Below is a description of the Roy Masters meditation practice, with my modifications to it. While I will describe it in writing, it is, however, far easier, especially at first, to learn it while listening to a compact disc program. Mr. Masters offers his exercise on a cassette tape or CD.
The Basic Meditation Procedure:
Sit in a straight-backed chair, with your arms hanging loosely at your side. A variation is to lie down and place your hands at your sides. Close your eyes.
Become aware of your right hand. Just notice it. Do not concentrate on it or visualize it, exactly. Just be aware of it and notice it. Do not force anything to happen.
It is often easier to be aware of one finger at a time rather than the whole hand at once. Move your awareness from finger to finger, but do not move your awareness to the rest of your body. Keep your awareness on your hand. It should start to tingle a little bit.
At the same time, look through the middle of your forehead, as though you were sitting inside your head and looking out. It should feel like you are sitting inside a cave with nothing much to look at, so you just look straight ahead. Do not roll your eyes up in your head or do anything else. Just look out of your head through the middle of your forehead.
Modifying the Roy Masters exercise. The Roy Masters meditation must be modified for maximum effect. The modification is simple. One must move energy downward through the head and the body, into the right hand. Later one must move the energy into both hands and into both feet. This must be done continuously and forcefully.
In order to do this, one must relax the body a lot, more and more, so that more energy will move through it. Also, one must relax the muscles a lot so that the energy will flow. Also, the back must be straight, either in a sitting or lying down or even a standing position, but the spine must be straight. This is all there is to it.
Allow and assist energy to flow into the top of the head and down the body to the right hand. Encourage this energy to flow by drawing it down into the body and them move it to the right hand. Slowly this flow and the tingling of the right hand will increase. Eventually, you will allow and move the energy down from the head into both hands and then into the feet as well. This is more advanced, but is another excellent aspect of the exercise.
To enhance the exercise, empty the body and mind and imagine the energy flowing into the void or emptiness of the body. You can imagine a giant vacuum cleaner or force pulling the energy down from the top of the head and into the right hand and down to the feet. You can also imagine standing under a giant shower or waterfall with the energy cascading down into the body and down the front of the body. These visualizations may help a process that is real, namely bringing the energy down from the head to the feet as forcefully as you can.
Advanced ideas. Ways that an help move more energy through the body include:
- Push the body down, mentally. This is like closing an accordion or squeezing a sponge downward. I am not sure why this works, but it seems to move more energy through much better. Fold the body down like an accordion, and place your head under your feet with the body squeezed into a small space like a closed accordion.
Ø Move the attention from one finger to another. This was mentioned earlier.
Ø Think of the exercise as being like magnetizing a metal rod by continually stroking it in one direction only.
Ø Think of inducing a current in a wire (the body) by moving energy downward only through the body. Never move the energy sideways, and the worst thing to do is to move it upwards. Never move energy in any direction except straight downwards for maximum effect and safety.
Ø You can either or push, or pull or draw the energy down the front of the body. Pulling or drawing the energy down is usually a little better, like drawing Heaven down to earth. Any visualization that you can think of to help with this may move more energy down the body.
Ø Move the energy not just down to the feet but somewhat beyond or below the feet. This also appears to help.
Distractions. You will probably find you cannot do the exercise for very long without becoming distracted. Thoughts arise, as may songs, memories or things you have to do later that day. Your body may itch or hurt, or you may even fall asleep. Just observe the thoughts and feelings without judgment and then bring your attention back to your hand.
Bring the attention back to the right hand thousands of times, if needed. Slowly, your mind will learn not to stray quite as much. You are training part of your mind to observe at all times. Some days will be easier than others.
Results. You may notice results within a week or less, or results may take longer. You may feel calmer, more detached, and you may gain insights. Often the insights will not come while meditating. They may come while you are doing the dishes or driving your car.
Each time you meditate, you alter the way you perceive the world. You will see things slightly differently. Some of what you see may not be pleasant. Just watch it all from a neutral place.
PROCEDURAL MATTERS
· Do the exercise as much as you can and, if possible, at least twice a day. You can do it anytime and anywhere, although certainly do not do it while driving or some other dangerous activity. Roy Masters teaches that eventually you will be doing the exercise 24 hours a day.
· Each time you practice it, do the exercise as though it were the first time. It should never become a habit or mechanical. Do it a little deeper each time.
· Make meditation part of your lifestyle. Schedule it into your day so you don’t overlook this important new part of your life.
· Be patient. Benefits come in their own time, not when you think they should.
