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Meditation


Meditation Posts (scroll down past the Introduction, to read new Meditation Posts)
1) Exercise #1, see below: Focus and Stillness of the Mind, added on 9/26/20
   
2) Exercise #2, see below: The Thought Container,  10/02/20
    
3) Exercise #3, see below: The Existence of "Others"

4) The Self-Realization Fellowship Lessons (what I had been looking for all along!)  "Learn the sacred science of Kriya Yoga meditation to transform and bring balance to your life." 


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Preparation of the Mind
Introduction  

     I remember the days when I "thought" I did not have enough time to meditate.  At that juncture, I did not appreciate that I was keeping myself from advancement in so many ways. Within meditation, mental cognitive skills are naturally honed, as the mind has ejected the false construct of ego, in order to experience the more subtle inner realm. In that experience, and once one has advanced inward, enlightenment as to the true nature of reality and how "you" fits into it, is revealed. Interesting events are possible within this state, and "visions" occur.  I observe the playing out of these scenes, and have become increasingly adept at recalling the experiences afterward. 
     
     Please note that writing about the abstract perception of "many others" in this meditative space is fairly common in literature. More recently, authors such as Robert Monroe, have experienced these inner landscapes and perception of individual energies there, and put names to them. Orientation for myself to meditation was initially assisted by Hemi-Sync technology, as realized by Robert Monroe, and The Monroe Institute.  His conceptual framework of the spiritual realm within the meditative state - one filled with byways and interstates, individuals, and anything one can imagine - was the beginning model of thought for my approach. It is a model of orientation sufficent to advance a conditioned Western-mind forward and upward from within, without taking 30 years to realize these inner heights. To learn more, please read the following article, or visit the Monroe Institute's website: 

Artice: Good Vibrations: Learn to Meditate Like a Monk at the Monroe Institute, by Katy Koontz

I will include content on this page that is observed within meditation, as I feel it may be relevant to the point-of-view I select when sitting and working on a drawing. 
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New Meditation Posts 
Note: If you have questions, or need clarification about an Exercise listed on this page, please feel free to reference corresponding links to source materials mentioned, or email me with your questions at contact@korabalesart.com. 

Exercise #3
10/18/20: The Existence of "Others"

     Since I began a regular meditation practice, back in August of 2019, any worthy resource teaching about meditation, and the various ways in which one may approach the inward journey, have mentioned "others" to be encountered within oneself. For example, in The Meditator's Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Eastern & Western Meditation Techniques, by Dr. David Fontana, this is called Subjective Meditation (135). In this text, the author notes that "Subjective meditation works on the principle of examining one's own mind, thus seeing into oneself and the real nature of consciousness." Further, he notes that the non-meditator may  "examine his mind with comparisons between his condition and that of other people" (136), indicating this is not the way to proceed.  

     Subjective meditation is absent of any comparative qualities; instead, the person with a meditation practice does not begin with comparisons of himself with what others have told him his inner landscape should be; he has organized his life in a devotional way, to recurring inner explorations, and is open to exploring a variety of ways to focus the mind in the moment of NOW. This is mindfulness - whether it is a focus on the breath (exercise #1), or a visualization meditation such as exercise #2. Literally, if one has intent to see and experience something within his inner focus, and exercises this upon a thing (breath, the Lights perceived within meditation, or a focus upon the physical body), I have noted that "others"  are, eventually, perceptible. This is because the mind loosens and expands, and the inner, visual-spiritual-perceptual abilities, that conditioning has for most people subjugated, is realized. I can only conclude the the Imagination is a tool that gets one started, but somewhere along the way, the spiritual indices spike, and the outer consciousness that is the personality/ego is made powerless. This is subjective meditation. 

     It is worthy to note here that I believe, through evidence found in my own life, that the spiritual realm is incomprehensibly vast. This is a place in which all spiritual entities (you, me,
the deceased, extraterrestrial life, nature, symbol, angels, and of course, God-Consciousness) are knowable, and are seemingly One Thing.  How this is realized is reflective of one's life path and belief system, and when one sets-aside his ego and outer-most consciousness - his grasping, material nature -  within meditation, he can know first-hand more about these things, if he so desires. 

     Robert Monroe, who created the Monroe Institute, and the Gateway Hemi-Sync CD's that I began employing at the beginning of my own journey, even included a "Gateway Affirmation," with which users of the meditative CD's state within their mind, after completing three other mental exercises that relax and focus self inwardly. The paragraph reads as follows, and if you are interested, is one way to clearly state intent at the beginning of a subjective journey within (regardless of whether you are using a Hemi-Sync meditation CD), and prepare himself to meet these "others," or at least to become aware of the possibility they exist: 

Gateway Affirmation (memorize): 
"I am more than my physical body. Because I am more than physical matter, I deeply desire to expand,  to experience, to know, to understand, and to control and use, such greater energies and energy systems as may be beneficial and constructive to me, and to those near and close to me. Also, I deeply desire the help and cooperation of those individuals whose wisdom, development, and experience are equal or greater than my own. 

