Meditation 101 – Walking Meditation

I have done this meditation a few times now and I have found that it is a very good meditation for focusing. Since you are moving it is harder to focus on the movements of your footing if you have lots of thoughts, I find this meditation is one of the best yet for clearing the mind.

The first time I did this I went for a long walk about 30 maybe 40 minutes at a push. I found that as focused on my footing I didn’t need to say the words left, right push, lift, place etc anymore because I was aware of all the movements my footing did. My mind wandered the less I paid attention to. When I was just focusing on the left right it was easier for my mind to wander, however as I focused on more parts like lifting, pushing and placing my mind had no time to wander.

I find I have done this meditation very well and I have had no major problems with it. I will continue to do this meditation as the others. I feet that as I was walking and focusing I was becoming calmer with each step, I would say this meditation is better for having inward awareness rather than outward.

Meditation 101 – Meditation With Trees

I did this meditation at the local monument as it is my favourite place. Very comfortable and serene place, there is no better place I find for me to try out this meditation especially for the first time. While starting this meditation I felt the energy of the tree as a separate object. As I did my 9 breaths and “went into the tree” I felt the energy change. It felt as if my energy was the tree’s energy. I felt like I was actually inside the tree. I and the tree were no two separate things anymore we were one. As I was breathing my 9 breaths again and pushing myself out of the tree I felt my energy moving outward. I felt the change in energy again. As I walked away from the tree back to my house I still felt the connection between the tree and I. I felt a deep connection and it was a feeling of oneness.

The second time I did this I was more successful. I felt the closeness of our energy as if they were they same thing. As I was in the tree, I became more aware of my body. It was as if I had roots that were in the ground too. And my mind had branches. After the meditation I felt the energy flowing through me the connection but the change in feeling in the energy. Again even as I moved away from the tree I still felt the connection in energy. Also I have yet to try another experiment. The next time I do this while I am “Inside the tree” I am going to see if it is easier to do the meditation for self discovery. I feel that being in the tree might help me open up like the branches. My intuition gives me a hypothesis however I am yet to prove myself right or wrong.

The third time I did it I felt like my body was a tree within a tree. I felt like my head and arms were branches extending up and outward and my lower body was down and inward. I felt a strong connection to the tree maybe because I am doing it with the same tree. I find that the connection between I and the tree lasts for a long time after the meditation.

The fourth and fifth time I did the meditation I had the same results. Becoming one with nature, the Force and the tree, feeling the connection in energy and the chance in energy feel. I feel that I am beginning to feel a very strong connection with nature. It is like nature and I are one and even when it is far away I still feel the energy of it. I truly believe that the Force is strong inside me especially after these meditations. I am experiencing oneness many times and very often. This has been a very successful meditation technique.

Meditation 101 – Visual Focus Meditation

The First time I did this meditation my energy levels were quite low. My emotions were dropping on the scale for rushing about. I took the time to realize that my emotions were dropping and that I need to do something about it. I did this meditation and I was in kneeling posture. I lit a candle and put it on the radiator at eye level. I got my breathing under control. And I opened my eyes and focused on the candle’s flame. After about two maybe three minutes I closed my eyes and held the image. Whenever I felt the image fading I would open my eyes for another couple of minutes and get the image. During the meditation I felt as if I and the candle were one. I could almost see our energy’s as one. I feel that this time meditating was the best yet. I was able to maintain focus and it was the one time I have been most focused. I find that focusing on an object is much easier than breathing however this may be because the mind finds an object more interesting (only a thought).

The second time I did this meditation was it night before I went to my bed. I was already in a good mood and somewhat relaxed as my meditation earlier. I got my breathing under control and started my focus. I did the same technique as last time however this time I felt something different. I was able to feel the candles direct energy as if it was an extension of myself. As the flame moved from left to right, also when it got taller and shorter I could feel the change in my own energy. Almost as if was partially affecting mine, I am certain this was a glimpse of the living Force. The vibration from all things and interacting with another object through the Force has allowed me to partially discover something new about it. I feel this meditation is very good and I would say it is my preferred meditation.

I have done this meditation a few more times now and I notice that I focus better with an object that can move such as a candle. Still objects are still good to focus on and I can do it I find that an object that can move maybe a stream or like I said before a candle gets my mind more focused. The 4^th time I done this meditation I did it with a scarab statue that I have and I could feel the closeness of the Force inside it. Its energy felt very close together with little space but after all it is a solid object. I found that even in non living things, or things that can move I can still feel the Force flowing through and with in it. I am starting to feel the connection between myself and everything else. I feel that everything else is just an extension of my own body. 

After doing this meditation another few times I did it again with a candle as I feel that it is when I focus best. This time the candle was fading as it was soon to go out (because I have used it a lot) so I thought I would do a little experiment. While meditating I felt the energy of the candle flame present. I felt the warm energy as an extension of myself. While I was nearing the end to the meditation I blew the candle out. To my hypothesis I was correct in my experiment. My little experiment was to find out that if I blew out the candle would the energy from the candle change. Yes it did and I was very shocked. This time meditation has not only been successful from meditating but using my intuition. I used my intuition and that was what made me try the experiment, I used my predictive intuition and my generative intuition. I am glad I am building a strong connection with the Force.

