I believe in the power of meditation to bring inner peace and harmony to all beings. Join me on a journey to uncover the Peaceful Warrior within through the practice of spiritual meditation.

Spiritual meditation is one of the main roads to personal enlightenment. If we seek a closer relationship to Spirit and our own spirituality, we could begin by establishing a daily habit of meditating. We can start off slowly by meditating for a few minutes, and gradually increase the length of time as we develop.

Spiritual meditation is about more than stress release or relaxation. It's a profound practice that fosters a connection with your Higher Self, your I AM Presence, and your Spirit Guides. It is to connect to a realm beyond this 3-D physical reality, and to connect to Spirit, the Source of all existence.

As you delve deeper into your meditation practice, you may develop an awareness of your Inner Warrior, uncover your personal life purpose, and develop the inspiration to walk with strong strides on your path towards spiritual transformation .

Two prime rules of meditation are to:                                                                                                                                                           1) remain focused. Be focused and mindful of whatever you are doing and feeling in the present moment..                             2) have patience, especially with yourself.

               The 7 Chakra System

What are chakras? The word "chakra" translates as "disc" or "wheel" in Indian Sanskrit, and refers to the energy centers, or energy vortices in your body, There are 7 main chakras which run along the spine, from the base of the spine to the crown of your head. These spinning discs of energy should be aligned and balanced, as they correlate with major organs and areas of our energetic system that may influence our emotional and physical state of being. 

Chakras are located in the "energy body" which resides within our physical body. The energy body, unlike the physical body, is invisible, and cannot be detected with our 5 senses. When our chakras are in balance, our qi (life force) flows freely, and leads to harmony and the well-being of our body, mind, and spirit.

Each of the 7 chakras resonate with a specific colour, or vibration of light of the energy centers. The 7 colours, from the base of our spine to the crown of our head are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet - which are the same colours of  rainbows.

 

LOCATION, COLOURS, AND ROLE OF EACH CHAKRA:

1st chakra - The root chakra (red), is located at the base of the spine, in the region of the perineum - between the genitals and the anus. The root chakra relates to security and survival, and helps you feel grounded. 

2nd chakra - The sacral chakra, or lower dantien (orange), is located about 3 finger widths below the belly button. "Dantien" translates to "field of elixir"). The lower dantien is linked to desires, sexual and creative energy, and self worth. It's also connected to your relationship to your emotions and the emotions of others.

3rd chakra - The solar plexus chakra (yellow), just as the name suggests, is located in the solar plexus area - between the upper abdomen and the chest bone (sternum). The solar plexus chakra relates to confidence, and helps you feel productive and in control of your life.

4th chakra - The heart chakra, or middle dantien (green), is located on the centerline of the chest, at the level of the heart.  The middle dantien relates to compassion and unconditional love.

5th chakra - The throat chakra (blue), is located at the base of the throat, just above the notch at the top of the sternum. The throat chakra is linked to acceptance, creativity, and communicating your personal "Truth".

6th chakra - The 3rd eye chakra, or upper dantien (indigo), is situated on the forehead, between the eyes, at the level of the eyebrows. The upper dantien is linked to your intuition, spirituality, and imagination.

7th chakra - The crown chakra (violet), is located at the top of the head, or slightly above, lining up vertically with both ears (at the area of a baby's frontal fontanelle - the soft spot). The crown chakra connects to spirituality, inner peace, and your purpose in life.

 

Each of the 7 chakras has a front and a back (with the exception of the root chakra and the crown chakra).                        The front part of a chakra is in the front of the body, and the back part of a chakra faces the back of the body.                  The chakra system runs along the spine vertically, and crosses horizontally through our physical body.

 

Chakras and Dantien 

 

Dantien are the main reservoirs of energy, or qi. Loosely translated, dantien means "field of elixir".

What differentiates a chakra from a dantien?  Although similar, chakras and dantien are not the same thing.  Chakras act as doorways for our qi to pass through, while a dantien is considered a cauldron, reservoir, or field for storing our qi, which is to be distributed throughout our body. Chakras and dantien are both energy centers, while dantiens are also reservoirs. 

