Meditation Element: How Do I Embody Fluidity
We are pulsating fluid crystal.
In Deane Juhan's Job's Body, our ground substance, the living biomedium of our cellular matrix, is described as
fluid crystal
of an amazing variety of densities, fluidities, and responsiveness.
Feeling into the pulsating fluid crystal of our basic most
component of fascia, perhaps a visual like sunlight
reflected upon seawater inspires possibilities
of knowing and sensing pulsation beyond
your usual experience. While seated in meditation
or in pranayama or asana practice, perhaps it's possible
to sense this pulsating fluid crystal resource within.
A meditation exploring possibilities of
knowing and sensing pulsation
in three dimensions:
physical body
mental body
spiritual body
For each dimension, you could explore the following contemplations:
physical body pulse:
Seated in an upright position, take comfortable breaths for a several
moments, perhaps even close your eyes. When you like,
gently find your pulse at either wrist.
Notice the qualities of your pulse.
Notice any relationship between your pulse and your breath.
If you were to slow your breath, would any quality
of the pulse change?
Is it possible to correlate an in-breath to a number of pulse beats
(Say 1 in-breath to 4-6 pulses)? What about out-breath to pulses?
You could also explore the pulse of the neck and the slight pulse
you may feel at the abdominal aorta when lying on the belly.
How do these pulses relate to breath?
mental body pulse:
If your thoughts were a flow of water, how would you describe them
in this moment? Do they occur quickly and volumously, like
rapids on a river, or slower and more linear, one following
the other like a mountain stream flowing, perhaps?
Some other quality which describes the pulsation of your
thoughts today? Perhaps we could call this the mental pulse.
Notice any relationship between your mental pulse and your breath.
If you were to slow your breath, would any quality of
your mental pulse change?
spiritual body pulse:
I enjoy this meditation lying down, you may to or another shape suits you.
It can be as simple or as complex as one would like it to be.
Here are some suggestions:
Beginning with the head or the pelvic belly, bring a hand to
each chakra, feeling the warmth and touch of your hand,
and then breathing several breaths.
I think of this as a communion of sorts
with each chakra, going root to crown or crown to root
(using a 7 Chakra System. You could use another system if you like.)
You could feel into the "pulse" of each chakra. It may be a pulsation or the
"pulse" maybe another texture for you. Is there any difference
between charkas in terms of pulsation, vibration?
Is there a difference in pulsation in the front and back,
or top and bottom of the chakra?
How do all 7 chakras pulse together in a kind of
spiritual body pulse?
You could also ask each chakra if there
is something you need to know
or something you need to hear.
Listening beyond words, perhaps.
Listening to pulsation.
Enjoy!
References:
Juhan, Deane. (2003). Job's Body. Barrytown/Station Hill Press, Inc. Barrytown, NY.
Judith, Anodea. (1996,2004). Eastern Body, Western Mind. Celestial Arts. Randon House, NY.