You can learn more about this at David's other website, http://davidmccaintheomegaarts.com/. 

  

 

The Core of Meditation 

Meditation can mean different things to different people, but one common trait most approaches take is that of focusing the mind. And there are many ways to focus and many results of focus. But everyone recognizes the value of a clear, attentive mind which can react calmly and efficiently in daily life. Omega Arts is a spiritual path and meditation is integral to its practice in expanded consciousness, but the Vital Connections offerings recognize the value of nonspiritual or secular practice as well. The statements here are taken from Omega Arts practice and general understandings of meditation. They can be applied to a variety of meditation approaches including a thoroughly secular, nonspritual approach. Simply put, nonspiritual meditation can relax the body and mind, reduce stress and promote clearer thinking. Vital Connections always promotes self discovery rather than dogmatic rules, so that individual needs are addressed.

 

 

Sitting Comfortably 

For beginning meditators the biggest problem may be sitting still comfortably. The best approach for this is Alexander Technique which can thoroughly address each meditator’s individual needs in getting comfortable and getting beyond physical, bodily distractions. Then too, there is a subtle, mental aspect of Alexander Technique, which coordinates very well with meditation.

 

 

Basic Spiritual Path Approaches 

There are two broad divisions of meditation: passive and active. That is, passive or restrictive engagement with the mind versus active or embracing engagement of the mind. In a sense these divisions reflect or mirror the two broad divisions of spiritual path approaches found worldwide: (1) asceticism and denial of worldly behaviors, especially body concerns, versus (2) "celebratory embrace" of worldly behaviors or, in other words, an embrace and transformation of the body, mind and emotions. (Please note - at this point we are speaking of spiritual paths, not necessarily meditation itself.) Which approach to take is an important question for a serious individual who seeks a spiritual path. And probably a large majority of individuals choose asceticism. Moreover, asceticism has probably been endorsed, supported or thoroughly adopted for spiritual paths more frequently by various cultures and religions. Certainly asceticism is easier to apply because denial makes for clearer, more direct rules to follow than the fine, complex balance needed to be struck in celebratory embrace.

 

 

Passive Type Meditations

Returning to meditation, it is obvious that the first thing a meditator is faced with is “monkey mind” in which the mind and its thoughts run continuously, often with enormous churning. Stilling the mind is the first order of business for focusing the mind for both passive and active types of meditation. One of the best passive approaches is simply witnessing the thoughts that arise without following them. Then the rule is to always return to the neutral state of witnessing again when one gets carried away on a particular thought. Eventually the meditator can focus the mind without distraction from transitory thoughts. Essentially this same approach can be applied to focusing or repeating in or through the mind a single mode, such as breath, sound (mantra) or light.

 

 

One special application of the passive type of meditation in Omega Arts is the use of the matrix void in which the Void or emptiness is omnipresent in consciousness as the matrix or substrate of all Being. Continually bringing attention back to the matrix void focuses the mind. This can be done in light, sound and kinesthetic feelings. 

 

 

Active Type Meditations

After getting started—perhaps between several months to five years—an active type of meditation may be engaged. An alchemy can be worked in which thoughts arising in the mind can be transmuted or thoroughly changed rather than simply dismissing them. This work can take many different turns, but ultimately the transformation can be likened to the change that occurs for a caterpillar in becoming a butterfly.