Chapter Four - Meditation

Note: As all of Chapter four is about the same subject I have left it as Ken sent it to me. This makes it quite long web page but each section is clearly maked. J. H. Dec 2010.

It is well known that meditation is a good way of stilling one’s everyday thoughts, of bringing us closer to things spiritual, and may even bring direct spirit communication.

In this chapter are some talks received from spirit speakers centred on this theme, with the first four offering helpful, practical information which we might like to put into practice ourselves.

Meditation Explained.

Spirit (Ling):  Greetings.

This morning we would like to have a short talk on “Meditation”.  We feel that there is considerable misconception as to what meditation is. To put it in one word simply, it is ‘relaxation’.

Most people seem to think that to meditate successfully, one must obtain communication with what you refer to as spirit. This is not necessary for meditation.  For example: You go into your room, or somewhere outdoors. You sit, lean against a tree, whatever; and you try to empty your mind.

Now let me give a picture that would be, in its way, a perfect meditation. The person in question we will say is sitting out on a balcony. It is bright daylight, overcast, morning. They make themselves comfortable, feet firmly on the ground, fingers relaxed, shoulders relaxed, and one of the most important... the jaw relaxed; then the eyes and forehead, but you don’t need to have those eyes closed. If the feeling is to do so, by all means do so, but they can wander idly over the landscape, preferably not moving the head too much from left to right, because that again brings in a certain tension.

But you are just looking. The clouds are moving; you think “Which way”. You notice some leaves are beginning to fall under the trees. Autumn must be coming, and you think, “Winter will soon be here”. But why worry. Without autumn and winter we cannot have spring. Then you notice a shadow. The balcony post is forming a shadow. Where there is a shadow there must be more light. The sun is coming through.
Perhaps in the far distance the hills are covered in a light mist, which makes you think of distance, and on and on, this picture for you that is in front of you, is in your mind, and though you may not think so, you have been meditating. You have been looking at the beauty around you almost unconsciously, and communing in a manner of... the only way I can think of putting it is… ‘The way a spirit would’.

You are meditating!

This same type of meditation can take place indoors, by having something in front of you that is beautiful or that you can appreciate, for example; a lady may have flowers, or a beautiful piece of fabric and her mind will drift with the flowers, or perhaps the fabric, as to where it was worn or whom might wear it; and a man may have a piece of machinery, but to him it is perfection, and his mind will perhaps follow the construction or the work that that machinery may do.

All these things are combining to take you away from the working part of your world, and that is meditation!

Once people have learnt that they can do this and really relax, if it is warranted, or needed, perhaps someone may come and put words into the mind of the meditator, or they may realise perhaps, that in their periphery vision they are seeing something different.

This is not for everyone, but the meditation as we have tried to describe it, is for everyone and if successfully achieved in five or ten minutes, can bring great peace of mind, and rest, so that when you consciously start looking around you and feeling again your body, you are ready to take on whatever the day or night may bring you.

You have been meditating.  It’s as simple as that my friends!

Good morning.

Meditation is the art of being and not being.

Spirit (Ling): Greetings.

‘Meditation’. A controversial subject in so much as for every hundred questions asked, two hundred answers are given! (Mirth)  I know it is discussed but basically meditation is the art of being, and not being. It has various aspects as to what you achieve. But, the basic necessity is to divide the material from the spiritual.

Now in talking to you people, I feel sure you realise that you have a material body, but there is something else which is also you. In meditation, you are for a short time putting aside the physical, and in doing this you must forget every aspect of it, other than where the spirit, (or whatever you like to call it) is.

Now the centre of your spirit being is personal. People say it is their head, or their heart, or their solar plexus, they can even advocate their big toe if they wish. This does not matter.

So in your meditation, you are forgetting the physical. So much so, that you are thinking that you are not feeling... in other words, the body does not belong to you. The spirit form is still using the brain, but the body, is no longer controlled by the brain, other than the automatic things that must go on for survival. When you are completely relaxed, most people are still aware of that centre, of self. If you get no further than that, you are still meditating in a light manner. You are breaking free of the physical body sufficient that the spirit can wander; not physically, remember that the spirit has no body!

So while the physical body is being looked after by the automatic part of your brain, your spirit, still in contact with certain aspects of your brain, is relaxed and in some cases if it wishes to can move on.

Now this, for many people is not possible, but you should be able to control your brain sufficiently to be able to bring your spirit to one point. By all means, if you are able let your spirit travel, but if you are not capable of this, control your brain sufficiently that your spirit, or under the control of spirit your brain, is focussing on one thing. The sort of thing that is best is of light tone in colour, round and glowing. 
So you presumably are looking at a ball, and it may glow like a crystal, or it may just have one colour for you. At this stage your brain is probably saying, “I’m physical, how about the leaves, the birds, the pudding, the clothes”… you name it. It will want to wander. But if you have got your bright ball it will come back to that more easily, in most cases, than anything else.

