Practices ~ Contemplation
Are you looking to enhance your capacity to notice details, listen actively without distorting the message, and curious about the possibility of living in wonder?
If your answer is yes, this is definitely a practice for you!
About Contemplation
Through concentration we become focused. Through meditation we expand our consciousness into the universe and enter into its consciousness. But in contemplation we grow into the universe itself, and its consciousness becomes our very own.
In contemplation we are at once in our deepest concentration and our highest meditation. The truth that we have seen and felt in meditation, we grow into and become totally one with in contemplation. Contemplation means our conscious oneness with the world around us.
In contemplation we become one with the world and see the whole universe inside us. At that time when we look at our own existence, we do not see a human being. We see something like a dynamo of light, peace and beauty.
Essentially, contemplation is learning to look at something actively, dynamically, alertly, but without words.
The Contemplation Practice
All you need to perform this exercise is a fresh flower and a silent place. Natural surroundings are best but a quiet room will also do nicely.
- Choose an object to study, we suggest you to start with a flower.
- Hold this flower at a comfortable visual distance from you.
- Explore the flower , try to completely immerse yourself from your head to your toes with this one activity.
- Open your heart to the flower.
- Notice its colors and texture, its beauty. Savor its fragrance and think only about this wonderful miracle in front of you.
- Stop any inner conversation you may start, focus in contemplating the flower, this is a silent exercise. Silent in the inside ‘words’.
- Let the flower come into you and share itself with you.
When practicing this contemplation exercise, try to stay with the same object (in this case, the same type of flower) for several weeks. It tends to make the exercises go better.
Allow yourself to spend three minutes a day with this object for the first two weeks, then each week thereafter, try to increase the time.
As you continue with contemplation, remember that the main goal is to hold the senses, inner voices and imagination in check and to keep the mind concentrated upon the flower.
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Which books can I read on the topic?
Some good books we can recommend you in the topic are (click on the tittles to find their complete description in Amazon):
- Into the Silent Land: The Practice of Contemplation
- Zen Flowers: Contemplation Through Creativity
- New Seeds of Contemplation (Shambhala classics library)
- The Human Condition: Contemplation and Transformation
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Final Remarks
The exercise may look simple, however bare in mind that contemplation is a very difficult form of meditation.
We have found ourselves having a very difficult time switching from the analytical mode of thinking that we are so used to into the contemplative mode. We have also found ourselves being continuously plagued with distractions. Through practice, we have learned the patience to not get frustrated when a distraction entered. We just accepted that it was there and went back to contemplating.
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We exercise this practice in all of our retreats as part of our work with the Domain of the Will.
Check out our upcoming events and join us in our pledge of making this world a more beautiful place, starting with ourselves.
See more of our practices here.
Practices ~ The Diary of Dreams
Are you one of those that do not remember what you have dreamed about the last night? Would you like to recall your dreams more properly?
If your answer is yes, this is definitely a practice for you!
Do Dreams Have Meaning?
Many cultures throughout recorded history have placed some emphasis on the importance of dreaming, whether it is as a method to connect with the spiritual plane, a medium to read the future, or the path to the inner workings of the mind. It has been shown that dreams definitely serve a purpose in the latest, at the very least, they allow the mind a way to unwind and deal with pressure and stress. The question “do dreams have meaning”, however, is quite different from “do dreams have a purpose”, and is one that many have answered with a resounding “Yes!”.
So, what do you think? Do dreams have a purpose?
If you want to explore this side of your Self, here we offer you have a simple practice that will demonstrate over a period of time, that you recall more and more of your dreams by being more aware of them.
The Diary of Dreams
Psychologists have revealed that each of us dreams every night. However and unfortunately most of our dreams are forgotten. Thus, keeping a Diary of Dreams is helping in retaining the information longer.
What do a Diary of Dreams is?
A Diary of Dreams is like a daily diary except that in it you record your sleeping instead of your waking adventures.
What else should I keep in mind?
Regular discussion of your dreams and diary inputs will also help in understanding them, any themes running through them and unconscious ideas; for which we recommend you to start the practice with a ‘dreams partner’ - someone that will also keep a Diary of Dreams and with whom you can share about your experience with it.
What kind of detail should I include in my Diary of Dreams?
The answer is, the more detail the better. As you gain practice and train yourself in a dream recall, you will find more and more details come back to you. Write them down. They may be important when it comes to the later business of analysing your dreams. Don’t start off with any one theory of what dreams ‘mean’ too firmly entrenched in your mind. Such a theory can lead you to ignore as of no value things which may in fact turn out to be very significant.
The following are some points you should bear in mind:
- Find a notebook or journal specifically to record your dreams in. Keep it within arm’s reach of the bed. Dreams fade quickly on awakening so you need to write them down as soon as you wake.
- Note down the date of your dream. Then write down everything you can remember. Write everything in the present tense (eg “I am washing the dishes when a rose falls from the ceiling…”). This helps with remembering dreams by putting you in the moment.
- Write down the dream events in their proper order. This may seem unimportant if the events appear unrelated to each other. But once you begin the process of analysis, relationships often become very clear.
- Sketch any strong images from the dream. It doesn’t matter if you’re not an artist. A sketch is just to help you visualize the dream later on.
- Keep a careful note of the dream characters. Who was in your dream and what did he or she do? If they remind you of someone you know in waking life, write this down.
- If well-known scenery appears, record any differences between it and the same scenery in waking life. Were the bookshelves in the right places? Were the books the same as real life? And so on.
- Similarly, record any differences between well-known people in the dream and in real life.