· Some days it will be easier to meditate than others. Several months to years may be required to refocus your mind. Just keep at it. It is something like training or retraining an old dog or cat. It may not be easy and the old reactive mind or ‘monkey mind’, as some call it, will fight you hard at times to stay in control, and to keep you out of control.
· If at all possible, be open to seeing the truth about everything, and to waking up and seeing yourself as you really are. You will see your faults and shortcomings. You will also become aware of many qualities and abilities that you didn't know you had. This is all part of the process as you become free of your past and all the false notions that you learned from your environment.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE MEDITATING
It is perfectly normal to have difficulty meditating with this exercise at times, particularly when starting out. Here are several suggestions:
- Make meditation part of your daily lifestyle.
· Set things up so you have the time to do it in peace.
· Turn off the phone and, if needed, arrange for someone to watch children.
· Go to the office early if you cannot meditate at home.
· Ideally, set up a special room and chair that you use just for meditation.
· On difficult days, think of disciplining an unruly child who has been spoiled for 40 or more years. Sometimes it will resist a lot. Don’t worry about it. Just say, “OK, we’ll do our best and perhaps better tomarrow.”
· If you are an athlete or train at anything, you know that training involves good and bad days. Just take it all in stride. Meditation involves discipline, which comes from the same root as the word ‘disciple’. It is not about forcing things. It is about gently staying with or following your path and the results will come.
Gimmicks. Use gimmicks to help you stay with meditation. An excellent gimmick, if it can be called that, is to use a CD or cassette tape to help you maintain your focus and to time your sessions.
Another gimmick is to do the exercise while walking slowly, if you cannot sit still, as I have had trouble doing. I also learned to meditate while doing a coffee enema that was part of a physical healing program I undertook. It was a perfect time to meditate, as I was forced to lie still for 20 minutes or so while retaining the enema.
Any place you are confined to a chair such as during an airplane flight or at a pleasant concert can be an excellent place to meditate. Meditate in the bathroom stall if that is the only peaceful place where you find yourself.
MEDITATION GROUPS
Some people function better alone, while others prefer a group setting for prayer and meditation. Therefore I will discuss the benefits and disadvantages of each situation.
Benefits of groups. These are many. Among them are:
· Social networking and social interaction. This may ease tensions, spreads friendships and love, and relaxes some people.
· A positive group setting. For some people, getting out of their home or work environment and going to a clean, happy group setting is a wonderful benefit, especially if the home is chaotic, noisy or lack moral and other types of support for the person.
However, this usually involves more time, driving, and some disruption of one’s regular schedule, so a balance must be struck.
· Dealing with meditation problems. Groups can sometimes bring up and deal with problems that occur during meditation better. These have been discussed in the paragraphs above.
· Help with discipline and consistency. Groups definitely help those who are not as good with discipline.
· Group love and healing. This means that there is an energy in a good group that can relax, ease tensions and help heal everyone in the group. Some need and want this more than others. Very advanced students may be held back by this energy, however.
· More learning. Group settings can be good for spreading more knowledge.
· Spiritual development and healing, especially for beginners. Group energies can be extremely beneficial and positive for new members, especially. This has to do with the field of energy that is created by any group process.
· Easier for some guides to work with groups. Guidance is real and present always. Guides can often work more easily with some prayer and meditation groups because there is a common, shared bond of energy. This is most important, once again, for beginners. Later, guides prefer working on one person at a time in a more isolated setting such as at home, rather than in a diverse group with many levels of energies and abilities.
Problems with groups. These include:
· Slows the more developed people. The energy of the group is often not clean and pure enough for a more advanced person. Thus groups are usually best for beginners, although not all of the time.
· Inadequate leadership can disrupt or even ruin a group.
· Distractions. For example, socializing and networking at group meetings is fun, but can waste time and be distracting for the more serious participants.
· Power and control issues, at times. Struggles often develop in groups for leadership, for time spent talking to the group, and other things. This can dilute the benefits of the group.
· Logistics problems. One must drive and spend extra time going to and from the group. Group meetings may be at inconvenient times or places. People may have to wait for the group, and go at the pace of the group. All of this, at times, can waste valuable time.
· Going off course. Groups can easily deviate from the stated purpose of the group. This is often led by beginners who don’t understand the purpose of the group well enough. It must be stopped gently but firmly. Otherwise, the group transforms into something different than it was intended.
· Safety. Sometimes groups are not safe, as predators may join to pick up women or men, or for other selfish reasons. Leaders need to be sensitive to such issues.