Initially, of course, before you start your meditation, you must have a period of relaxation. I don’t mean hours, but it is no good rushing in from the office, throwing down your case, charging in to your study, sitting down and meditating. It would be most unusual if it works. Instead, come in from whatever you are doing, put down your things, wander over to the window, enjoy the view if you have one, or go and stroke your pet - a very good means of relaxing. Just enjoy your world for a few minutes, then stretch, wiggle your toes or your fingers, then go into your den. That has given time for your physical body and brain to realise that it must relax. You the spirit will then have more control.

Sit in a comfortable seat, make sure your clothes are comfortable... everything comfortable, so there is no distraction, and then try your meditation.  If you can control yourself, your physical body and your spirit, to look at that light for only five minutes, and I would say no longer than fifteen, you are doing very well.  Because in that light... I’m finding this difficult to say; to put into words... it could be the manifestation of life, of God.  You haven’t reached it, but you are looking and trying to hold it.

Don’t go aiming too high. Stick to your light. You may never get any further, but when you leave your room you should feel refreshed. When I say ‘further’, I mean, to see something more of our world. But does it matter if you don’t, because you are going to come here one day... you can’t get out of that and I’m sure you don’t want to.

Because, in looking at that light as a crystal, you are seeing a colour... now I cannot say this as positive, but I have been told by people who in their physical bodies were blind, that they still saw what they now understand, was the white light, with the crystal colours. It is not a physical thing you are manifesting for yourself, it is the spiritual essence, which amongst other things, is colour, which of course is light, and music.

On this aspect of meditation, is there anything you would like to ask?

Sitters: No thank you.

Spirit: Good. If you have the opportunity in your circles with friends, to go on ‘Guided meditations’, don’t say “No, that’s not what to do”, because it is good practice. It is discipline and I cannot emphasise enough, in your physical selves, and in your spiritual selves... discipline!

Sitter: Ling I have heard that trying to find a light... Kundalini Light or some such name, in meditation is dangerous. Is that so?

Spirit: Well if it is, I do not understand why. The only thing I can suggest and this could happen perhaps to some people, that you don’t travel with the light. Don’t follow it if it moves.

Now in meditation you would be seeing this light, and physically you would feel that it was just in front of you, perhaps a foot from your face... I’m trying to put this as you may feel it, or see it, do you understand?

Sitters: Yes.

Spirit: Now don’t follow the light. Just enjoy it. Don’t want to possess it therefore follow it.  Just relax and enjoy that gift that has been given to you for a short time. I cannot see that it could harm anyone. Unless they are unfortunate and are unbalanced, which is another aspect of our being... ‘Balance’!

In everything you do, there should be balance. If you wash too much your skin becomes dry. If you drink too much your body retaliates. If you smoke too much, look what happens. If you sleep too much, if you walk too much, if you eat too much of the one food, if you read too much, ...  “You are gaining knowledge” you say, “so why can that do any harm”?  But you are living on earth with a physical body that needs exercise and food - therefore there must be balance.

And this applies too to your spiritual thinking. You are on earth, in a physical body, which you must look after, not necessarily pamper but look after, and learn the lessons that you have come to earth to learn, and to enable you to do this you must have balance. So, though you are interested in life, eternity, remember you are on earth and must balance one against the other... in other words, to use what I imagine I have heard you people use... “Don’t go overboard”.  Keep ‘balance’, in all your comings and goings and thinking; and in your relationship to human beings too, don’t be over judgemental - keep ‘balance’.

I hope you have understood what I am getting at.

For this morning we will leave you with the wish… that God’s blessings, God’s light, may shine on you and yours.

Good morning.

More thoughts on meditation.

Spirit (Ling): Greetings.

For man, manifest on earth, to communicate with God or God power, particularly in the material world that there is today, is somewhat difficult.

One must aim at tranquillity. Do not let the mind become bogged down with dogma, tradition, even too much learning. There is a place for all these things, but to reach the tranquillity the oneness with God, to take the God that is within you, each and every one of you, to take it home for a rest, brings great healing power; and to do this one must be tranquil. To achieve this is quite difficult.

If only each person could for five, perhaps ten minutes each day, withdraw into themselves in a quiet, peaceful, non materialistic part of the world, not necessarily outdoors (though preferable), and if not sitting on a seat, be comfortable leaning on a bank or against a tree; and if the scene in front is not one of tranquillity think of one; such as a pool, and in your mind look deep into that pool, so that every part of the body is relaxed. Perhaps imagine lying on the pool, because it is the body that you have got to move away from, so that you can enter the one-ness with God, and to receive the blessing that comes from this.

Not only will it possibly give healing to the body if necessary, but to the mind, and knowledge.

When one has had one’s five or ten minutes, one may just feel physically a little more comfortable after the rest; but possibly, a feeling of comfort, and also tranquillity and possible knowledge - because for you and every one of you on earth, there is the love and knowledge, of God.

You can walk your path of life, hand in hand with those you care for, but you are an individual and because everyone is different, everyone has free choice.

