Edgar Cayce's Meditation for Everyone

Welcome! There is no greater adventure than this inward one called meditation. It is safe, it is easy, and you will find within your own mind and heart an endless stream of treasures!

Meditation in Seven Steps:

Step One: Find a comfortable position. Keep your spine straight, legs uncrossed, and relax any tense muscles in your body.

Step Two:  Head-and-neck exercises. Do each of the following three times: head forward, head backward, head to the right shoulder, head to the left shoulder, rotate head in a complete circle clockwise, rotate head in a complete circle counterclockwise. Do not strain or force.

Step Three:  Deep breathing exercises. Fill lungs from bottom to top, exhale from top to bottom. Breathe in through your right nostril and out through your mouth; repeat three times. Breathe in through your left nostril and out through your right; repeat three times.

Step Four: Special meditation aids can be used as desired. Music, incense, chants, personal rituals, inspirational reading, prayers and theprayer of protection. Send out light and constructive energies to the people on your personal prayer list.

Step Five: Affirmation and prayer for deeper meditation. Move through the three stages of focusing on the affirmation: thinking about it, feeling it, experiencing it. Return to the thinking stage whenever the mind wanders. Allow ten to fifteen minutes for Step Five. Healing prayer. 

StepSix: Decision making. Test any tentative decisions you have made according to the decision-making exercise.

Step Seven: Health tips for improved meditation.

Head-and-neck exercises

Note: All head-and-neck exercises should be done slowly and gently, without straining or forcing the muscles in any way.

1. Stretch to Front: Repeat three times

Sit in an upright position. Tip head forward, trying to touch chin to chest.

Return head to upright position.

 

2.Stretch to Back: Repeat three times.

Sit in an upright position. Tip head backward, as if to look at the ceiling.

Return head to upright position.

 

3. Stretch to Side: Repeat three times to right; three times to left:

Sit in uprightposition.

Tip head towardshoulder, as if to

touch it with your ear.

Incorrrect: Shouldershould not lift

or shrug.

Return toupright position.

Step Three: Breathing Exercises

Three-Stage Deep Breathing

Filling the Lungs:

Stage 1: Fill bottom of lungs; abdomen expands.

Stage 2: Fill middle thirdof lungs; chestcavity expands.

Stage 3: Fill top third of lungs; shoulders lift.

Emptying the lungs:

Stage 1: Top third of lungs empties first,

shoulders relax.

Stage 2: Chest cavity contracts, pushing air outof middle third of lungs.

Stage 3: Abdomen is pulled in, forcing all

remaining airout of lungs.

Repeat three times, again using the three stage deep-breathing exercise.

Alternate-Nostril Breathing

Left nostril is held closed, air is drawn in through right nostril.

Air is exhaled through mouth.

Right nostril is held closed; air is drawn in through left nostril.

Left nostril is then closed; air is exhaled through the open right nostril.

Repeat three times, again using the three stage deep-breathing exercise.

Steps Four: Special Meditation Aids

Special meditation aids can be used as desired. Music, incense, chants, personal rituals, inspirational reading, prayers, and the prayer of protection. Send out light and constructive energies to the people on your personal prayer list.

Music for Meditating: Music preferences vary widely, even among people who meditate. However, here are a few suggestions to get you started:

The Fairy Ring, Mike Rowland Pachelbel: Canon (Many versions, some especially arranged for meditation) River of Stars, 2002 Crystals, Llewellyn Adagio: Music for Meditation, Peter Davison

Chants for Meditation: The Cayce readings recommend certain chants as very effective in connecting us with spiritual realms.Take a long, deep breath, and chant these sounds as you slowly exhale. See if you can make the sounds vibrate deeply within yourself. Repeat up to a dozen times or more before meditating.

In reading 1158-10, we are told that the following syllables awaken the ability to draw God’s love. (The “e” and “o” are both “long,” as in “seek” and “home.”)ahrrrrrr—eeeee—ooooo—mmmmmA second chant uses a variant of the four Hebrew letters of Yahweh. This chant, according to reading 2533-8, can awaken within us the ability to know ourselves to be individuals, yet one with the Whole.Yah—hay—vah—hay

Prayers:

The Lord’s PrayerOur Father which art in heaven,Hallowed be thy name.Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread.And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

A Prayer of ProtectionAs I open myself to the unseen forces that surround the throne of beauty, grace, and

might, I throw about myself the protection that is found in the thoughts of Him.

