A PRACTICE FOR DEEP IMAGINING

Decide to dedicate the moment to stillness

I will begin by saying that find the time to "go inward"  is a choice. We must consciously decided to give ourselves an uninterrupted moment for meditation. In the science of yoga, the proof is in the experience. This means, yoga cannot be reached by simply reading about yoga. Once must actually practice! So once you've set aside time to carry out the practice, you are ready to begin.

Find your foundation in the physical

 First, find a safe, quit, comfortable space where you feel at ease and will not be interrupted. Sit in a natural and relaxed manner. Use cushions or props to set yourself up in a posture that is stable but does not require much effort or strain. If sitting up is uncomfortable, experiment sitting with the back against the wall and the torso upright. Alternatively, you may find laying on the back more comfortable. Do whatever invites you to practice. Wherever you are, you will want to remain in a state of conscious awareness throughout this practice. However, if your attention drifts away or if you fall asleep, it is ok. Catch up on sleep and try the practice when you feel more rested. 

Rein in the senses

Once you have established yourself in a comfortable seat, tune into the environment around you. With the eyes closed, see if you can see, hear, and feel the space around you using all of the other senses. Imagine even with your eyes closed, you can still see everything around you exactly as it is down to the finest detail. Once you can clearly see the "outer world," begin to shift your focus by drawing your senses inward and refocusing attention inward. Imagine it is as if you can see "behind the curtain of the eyes" and can hear any content in  the space between the ears and eyebrows.

Observe the mental

Begin to focus your attention on the space and the sounds between the ears. Tune into this "mindspace."  If at anytime tuning-in becomes overwhelming, redirect your attention to your breath. The breath is the anchor and the bridge between the body and the mind and the barometer of how we are feeling.

*Troubleshoot any discomfort with these questions: How is your breath? How is your body? How is your heart? 

Visualize the open field 

Once you have found stillness and depth in the mental space, draw-in and further refine your attention by narrowing your field of focus from between the ears to fixed between the eyebrows. Focus only in this space behind the forehead on a point that can be visualized as the third eye. Breathe deeply as you focus on this expansive space. Once this gaze becomes steady and fixed, visualize this space as an open field within which you are able to create, imagine, and play. There are no limits to creation. What is your deepest soul longing? How do you want to show up in life today? In what ways will you carry out your passion? This is your time to build a blueprint in your mind.

 *When the channels keep changing: Whenever thoughts pull you away from being engaged in conscious creation and visualization, begin again with the breath and imagine a blank screen. 

Questions? Comments? Share your experience with us below!

Manushyanam sahasreshu kaschidyatati siddhaye
Yatatamapi siddhanaam kascinmam vetti tattvatah

“Among thousands of men, one perhaps struggles for perfection.
Among thousands of those that struggle, maybe one becomes perfect,
but among thousands of men that are perfect,
perhaps one knows Me in reality”.

Bhagavadgita 7.3