Many never have the opportunity, or feel the need, to question ‘Life’, but as one develops and starts thinking, and starts expanding, one wants more; and unless one is fortunate enough to contact one of the many teachers, one must seek by one’s self.

Perhaps during that quiet time, dwelling beside your pool or whatever, if you feel that you are unable to let go, start questioning yourself... “What is God to me?”  “What is the universe to me?”  “What are living things to me?”  “How did they come?”  “Why are they here?”

If people ask you, tell them these things, these questions, because if people ask them with sincerity in their hearts they may be surprised at the answers that may quietly come to them - and then start asking further questions...”How did I get that answer?” “Who was it gave it to me?” etc. It can open a wide, wide, wonderful, questioning time for you. And this applies to all races, and all colours.

Practise it yourself, my friends, and suggest it to others, because although you may question, you may find that the answer is within yourselves.

Peace and the love of God be with you always, and help you in passing on the knowledge that you may attain.

Good morning.

Music can help meditation.

Spirit (Ling): Greetings.

I am going to talk about music, because it is a very important part of your life, life eternal!

For example, you may remember that Jean spoke of going to sleep; she knew she could rest because everything was going to be all right.  She had realised that she had died and she was going to be given the opportunity to look after her daughter. Now she (along with many others)... when they wake, someone doesn’t come along and tell them to wake up, it is done through sound, through music; and according to the vibration, to the standard of living that they are going to have at that particular period of time for them.  The music will be developed to a point where it gives them great joy.

This would be different for various people, but we have some wonderful people over here, who in gazing on the soul of the person, know what vibration of sound would appeal, mainly to them, and it is to this that they waken.

And as you continue in your life and your work, over here, there are times, (well I can’t say you are lifted off you feet, because you don’t actually have feet physically), but you feel that the vibration of sound that you are listening to, could literally (if you were physical), lift you off your feet.  Your joy is so great!

Now on earth, many people have this opportunity and have this experience. It may only happen once or twice in your lifetime, where a particular combination of instruments, the ability of the players, the acoustics of the building that they are playing in, and the music that they are playing, can lift you into a state of almost biblical ecstasy.

Now no one could live either with us or on your earth, continually in that state, because you wouldn’t function on more mundane things. It is not practical. But to achieve that wondrous experience I would suggest that you make an opportunity, preferably daily - if not, perhaps only weekly,

Set aside, perhaps a quarter of an hour where you are listening to music. Don’t be doing your dishes, sweeping your floors, writing your letters; do nothing!  Sit in a chair, comfortable, temperature right, phone off the hook, and listen! And one day, if you are fortunate, you will come across a piece of music, that to you, is exquisite.

Now I cannot say to what joy or ecstasy it would take you, this is all part of your development, but that piece of music, once you find it (if you find it), ... use it as the beginning of your meditation.  Always play it, and I think you will find that it will help you to relax, and perhaps move you just a little, into our world, for a brief period of time.

Now don’t take this too far, friends. Don’t keep on playing it. Just once a day if you meditate on a daily basis play your tune, but don’t overdo it. As you know you must have ‘balance’ in everything, and that is one time when you should have balance.

I hope this has been of interest, and possibly of help to you.

Goodnight and God bless you.

A guided meditation. (Universe)

Spirit: Good morning, this is Alan.

I thought that you might possibly be interested in my taking you on a guided meditation to the best of my ability, to enable you to appreciate the universe. I don’t know whether we will succeed in this but I will try.

Make yourselves perfectly comfortable.

Now, I wish you to relax completely starting at your feet. Imagine perhaps, that you have had (I think when you get a needle put in you, it’s called an injection), you have had an injection, which is gradually putting your body to sleep from your feet up. It is now past your knees, up past your solar plexus, it has reached your shoulders, your mouth and your nose and your ears and your eyes, but somehow there is something that is still wide awake, and that is the you - the spirit!

And the spirit is leaving that sleeping body and moving in to a capsule of light, the brilliant light that you may get from a flash of lightning, but it’s not gone in a flash, it’s there! But it doesn’t worry your sight because you are not using physical eyes, and you’re in this capsule, which you feel is moving up and up, such as in a lift.    But as it goes up and up, and it seems as though it is for a very long time, it gradually disperses until you have what seems to you, nothing around you. But where are you?

You just appear to have space, indefinite space. There’s no horizon. It just goes on and on. But it doesn’t take you long to realize, that almost like a film, there are scenes passing before you; people, a panorama of life; animals, trees, rivers, oceans, boats. You find this hard to believe, because it is of many periods of time.

You see people that look as though they may have lived, even before the cave period, and then you see Europeans at a time when the arts flourished, and there’s a space ship going past, and you find this difficult to comprehend, that you can see all this going on but you’re not part of it... but wait!

If you look at a tree, or a boat, or a person, or an animal, you can feel one with it, you can communicate with it. The man Galileo... he stopped, and smiled at you but he’s moved on, and there are others.