The Twenty-Third PsalmThe Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.Make a Personal Prayer List:

Take time to hold in the light people who have asked for your prayers or given you permission to pray for them.

Steps Five: Sample Affirmations for Use in Deeper Meditation

Oneness Love I am at peace. Let me be a channel of blessings to all I meet. God is love. Peace, be still. All is well. I am at one with the universe. Let Thy healing power flow through me, in my life, day by day.

   Stage One: Think about what the words of the affirmation mean.

   Stage Two: As you continue thinking about what the affirmation means, you begin to feel what it means.

   Stage Three:As you hold on to the feeling of the affirmation, your awareness shifts to experiencing it.

If you notice your mind has wandered, and you gently go back to Stage One.

Step Six: Decision Making with Meditation

This is an optional exercise that can be used to test any tentative decisions you need to make.

Part One: List the decisions you need to make in different areas of your life:

Work:____________________________________Relationships:_____________________________Errands:_________________________________

Finances:________________________________Purchases:_______________________________Family:__________________________________Health:__________________________________Other:___________________________________

Part Two:

Select one small decision you want to make, and formulate a question that can be answered “yes” or “no”:

Consider the decision from as many angles as possible. Of what facts and issues are you already aware?

Will your decision affect others? If so, how?

What are the likely consequences of each way of deciding? Yes and No

  “Yes” "No"

GoodResults

  

  

UnwantedResults

  

  

Breathe into your heart three times, and then see how you feel as you imagine going with a “yes” decision. Also watch for any images that might come to mind. Repeat with a “no” decision.

Hold each answer together with your spiritual ideal and your ethical views.

Considering all of your answers so far, make a tentative decision: Now, put this tentative decision aside and meditate.

At the conclusion of your quiet time, silently ask your “yes” or “no” question, give the tentative answer you reached earlier, and then wait for any feelings or images that come to mind. What would you say is your “inner” answer? If you are unsure of your inner guidance, you may repeat these steps on another day. However, if you feel confident that your decision is the right one, think about how you might act on your decision.

Take the action, and watch for results.

Health Tips for Meditation

Remember that meditation and a healthy body can work together in a constructive cycle. The practice of meditation is an important element in your overall program for maintaining good health. Good health practices in your daily life will aid your meditation life. Below are areas to which you might want to pay particular attention:

Healthy DietEat a good, balanced diet, with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains. The Edgar Cayce readings recommended:

o that 80 percent of the diet consist of non-starchy vegetables and fruits, with the remaining 20 percent provided by proteins, cereals, and starches.

o that meat intake consist mainly of fish, fowl, and lamb, with red meat eaten only sparingly and pork rarely or never.

o that we avoid overly processed foods, all fried foods, and foods containing white flour and/or sugar.

Rest and RecreationAdequate rest and recreation are essential parts of a balanced lifestyle. Be sure to get adequate sleep in order to avoid fatigue during your meditation experience. Recreation helps to relax both your body and mind, which is important when you sit down to meditate.

Eliminate Toxins from Your BodyThe elimination of toxins—the waste products left over after the body has digested and metabolized its food—is crucial to good health. You eliminate toxins through your skin, lungs, bowels, and kidneys. The following practices are all helpful:

o Breathe deeply and fully, remembering to exhale completely. Breathing exercises before meditation help here, but you should also develop the habit of breathing deeply throughout the day.

o Drink at least six to eight glasses of pure water daily, which will help remove toxins and wastes from your body.

o Bowel eliminations should be kept regular through proper diet (including lots of fiber) and exercise, especially walking.

ExerciseExercise will help keep your body healthy and aid in stress reduction. Always check with your doctor before embarking on any new program of exercise. Moderate, consistent exercise is more helpful than sporadic, strenuous workouts. Gentle stretching and daily walks will go a long way toward keeping you fit and releasing tensions.

Finally, remember that you are a whole person, with all parts working together. Your attitudes and emotions are vital to good health. As you meditate daily, it will have an impact on your physical health. As you pay attention to basic health practices listed here, you’ll find your meditation life enhanced as well.

Meditation: While Cayce sometimes described particular meditation techniques of sitting or chanting "Arrr--eee-oommm" the crucial element, he believed, is that of opening up to divine influences. The Search For God books say that "Through prayer we speak to God. In meditation, God speaks to us." Cayce's concept of meditation has some aspects in common with Hinduism or Buddhism (the chakras, kundalini) but is most similar to Christian versions of New Thought. The symbolism of the Book of Revelation, he says, is based on meditative experiences.