When we focus on a particular chakra, we stimulate its energy.

                                                                                    

 

Meditation Mudras (Hand Positions)

                                          Palm over Palm                                                                                             Thumb to Finger

 

 

There are many acceptable hand positions, but the "palm over palm" is one of my personal favourites, and it is also one of the most commonly practised mudras in meditation. It's known for building focus, heighten internal awareness, calm the mind, and stimulate the intellect.                                                                                                                                                              Rest your right hand in your left hand, both palms facing upwards. Touch the tips of your thumbs together lightly, and keep the fingers together. Position your hands in front, with the tips of your thumbs approximately at the level of your belly button.

Another favourite mudra of mine is the "thumb to finger" mudra. This hand position is also a commonly used mudra in meditation which is known to stimulate wisdom and concentration.                                                                                              Connect your thumb and index finger, while resting your hands on your knees, palms facing upwards. 

Personally, I prefer the "palm over palm" mudra because I find that this hand position directs my qi (life force) inward into my mid section, while the "thumb to finger" mudra, with hands resting on knees seems to send my qi outwards. However, they both work, and I suggest that you experiment to find the mudra which best suits you.

 

Seated Positions - Lotus, Chair, Bed.

                 Lotus Seated Pose

Seated on Chair Pose

 

 

THE QUARTER/HALF/OR FULL LOTUS POSITIONS:

There are many photos of people meditating in a lotus position. Unfortunately, this could lead you to believe that sitting in lotus position is the only way to meditate correctly, but I disagree. Spiritual meditation is not a competitive sport, and these lotus positions can be challenging if you aren't used to doing them, so use your judgement. When seated in lotus position, your knees should not be above the height of your waist, but your knees should be gently resting against your feet, although you can adjust yourself to feel comfortable.  All 3 of these lotus postures require a lot of hip flexibility to avoid putting too much stress on your knee joints. These positions require significant lower body flexibility, so don't attempt any of these if you suffer from  hip or knee issues. Trying to force your body into any one of these lotus positions can be more harmful than beneficial. It's difficult enough, even when comfortable to remain calm and focused. To be constantly distracted by discomfort is not the goal.

SEATED POSITIONS:

a) Seated in a chair:  I believe that the prime objective with meditation is to be comfortable so you can focus on meditating, rather than being distracted by any discomfort. I believe that meditating in a chair offers similar benefits that sitting in a lotus position does. Sit with legs uncrossed, shoulder width apart, with the soles of both feet planted firmly on the floor, parallel to each other. This will help you "ground" into the earth, and also aligns your feet, knees, and hips.  Shift close to the front edge of the chair so that your spine is in an upright, comfortable position. Tuck your chin slightly to lengthen the back of your neck, and create a slight space under your armpits (this fosters an open flow of energy).        Drop your shoulders, and stretch your head upwards to the sky while dropping your butt downwards to earth.  This will allow your vertebrae to "open" and your spine to extend. One common error is to sit with your back arched tightly, as in a military pose. Make sure that your back isn't arched, slouched, or hunched over - sit with your head and neck aligned with your spine. If uncomfortable, you could rest your back against the back of the chair, but try to retain a good posture. Now, lightly close your eyes, and focus your attention inwards at belly button level, shutting out the outer world. Smile slightly - this will activate your heart chakra and encourage a positive, loving attitude.

b) Seated on a bed:  In order to be successful with our meditation, one has to be comfortable, so if necessary, you can sit on a bed, with your back against a headboard or a wall. Sit upright with a pillow propping up your knees, with your knees slightly bent, and place both feet close to each other, *legs uncrossed, in a comfortable position. Try to retain a good posture by sitting with your back straight, but not arched or hunched over. If necessary, place a pillow or two behind your back to ensure a straight spine. .

*Why should you keep your legs uncrossed?  When one leg is placed over the other one, it can compromise your circulation, and make your legs fall asleep.