My friends, if you have got yourselves to where I hope you have, you’ll have a small indication of what it is, to be one with the universe.

As these pictures flow in front of you, you can stop and enjoy the particular one you are interested in. It is like the rings that are round some of the planets. You have travelled through many levels, rings, through many facets of the universe, of what we call life, and you have got up to the ‘One-mind’, or really on the borders of the ‘One-mind’.

This gives you an indication of how there is so much you can do, because with your mind, you can become one with the past, with the present, and of the future, not necessarily just with a person, but of the universe, because there are minds throughout the universe.

Just dwell there for a moment, looking at the panorama of life that is going before you.

Your interest may be boats so you are seeing boats of many kinds; or music and you may hear wonderful music, or perhaps not hear it but see a person whom you recognise as a great composer; or see a painter at his canvas, or a potter at his wheel, or a builder of fine buildings, or perhaps a shepherd with his sheep.

If you go to other levels, other circles, other rings, you may not see such glory, because people are struggling; but it is all there, you can visit it all - but not at this time.

So now, draw yourself in once more, and step into your capsule, your light lift. Once more it closes round you and travels down through aeons of time to earth, to New Zealand, to your island and to this room, and gradually you can feel your ears, your nose, your shoulders, your stomach, your knees, your feet, and you are back here.

I have tried to give you a slight glimpse of eternity. It is not a vacuum. There is so much there, so much to absorb, and that’s why our minds must try and accept eternity.

Well I hope it has been a pleasant experience and for this morning we send you our love and blessings, and may God bless you also.

Good morning.

Sometimes spirit speakers come from other levels.  Very advanced souls from the highest vibrations do not come often as they find the changes too difficult but, of the ones who do come, we now hear from Elizabeth.

Before she takes us on a guided meditation tour of part of her homeland, first let us gain some background information from another of her talks.

An insight into Spirit life on a higher plane.

Spirit: Good morning, this is Elizabeth. I will tell you a little about where I live.

On the plane where I live, we do not have homes because we are together as one. We are still individual in our mind, but everything we do, is as one for we combine to get the best. When we have thought of what is suitable for the next plane down, or for whomever we are thinking of, then one of us breaks away as an individual, to help that situation.

It is a little difficult to explain to you people, but imagine yourselves, this circle, together, and your brains are together, so you’ve got not the thinking of one person but the thinking of all of you, without the effect of physical talking, or communicating in any way. It is there as one great power, to overcome a problem, to improve a situation, or whatever it is that is necessary.

When we listen to music, we listen as one. I think I could best describe it, that you are not aware in any way, of a body. It is pure thought.

Now I’m taking you, or describing to you, realms that are well away; that many people will not reach for perhaps thousands of years, where it is pure thought. It is you, without, well the only way I can describe it to you really, is without body.

Imagine a great sphere of soft, multicoloured light, which is pure power and that is where you are, but when you have a job to do, you move away and you become aware of a body. Not a physical one, your Heavenly body. If you have to come lower, then you would perhaps take on a physical body and this is very, very difficult to do, so that is why it is not very often that people of light, come to earth.

Well I must go back as I have come a long way, but I will come again some other day, as it is a pleasure being with you people.

Good morning.           

And now for that meditation-tour through part of Elizabeth’s homeland. This exists at a very high level of vibration, where life and surroundings are just so different from our own lives, as we shall see.

 A guided meditation-tour.

(Through part of Elisabeth’s homeland.)

Spirit: Good morning. This is Elizabeth.

I want to take you on a long journey this morning.

Now relax my friends....  This is going to be similar to a guided meditation, but where I am taking you to, is part of my everyday life, what I see and what those around me see.

We don’t start at a house because I haven’t got one. The world is my home. The universe is my home.

So, we are standing on the threshold of an adventure and before us lies a valley. Now the colours in this valley are not of earth. You must try and think of muted light. In my world it is almost pure white. I am aware of a path, but the stones are white, and so is what you would call the grass beside me. It is very, very, soft and white and it extends on my left and my right. The grass spreads until it comes to shrubs and trees, which also are white.

You may think, “Everything is white so I am seeing nothing,” but this is not so, because each thing you are looking at is alive, and because it is alive it has movement and as you know, movement can cause colour, because of friction.

So each of these things I have described, has a glow of colour to it. Sometimes, it is almost like I think you would describe a ‘sparkler’, that is how I can best describe it to you. You will be looking at a tree and the life in it is so vibrant that it is like a sparkler and as we continue on along our path, the beautiful mountains rise up each side of us.

It is a canyon we are going through and when you’re half way through you cannot see either end, your view is straight up these cliffs, these mountains and each side of you, you feel pressure, all around you, pressure. It pulsates backwards and forwards, backwards and forwards. It is the life of the stones that are around you. This is ‘life’ and if you listen you will hear, sound waves. That is the only way I can describe it to you. An ongoing hum, as though a city is a great distance from you, and you can just hear it. And that is life that you are listening to, the essence of God!

