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Meditation is a topic that I probably should've thought to cover earlier. When learning witchcraft or any spiritual practice, meditation is an easy skill that seamlessly connects you to your higher self and intuition. Problem: majority of guides make meditation seem ridiculously difficult. You must be in a cross-legged position with your hands forming the symbol of the third-eye. Then you must have a singing bowl chiming every two minutes while a stream is trickling in the distance; this promotes peace and a connect with the divinity within us all. Your mind must be blank and- Wait. Just, wait, waitwaitwait, WAIT. Meditation doesn't have to be that difficult. And it isn't. Meditation is about training your mind, body, and spirit to connect with one another more easily. It can be used with any religious practice, or even if you're not religious. The main thing to keep in mind is that meditation takes practice and patience. Your mind will wander; that's okay. You'll get fidgety; that's okay. Just breathe and keep trying. focusOne of my favorite, and honestly the easiest types of meditation, is focusing on the breath or small task. When you focus on a task, meditation becomes easier. For those who need something to do while meditating, focusing on repetitive actions can be very beneficial. For example, have you ever found yourself driving and suddenly you're home? You don't remember taking the turns or stopping at any lights. Yet you're home and there's no cops saying you sped like a maniac. Your mind was in a state similar to meditation. You were doing an action or task that was you're so accustomed to that it became automatic. Other tasks like this can be knitting, coloring, polishing small objects, or even staring at a candle flame. The candle flame is a popular type of fire meditation; it's used to connect yourself more with the element of fire. If you're so inclined, try lighting a candle and looking into the flame for a few minutes. Notice how it bobs, weaves, and flickers. But the simplest focus meditation you could do is with your breath. You can do this while driving, shopping, working, or just before you go to sleep. Just take about ten seconds to focus on your breathing pattern. You can still think, but focus on your breath. There's a fantastic video interview that was done with a Buddhist monk that explains why focusing on a task or your breath is the best way to meditate: VisualizeWhat I pair with my breathing meditations is visualization. It allows me to move deeper into the meditation and open myself up spiritually and psychically. My favorite method is to picture a white ball of light in the center of my body. I move that ball down into the Earth, letting it grow roots between myself and the rock it's moving through. It moves through every layer of rock down into the center of the mantle at the planet's core. The energy from the mantle then moves up, through the roots, and expands throughout my body in a cleansing light. I use this visualization as quickly or slowly as I please, usually while I listen to rain or ocean waves. The light will flow through each of my body parts until I'm glowing entirely (I usually see this through my third-eye). This light can be expanded out to cover the entire room or house. I've done both and it does take quite a bit of concentration. There are other methods of meditation that aren't magically based. I use meditation for magical practice and ritual, personally. But you can also meditate with a tarot card to contemplate it's meaning or while doing a spell or even just while thinking of a problem and asking your Guides for help. MindfulnessAnother way to practice meditation is through mindfulness exercises. It's an easy way to ease meditation into your day as well. For example, the next time you're eating take a look at the food. Look closely at the details. Let's say I'm eating buttered garlic pasta with Parmesan. I'm going to see eat grain of cheese and garlic entwined with the noodles, which happen to glisten with the butter sauce. I'm going to smell the garlic and butter; it'll fill my nostrils completely. When I take a bite, I'm going to chew slowly and acknowledge all the flavors mixing in my mouth. This is food meditation; you're aware of what you're eating and acknowledging every moment from eating utensil to swallowing. Here's some other exercises you can try:
The main thing you need to remember about meditation is to relax. Your meditative practice is unique to you. Take it at your own pace. For more mindfulness exercises, check out this article.
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