Directions: After relaxing the body by focusing the mind on each of the body's parts, from toe to head (takes about 3-5 minutes for myself, but if you do not regularly meditate, might take 15-20 minutes), say the Gateway Affirmation. Then, complete the "Thought Container" exercise. What you do after this is completely up to you. I suggest following synchronistic inner indicators, such as mentally following a light that catches your attention within the quiet sky of your inner visual landscape, and observing where that "takes you."  Another method after initial relaxation, is to say the Gateway Affirmation, and then just imagine a place you want to be. 


     Note: My meditation experiences began with the impetus of experienced grief due to the death of a loved one. I was driven by this grief to find a reprieve within myself, as physical reality had almost completely lost meaning for me as a result. Every path is valid; nevertheless, one should read broadly from the available spiritual and meditative literature, to inform himself regarding best practices.  What you need to know will be revealed, if you seek the knowledge. 

    Two examples of the existence of "others"
1) Within meditation: I often see many lights. These coalesce and form shapes. These shapes evolve past the abstract vision of lights in the sky of my mind, and often morph into outlines of others that, independent of any conscious direction on my part, escort me within the realm of spiritual reality within meditation. I am guided  at intense speeds through tunnels of light, up stairs, through corridors, into outer space, onto galactic space ships, under the sea, and often within vast city landscapes, and even other worlds. I have been shown universities within other realms, of which I am a student. I have teachers that guide, direct and study my own progress.  I am aware of these others, and of various recurring locations in which I see them often, if that is my intent to do so, but most often just "find myself" in a place with another "energy individual," or quite frequently, massive groups of individual energies.  

2) In physical reality: I grew up conditioned by the love of science fiction and fantasy. This has helped me develop an imagination that is open to the acceptance of theoretical "outer" space ships and stellar travel from other worlds and dimensions. I grew up with a healthy dose of Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, and especially loved fantasy, of the Dungeon's and Dragons' type. This conditioning set the stage for a willingness to see in physical reality the extraterrestrial life that exists alongside us on earth. Furthermore, the topic of a continuing (often mentioned as ancient) alien presence is sought out by many. The media and news are full of information about the lack of disclosure from the government, regarding the existence of extraterrestrial life. Even famous and well-known modern personalities, such as Jimmy Carter, a former President of the United States, filed his evidence with the 
National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP) on September 18, 1973, claiming he had seen an Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) in October 1969.  The most famous example currently (in my mind), can be seen in the efforts of Dr. Steven Greer, and the Sirius Disclosure movement he has begun, regarding contact with extraterrestrial life. He and his group have developed what are called CE-5 protocols, which outline processes to follow in order to make contact on your own, in physical reality, or more often with CE-5 groups.

Here is the Sirius Disclosure Link, and here are the CE-5 protocols.  Also, the MUFON network is a great place to find out interesting information about this current hot-topic of interest to many.

Here is an example of an encounter, in which I saw over 20 spacecraft floating over Carson City, Nevada, on 6/6/2020. I caught it on video with my iPhone. They were white orbs that flew at incredibly fast speeds, and did not make any sounds. Click the links below to view. 

Video #1: The orbs are evident on the film at the very end. Although there is only a brief visual of the orbs, I do not believe these are birds because of the feelings I experienced (a great feeling of expansion and love), as well as the geometric formations I observed them form. They often grouped in star shapes. 
Video #2: I was looking at the large group seen in Video #1, and pointing my camera in that direction, but they were not picked up on this video. Instead, I did not realize until afterward, that three orbs were much closer in proximity to me, and were caught on the video. The first flashes from left to right on the screen at about 5 seconds at very close, eye-level proximity. Then, two more are seen at about 14-16 seconds in. It is in the 15th second of video, when it is paused, that in mid-screen, just where the first cloud-line is visible, there is a white orb  moving at a line perpendicular to my location on the ground, and then suddenly turns on a dime moving to the right and out of screen. To myself, the quality of the movement is not avian.

At the beginning of 15 seconds in, you see this orb, and if you pause it just after 15 seconds in, you will also see in the upper left corner, a second orb, which by the end of 15 seconds, disappears suddenly, and then seems to reappear next to the first orb noticed, which is now at the right side of the screen, about to leave the video's view. There is a lot of stopping and starting necessary, with my software, to appreciate this, as it is a lot happening in the time frame of a second. You will most likely have to watch the video more than once. Use a desk-top if possible. The speed at which the white orb is flying into the video, as well as its impossibly quick acceleration into another direction, to myself, indicate that this is not a bird. 