We will go a little further. We are coming out into a valley and as you’re looking with human eyes, you feel like putting your hands up and sheltering your eyes, because of this richness of glow, not bright reds or purples, or yellows, but very, very, soft glowing colours. I think of what you people might be able to accept  … imagine the interior of a paua shell that has been washed many times, so you’ve only got half the value of the colour, but it has life in it and it is glowing… or when you look into a deep pearl you get that same movement of light. Well this is in the valley - all around you!

You are aware of people, but you are not aware of their voices and yet you can talk to them if you wish, the same as you can talk to the animals that you can see there, and the birds and the flowers, because we love these things, so they are with us and we communicate with them all. As Peter once said to you, a mouse will not philosophise but he can give you joy from his happiness and this is what the animals do for us, and it is all vibration - all the living God in everything that is around you. You are part of it; you can get great joy from it and great knowledge from it.

As you walk back through the valley, put your hands on the stones and push on each side of you against a rock, and you will feel that vibration going up through your fingers, up your arms, and surrounding you in a cloud of vibrating warmth, light, happiness!

Continue on, back to where you came from, because it is there I must leave you. You must journey back to your world.

But if I have been able to give you that picture, carry it with you, because some day, I don’t know when (think in terms of many, many, years), that glory will be yours too - because you will be one with God!

Good morning.

A guided meditation for children.

Spirit: Good morning.  This is Elizabeth.

Once more I am going to take you on a meditation, but this one is quite different...  You are going to be a plant.  Now I hope you are quite comfortable.

Well first of all I assume you know a daffodil and what its bulb is like, so we’ll start there.

You are a bulb that is about two inches high, narrow at the top and quite plump towards the bottom.

You’re a rich brown, not a dark brown, a tan brown, warm. You fit comfortably into the palm of a person’s hand and you’re made up of layers, from your outer skin, which can sometimes be a bit loose, through many layers until you come to the growing section of the bulb and this is all white; layer upon layer, until you come to an infinitely small section.

Now someone has taken you and put you into soil with your sharp side up. The soil when you are put in is warm and moist, and you are three inches below the soil surface and there you remain, dormant, sleeping.  But when the winter rains come at the beginning of autumn, from your base where it’s a little bit rough, little white shoots of roots start to move out. They will eventually become about four or five inches long and as they go out they are searching for food.

Nothing at this stage is happening inside until the roots are secure, have found their source of food and many weeks have passed, and warmth is once more coming to the earth.

At that stage there is movement right within you and you begin pushing slowly up through that lovely rich soil.  You are now seeking light, and as you rise above the soil you form a little fat green tip.   Below the soil, this growing portion is still white because it needs sun to give it the colour.

You may push up, depending on your variety, a number of inches, we will say six.  At this stage the roots, which are pushing the food up for you and the sun which is helping you to develop, enable you to push your leaves out from the main stalk, perhaps six, all going in slightly different directions, and they continue to reach out until perhaps they are as much as eighteen inches.  They are a soft grey-green and now the exciting part in your life!

There is another little part coming, another little shoot, which has a hat on it. It’s a fine, fawn, fibrous sort of capping over this new shoot that is popping up in the middle of your leaves and it can feel the sun, and the rain, and the food that is coming up from the soil.  And it pushes up and up and then one day, oh...  it’s head bends over.

Now what is happening!  The feeling is as though there is a joint, and at the end of the joint is a swelling bud, and through this fibrous covering that is at the tip of the bud, the sun is pouring it’s energy and helping to colour it a gorgeous yellow and suddenly, one day, the little fibrous covering splits. Sometimes it falls to the ground but sometimes it just folds back and out comes a pure yellow bud. It will probably take another day until the petals begin to open out, one by one, five beautiful round petals with the sun warm on them and from the centre, the trumpet. This may vary in colour and in length and quite often the end of the trumpet is frilled. And inside are the stamens, and into that quite often the little bees will go, and the scent that you have permeates round so that people may enjoy it, and all this time up from the soil comes the food, right up the stem, through the back of the bulb, out into the golden petals, and you stand there swaying in the wind and enjoying the sun and the sound of the birds that are around you.

You’re probably on a big field with many others, swaying in the breeze, hearing the birds, feeling the sun, occasionally the shadow of a cloud, but eventually you grow tired, your flower drops forward, your leaves go to the ground, the grass dries in the autumn, and makes a bed over the top of the soil which covers you once more for the winter; until the following spring, when once more you will come forth in all your glory. And that in a way is your life. That little bulb comes up through the earth, lives to its day of glory and then quietly goes away.

Now that is what life is like for us too. We come to earth and we go back to earth, but the vital life, that that little bulb has in it, you have in you. So there is no death!”

Perhaps you could use that some day if you had the opportunity, with children.

I think they might love it; as long as you pick on a flower that they have seen and understand a little bit.

God bless you.

Goodnight.

Alan, a spirit who lived shortly before the time of Christ gave this meditation journey, based on one of his own trading journeys when he was a Bedouin trader travelling in India, and takes us from the plains up to a monastery near the Tibetan border.