The Force 101 – Conclusion

I have learned a lot from the Force 101 course especially about myself. I would say that I have gained the ability to take into consideration other religious views and develop my own by doing so. It has made me think deeper into what the Force really is giving me a better idea of what it is. I believe it has helped me experiences Oneness in many different forms. These exercises have given me many different chances to become one with the Force and see what the Force is to me.

I feel it has deepened my connection with all things including nature and I strive to flow with the Force like they do. I feel that I have encountered no major problems and if I could say one thing to improve it would be to add more lessons in because I wish there were more (not because it lacked anything). I would say I enjoyed this coursed the most as I have learned so much about myself and the Force and my connection with it.

I want to thank all the instructors for helping me along the way and clearing things up for me and I would like to thank the creator of this booklet. In the future I hope I can write my own Force booklet and maybe be a IJRS instructor. Thanks to all.

May the Force be with you

The Force 101 – Energy Grounding

The first part of this exercise I determined what colour I was. I took a moment of awareness through my body to feel my own energy and vibrations. I felt like I was a green natural calm colour. It felt like a warm green. I am going to see how I feel at different times and situations and see if my colour changes.

I was at the bank taking out money so I could get a baker for my sister and I. There were drips of water coming from above the ATM machine and after I took out the money I told the person behind me to be careful as there is a drip. I interpreted his colour to be a red/orange colour. This colour seemed to fit his response. He seemed like he appreciated the comment however he would rather have minded his own business. A warm orange red colour, warm but enclosed. I felt his energy and it felt enclosed. As if he wanted to keep himself to himself.

While at the baker the person over the counter had a light, blue colour about her. She was very nice and happy. I felt her energy to be happy, honest, confident and appreciative. I didn’t feel any negativity in her energy. As a matter of fact her energy was quite soothing and it felt good to be around it.

My sister’s colour is a strange on as I cannot seem to see what her colour is. Her energy seems to be very neutral. While she was interacting with me I felt a strange energy. It was if she was holding something back. Maybe some slight doubt in her mind about something. I would say that her colour would be a dark colour such as brown; however I cannot quite make out what it is. She seems to be very … I don’t know the exact word… Solid perhaps.

I was at my friend’s house and I took a little longer to feel her colour however her energy I was able to recognize. She was covering up something maybe a part of a story, maybe her side of the story and not others. Her energy felt somewhat uncomfortable however I was able to handle it. Her energy felt very split and mixed up. Some of it was a positive and some was a negative. I feel that this feeling of confusion in her and the fact that she has two different parts that are both very strong. One side is a love and care for nature and animals however on this other side come paranoia, exaduration and stress. I felt that in the end her colour was pink with a hint of grey.

While on the way to my friend’s house I bumped into a lady whose colour was almost instantly recognized. This colour was bright yellow. I felt a strong sense of excitement inside her. Most of her emotions were neutral however one of them was happiness and excitement. She had a sense of humour and she was expressing honestly.

I did my neighbour a favour by clearing the snow out of her driveway. I felt her energy was very appreciative and somewhat surprised. Her colour seemed to be a fuzzy purple. A warm feeling for the unexpectedly kind, and I felt she was very happy and was very honest. I sensed no sadness or negativity in her.

My friend’s mother was the strangest colour that I picked up. While talking to her I felt frustration, kindness, doubt and neutral. I believe her colour was a grey. A person of split emotions and views, maybe someone who doesn’t show what they really feel. I felt that her energy was somewhat uncomfortable but soothing at the same time, a bit like an enigma.

Now that I look at my own again I feel a blue. Not light and not dark, a neutral colour. I feel this is a calm, focused and peaceful colour however strong and yet soft. I have discovered that a person’s colour can change depending on their mindset however your personality has a big part to play in what colours you can become and change to. I find that I am able to feel people’s emotions a lot better making it easier to communicate.

The Force 101 – The Living Force and You

Below is an article that I think best describes the living Force to me. I got this article from http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/star_wars/91663 and I do not own this article nor do I take any credit for it.

“There is an ancient saying from the East which states “he who thinks he knows, doesn’t know – he who knows he doesn’t know, knows.”

“Some might think one who goes around saying such things is simply being cute or coy. But there is something to be said for this. After all, this is the Information Age, and every age needs a counterpoint. With this in mind, we can turn to the refreshing idea of the Living Force, which has at its root not-knowing.”

“The concept of the Force is one of the richest in Star Wars. It is defined as a mystical energy field that is generated by the act of living itself, and its flow serves to penetrate the very fabric of the galaxy, binding everything together. Certain beings can even attune themselves with it, and their direction of its energies manifest in the twin potentialities of the light and dark sides.” 

