Inner Flame Meditation

People have asked me to give another example of meditation.


First thing first.  THERE IS NO BAD WAY TO MEDITATE!


Some forms of meditation work better for others and some don't work at all.  That's OK.  There are as many ways to meditate are there are people in the world.


What I am going to explain is the Inner Flame Meditation.


Inner Flame Meditation
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First, as always, get in a place where you will not be disturbed for at least 10 minutes.   This is really important.  There is nothing so interrupting as almost getting to a place of inner peace and then having the phone ring or the front buzzer buzz.


Get comfortable.  Lay down.  Sit up.  Stand on your head.  Do whatever makes you comfortable.


Now.


Picture an old style oil lamp.  Not Alladin, but more like the kind that used to be used in old locomotives or ones you've seen on Little House on the Prairie .   


See the glass enclosure.  See the small space between the glass and the base to let air in.  See the small cotton wick.  See the glass flume.  This is to be the focus of your thoughts.  The more detail you can give this lamp the better.  Can you smell the oil?  Can you feel the warmth coming off of it when lit?  Can you see it cast light in all directions in your mind?


Now picture this lamp lit and placed in the center of your mind, your thoughts.  See the light, see the shadows cast.  Feel the warmth given off.  


Now, concentrate on your breathing.  With each breath in, picture more air getting to that lamp.  As you breath in, the light gets brighter; the flame gets a bit bigger, the warmth increases.


Now breathe out.  Let the flame go down to a flicker again.


Repeat this several times.   With each breath the flame reacts.  With each inhalation, the flame is stronger, brighter.


Now, we are going to give this flame more fuel.  Now when you breathe in, think of a time of receiving love in your life.  This love is the fuel for the flame.  The air makes it brighter.  The fuel of love makes it bigger.  Think of a loving moment.  Breathe in.  Feel that love you experienced.  Let that love saturate the oil lamp.  See the flame grow.  Breathe out.


Now, this flame is dependent on the air (spirit) and the fuel (love).  Think of moments of love in your life.  Infuse them with air (spirit) and send them to the oil lamp.  


See the flame become the center, the focal point of your inside mind; your thoughts.


If you think of a passionate example of love, let the flame become redder.  If you think of a brotherly or sisterly moment of love, make the flame greener.  If you think of a divine moment of love let the color turn blue.  If you use a memory in which you were not only loved, but loved another, turn the flame yellow-blue.  


During this meditation, as you breathe in, as you focus on a moment of love, see how many colors you can make that flame become.  Go through all the flavors of love you have experienced and have shown others.  


At some point, vanish the lamp itself.  Let it fade from view and have only the flame remaining.  Move around the flame in your own mind.  See the multicolor reflections as you re-experience those moments of love.  See the hue, the texture, the ambience, the warmth, the body of the flame.  


Now, with each breath in, let the flame turn on itself.  With each breath out, turn it some more.  Let each indrawn and exhaled breath be like a kick on a merry-go-round.  Let it turn the flame.  With each remembered moment of love, let the turning flame flare outward.   See the light flow out of you, bathing everything around you in its brilliance.  Soon the flame is a turning ring of fire, shedding light to the ends of the universe.   


Now, with each breath and each remembered moment of love, see the ring of flame expand outside of yourself.  See the millions of other rings of flame that join together and spread that light and warmth of love.  See it affect all things around it.  See the dancing of the rings together, rejoicing in the spirit and love which are their existence.


Take some time here.  Then slowly reassert the vision of the lamp and the light.  Leave the flame lit.  And remember at any time, you can see that flame and know it is but a point of light in the dance of the infinite rings of fire in life.  You may go back to that place in your mind at any time, and go through this meditation again, to join in the dancing fire of life.