 A Guided Meditation tour from Alan.

Spirit (Alan):

Now for today, I’m going to try and take you people on part of one of the journeys that I did many years ago. It was unusual and it only happened two or three times in my life that I made this particular trip, but to me it was unforgettable. So I would like you if possible, to follow me.

Now, you know the clothing of a Bedouin approximately, long flowing robes... and this is what you are wearing.  Initially you are riding a camel. This is a swaying, circular motion, where once you are used to it, you can actually sleep, ensconced in your saddle, which in our case had a hollow in it into which the seat of the rider fitted, so that there was little or no chance of them falling, unless the animal actually badly lurched.

These camels would take us across deserts, flat lands and slightly hilly conditions, but the ground had to be soft for their feet.  I don’t know whether you are aware of it, but they have very soft feet, which the men who look after the camels continually attend to, and check almost daily.

Once we start climbing into the hills we would take to horses, or, where I’m taking you, we would walk.

Now we have come across the plains of India, and as you know, they go for many, many miles. We have climbed up into the smaller hills where it is cooler, and there we are leaving our camels in the care of their keepers, in good pasture.

We have people to carry our baggage. I never had to carry anything, so in our imagination, you won’t either.  Partly in your case, it would be because from now on you are going to have difficulty in breathing.  This is because of the change of oxygen content in the air. Initially you will be all right, but you are starting to walk fairly steeply up and perhaps on steps that are as much as eighteen inches high, cut into the sides of the cliffs. This can be very tiring on your thighs, as you no doubt in your imagination are beginning to feel, as you push yourself up. One good way, which we all learnt, was that you push. I used my right hand on my right thigh with my left hand on the top of it and pushed down on the thigh, bringing the left leg up on to the next step. Can you follow that?

Sitters: Yes thank you.

Spirit: Now this may go on for hours, that you are doing nothing else but climbing, but periodically we stop and we have a sweet - dates, dried fruit, that type of thing.  We are not drinking coffee.  It doesn’t seem compatible to the system once you start climbing high, so we have goat’s milk and we also carry water, which you would probably not enjoy drinking, because its carried in the stomach of animals and quite often has a flavour, even though it has been cleaned out, usually with salt.

During your rest time, and you can usually be quite comfortable because the stones are more often than not flat and you can relax on them, you have incredible views.   Imagine looking almost hundreds of miles on a clear day across a vast plateau.   You are looking right across India.   You might even pick up some of the cities that are on the plateau, mainly Delhi and in those days it was not the Delhi that is the main city today. There was nothing where it now stands.

Now we are climbing higher, and you have taken a rug as you would call it and draped over your shoulders, because the cold is beginning to become intense.   We are not actually in the snow, but the wind (and it is fairly strong), is in our face and coming off the snow.  You are almost gasping for breath and you can feel the cold in your lungs.   It is inclined to make you almost light headed and occasionally you may struggle and grab hold of a rock or tussock to steady yourself, but you keep going.

At night we find a plateau and the carriers have erected small skin tents, into which we retreat.   There are rugs (which today you people pay much money for) that have been spread on the floor for us and round the walls of the small tent, partly to look more decorative because we are looked after, but mainly to keep out the cold.

We are then brought a meal. This again consists of a lot of dried fruits and at this stage, because we are not going to continue to walk for some hours, we can have coffee, and in my time we also smoked.

In the morning when you look out of your tent, you will see the fog or mists from the hills, down in the valleys and across the great plain. So, you are looking down on the clouds, and as the sunrises it puts colour into the top of the clouds, soft pinks and yellows.

We are continuing for another half-day’s walk.  As the morning passes, we can look down again on the valley, because the fog is gradually dispersing and we can see the buzzards and similar birds hovering, a considerable distance below us - but we have come to our destination.

You may have seen similar in books, because many of these buildings stand today; cold, grey, square, inartistic buildings with slate roofs, many stories high and a labyrinth of corridors.   We are at a monastery.

In my time it was old, and there are men from India and from Tibet, because we are very near the boundary or the border of these two lands.  Many of the men are like us, visitors.   Some have come to stay for two or three nights, or perhaps only hours, and some become dedicated to finding God within themselves.

There is a continual sound in this monastery.   It is the sound that through thousands of years, men have worked out they feel is the correct human sound to get the vibration to get nearest to God, and by continually repeating it, they feel that spirit can come close - and in many cases this is true.

You probably know the sound yourselves.  ‘0mm, 0mm,’ a man will sit in what you call I think, the ‘Lotus’ position and make that sound for hours at a time.   I tried it.   For me it was just a comforting, pleasant sound; because myself, I prefer to go out on one of the balconies or terraces and just stand and breathe in that cold, crisp, thin air and look down in the valley, or up to the mountains that towered even higher than we were, and merely contemplate and think of God.  The sort of thing that you people can do on your beaches on your beautiful island; just stand and think, of God.