Perhaps you've noticed that I've repeatedly brought up the subject of your comfort level while meditating. It's counter-productive to be constantly distracted by pain, so our main goal is to find a stable, yet comfortable position which allows your body to remain relaxed, and your mind to keep focused. I encourage you to explore various meditative positions for yourself and decide what works best for you. The best position is one that allows you to be comfortable but alert. None will be perfect, but it's worthwhile making the effort to find a suitable one.

 

Dantien (Belly, or Diaphragmatic Breathing)

 

DANTIEN BREATHING:

Dantien breathing (also known as belly, or diaphragmatic breathing), is a form of breath control. It's a practice which sinks your qi to your lower dantien, calming your mind and grounding your energy.

Begin by sitting comfortably, with chin tucked in, back straight, *tongue to the roof of your mouth,  hands on your lap.        and feet rooted to earth (if seated in a chair).  Visualize an invisible string pulling your head upwards to the sky, while dropping your tailbone towards earth. This should allow your vertebrae to separate, fostering a smooth flow of qi.      Relax and drop your shoulders, before taking a few full, deep breaths into your belly. Be mindful of your inhales and exhales as it comes and goes in 4 phases - like ocean waves lapping onto the shore, then receding back out to the open ocean:

1) inhale,  2) slight pause,  3) exhale,  4) slight pause.

As you inhale, your belly expands outward like an inflating balloon...pause slightly...then exhale, while contracting your belly - like a deflating balloon. Allow your chest to rise and fall naturally, but as a secondary movement to your  lower belly.

*Why should you place the tip of your tongue lightly to the roof of your mouth?                                                                        Just as a house has wiring with electricity running through, you  have an energy circuit which naturally rotates around your body in an orbit. The qi (energy) starts at your perineum, moves up your spine and neck, over the top of your head, down your forehead and into the roof of your mouth. Here is where the energy jumps a gap to your tongue, continues down the front of your body, and back to your perineum, which completes the circuit. Most of the time, especially while talking, there is separation between the roof of your mouth and your tongue, which interrupts and weakens the flow of electricity (energy).  When you intentionally place your tongue to the roof of your mouth, it completes the circuit. So, just as a turned-on  light switch completes the connection and activates the lights in the house, the energy running up your back is connected with the energy running down the front, completing your body's energy circuit, and allowing a continuous orbit of qi (energy) to flow around your body. The orbiting of qi is known as the "Microcosmic Orbit".

BENEFITS OF DANTIEN BREATHING:

Dantien breathing has a positive affect on your overall well-being, it alleviates  stress, and promotes a sense of calmness and security. It increases blood circulation to your organs, improving organ function.                                                              The practice of dantien breathing also tones your vagus nerve, which starts at your brainstem and travels down to the colon area. The vagus nerve affects your digestion, cardiovascular functions, heart rate, immune system and breathing.

 

 

 

The 3 Dantiens

As stated previously, there are 7 main chakras, but for my spiritual meditation I focus on the chakra areas known as the "3 dantiens", which are:   1) the sacral (lower dantien),   2) the heart (middle dantien), and   3) the 3rd eye (upper dantien).  These 3 dantiens are believed to be instrumental for developing not only your physical health, but also your higher consciousness.

LOWER DANTIEN: 

Of the 3 dantiens, the energy residing at the lower dantien has the lowest frequency and is the densest. It is the primary reservoir for storing life force energy, and is closely associated with the root chakra and the solar plexus chakra. When we focus on the lower dantien, it triggers and draws the qi from the root chakra, and when the qi (life force) is properly cultivated here, it rises upward to the middle dantien, and encourages the opening of the heart. In normal practice, the lower dantien is used as a battery to store our qi, and is considered to be the seat of our thoughts and emotions.  Martial artists draw upon stored qi from this dantien for power when fighting. Most *qigong practitioners focus on building qi in this dantien.

*Qigong is the study, research, and nurturing of our life force (energy) - usually practiced with the combination of controlled, soft breathing, and attentive, slow, deliberate movements. 