· Advanced students generally make faster progress on their own, though not necessarily.
HOW TO COPE WITH WHAT COMES UP DURING MEDITATION SESSIONS
One reason some do not continue with meditation is the fact that, at times, negative thoughts or feelings from within a person arise and this can be very disconcerting. If possible, learn to just observe whatever comes up during meditation.
Be grateful for seeing the truth, even if it is unpleasant. You do not have to react in any way. Definitely do not judge yourself or others. If you wallow in your thoughts or insights, it will keep them around. It is best to view all thoughts, emotions and insights as you would view clouds in the sky. As they arise, just observe them and let them go.
HOW DOES THIS MEDITATION DIFFER FROM THE OTHER EXERCISES?
Prayer, for some people, is not so different from this meditation in some ways. Both can involve asking and emptying the self, for example. However, many times prayer is a more rote exercise for people involving just the repeating of various words and phrases. This is not the same. This meditation does not require or involve any words or phrases or mantras at all. In fact, it is purely energetic and if you add any words, prayers or mantras to it, you will either negate it altogether or at least weaken its effect.
However, to say a prayer at the beginning, and even for a while at the end to help with closure, is fine. But realize the exercise is very specific to bring in a new energy by emptying the self of the old.
Prayers also often specific rituals and doctrines. This meditation requires no doctrine whatsoever. The only ritual is to empty the self and allow and even force the energy down from the head into the hand and eventually the feet. That is all. One’s religion, nationality or belief systems do not matter in the least.
In fact, this is a danger with this meditation, in that anyone can use it for his or her benefit, even if the person is not the most honest or high integrity person. This is a danger with this method. I am not too concerned, however, because the exercise takes a fair amount of work and dedication to receive the benefits.
Is it a religion? This exercise is certainly not a religion, and can be done by anyone, as stated above. However, I see it as the basis for a new religion, perhaps. The reason is that it is a way to get in touch with oneself, which is the real meaning and desire of religions. The danger, of course, is that someone will design a religion around the exercise and fill it with other rituals and doctrines until the basic exercise is forgotten. This has happened before in history.
Is it relaxation, visualization, self-hypnosis and concentration? The exercise does involve some visualization and some concentration. However, these are not the goal or the central focus of the exercise. That is how it differs from most of these other exercises. This meditation is certainly not self-hypnosis, a concept that is the very opposite of wanting to remove or eliminate all hypnotic tendencies of the mind.
Repetition of words, phrases or mantras tends to produce a somewhat hypnotic state, and this is one reason this is not employed with this exercise.
What about breathing with the exercise? This is not required. Adding special breathing, such as counting to 10, or holding the mouth or tongue a special way, can definitely distract one and slow progress with this exercise.
If one wishes, a very simple breathing method called circle breathing may be used an might enhance progress. One simply moves energy up the back during the inhale and down the front of the body on the exhale. That is all there is to it. However, recall that one is supposed to be moving energy down the body at all times, so this should be done as well. In fact, energy will circulate this way – up the back and down the front – to some degree. However, pushing the energy or drawing the energy down the front is by far the most critical and important.
MEDITATION AND THE PURPOSE OF LIFE
This exercise concerns some basic qualities of life on a metaphysical level:
· Self-awareness. This is a purely human trait, one not shared much by animals or other life forms. This meditation directly assists anyone to increase self-awareness.
· Healing. While diet, lifestyle, nutritional supplements and detoxification are all critical and never to be overlooked, the mind is also very important for healing. It is either your friend and ally or, in many people, it just gets in the way. Worry, fears, desires, racing around all the time and other things use up most people’s energy. This meditation can do a lot to bring the mind under your control and learn to use it to assist healing on many levels.
· Spiritual development. The development of the chakras or energy centers of the body is everyone’s birthright as a human being. Very few, however, make much progress with it. This meditation allows it and assists it easily. This can extend life and allow achievements that most people cannot even imagine. We have all read about the possible unfoldment of super-human abilities in ordinary human beings. This meditation may allow this to occur for you as well.
Most people live the ego lifestyle, going from goal to goal, often trampling others to achieve their goals. Meditation allows you to grow from the inside. You will find, if you do the exercise regularly, that your outer life, work, relationships, family matters and more will change for the better, often in unusual ways. As you meditate, you let go of the blocks that are in the way of your happiness and success.
References
Masters, R., How Your Mind Can Keep You Well, The Foundation of Human Understanding, Grants Pass, Oregon, www.fhu.com.