The men who were permanently there made us most welcome.  They gave us initially bowls of tea.   Now I don’t know whether you have read of this, but they float sour, (or to me bad) butter on their tea, and that’s how they drink it.   One has to be polite and accept this, but for the likes of myself it was an ordeal, to take down this greasy liquid.

It had a peculiar smell and I felt that the men themselves had the smell permeating throughout the building and their bodies. Their long, yellow, drab robes seemed to have absorbed the smell, but of course their candles and the rushes that they use also had the fat from mainly the yak, which they use domestically, in every way.

Another sound that was continually heard in this building was the soft howling of wind.   This is because the building’s walls themselves were anything up to six feet (two metres approximately) thick in places.   I think that is correct in giving you the second measurement, I’m not too sure of this.    But they were very thick, very narrow and the wind drifting past caused this whistling.  You may think that these buildings would be draughty, but they weren’t because of the thickness of the wall.   Very little of that air came inside, but where it was cold, is that you had nothing to lie on, except your rugs on the stone floors, and this was hard.

There were no fresh fruit or vegetables, as you know them. Everything they had appeared to be dried, particularly during the winter, when they were completely snowed in and no caravans passed them, so it was a time of celebration when the snows melted and the caravans could get through again.

These were remarkable men who travelled between the two countries and even as far as China, continually on the move.  Not taking the precious things that the caravans that I travelled in used, but merely taking everyday food to these people.  Year in, year out, that was their life.

I hope I have given you an idea, not of the ritual of these monasteries, because I didn’t take part in it very much.   To me it seemed as though they physically tried to forget themselves in deep meditation, for hours at a time.   They were not practical men that had to live as I did.  So I felt in myself that I didn’t have time to go into their deep and very beautiful religion that they appeared to be able to dedicate their lives to, but one thing that they did have that I thought was beautiful, and still in my mind I can hear - the sound of their bells.

Incredible bells, in varying sizes, were softly touched as people walked past, so that there was always this chime.   Not the heavy deep boom of some of the European bells, but the very soft and yes, sometimes deep, but not heavy sound, and this on a clear, cold day, could be heard from valley to valley and I have even heard those bells, down on the great Indian plateau.

Well, we have stayed here long enough and I am going to take you back.   You are going to find it a jarring journey going back, because you are going down in many places the eighteen inches that I spoke of, and to do that hour after hour is exceedingly tiring.   But the boots we have on are well padded with animal skins, so that the soles of our feet are not harmed in any way and our spines are cushioned from the extensive jarring they would normally get.

When we reach the bottom we are tired.   We’re now getting more oxygen, which is something we have learnt to do without.   So we rest for a couple of days and we talk of what we have seen, and what we have learnt.

Once more we must mount our camels.   It’s a struggle when you are not used to it, particularly it would be for you men, with your long flowing garments, and when you’re not used to getting on to the swaying animal.

Now we go down on to the plains and far away, back to this room and to this time.

I hope you’ve been able to see the picture I’ve tried to paint and I hope you have enjoyed it.

Sitter: Yes thank you.  I can certainly imagine it, but I feel very sorry for the people that had to carry a load as well as climb those stairs.

Spirit: Those loads at times were very, very bulky.  They could be three feet square, four feet square.   Some of them towered above their heads, perhaps two or three feet above their heads, for a long object.   Some of them were very heavy, but they had bands around their heads, which helped to support their bundles, and they were sturdy men that could carry them hour after hour.  Remarkable I think.  Remarkable!

Sitter: Did you lose many people on the trip?

Spirit: Unfortunately, there was always usually, one accident.  More than an accident, it was usually a life gone; because once you fell, the momentum that was caused by the pack on your back just carried you down into the valley.

Unfortunately too, if it was just an ordinary accident like the breaking of a limb, that at times also, could be fatal.    Though there weren’t the germs up in those high places, it was the shock and the cold; so unless something could be done quickly and the person could be got to a monastery or down on to the flat quickly, they often came over to where I am now; which at that time to us was a sorrowful thing to have happened, because these men, though they kept fairly much to themselves, were people we knew, and appreciated for the work they did.

Sitter: How long ago Alan did you make this journey?  Are we talking of three, four, five hundred years?

Spirit: No.  Be over twice that.  Before the time of the Nazarene, which I think was about two thousand years ago… before his time. Religion and religious teachers have gone on for thousands of years. Incredible times. Only a few of them have been historical figures, since man has been capable of keeping a record and a record that lasts.

Man has had means of writing on stone and so on, but many of these things of course, deteriorate with time. You’d say a stone wouldn’t, but yes, it does, inasmuch as someone sees a stone with a few scratches on it and throws it away, and yet that might have had the story of someone on it.  So yes, it was before then, more than two thousand years ago.  To me it seems only a couple of years ago.  Not long!

Well, I think for this morning we will say goodbye.

Good morning.

Sitter: Good morning Alan and thank you for that most interesting talk this morning. Very interesting.

