How to Practice

THE PRACTICE

There are many forms of meditation leading to the awakening of the sleeping Christ within. There is no one way suitable to all people. Each person must ultimately find the way which appeals to his particular consciousness. All methods call forth that deep sense of humility which knows “I can of mine own self do nothing.” Satisfactory meditation requires a letting go of personal selfhood, with its egotistic claim to possessing a wisdom of its own, in order that the Power which we call the Father within can take over. This Power is within us, not within our body, but within our consciousness, and through meditation we permit It to escape from within, that It may act on the without and become the saviour to our experience.

• The initial stage of meditation may be a contemplation of God: the beauty of God’s universe, the law of God, and the activity of God. Our life becomes that of a beholder, beholding the glory of God in all things—in the green grass, in the gentle breeze, in the turbulence of the ocean, and in the calm of the night. In this contemplative state of being, we cannot behold anything in this world, without at the same moment recognizing its cause, the invisible spiritual activity, which produced it. We should never look at a sunrise or a sunset, without instantly realizing the spiritual nature of that which brought it into expression—God, the creative Principle of the mountains, the skies, and the seas; God, the creative Principle of that which fills the air with birds and stocks the seas with fish. If we live continuously in the contemplation of the invisible Presence and Power underlying all things, this very place whereon we stand is holy ground. As we ponder the glory of God, contemplate His wonders, our mind is stayed on God.

• Fewer and fewer extraneous thoughts thrust themselves upon our consciousness. We are able to sit for many minutes, sometimes for as long as an hour, finding ourselves at peace in our contemplation of God and the beauty of the spiritual universe. Contemplation lifts our consciousness into an atmosphere of receptivity, into a consciousness where miracles can take place. The conscious thinking mind comes to a stop, and the invisible Presence and Power is given an opportunity to function.

• Until that It, that invisible Selfhood, that invisible Presence and Power, is permitted to operate in consciousness, we are merely functioning on the mental level. The human mind cannot be the avenue for the activity of the Soul: a higher consciousness must be reached. Through this higher consciousness, through that mind which was in Christ Jesus, the Soul reveals Itself and Its activity as our individual experience. That which imparts itself to us from the inner consciousness is power, not the thoughts we think, not our statements or beliefs; but that which reveals itself from within on the inner plane is the power, with signs following.
• This inner consciousness is without boundary, and, by rising to a higher level of consciousness, we become aware of that which lies far beyond our immediate knowledge. This higher consciousness is unlimited and imparts its wisdom to us infinitely and eternally. It is that insulated place within own being, where the ceaseless activity of the outer world does not intrude.
• If we are faithful in the practice of contemplation and the simpler forms of meditation, this practice will lead us from one form of meditation to another, until we arrive at the actual experience of hearing the still small voice, of receiving divine guidance from within, and of being divinely led every step of the way.
• Let us begin by sitting in a comfortable position. Some people prefer a straight chair, even a hard one, so that they are compelled to sit in an upright position; whereas others find themselves more comfortable in an armchair. Keep the feet flat on the floor; hold the body erect, with the hands resting in the lap. In this natural, relaxed, but alert position, begin your meditation with some passage of scripture that may come to your thought, or, if you like, you may open the Bible or a book of spiritual wisdom and read for a short time. You may read only one paragraph, or you may need to read ten pages before some particular thought attracts your attention. When this occurs, close your book and take that thought into your meditation. Think about it; hold it right in front of you; repeat it to yourself. Ask yourself: Why did this particular quotation come to me? Does it have an inner meaning? What is its significance to me at this time? As you continue meditating another statement may come to your attention. Consider both of these thoughts: Is there any relationship between them? Is there any coherence? Why did this quotation follow the first one? By this time probably a third idea and then a fourth will have come, and all these thoughts will have come out of your awareness, out of your consciousness. In this short period of meditation which may have been of only a minute’s duration, you have experienced God revealing Itself; you have opened yourself to divine Intelligence and Love. This is the Word of God which is quick and sharp and powerful. To have received one statement of truth from the depths of our own being is evidence that we have had a degree of realization of God; peace and quiet descend upon us; and a sense of well-being and assurance well up within us. This form of meditation, if practiced faithfully, opens our consciousness to permit God to function in our life, to permit Christ to live our life—but it must be practiced. It is necessary, therefore, to return to our meditation at our first opportunity, and to repeat the process in the middle of the day and again in the evening. We may find that we are unable to sleep continuously throughout the night. In the middle of the night, the demand comes, “Meditate.”
• JOEL S. GOLDSMITH

Make Yourself Meditate Daily. Find moments to stop everything and turn within to listen to your Spirit Speak to you, in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength! All you need is a moment in time…

What delight can you find in this task, in this moment? Keep practicing, each day, and see what happens in your life!

AND SO IT IS…