How to Meditate on a Magical Symbol
By Michael Freedman
Guided Meditation is a particular example of the style of active meditation known as pathworking. Most often this pathworking is used by beginners learning the first steps in astral journeying. The following rules listed below cover all kinds of Attentive Meditation.
1. Sit comfortably in the Pharaoh position, is, on an ordinary chair with a straight back, such as a dining or typists chair. Your buttocks should be against the back of the chair and your hands should rest lightly on your knees.
2. The Image that you will meditate on should be in front of you, perhaps on a table or stool, where you can see it without stain.
3. The text of the Guided Meditation on your lap where you can refer it easily whenever you like.
4. Always make an Intention before you meditate. Most Western magicians would make the Qabalistic Cross as their Intention. + Atah ha-Malkuth we-ha-Gevurah we-ha-Gedulah le-olam. Amen.
I also say the following, which is appropriate for any
person, pagan or otherwise. You can say it sitting or standing. It begins with
the Qabalistic Cross.
It is my intention to link myself with those forces and forms that are building the universe,
so that I Might be a part of evolving life, in Communion with all life,
with Compassion for all life, and in Cooperation with all life.
5. Sit quietly, with your eyes closed, for five minutes or so. Use any good relaxation or receptive meditation technique. Avoid concentrative meditation techniques that require you to empty your mind or to 'force' it to be silent. They are not suitable for wiccans or magicians or for anyone who wants to play an active role in the spiritual growth of life on earth.
6. Open your eyes and look at the Image for a couple of minutes.
7. Read right through the whole Guide to that Image.
8. Look at the Image again.
9. Do not concentrate on it nor try to control your thoughts; just sit in reverie, day-dreaming. It does not matter whether your eyes are open or closed.
10. Only when, but always when, you realise that your thoughts have gone completely away from the Image, very gently bring your attention back to it again. Do not concentrate or interfere with the flow of your thoughts, just return to the Image whenever you notice you have left it.
11. If your mind begins to make up a story about the symbol, go with it for a while and then come back to the symbol itself.
12. Either look at the Image again; or refer to the Guide again. Continue this for not less than 10 minutes or more than half an hour.
13. At the end of the time you wish to spend in meditation, make your Intention again, this time standing up, preferably facing the East. Then go on your way.
14. Most folk begin by using a different Image each time; but experienced magicians might meditate on the same Image every day for a week, before going on to a different Image.
These guidelines assume that you have both an image or symbol and a written guide to meditating on it.