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This meditation is by Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee Every school of meditation offers a way to still the mind, because spiritual experiences take place beyond the level of the mind. The mind is known as "the slayer of the real"; its thoughts keep us isolated in a world of illusion. The mind keeps us identified with the ego, and the mind's continual chatter separates us from the deeper levels of our being. Watching our thoughts, we can see how often the mind thinks us, and not the other way around. We are prisoners of our mind and ego, but meditation can help set us free. Different spiritual traditions use different techniques to still the mind. Sufism is a path with love. Love is the greatest power in creation and in Sufism's deep prayers and meditations, it takes us beyond the mind and beyond the self: the lover is taken into the presence of the Beloved. In these states we may experience the intimacies of divine love: a tender caress, words whispered into our heart. We may feel the wonder of being loved, or taste the peace of our soul. But for the mystic, the journey goes even deeper, into the infinite emptiness that lies beyond the mind: "The dark silence in which all lovers lose themselves." For the Sufi, the mystical journey is from form to formlessness, from the presence of our own self to the presence of the Beloved for whom our heart longs. On this journey, love leads us back to love. God, our Beloved, comes into or heart and calls us, seducing us with the sweetness of touch, with an intoxicating taste of union. The work of the lover is to surrender to this mystery of loving, to allow the heart to be opened. And although most of this work happens secretly within us, in the very core of our being, there are ancient techniques to open us to the beyond, to the wonder that is within our own heart. The Sufi meditation of the heart is a method of lifting the veils of separation and awakening us to what is real. It is a simple but effective way to use the energy of love to still the mind and go beyond the ego. It is best practiced for at least half an hour every morning. In This Meditation We Imagine Three Things 1) We must suppose that we go deep within ourselves, deeper and deeper into our most hidden self. There in our inmost being, in the very core of ourselves, we will find a place where there is peace, stillness, and above all, love. 2) After having found this place, we must imagine that we are seated there, immersed into, surrounded by, the Love of God. We are in deepest peace. We are loved; we are sheltered; we are secure. All of us is there, physical body and all; nothing is outside, not even a fingertip, not even the tinniest hair. Our whole being is contained within the Love of God. 3) As we sit there, happy, serene in God's presence, thoughts will intrude into our mind- what we did the day before, what we have to do tomorrow. Memories float by, images appear before the mind's eye. We have to imagine that we are getting hold of every thought, every image and feeling, and drowning it, merging it into the feeling of love. Every feeling, especially the feeling of love, is much more dynamic than the thinking process, so if one does this practice well, with the utmost concentration, all thoughts will disappear. Nothing will remain, The mind will be empty. When we become familiar with this meditation, we no longer use the imagination. We just fill the heart with the feeling of love and then drown any thoughts in the heart. Emptying the mind, we create an inner space where we can become aware of the presence of our Beloved. God is always with us, but our mind, emotions, and the outer world are veils which separate us. God is silent emptiness, and in order to experience God we need to become silent. In meditation we give ourselves back to God, our Beloved, returning from the world of forms to the formless Truth within the heart.
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