Sitting with Deity

A Meditation of Opening

This week’s focus is on simply opening to connect with Deity. If you have a specific Deity you wish to connect with or already have connection to, focus your intent on simply “being” with this Divine energy. For this meditation we will not be asking for guidance or any specific request. The intent is to sit quietly and open to whatever Deity wishes to present us with. Let’s begin:

Select a space where you will not be disturbed and is as quiet as possible. Sit comfortably and begin to take notice of your breathing. Listen deeply to the sounds as you inhale and exhale and even the rustle of clothing as belly and chest expand. Take note of the sensation of the air filling your lungs and the sense of fullness than emptying that occurs as you inhale and exhale. Now, take notice of the smells that come into your nose as you breath a little deeper still, and the release of that aroma as you exhale it back out. Continue this pattern of sensorial awareness for several minutes.

Now, allow your breathing to be secondary in focus and shift your awareness to the space between your brows, the seat of your inner screen. Draw all of your attention into this space and envision a small point of white light at the center of your awareness. As you gently breathe and bring more attention to this space of visioning, the point expands and soon there is nothing but a brilliance of white light filling this inner space. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale see your physical form stepping into and through this brilliance of light and find yourself standing on a mossy rock surround partially surrounded by water. You look out at the glory of a beautiful sunset and lower yourself to a sitting position on the edge of the large stone. You breathe deeply and as you exhale you feel an opening of your perception and a peace and calmness that is profound in its presence.

As you sit in the stillness of this landscape you offer up the invitation to commune with the Divine. You offer up the willingness to listen deeply to what may be given and to allow yourself to simply be held in the space of Deity’s presence. You breathe deeply and as you exhale you allow your mind to be still of thoughts, your heart to be welcoming and sit “waiting”.

As you quietly sit, allow yourself to sink as deeply as you wish into this cradling of stillness, unhurried and patient for response. When you feel complete, offer up gratitude for the experience that you had (even if you feel “nothing happened”). Offer up gratitude to yourself for being able to reach this space of stillness and presence.

You gently rise to a standing position and see that the sun has set and moonlight shimmers on dark moving waters. Take a moment to take this image into your being and the beauty of the quiet. As you continue to look out across the waters and breathe into this experience the landscape gently fades and you find that your awareness has returned to being that of the observer; your focus on your inner screen. Breathe deeply into this awareness and shift in perception and the comfort this space provides.

Gently allow your awareness to return to that of filling the space of your entire being and the physicality of your body and breath. Turn your focus back to the rhythm of your breath and the gentle rise and fall of your chest and expansion and contraction of your belly. Breathe fully and deeply allowing this energy to reawaken all of the physical sensations of being fully present in the space in which you began this meditation. And, when you are ready, gently open your eyes, returning to the here and now.

Note: Do not be discouraged if you feel that Deity did not respond. ONE of the goals of this practice is communing with deity, but an equally important goal is that of preparing the way so that you are fully present and listening to the message. Communing takes many forms and it is not always the clear-cut epiphany moment that occurs.

We are constantly in communication with the Divine, but rarely are still enough nor open enough to receive what is being communicated. Engaging a stranger in a reciprocal smile is communing with the Divine. Having the perfect parking space open and available after a trying commute is communing with the Divine. Having a pleasant day at work and the opportunity to relax when you get home is communing with the Divine.

Bring this level of awareness into your contemplative practice with full intent and after not such a long time, you will recognize Deity in all of his/her forms as you sit in the silence of their wisdom. More importantly, this level of awareness will spill over into your everyday experiences making magick of the mundane.

Real-Life Experience:

Check out my Summer Weekend in the Parks post on The Enchanted Gate Blog. Surrounded by all that beauty, I could feel the blessings of the Divine as my husband and I became the Divine Couple.

Return to Foundations of Practice: Lesson Three