will change, often on its own, but it may also affect all things consumed. For example, it may affect our choice of relationships, what we might desire to read or what programming we may feel drawn to watch - even whether nor not to watch the news or engage in social media. This can certainly be another benefit of the practice by simplifying our lives and refining our consumption habits, which invariably frees up more of our time.
If you incorporate this subtle but very powerful breath technique into your overall routine, you will enjoy the additional benefits it will offer. But do remember that you are the best judge of what works for you. Try it for a while and see what effect it may have on you and your overall practice.
I know that if you are willing to put in the time to practice regularly and consistently, it will not be long before you find yourself feeling more joyous, content, and blissful most of the time. And if you keep at it – you’ll find that the times when you are not in that state of peace and contentment will become even more rare. At the very least, you’ll be able to get yourself back on track more quickly!
Reflection/Journaling Question:
What aspect of this section inspired you or surprised you, and why?
What did you learn that you found particularly interesting?
NEXT