Lack of Focus

In case of lack of focus, it is very important that we understand the importance of any work before we start doing it. If we want to meditate and our mind wants to do something else, this is just one way of mind to deviate us from a good job. Because if we are not hundred percent sincere and honest to meditation, we would though be sitting in meditation, but our mind would be somewhere else. In such a case, we need to do more of Nadi Shodhana, Surya Namaskara and very importantly, practice mantra japa. Mantra japa helps us make strong sankalpa (the power to do strong resolve). You can achieve, what you want, provided your resolve has the power. And your resolve gets power through mantra japa. The Pranav Meditation technique is the best way to practice mantra japa. Watch the video as Gurumaa explains the right technique to practice mantra japa.

Q: I am trying to do trataka. I made a circle on my computer screen and am gazing at it. According to my understanding, I should be thoughtless while doing trataka but lot of thoughts come into my mind while gazing at the black dot. How can I stop these thoughts? Another thing is that can I play mahamrityunjaya mantra while doing trataka in the background or should mantra japa be done separately? Please give me your valuable advice.

A: Jayakrishna no.1: in trataka, the focus is definitely not on controlling your thoughts or making an effort to reduce the number of thoughts coming into your conscious mind. If you are using my suggested cd - the tratak album, then you should be very clear about the fact that before you begin the trataka & even at the time of trataka, your focus is more on the breath and elongating it. And second, focus is on the spot where you are fixing your gaze. So if you are doing these 2 things then but obviously, the flow of the thoughts would definitely recede.

But as such if thoughts are arising - why do you need to clear them or fight with your own thoughts or why argue that I am having thoughts? Just

remain totally unbiased & watch the thoughts which are coming & if you don’t identify yourself with these thoughts, then the thoughts would just come & go like clouds.

Secondly, you can play maha mrityunjaya mantra in the back ground if you wish to do so. If that helps, it is fine, as long as you are giving time to yourself to evolve consciously; I am pleased with that.

Not able to concentrate?

Q: I am not able to concentrate during meditation. Please give me detail method of doing meditation?

A: Well, concentration is a different thing & meditation is different. For now, why don’t you do some mantra? Choose any mantra – “Mool Mantra“, “Maha Mrityunjaya“, “Om Namah Shivaya“, “Waheguru Mantra”. I have just recently given these 3-4 albums; you can log on to my website to get that & use that. Sing along, chant in your heart, chant it silently & this should help you.

And wait for some more time to finally move in meditation. With mantra japa you may begin Paranayama. There is a DVD called “Shwason Ka Vigyan“. You get that & practice with that.

In this informative video, Gurumaa explains the benefits of effective mantra chanting. The posture we sit in, how we breathe, how we focus our mind and the feeling we bring to our chanting, all make a huge difference. Mantra chanting done correctly and sincerely has a great impact, both on our body and mind. Our reflexes become sharper, our body becomes healthier and the power of our mind to handle anything – favourable or unfavourable - increases.

A trained mind is effective in whatever it does, whereas an untrained mind diffuses our energies outwards. When we train our mind to focus on the mantra, the mantra thus has a powerful effect on us. We can say that a trained mind is like a laser beam which is fully concentrated on what it needs to do at a specific moment. Listen attentively as Gurumaa reveals the method to harness our concentration so that we can reap the full benefits of mantra chanting and accomplish our goals in life.

Kapalbhati & Bhastrika

In this video Gurumaaji expounds upon two breathing techniques Kapalbhati and Bhastrika Pranayam. Leading our busy and hectic lives, many of us have forgotten the right way to breathe. Breathing properly helps our body increase its intake of oxygen, which in turn leads to a more

healthy and energetic body. It also helps expulsion of toxic products and carbon dioxide and cleanses our entire system. Breathing properly also leads to a calm and peaceful mind free of worry and anxiety.Bhastrika Pranayam is aimed at keeping the inhalation cycle equal to exhalation, yet making breath deeper and longer. Deep breath inwards and long exhalation outwards with equal time intervals constitutes this pranayam technique. Kapalbhati is another technique where short and strong forceful exhalations are stressed upon and inhalation happens automatically.Cleanse your breath with pranayam following Gurumaaji’s instructions in this video and enjoy the moments of silence and stillness that follow it.