“In the first of the prequels, The Phantom Menace, the Force is opened up to even more interpretation. Two more aspects of the one energy are developed, one being the Unifying Force, and the other being the Living. According to creator George Lucas, the former has to do with destiny and purpose, while the latter involves intuition, spontaneity, and empathy with all living creatures. Though the Jedi Council emphasizes the Unifying Force, others such as Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn champion the Living, and this article deals with why this is so.”

“To begin with, the Living Force is first and foremost about being in the present moment. This sounds like a simple thing, yet it is anything but. Just as Yoda criticizes Luke Skywalker for, we too spend most of our lives everywhere by where we actually are, anxiously peeking over time’s shoulders, trying to get a glimpse of the future. Of course, just as a horizon will recede when one attempts to chase it down, so will the future get farther and farther away, which is no doubt why even the Jedi cannot accurately predict it.”

“At the beginning of The Phantom Menace, Qui-Gon instructs his Padawan learner, a certain Obi-Wan Kenobi, to “keep [his] concentration here and now, where it belongs.” This is sound advice, and not just for Jedi apprentices. A person incapable of living in the present is not really living at all. Yet so much of our time is spent actively doing and planning, we are not very good at simply being. In contrast, the Jedi talk about learning to quiet the mind, because once one does this, the world looks incredibly interesting, with previously unseen levels of texture and resonance.”

Yoga Breathing

When I tried doing the yoga breathing I had a blocked nose however I never made it an excuse. I thought I would try it and see how I did. At first I had a bit of trouble getting my hand it the right position however I managed eventually. When breathing in and out one nostril and then the other I felt balanced. I felt as if I was balancing out aspects of myself and feeling this balance has been a sign maybe a symbol to balance out some other things in my life. I have been spending little time with my partner recently for many different reasons and I have not been balancing my time with her. I see her maybe once or twice a week now. I feel that that meditation exercise has allowed me to look into my intuition and see that it is telling me I should be balancing my time with her. Spend some more time with her as well as the other things I am doing.

Overall I enjoyed the exercise and I feel that I could use this as a quick meditation exercise maybe if I feel I am going to end up in a flight or fight situation I can use this to calm myself and balance myself out. Overall very successful.

I find that this is a good exercise to do when you are away from a meditation spot like your house, or a certain place you might meditate. It is not as easy to meditate properly on a train or a bus. This is a good exercise to do if you are on your way to work and never had a chance to meditate in the morning. I find that I might do this when my energy levels feel low or my emotions start to drop on the scale.

I find that I am doing this exercise round about three to five times a day mainly because I enjoy the exercise but it makes me feel a certain balance in my body. I have noticed that when I do this exercise I am going in with the intention of balance. I intend to do the exercise to maintain balance in my self. I would say this one of my favourite exercises yet. I have also felt my connection with the Force getting stronger not just with this exercise but in general. I feel that my connection is building stronger each day.

I do this exercise on a number of places. The Bus, in my room, kitchen, outside, parks, monuments, I feel this is a handy exercise because you can do it pretty much anywhere.

The Force 101 – Intuition

Over the past little while I have been trusting in my intuition to make decisions. When faces with a choice or something I want to do I know what to choose because I get a certain feeling. It’s like a pulse that I don’t know it’s as if I just know. A gut feeling is the best way to describe it.

I feel my intuition responding to certain things. Well I feel something is harmonious my intuition responds to that in a certain way giving me a warm feeling. When I feel something that is not harmonious and is “dark” my intuition responds is a different way. It makes me feel cautious.

I have started to get pulses from my intuition when my emotions start to fall on the scale. When my emotions start to go down on the scale my intuition tends to let me know like a warning. When I feel these impulses I find a way to bring them back up. My emotions were starting to drop today because of rushing about doing this and that. I did a visual focus meditation and it brought my emotions back up to happiness. I am becoming connected with “The voice of the Force” and I trust more in my feelings.

I notice that I am more connected with operative intuition than the others. I feel that I use it more when I have to decide whether to do something or not or if something is a good or bad idea.

I am using my intuition for a number of different things but as I said usually to determine what “direction I move” (not literally) the way I use my intuition now is like my brain. I think through my feelings. If my inner voice speaks out to me I will listen and trust it.

I am starting to feel that my intuition is the will of the Force.

I have felt these urges a few times and there is something very interesting I have discovered. Although my intuition can tell me something on its own I can also ask for its guidance. When I am stuck for a decision I look to my intuition and I simply get a feeling of what I can do.

I am starting to use my intuition in meditation when doing the meditation for self discovery. It helps me decide certain things about my thoughts and how to learn from them. I think I understand what Yoda says when he says the Force is my ally. Not only is it my ally but it is like my friend. A very close friend.

I feel that my intuition gives me a feeling after I have done something as well. I have been having some trouble with the hamster as it kept biting everyone and it would come out of its cage because it was scared. Since it got lost and I found it I have created a bond with her. I told myself I would never give up with this hamster and I would keep trying and trying until I had success with it. Last night I managed to get it out of its cage. It never bit me once and it made me feel really warm inside. I noticed later on after that my intuition was giving me a certain pulse. It was as if I knew I was right to not give up. I trust my intuition and I feel that I was right not to give up.