- Record any non-human characters that appeared in the dream (animals, ghosts, etc) or any inanimate objects that behaved as if alive.
- Make a special note of any recurring events, themes or characters. Do they always occur/behave in exactly the same way?
- Note down all the colors you see.
- Note down your emotional responses to everything.
- Finally don’t trust to memory. When you read back over your dream diary you may find you have no recollection at all of having some of the dreams. However clear they seem at the time, write them down.
- When you have finished, jot down any major life issues that are going on right now. For instance, you may be suffering from a broken heart. Over time, you will be able to link your subconscious dream symbols with real life issues.
How often should I write in my dream journal?
Write down your dreams whenever you get the urge. It doesn’t have to be every day - a few times a week is usually enough. (But obviously, the more you remember, the better.) Sometimes you won’t feel bothered because real life just seems more important. A wise choice! In fact, I would be worried if you did put your dreams before real life.
Which books can I read on the topic?
Some good books we can recommend you in the topic are (click on the tittles to find their complete description in Amazon):
- Understanding Dreams: What they are and how to interpret them
- The Dreamer’s Dictionary: Understand the Deeper Meanings of Your Dreams
- Dream Dictionary: An A to Z Guide to Understanding Your Unconscious Mind
- Exploring the World of Lucid Dreams
- The Dream Whisperer: Unlock the Power of Your Dreams
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Final Remarks
The practice of keeping a Diary of Dreams will allow you to develop more consciousness of your process of dreaming, later on we will publish a practice that will allow you make some sense of the dreams you more often will start to recall, stay tuned for that!
We will also like to thank our friend David Ferrer for reminding us of this practice!
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We exercise this practice in all of our retreats as part of our work with the Domain of the Will.
Check out our upcoming events and join us in our pledge of making this world a more beautiful place, starting with ourselves.
See more of our practices here.
Practices ~ Breath Counting
If you want to get a feel for this challenging work, try your hand at breath counting, a deceptively simple technique much used in Zen practice.
Sit in a comfortable position with the spine straight and head inclined slightly forward.
Gently close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
Then let the breath come naturally without trying to influence it.
Ideally it will be quiet and slow, but depth and rhythm may vary.
- To begin the exercise, count “one” to yourself as you exhale.
- The next time you exhale, count “two,” and so on up to “five.”
- Then begin a new cycle, counting “one” on the next exhalation.
Never count higher than “five,” and count only when you exhale.
You will know your attention has wandered when you find yourself up to “eight,” “12,” even “19.”
Try to do 10 minutes of this form of meditation/breathing practice.
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We exercise this practice in all of our retreats as part of our work with the domain of the body.
Check out our upcoming events and join us in our pledge of making this world a more beautiful place, starting with ourselves.
See more of our practices here.
Practices ~ The 4:7:8 Exercise
This exercise is utterly simple, takes almost no time, requires no equipment and can be done anywhere. Although you can do the exercise in any position, sit with your back straight while learning the exercise.
Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there through the entire exercise.
You will be exhaling through your mouth around your tongue; try pursing your lips slightly if this seems awkward.
- Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
- Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
- Hold your breath for a count of seven.
- Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
- This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.
Note that you always inhale quietly through your nose and exhale audibly through your mouth. The tip of your tongue stays in position the whole time. Exhalation takes twice as long as inhalation. The absolute time you spend on each phase is not important; the ratio of 4:7:8 is important. If you have trouble holding your breath, speed the exercise up but keep to the ratio of 4:7:8 for the three phases. With practice you can slow it all down and get used to inhaling and exhaling more and more deeply.
This exercise is a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system. Unlike tranquilizing drugs, which are often effective when you first take them but then lose their power over time, this exercise is subtle when you first try it but gains in power with repetition and practice.
Do it at least twice a day. You cannot do it too frequently. Do not do more than four breaths at one time for the first month of practice. Later, if you wish, you can extend it to eight breaths. If you feel a little lightheaded when you first breathe this way, do not be concerned; it will pass.
Once you develop this technique by practicing it every day, it will be a very useful tool that you will always have with you!
Use it whenever anything upsetting happens - before you react! Use it whenever you are aware of internal tension. Use it to help you fall asleep.
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We exercise this practice in all of our retreats as part of our work with the domain of the body.
Check out our upcoming events and join us in our pledge of making this world a more beautiful place, starting with ourselves.
See more of our practices here.
Practices ~ The Stimulating Breath
Since not all of you have the opportunity to attend our retreats, we have decided to regularly share with you some of the practices we hold. This is the first delivery on such sharing.
The Stimulating Breath is adapted from a yogic breathing technique. Its aim is to raise vital energy and increase alertness.
- Inhale and exhale rapidly through your nose, keeping your mouth closed but relaxed. Your breaths in and out should be equal in duration, but as short as possible. This is a noisy breathing exercise.
- Try for three in-and-out breath cycles per second. This produces a quick movement of the diaphragm, suggesting a bellows. Breathe normally after each cycle.
- Do not do for more than 15 seconds on your first try. Each time you practice the Stimulating Breath, you can increase your time by five seconds or so, until you reach a full minute.
If done properly, you may feel invigorated, comparable to the heightened awareness you feel after a good workout. You should feel the effort at the back of the neck, the diaphragm, the chest and the abdomen. Try this breathing exercise the next time you need an energy boost and feel yourself reaching for a cup of coffee.
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We exercise this practice in all of our retreats as part of our work with the domain of the body.
Check out our upcoming events and join us in our pledge of making this world a more beautiful place, starting with ourselves.
See more of our practices here.