Spirit. It was my pleasure to take you, because I like thinking back on those times.

Sitter: Thank you again Alan.

Spirit: A pleasure.

For most of us, some relaxation and meditation methods work better than others, so here are two more exercises that could be tried.

Relaxing travel.

 Spirit: Good evening, this is Alan.

I have been asked to inform you of a small exercise, that we in this world make use of, (this dimension, this vibration, however you picture us), because there are times when we also need to relax… mentally.

We may have been working out of our area; it may have caused a certain amount of stress, and so we have small exercises that we do… which we thought if you could develop the habit yourselves, could be of great benefit to you.

It is so simple that you are probably going to scoff, and initially you may find it quite difficult. I suppose one could call it, a mini-meditation. Possibly you may be able to do it straight away, for others it may take a while, but let me give an example… You find a place in your home where you are completely relaxed, preferably where you won’t be interrupted, but where if you were it would be the sort of interruption that wouldn’t worry you, such as your companion walking into the room, or a knock at the door… but please don’t sit next to the door! (Mirth)

So you are as relaxed as you can be, because no doubt your mind is doing all sorts of things, planning, thinking what you should have done and didn’t do, etc. So you try and relax… then you do in your mind, a very common thing that possibly you would do every day.

You go to the entrance of your home, the one that you use mainly. The door is closed so you open it, and before you is a scene that you recognise… you know it. You then walk to your gate or the entrance to your property and walk a hundred yards or so along that road.

Initially you are picturing it, as you know it. For example, you know that there is a wire fence on your left and there are trees on your right and there is a dog living a bit further up, etc. But only go that hundred yards and stop, preferably if it is near your place to a joining of roads, and just stand there.

You are imagining yourself physically standing there observing what is around you. Don’t in your mind say “Oh I’ll be here two or three minutes”. Just take your time and when you feel it is time to go back, retrace your steps exactly the same as when you came out. You will open the door if you closed it, walk through, sit on your seat, and when you feel comfortable open your eyes.

Now this you may think is “A waste of time, I can’t do it”, but if you persist once or twice a week, no more… name the days. We don’t have to do this because we are used to it, but for yourselves think something like, “Oh well, Mondays and Wednesdays”, or something similar.

You may be surprised. Within a short time and that will vary from person to person, you may find yourself at that spot that you have chosen, at the crossroads, or in front of a particular house, whatever it is… so clearly, that you are actually watching the birds, or a car that is coming towards you, or the wind in the trees, or whatever movement there is there.

When you get back to your home and sitting in your chair, and consciously wake yourself you eventually should realise, that you were there. Your spirit for a short time, a very short time, walked out of your house to the place you chose.

Now this can be done and it is very relaxing.

Sitter: When you get good at it, could you arrange your thinking to go perhaps to another country?

Spirit: Yes. There is nothing to stop you from travelling the world. Initially you’ll probably think it is memory, that you’ve read it - or something like that. That may come into it a little, but as you progress you will realise that you have travelled. Each and every one of you have probably done it in a minor way, and an example would be, when someone comes into a room when you perhaps are daydreaming, and you get an awful shock, (we may have mentioned this before), but you people comment, “Oh, you made me jump out of my skin!”

That’s not true - you jumped back in! (Mirth)

Well on that cheerful note I will leave you, but it is well worth practising. It will come in useful if ever you are under perhaps, physical stress - for if you get to the stage where you are competent in doing this, it may well help you.

Spirit: God bless you and I wish you the best.

Goodbye.

Another Suggested Meditation.

Spirit (Ling): Greetings.

Tonight we’re giving you a meditation you might like to try. It is not one to use all day and every day, but we suggest approximately weekly,

You start outside a big cathedral or church. It does not have to be one you know but I think that all of you in your minds know what it would look like - the huge doors.

Now at this particular period of time that you are going there, there is no one else, except one person who is up in the loft, the organ loft, and you can hear their music. You in your own minds may have a particular tune in mind, but the music… we would suggest that you make it a slow march, the sort of music that you hear on great royal occasions in England - a slow stately step.

And this is the step that you will use, once you have closed the big doors behind you. You will keep time to that music, and walk slowly down the huge, long aisle. It is very long, giving you time to think of the other people that have walked that aisle over perhaps hundreds of years if, you have chosen an old church.

Away above you are the great, wonderful timbers, and in front of you is a great what you call, rose window.  You go right forward to the alter. You don’t go up to the alter, you go to the steps in front of it, and like most Christians you kneel at these steps. The alter has a cloth on it, and candles, and flowers. Normally there is a cross, but for you there is not a cross, there is a light – a lovely light!

And keeping yourself calm and your breathing regular, you look in to this light. With time you may see something, but for those times you don’t, after a short time stand and smile at that light, back away two or three steps, turn and slowly walk out again… once more admiring the structure, the carvings, the timber of the pews, so that when you return again, perhaps the following week, it is even more familiar to you.

Once outside return from whence you came.

Goodnight and God bless you.