Meditation Methods
Paths to Concentration, Grounding, Relaxation...



Being in the right state of mind is an important part of performing magick and rituals. Below are some methods I have collected about the internet to obtain the desired state of altered conscioussness, or even just to promote calm and serenity at the end of the day:

The Tapestry Meditation

Crone Meditation

The Inner Sanctuary

The Tapestry Meditation

1. Steady, Even Breathing

Take a deep breath and relax all the muscles in your body. Take another deep breath and relax your mind; think of a positive place. Take another deep breath and imagine you're floating freely in a positive Universe. Continue until you're completely relaxed and calm. Pull in your personal energy to your navel. Count down from ten to one, slowly.

2. Energy of the Sacred Horn

Visualize the God above you, glowing gold, reaching out to touch you. A beam of golden light leaves his hands and spirals downward to kiss your head.Your head fills with the light, which continues downward through your body,traveling deep into the womb of the Goddess.

3. Energy of the Sacred Cauldron

Visualize the Goddess below you, now connected to the God by the gold light.Her aura glows silver. She is reaching out to touch you. A jet of silver steam leaves Her hands and spirals upward to kiss your feet. Your feet fill with the magnetic steam of the earth, and this steam continues to spiral upward through your body...

4. Sacred Tapestry

The rising earth power weaves around the descending golden light, and circulates through your body. The sun power flows down to connect with the belly of the earth. The cauldron/earth power rises to connect to the sun......

5. Your Sacred Center

Feel yourself now glowing with the energies of the Universe. Center the energy given to you. Direct this energy into personal healing, healing for others, or for some positive goal. {THIS is where you know the true root of your power lies, btw. Nifty thing to know. You can feel that strength - tap into it at any time. But it makes ya look a tad weird at work. (LOL)

6. Sacred Return

Return the gold energy to the God with thanks. Return the silver energy to the Goddess with thanks. Center yourself once again. Let any excess energy drain off into the ground or toward a positive goal, such as healing the earth.

Count slowly from one to ten. Open your eyes and breathe deeply. You should feel relaxed and wide awake.

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Crone Meditation - From “Maiden, Mother, Crone” by DJ Conway

Sit in a comfortable position with your feet flat on the floor and your hands in your lap. Close your eyes and visualize a white light coming into position over the top of your head. See it coming down over you until you are completely surrounded by the light. Breathe it in with slow, even breaths. Feel your body relaxing, beginning with your toes and working up to your jaw and head muscles. It may take more time to relax the muscles of the shoulders, neck and head than the rest of the body.

Now see yourself standing beside a well. The stone walls of the well are moss-covered and worn. Take all the problems in your life that are bothering you (that includes people) and drop them into the well. Then turn and walk away down a little path that leads through a grove of trees.

In a short time you come to a very high cliff wall at the end of the path. Set into the wall is an iron-bound oak door. The door is narrow and tall with a peak at the top. A huge brass ring hangs on one side of the door.You pull on the ring, and the door slowly comes open.

Inside is a deep tunnel, its curved roof illuminated for a space by two torches which hang in iron holders on either side of the door. As you step inside and take down one of the torches, the door slowly closes behind you.

The light of your torch illuminates the path before you, although the tunnel ahead is dark. You remember that you are protected; nothing can harm you.You set off down the tunnel which begins to gently curve, first one way,then the other. The small side-tunnels do not interest you. Your goal is the Mother’s chamber beyond the Maiden’s fountain, somewhere ahead in the labyrinth.

Before long you turn a corner and find yourself in the torch-lit
white-walled room with the Maiden’s fountain bubbling in its shallow bowl in the center. The Maiden stands near the entrance to another dark tunnel, Her hounds gathered at Her feet. She beckons to you, then turns and leads the way into the tunnel, the hounds running before you. You follow, your torch casting a circle of light around you.

You recognize the intricate twists and turns, the increase of side-tunnels, as the way to the Mother’s chamber. If you see any “ghosts” from your past live here, you may stop and communicate with them. If,however, you feel any threat coming from these apparitions, call to the Maiden and She will protect you.