MIDDLE DANTIEN: 

We also store qi in our middle dantien, but to a lesser degree. We can build our qi here, and allow it to naturally release the qi to where it is required. From the middle dantien, martial artists are able to draw upon quick, explosive energy for fighting purposes, but this qi is not as long lasting as the qi from the lower dantien.

My personal practice is heart-based, and I place much emphasis on the middle dantien (area of the heart chakra). I believe that this sacred space is where our powerful Inner Warrior lies dormant, the seed having been planted by the thumb of the Divine Source. The moment we discover this space and consent to the nurturing of our Inner Warrior, a spiritual spark is generated and the seed begins to emerge and grow. Each seed develops in its own unique way, and each has the potential to become a Warrior for Peace. The middle dantien (heart chakra) is your gateway to enlightenment - a starting point to become loving, compassionate, open-hearted, and a Warrior of Peace for the world.

UPPER DANTIEN: 

Of the 3 dantiens, the energy at the upper dantien (3rd eye) has the highest frequency and is the most subtle. The upper dantien is not technically a place to store our qi, as doing so could create headaches and cause mental issues. While it is included as one of the fields for storing qi, its prime purpose is spiritual. It actually generates your intuition and spirit, and is a bridge to connect Heaven to Earth. Learn how to tap into and unlock your 3rd eye, which if activated and opened, can become a bridge linking you directly to the spiritual realms.   

 

All 3 dantiens are connected to each other, and instantaneously communicate through the invisible energy body running along the spine. Visualize your 3 dantiens as a tree - the lower dantien as the roots, the middle dantien as the trunk, and the upper dantien as the flowering leaves at the top (and the final alignment point of the 3 dantiens).  When the spine is straight and all 3 dantiens are aligned, your energy flow remains continuous and unbroken.  The lower dantien is grounding while the upper dantien is rising, thereby connecting Heaven and Earth.

 

Meditation - Beginner's Levels 1 and 2

There are multiple reasons to begin the practice of meditation. Aside from calming your mind, reducing stress levels, and fostering inner peace, regular meditation helps to gain deeper insights into your thoughts, actions, and emotions.  It can help control anxiety, lower blood pressure, enhance self-awareness, and develop patience (with yourself as well as with others), which will also improve your relationships. All of this fosters personal growth.   

Benefits come naturally over time, so it's best to start now to develop a habit of meditating regularly.           

Start off slowly - dedicate only about 3-5 minutes per session for a week or so. If all goes well, and you feel comfortable, gradually increase your meditating time to 10 - 15 minutes per session for a week. Then, once you feel this is going well, increase your time a bit more. 

Rather than overwhelm you by giving instructions on Spiritual Meditation right away, I have sectioned the meditation instructions into levels - starting from Beginner Level 1, to Intermediate Level, then through to Spiritual Meditation.

Note to beginners:                                                                                                                                                                                   DON'T  worry about technique DON'T - worry if thoughts keep arising - DON'T - seek instant results.

 

MEDITATION (BEGINNER'S LEVEL 1):

  1) Find a comfortable spot where you can relax.

  2) Set a timer for 3-5 minutes.

  3) Sit comfortably, with head, neck, and spine aligned. You may decide to invest in a meditation cushion.

  4) Choose a mudra (hand position) that feels natural to you.

  5) Close your eyes and drop your shoulders. 

  6) Focus on your breath, making no effort to control it - simply breathe naturally. Notice how your body moves with                 each inhalation and exhalation.

  7) Notice when your mind begins to wander - acknowledge the thoughts that come up, wrap it in a "cloud", and see it              float away. Then, return your focus to your breathing.

  8) When your time is up, give your fingers a bit of a shake, and open your eyes slowly - starting at the ground, then                   slowly raise your eyes.   Congratulations - you've completed your "level 1" meditation session!

 

NOTE re: 5)   Visualize a string attached to the top of your head, pulling your head up to the sky. Now drop your tail bone downward to earth. This encourages your body, head, and neck to stay erect and aligned with your spine. It'll take discipline and patience, but keep head and body  still, with shoulders relaxed. This will assist in the smooth flow of qi    (life force) through the spine.

