Meditation Series on Manifesting

In reading the Aquarian Gospel of Jesus, I read how Jesus graduated from being a neophyte in the mysteries to being a Master Mind.

I believe that we are also invited in this journey from neophyte to Master Mind.

Most of us are working to fulfill our dreams and attain the life we desire. I certainly am.

In this we work at the Art of Manifestation.

What we actually strive to manifest is our Self, in all our glory.

Therefore I would like to invite you to journey with me to the road to being a Master Mind in terms of Manifesting.

I invite you to explore with me in a series of seven weekly meditation-meetings. 

Possible topics to cover:

1. The Annunciation – the blinding clarity of your mission
2. The Fiat – saying Yes – surrendering to your success (no more cringing and whining)
3. John 1: the Prologue and Manifesting 
4. The Immaculate Concept
5. Esther Hicks channeling Abraham – the Law of Attraction
a. The Art of Deliberate Creation
b. Prepaving
c. The Art of Allowing
6. Going up to God and Manifesting
7. The Golden Plane of Existence
8. The Akashic Records and your Past, Present, and Future Success
9. The energy of success – what does it feel like – and being the vessel 
10. The birth of the Christ. Fruition: the Promise is come. 

PLACE: Rooftop
TIME: 8 pm
DAY: Saturday evenings 
FOR: Anyone interested in meditations or learning more about manifesting. PM me

The Annunciation

I had no special devotion to Mary. I was skeptical about her so called perpetual virginity, and I disapproved of the Filipino's devotion to Mother Mary such that statues of Mary would sometimes be placed in the middle of the altar, displacing the Cross to some side niche in the Church.

So the first time I did this contemplation, in a silent retreat 20 years ago, and I had no idea what to expect.

I silenced myself, read the Gospel of Luke, closed my eyes and put myself in the scene.

A vast emptiness. A clean space. Nothing in it that the eyes can see except the wooden floor,  bare windows, and a girl kneeling in prayer. But this emptiness was clean. I did not see a beam of light per se but it was full of light.

The only way to describe this is to say its opposite. There was no clutter. There was nothing to hinder. If all my negative emotions and baggage could be gone, all my pettiness and gloominess and worries and spite, my attachments and fears, then I would be like that room – nothing "but breath of the Spirit, blowing in me."

It felt absolutely lovely. The cleanness, the emptiness of that room comprised my whole meditation hour.

In a strange way, I feel like I have been working to achieve that emptiness – what I experienced in that room – ever since.

Last night, I went back to the Annunciation reading. Again I read the passage, put it down, and closed my eyes. I waited for whatever would come.

I felt I was descending from above. I saw the top of Mary's head; she was kneeling in prayer. She was a small speck, then grew larger and larger. I realized I was descending with the Angel, this huge invisible being of light.

The scene unfolded, with Mary receiving the Angel's greeting. But I was with the Angel, and I saw the Angel reach out its hand inside Mary's heart, and give a smart twitch, as if to switch something on. Immediately light flooded Mary's heart and mind. She saw her mission and became absolutely sure of her way.

I saw that she was trained to recognize Inner Guidance.  

Abraham-Hicks talks about this Emotional Guidance System and how this leads us to our bliss, and is also our barometer to know if we are in an Allowing, positive state, or if we are deviating from what the bigger, higher part of us is feeling.

Mary was already an adept at this lesson of Abraham. She could recognize where her Soul's path lay, where her true bliss was. And she knew to follow it. To her, the world, societal conventions, opinions of people were a lesser reality to this inner joy, this inner imperative which she recognized as her soul mission.

I saw Mary's alignment  - a light in the middle of her being connected to up to Heaven and down to Earth, grow bright, wide and strong.

The Angel said, "ok, nothing left to do here," and we left.

Now I understood why the passage said, "and the angel departed from her." It was because once Mary became clear with her mission and her alignment was strong, she already had her Inner Guidance. This would be her light and the arrow that would point her to the right path – she no longer needed anything external.

I asked the Angel, "can't you turn me on as well, so that I would be as clear as Mary?"

"What do you think is happening with the books you are reading? These are already switching on your Internal or Emotional Guidance System!" the Angel sounded amused.