The Maiden leads you deeper still into the twisting labyrinth. Soon you find yourself in the lighted, red-walled chamber with its crystal benches. The central fountain sounds like tiny bells as it falls into its bowl. The Maiden goes straight to the carnelian throne, where the Mother waits. On the back of the throne perches a white owl, its dark eyes staring at you.

In a soft voice, the Mother tells you to follow the owl. She gestures to the wall behind the throne. As you step past Her, you see a narrow opening outlined in crystal and amethyst points. She smiles encouragingly as you move toward the black tunnel. The owl leaves its perch and flies ahead of you, its white plumage glowing in the darkness.

You squeeze through the narrow opening. The tunnel is so narrow you can reach to each side and touch the crystal-studded walls. Without warming, your torch goes out, and you stand in complete darkness. Then you see the delicate flicker of light across the crystal walls. You squeeze around a corner and find yourself in a black-walled cave. The walls and ceiling are cloaked in deep shadows. The only light comes from an ornate lamp set on the low stone wall around a central pool. Just beyond the pool is a huge cauldron. The owl perches on the cauldron rim and looks at you.

You walk to the pool and lay your extinguished torch on the rocky floor. Gazing down into the still black waters of the pool, you may see scenes in the water - scenes from the past, the present or the future. Do not be discouraged if nothing is revealed during this visit. Sometimes it takes more than one journey to this pool before one can see backward and forward through time.

Beyond the cauldron, you see a movement, and a black-robed figure steps forward. A hood covers the head and shadows the face. Two long gray braids hang down across the breast. You stand silent for a few moments, gazing at this powerful figure. You feel no menace coming from the figure, only concern and deep love.

Then leathery hands are raised and the hood dropped back to reveal an older woman, the Crone, the Dark Mother. Although She is aged, She is very beautiful. Her eyes are filled with timeless wisdom. She holds out Her hands and you go to stand directly before Her, gazing into those wise eyes.

The Crone gestures for you to sit beside Her at the edge of the pool. She asks you if you have any questions about karmic patterns in your life. You may ask Her about any present event or person and how they fit in from other lifetimes. You may also ask about the future and how it is tied to the past. Confirmation or revelation of past lives is also within the realm of the Dark Mother. The Crone will give you the information She knows you will use in a positive way. She may, at times, refuse to answer until a later time. You can hide nothing from the all-seeing, all-knowing Dark Mother.

When you have finished your conversation, the Crone asks if you are ready for a rebirth. This can bring drastic changes, so think carefully before you decide. If you answer yes, She takes your arm and leads you to the far side of the huge cauldron where there are steps leading up to it. You climb the steps and stand looking down into its black interior. An inky, bubbling liquid fills the cauldron. The Crone speaks encouraging words in Her soft voice as you stand there. Finally, you leap into the cauldron and fall down into its blackness.

The cauldron experience is intensely personal. There is no single experience, therefore no way to describe it. You will, however, feel healing and strengthening taking place within your body, mind and soul. You may even see or experience past lives. At least you feel the Crone’s hands touch you, and you are lifted up again to stand at the top of the steps. Although you have been immersed in liquid, you are completely dry. The Dark Mother helps you down the steps and guides you to a black marble bench at the shadowed back of the cave. Both of you sit there while the Crone continues to instruct you and answer questions.

The Dark Mother takes a silver chalice from the floor near Her foot and holds it while you drink. The liquid is such a dark purple that it is almost black. It fills you with warmth, with hope, with renewal. The Crone gently touches the center of your forehead, your heart, and your belly. Where She has touched, there is a deep, intense feeling of warmth and energy. She presses into your hand a special symbol. This symbol may be entirely spiritual, or may actually come to you in the physical at a later date.

The Dark Mother leans forward and kisses your cheek. Instantly you are whirled away in a vortex of bright lights and melodic sounds. When the whirling stops, you find yourself once again at the exit door of the labyrinth. You push against it and go outside.