NOTE re: 7)   While meditating, even though we are not actively thinking, thoughts will naturally arise, as our brains are programmed to think  - so do not engage with or follow these thoughts. It's perfectly fine to have thoughts, but train your mind to no longer chase and follow each one. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

MEDITATION (BEGINNER'S LEVEL 2):

Once you are comfortable with "level 1" meditation, you can proceed to "level 2", which introduces the lower dantien  into the meditation practice. This meditation involves a change, or addition, to step #6 of Beginner's level 1.

Follow steps 1 -5 of level 1, then follow the new instructions for #6 below:

  6)  Now, place your attention on your lower dantien, or sacral chakra (3 finger widths below your belly button). Touch your lower dantien lightly with the tips of the first 2 fingers to help you focus on the location of your lower dantien.  Breathe into your  lower dantien using "Dantien breathing" (see the instructions above). 

Sit comfortably, with chin tucked in, and tongue to the roof of your mouth. Take a few full, deep breaths into your belly. Be mindful of your inhales and exhales as it comes and goes in 4 phases - like ocean waves lapping onto the shore, then receding back out to the open ocean:

1) inhale,  2) slight pause,  3) exhale,  4) slight pause.

As you inhale, your belly expands outward like an inflating balloon...pause slightly...then exhale, while contracting your belly - like a deflating balloon. Allow your chest to rise and fall naturally, but as a secondary movement to your  lower belly.

Continue touching your lower dantien for a minute or so, while dantien breathing, then place both hands back into your mudra position, and continue your meditation for about 5 minutes.. 

Now return to "level 1" and continue with steps 7) and 8). 

 

NOTE re: 6)  Touching the roof of your mouth with your tongue completes the energy circuit which flows around your body, known as the "Microcosmic Orbit".

 

Meditation - Intermediate level

Once you feel that you have a handle on Beginner's levels 1 & 2, you can advance to the intermediate level.                         At this level, we continue our journey upward to include the all important middle dantien, or heart chakra.

 

MEDITATION (INTERMEDIATE LEVEL):

  1) Find a comfortable spot where you will not be disturbed.

  2) Sit comfortably, with head, neck, and spine aligned.

  3) Choose a mudra, or hand position that feels "right" for you.. 

  4) Close your eyes and relax - shoulders dropped, chin tucked in, back straight, tongue to the roof of your mouth, and hands on your lap. Visualize a string attached to the top of your head, pulling your head up to the sky. Drop your tail bone downward to earth.  

  5) Now, place your attention on your lower dantien, or sacral chakra (3 finger widths below your belly button). Touch your lower dantien lightly with the tips of the first 2 fingers to help you focus on the location of your lower dantien.             This will help to ground your energy.

  6) Breathe into your lower dantien using "Dantien breathing".  Feel your lower belly expanding like an inflating balloon as you inhale... pause slightly...then exhale, while contracting your belly like a deflating balloon. Be mindful of your inhales and exhales as it comes and goes in 4 phases:

                                                  a) inhale,  b) slight pause,  c) exhale,  d) slight pause.

Allow your chest to rise and fall naturally, but as a secondary movement to your  lower belly.

  6) Continue touching your lower dantien for a minute or so, while dantien breathing, then place both hands back into your mudra position. 

  7) Notice when your mind wanders - acknowledge the thoughts that arise, wrap it in a "cloud", and watch it float away. Then, return your focus to your breathing.

  8) Keep your attention on your lower dantien. Notice if any part of your body is carrying tension, then consciously relax those areas.   

  9) After about 5 minutes, move your attention upwards to your middle dantien (center of chest, at heart level). Touch your middle dantien lightly with the tips of the first 2 fingers to help you focus on the location of your middle dantien. 

  10) Continue with "Dantien breathing" for a few cycles, then place your hands back into mudra position.  

  11)   Each time you inhale, visualize the center of your chest opening like a camera's aperture. Each time you exhale, visualize the center of your chest closing like a camera's aperture.  This exercises and strengthens your heart chakra.

  12) Notice when your mind wanders - acknowledge the thoughts that arise, wrap it in a "cloud", and watch it float away.    Then, return your focus to your breathing.