Enjoy, and decide for yourself!


Exercise #2
10/02/20: The Thought Container
    Chatter within one's mind can make a perfectly good meditation effort feel wasted. A simple method to aleve this natural  product of the outermost part of the mind (language), is to visualize all thoughts as now existing "outside of oneself." By practicing visualization, and building a form representative of a container to serve this end, one may move away from his own thoughts within meditation. 

The Cage or Wings of One’s Reality
​An open mind  tends to surpass a perceived need to conform. It is a salient point to ponder, as boundaries-of-self are the result of one's beliefs and definitions of the world lived in. These delineations are either the cage or the wings of one's reality.  Meditation/Visualization Exercise Purpose: To move one's consciousness to the half-way point between the physical mind and the Higher Mind. It is the creation of a specific, altered, neutral state within. Go-with-the-flow.
1) Sit quietly in a comfortable position, close the eyes, and imagine yourself in a large, empty space. It may any empty space you desire, and it has a medium-sized container sitting in front of you on the floor. The container is made of a material that is clear and transparent. The scene is an empty space, with you and a container in front of you.
2) Stand in front of the container in your imagination, and allow the mind to think naturally. Anything typical to think about. This is a positive or negative thought review.
3) As you go through your thoughts, imagine taking each one, and putting it in the container. Here, I visualize each thought as a point of light, and watch as it floats from out of the top of the head, and over into the container. I do this with what I think of as a "thought-motion."  I keep doing this, until I understand that all of what I had been thinking about is now in the container.
4) Observe the thoughts in the container: Here, I am relaxed, and I watch the light-forms of my thoughts rotate and float within the container, and I observe them with neutrality and objectivity. They are light forms in the container. You know where your thoughts are, and you can come back for them later.
5) Now, begin to move away from the container, leaving your thoughts within it. They are fine there. Move to your space's exit, and then outside to whatever type of day you'd prefer to imagine. Stand outside and observe the day, still not thinking. Continue observing and watching. You are now, literally, in an altered state that is half-way between the physical mind, which is in the container, and the Higher Mind in the sky. Continue looking and observing. Let the experience be whatever it is.
6) As you practice the altered state of neutrality, through observation of the state - just being there and looking at the day, without thought- you begin to know the feeling of communication of the energy of the Higher Mind passing through you to the physical mind, which is in the container inside of the warehouse - over there.
7) When you are done enjoying the day, you can move back into your space and collect your thoughts, or float upward into your Higher Mind. 
​8) Now, one must respond in the physical world, to any inner passion communicated through the Higher Mind.

09/25/20: How to begin a meditation practice: It's a choice. ​
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     Meditation is experienced in a variety of ways, but always, the real goal, for myself, is to experience the Presence of God within. This is a beautiful, expansive state of mind, wherein all conceptual and physical boundaries are ejected, and the state of being experienced reflects to my mind's awareness the Presence of Another within.

     All possible levels of conscious and unconscious (or the "unknown" territory we sense within and see, similar to when we dream) knowledge of self are experienced as epiphanies, upon the integration of inner polarities that belief systems create. After the resolution of positive and negative classifications we have given these levels, we should realize a neutral state of being that leans always toward the positive. It is beneficial to approach the ascension within, in as neutral a state of mind that one can muster.  This is because if we are in a conscious state of mind that is highly charged, either positively or negatively, we experience the noise of that state (language to self within). Functioning within a polarized belief system that is highly negative will literally cause more of the same negativity; or, by functioning within a polarized belief system that is highly POSITIVE,  will literally cause more of the same (positivity) to occur. The key, is to begin to entrain oneself, to this neutral state, by focusing singularly on the breath, while sitting or reclining comfortably. 

     I suggest, once relaxed, to begin with the intent to know more. Be completely open to allowing the experience to be whatever it is, in the now. Never condemn the self with dismissive ideas of inadequacy - that you're not "doing it right." Instead, positively note which direction you want the meditative experience to go, and begin with that intent next time. Always be positive.

     I suggest meditation at least twice daily for 30 minutes. More time will naturally add itself to this as you progress. If time is limited, small five-minute durations, of relaxed focus inward, is a positive start. This basic prescription serves two-fold: 1) The mind is given reprieve to all perceived expectation. 2) You are honoring yourself with kindness. Consider, whenever you were truly in need, a time you were the recipient of kindness. By relieving yourself of all expectation, and by investing the time to know more about your inner reality, a whole new world of actual experience and knowledge-of-self becomes available.  You may even find that if you never meditate, but consciously think of the process, things will pop-up in reality that will remind you of your perceived discomforts, and direct you back to meditation. This was my experience.