"It's not so easy you know! To be sure which path to follow! How come Mary knew immediately?"

"Don't you know that she has been preparing her whole life for this, meaning she has been spending her days in regular meditation and prayer, and already knows the Inner Mysteries. She is trained in the Spiritual Life."

I decided to end the contemplation with a colloquy with Mary.  I was humbled to realize that all these things I was trying to learn – listening to my Emotional Guidance System as articulated by Abraham Hicks, having a regular mediation practice – Mary was already an adept at.

I felt my spiritual development was vastly inferior compared to hers.

Mary invited me to look at myself through her eyes. And so I went into her space, and merged with her in our colloquy.

Through her eyes I saw myself, a pink bud opening, so beautiful and full of promise. And she told me that was the reality she saw in me.

I saw this rose bloom inside of me, and my joy rose as well. I was comforted, and I was content.

My vibration rose, and that's how my contemplation ended.

What did I learn from this meditation?

  

To listen to my Inner Guidance. Sensitivity to my Emotiaonl Guidance System would unerringly put me on the right path. Moreover, if I am aware of this, I would know to keep aligned, and to make my feelings move to a higher vibration. 

To faithfully practice my mediation, like Mary.

Now I want to be like Mary, adept at the spiritual life, clear and aligned, sure of what is important to her, never minding what the world says.

How to Pray with Scripture

One of the most marvelous things I learned in my training with Ignatian Spirituality  was how to enter Scripture.

Spiritual Truth

The Scripture is a spiritual book, and while a casual reading might give you some benefit (very little, I would say), it is best approached in a spiritual manner, in meditation or contemplation. The mystery I have found is that the Scripture is something to be experienced. A mere casual reading doesn't really yield much of anything.

Scriptural Prayer

It is very simple to learn to pray with Scripture, with immense benefit.

First, take care of what they call the P's:  set aside the place and time of your prayer – you can start with 15-30 minutes. Make sure you are in a place where you will not be disturbed for the duration of your prayer time. Prepare the scriptural passage you will read. It's best to deal with small chunks, a chapter at a time, or even less. Then in your prayer time, get yourself into a good posture. It's best to have your back straight so you can last thru your prayer time I comfort and ease). Then when you are centered and relaxed, proceed with the steps below:

Meditating the Scripture

1.        State the grace you wish to ask for in your prayer time. For instance, "I ask for the grace to get to know and experience God's love for me."

2.       Open your Bible and read the passage slowly, aloud or silently, savoring the words.

3.       If you experience any special feelings – STOP – savor this special moment – this is Grace, God  speaking to you. You will know when it is time to move on, when the feeling subsides and you feel the moment is over.

4.       You may wish to re-read the passage. If I  still have time in my prayer period, what I sometimes do is to read another related reading.

5.       End with a colloquy or a dialogue. You can imagine yourself sitting across Jesus or Mary. This is your chance to ask them questions and get some answers for your life.

6.       Close with a simple prayer like Our Father, Hail Mary, or Glory Be.

Contemplation with the Scripture

This is done with Scriptural stories, like the birth of Christ, the Annunciation, etc.

1.       State the grace you wish to ask for in your prayer time. For instance, "I ask for the grace to get to know Mary better and to gain clarity on my own Annunciation."

2.       Open your Bible and read the chosen passage completely.

3.       But down your Bible and close your eyes.  Enter the scene that you have just read. Become part of it.

4.       Be sure not to edit or control what you are seeing, hearing, or perceiving. Don't intentionally change the scene or direct it. Allow it to unfold for you.

5.       End with a colloquy or a dialogue. You can imagine yourself sitting across Jesus or Mary. This is your chance to ask them questions and get some answers for your life.

6.       Close with a simple prayer like Our Father, Hail Mary, or Glory Be.

When praying with Scripture, spiritual truths are revealed, and you might feel God is talking to your heart. For me, this is the way to experience Scripture and to have them come alive for you.

In prayer, we are concerned with spiritual truths – something that is particularly for you. So the historical truth (did women then wear veils or not?), or even scholarly debates (was Mary really a virgin?) don't matter at all. In your contemplation you might see the characters wearing jeans and t-shirts. Or desert garb. It doesn't matter. What you will find is what you need at the moment.