  13) Be aware if any part of your body is tense, then consciously relax those areas.

  14) After about 5 minutes, drop your attention back onto your lower chakra, then breathe into it for a few cycles.                This will stop your qi from scattering unchecked throughout your body, and also ensure that you are grounded. 

  15) When your time is up, give your fingers a bit of a shake, and open your eyes slowly - starting at the ground, then          slowly raise your eyes.   Your session is now completed.

  

NOTE re 11): Each time you inhale, envision the aperture releasing a bubble of unconditional love which expands outwards from your heart chakra - encompassing our planet, and expanding beyond, into the cosmos. Each time you exhale, the bubble contracts, carrying  unconditional love and spiritual information from the cosmos back into the aperture (chakra) of your heart. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There is a saying "Where your attention goes, energy flows", so I always finish my qigong sessions by bringing my attention (and qi) back to my sacral chakra (lower dantien). Taking a few breaths to your lower dantien will ground your qi and prevent any "stray qi" from scattering unchecked throughout your body. Scattered qi could wind up being stuck in your head, and could cause mental issues, headaches, dizziness, and blurred vision. 

 

 

 

 

Spiritual Meditation

Spiritual meditation is a practice you can use to go beyond the physical, tap directly into the spiritual realms, and unlock the potential that resides within.  During spiritual meditation, I focus on our 3 primary energy centers - the lower dantien, middle dantien, and upper dantien. Although we skip the other energy centers, these 3 dantiens are part of a connected system, so they connect to, and stimulate all the energy centers.

The starting point is the lower dantien, or sacral chakra. It's located about 3 finger widths below our belly button.  This dantien point is associated with the root chakra and the solar plexus chakra. Placing attention on the lower dantien draws *kundalini energy upwards from our root chakra, while also grounding, or rooting, us to the earth. The lower dantien serves as a solid foundation to support the kundalini's journey as it works its way up the spine, connecting each chakra with its snake-like coiling movements, towards the crown chakra at the top (or just above) the head. 

*What is kundalini?  Kundalini is difficult to define, but I'll give it a try. Based on my limited knowledge, I believe it is not anything physical, but along with our chakras, lives in our invisible energy body. Kundalini is the dormant, un-manifested potential within each of us. This life force is often likened to a "sleeping snake" that resides at our root chakra (at the base of our spine), which, when awakened, coils upwards through the other 6 chakras, to its destination at the crown chakra. This "snake" can be awakened through various spiritual practices, such as qigong, yoga, and meditation.  Once the "snake" works its way up the energetic body to the crown chakra, it could potentially lead to a spiritual transformation, and the awakening of our higher consciousness, including the uncovering of our life's purpose.  

The second energy center is the middle dantien, or area of the heart chakra. It's located in the center of the chest, at the heart level. Focusing on the middle dantien (heart chakra) gets us in touch with our positive feelings of compassion, peace, unconditional love, etc. The middle dantien is considered the seat of emotions, or home of the soul

The third energy center is the upper dantien, or 3rd eye chakra. It's located on your forehead, between your eyes - at the level of the eyebrows. Behind the 3rd eye lies the pineal gland (also known as the seat of the soul), which is the portal to the Higher Realms. Your 3rd eye is loosely associated with the all-important crown chakra, which opens to information, insights, and knowledge from the Universe. 

 

 

SPIRITUAL MEDITATION (BASIC LEVEL):  

 Once you've experienced the previous meditation levels, you can advance to Spiritual Meditation (Basic Level).                   At this level, we introduce the upper dantien, or 3rd eye, and include this energy point in our meditation.

 

MORE TO COME...

 

As mentioned previously, I always finish my qigong sessions by bringing my attention (and my qi) back to my sacral chakra (lower dantien).  Taking a few breaths to your lower dantien will ground your qi and prevent any "stray qi" from scattering unchecked throughout your body. Scattered qi could wind up being stuck in your head, and could cause mental issues, headaches, dizziness, and blurred vision. 

 

 

Chakra Meditation