Exercise #1: Focus & Stilling of the Mind.
Useful reference material for this post: Vipassana Meditation: As Taught by S.N. Goenka, by William Hart, Harper Collins Publishers, 1987. 


Annapanasati, or Mindfulness of Breathing Technique, originally taught by Guatama Buddha, is used here, in brief, as an exercise of the mind, to focus and create stillness within it, and to improve concentration.
     
     To begin, find a quiet place to sit or recline, close the eyes, and focus them behind the eyelids straight ahead and slightly between the eyebrows. Get comfortable. Take a few breaths. What is your intent for this meditation? This is a question I always ask myself before my mind is focused, because there are different methods one may use, with corresponding goals. Nevertheless, I am always clear with myself at the very least, that the focus of my mind is a positive one. It is very difficult to focus the mind when it is overpowered by negativity. Other reasons to ask the question of intent, include the ability to have an experience that is highly personal, i.e., to know more about something specific (the Presence of God, which would be classified as Objective Meditation), or how best to solve a specific problem (Flowing Meditation). There is no limit to intent. 

     Next, and to truly begin, (and this may take one sitting, or many to feel mastery over), focus the mind on the body. Breathing naturally, note to yourself any aches or tensions, and relax them by setting your conscious mind gently upon, around, or within each one, with no rush. I have noted pain will dissipate when one's focused mind is maneuvered in this way.
     
     Continue breathing easily, and if a thought comes to mind, acknowledge it, and let it go.
     
     Now that you have relaxed some, begin focusing on the breath at the end of the nostrils, where the air flows in and out. Keep the mind focused on  this point. You may note thoughts arise, but you must treat them like an old friend, acknowledge them, give them a pat on the back, and let them go on their way - and again, focus back on the breath. This is an exercise of the mind that is preparatory to the "neutral" state I spoke of earlier. It is an exercise that, with practice, reveals to the mind more about itself. Remember, remain positive. Things to note about the breath: coolness upon entry, warmness upon exit. In your focus, notice all forms of qualities about the breath at the nostril. Relax. Do not extend your focus down the esophagus and into the expansion of the lungs. It is not bad or good, but it misses the point of a focused mind upon a point.   
     
​     Pick a time that twice a day you will practice this mental exercise. Let it be exactly what you want it to be. Remember, this is only one method. Other methods I will create exercises for include: Flowing Meditation (working with multiple points of focus), Subjective Meditation (examination of one's own mind), and Objective Meditation (differs from Subjective Meditation in that it takes as its point of departure the idea of a spiritual power 'out there' with which the meditator can make contact, and from which he or she can seek and obtain help, i.e., this is concentration upon an awareness of this Higher Presence, whether visualized or felt, but it can include the imaginative construction of a highly detailed picture of the being at the center of the meditation, and then visualizing the actual transmission from Him or Her to us of the personal qualities which we wish to develop (Fontana, 161). 

Source: 
The Meditator's Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Eastern & Western Meditation Techniques, by Dr. David Fontana, Element Books Limited, 1992.

8/25/20: Mid-day meditation
After achieving the mind-awake, body-asleep state, physical sensation drops away, and I ascend with intent in the direction indicated by the "guides" that show up. 

      It is in the experience of self within a set of conditions that builds beliefs and thus personal definitions. My entrance into the multidimensional realm of inner space (the meditative state), included instruction from others, that guides may be present. Whether it is due to the suggestibility of the unconscious mind, or these beings really are there in some way, is only important to the extent one focuses upon them. I moved quickly through the acceptance of the existence of other spiritual energies at play within the meditative state, realizing they are only a singular facet of an infinite construct that is accessible within me. 

Example Event, 8/25/20: I observed the materialization of an individual male figure who was somewhat portly. The entire scene appeared without color within a grey background, with the character and setting seeming to vibrate within a white, electric fabric or matrix.  I could feel the energy of the scene, like the feeling of electricity (you must have been shocked by electricity at some stage in your life to know intimately what I mean by this).  What he did was interesting in that he walked to the center of what appeared to be a front yard, and just in front of me. He began to draw on an invisible surface in front of me and between us, and I was able to see through the image from behind it.  I watched him draw a "U" shape, adding horizontal marks at the upper top edge of each side. I do not know what this symbol means, and can only guess it is representational of a cup, as I watched it fill from the bottom up with a dark tone.  I knew intuitively that this individual is affecting my perceptual construct as I draw.  It is worthy to note that if I feel like this about the experience, in order to learn better from this character, I need to navigate around to the other side of this invisible screen. 

I am often given situations like this within meditation, wherein I find myself involved in watching an illustration of some sort. I have found that the best approach is to be willing to sit in silence and watch while information and experience play out. Deconstruction of events, feelings, perceptions, and epiphanies, is for later.
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