You take three deep, slow breaths and find yourself again in your chair in your present life surroundings. Sit quietly for a few moments to absorb what you experienced. If you like, make notes of your journey.

Be aware for the next few weeks, for messages and answers to questions may come from very unlikely people. Look at everything logically, though. Never take extreme answers at face value. Spirit never demands extreme or unethical action.

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The Inner Sanctuary

There is a technique used in magical training that I call `The Inner
Sanctum' or `Sanctuary.'
It requires the ability to visualize.
Breathing slowly in a place where the light is dim or off, you are seated
comfortably but upright, in a chair or cross-legged, and you won't be
disturbed, envision a place you can associate with peace and comfort. I use a
cave, but others will picture a cottage in the woods or a sacred stone
circle. It is very personal.
Now when your eyes are almost closed, but you are alert, picture yourself
in this sacred space. You have the power to shut out the world, though you
can invite others to join you. Fill the image with qualities you love. If,
for instance, it has a door, you might like a heavy oaken door, or maybe you
like a magical portal encrusted with gems and pearls. The `decor' is up to
you. Make it yours. In this `temple' you have certain tools. You might have a
crystal ball, though you might prefer a computer, that allows you to
clairvoyantly look at events and persons at will. This way you can activate
your psychic ability, without having to leave this sanctuary.
So, if you want to view things at a distance, use the tool, and when you are
in peace and centered, you may be able to `see' at a distance. You may want a
telephone too, for this tool will activate your telepathy with other minds.
You know it works when you `call' someone up, and they report later that they
started feeling you or thinking of you for some reason at the time you
`called' them. You can either dial their actual phone numbers mentally or ask
the `operator' to connect you. The `operator' is a level of your inner self
that has the power of telepathy.
In your sanctum, you can do magic. You can set up a `magic Circle' of
your own design, one that keeps intruding energies away and focusses your
own, and you have Power there. If you are Wiccan, or similar, you can invoke
the Guardians of the Four Directions and Above and Below to watch over the
Work you do. Then you can call upon the Great Potencies: The Goddess and the
God, to enter the Circle and abide in you. Mentally raise Power until it is
very tangible, then send it like an arrow from a bow, toward your chosen
goal. The goal should be beneficent, such as healing or a blessing, or toward
abundance. Never use the technique to do harm! It will rebound. When you feel
the `arrow' has left the bow completely, and you sense it is aimed truly and
will strike its target, let go. This is analogous to raising and using a
`Cone of Power' in WitchCraft. Don't cling to the `arrow' or worry about if
it hit the goal, just let go completely. Then offer the Potencies gratitude,
let them return to their holy abodes. Do the same for the Guardians. Now, and
this is important, `ground' the energies. Return them to the Earth, or you
will be very spaced out for some time, and you will have a hard time doing
mundane tasks. Again, you will feel when the energy is `grounded,' and again
give thanks to all the Powers you called upon.
You may want to furnish this inner Temple with books. These contain
whatever you want, and they have the secrets you want to learn. Reading them
activates your intuition, so you can learn from the source, not second hand
from a human teacher.
Now, about peace and relaxation: While you can create any tools you
choose, and you can do magic in your Temple, the main use you may prefer is
to find a place of peace within yourself. You may find it valuable to go
there when the world wants to disturb you, as when you are riding on a bus or
in a crowd. Eventually, you can learn to be in the Sanctuary with eyes open
and while walking and talking. Envision a key to the door there, or a magic
sword or wand, or some kind of barrier, that only you can bypass. Then this
place is always there for you to come back when you wish.
Eventually, you can work with others on a common Temple where they and
you can go together. This is best done in a coven or similar small group.
Certain aspects of this group Temple MUST be agreed on, so you all meet at
the same place, together.
Whenever you feel stressed out, sit quietly and open the gate, door or
whatever you chose, and enter your private place, and shut the world out.
Breathe deeply, and let yourself smile, to affirm this is YOUR special place,
and you are safe here.

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