ocean meadows

meditations for the mystic

part one: arising ripeness

drew lawson

in thanksgiving for aelred and the monks of dundrennan

Welcome

to this rst of four spiritual exercise packages for the ongoing nurture of those who have accepted a call to the mystical path. This rst collection is for those beginning or those wishing to begin again. Whichever category you fall into I urge you to be tender with yourself and see this journey as an adventure into the unknown. There is no need to judge your meditations or guess at your destination. Both would be counterproductive and interfere with the depth of silence you are invited into. May you come to realise that just by being faithful to the process you will be a great blessing to the cosmos.

Before you begin, here are a few suggestions which may make the process enriching for you. But please note, these are suggestions only. The pilgrims who have already been using these exercises have done so in many ways, discerning the process which would work best for them in the life circumstances in which they have found themselves. * The exercises themselves are in a particular order and do not necessarily make any sense if merely read and do not meditated. I encourage you to engage with each meditation in the order presented. Remember, you are setting out on a mystical journey. It will be full of surprises. The fruits of a particular meditation may appear at the time or not for some time, even years. * The cumulative effect of these meditations is not to take you to a particular spiritual destination, for how could I know where that is for you? These exercises are merely doors for you to use in deepening your own understanding of yourself, of the divine, of your relationship with the divine and the cosmos.

You will be given what you need, but not necessarily what you want. * For each day there are three meditations and a repetition time when you are asked to review what has happened during the day and meditate on what seems unnished and to be prompting you at that time. To aid in this process it is important that you keep a journal of your meditation experiences and the awarenesses which arise. Every seven days there will be a repose day when there are only two meditations. This rst set of exercises will take 23 days. However, you may want to do them at a slower pace, say two meditations per day. In which case it is important to keep the pattern the same: three meditations followed by a time of repetition. * I strongly encourage you to have a spiritual companion who can accompany you on this journey and help you come to a deeper understanding of your spiritual pilgrimage. It is important that the person you choose has intentionally engaged with

their own mystical journey for quite a number of years and has, as one of their major gifts, the gift of listening to others . Your times with your spiritual companion will be most productive if you have read your journal beforehand and have some sense of what it is important for you to talk about. Remember, the spiritual companion is there to meet your needs. If the sessions are not revelatory for you it is important that you say so and engage in a discussion on what needs to change. If necessary, you may need a new spiritual companion. This is not a bad thing. A spiritual companion has not been gifted to be the right person for everyone. The match must work or it is detrimental to both. The frequency of the sessions with your spiritual companion is up to you. But bear in mind that there will be many spiritual movements taking place within you and it is important that the timing of visits enables you to explore further what is happening for you. If the gap is too long there will not be enough time in a session for you to uncover the fruits of the promptings you have had.

* Your meditation times need to be at least 30 minutes, slowly rising to 45 minutes. Of course, if you are on retreat, and not trying to t a meditation pattern into your usual daily life, the meditation times can be an hour, or more. * Prepare a place in your residence where you can meditate without interruption from people, phone, television etc. A friend hangs a purple scarf on the door of her study so that her family knows she is not to be disturbed. Set up the space in a way that is helpful for you, even if the space needs to be remade for each meditation. Not everyone has the luxury of a dedicated meditation space that can be permanently arrayed for times of silence. * It may take you some time to get into the best pattern for you. Do not worry or judge yourself. This is normal. Do not let minor difculties become obstacles that stop your discipline. And do not be surprised if there are changes in your pattern over the life of these exercises. And do not be surprised if there are no changes.

This journey will proceed at the pace that best suits you. God knows where you are on your journey and knows, of course, what will be most helpful to you and when. It is vital that you let God drive the bus for, the truth is, you have no idea where you are heading, even if at times you think you do. Allow yourself to be embraced by the mystery. God will not let you down or abandon you. To set out on such a journey is a great undertaking and involves a great commitment of time and energy. What will you lay aside in order to fully engage with this experience? Your faithfulness will, without a doubt, lead to new life for you and all around you. Just by being yourself you will bless the world around you as a result of your spiritual discipline. Lastly, the whole process is dependent on you allowing the spirit to move within you and lead you where the life is for you.

Be adventurous, be silent and allow the living stream to expand your spiritual awareness. May you receive a thousand thousand blessings. in love, and peace drew lawson

we are all constrained by the framework we have made for ourselves the journey of the mystic is to an ever more open framework while still having the support for the moment by moment discipline

for each meditation

speak the words with the voice of your soul feeling the sound vibrate your being listen with the ear of the heart leaving the work of the mind until the infused silence has revealed what is beyond these mere words

the exercises

there is time now i will be intentional and do now what will prot me forever

day 1.1

it is time to treat myself as a mystic

day 1.2

i joyfully enter into a way of life in which words, images and symbols have transformative power

day 1.3

repetition

day 1.4

i need to stand up and ask, do i want life or not? ive had my toes in the water now i want to dive in

2.1

i will stop talking about meditating and meditate

2.2

i will not allow my inner prayer room to remain empty

2.3

repetition

2.4

spending time in my inner prayer room blesses the cosmos

3.1

i embrace my spiritual practice and offer the fruits as a blessing for those around me and all the cosmos

3.2

i hold my hand to my ear and listen to the great silence within

3.3

repetition

3.4

alaha, help me to discern between what is fundamental and what is fruit

4.1

i hand over my current prayer practices to receive those which will be helpful for the pilgrimage i need to make now

4.2

i will risk all and sail for deep waters only

4.3

repetition

4.4

there is no such thing as failure in this vocation only pilgrimage

5.1

i will walk gently and not allow inner distractions to do me violence

5.2

i will lay aside worrying about the meaning of words and allow myself to experience the presence of my eternal mystery

5.3

repetition

5.4

as a mystic i need to be fed i must go and feed myself i know how

6.1

through experiential understanding i can be used to bring about life-giving change now i go to pray

6.2

may i meditate as naturally as eating or breathing

6.3

repetition

6.4

i embrace the awareness i have been given

repose day 7.1

i embrace the consequences of this awareness both known and unknown

repose day 7.2

when i am present i nd the right ow of energy

8.1

alaha, help me to remember wherever i am i am on the mystic path

8.2

silence is where i learn the tools of the trade of being a mystic

8.3

repetition

8.4

it is time to afrm what is true and in the light

9.1

my divine teachers are the root of my path

9.2

may the deep silence of my teachers quieten my analytic mind and give me a deep inner peace

9.3

repetition

9.4

i emanate the noble spirit of my lineage

10.1

i desire to disappear into the divine cloud of bliss where all is loved into life

10.2

i rejoice in the presence of the divine spirit in my life

10.3

repetition

10.4

i savour the gift of love which is creation

11.1

i bring to mind all the blessings of love i have been given

11.2

i will take the love of god seriously

11.3

repetition

11.4

i will allow god to love me

12.1

i am accepted by god as i am now

12.2

what else did i expect?

12.3

repetition

12.4

i am surrounded by the love of alaha

13.1

i bring to mind all the blessings of love i have been given and place them in my heart

13.2

alahas love for me is unconditional

13.3

repetition

13.4

i embrace the awareness i have been given

repose day 14.1

i embrace the consequences of this awareness both known and unknown

repose day 14.2

may i embrace more fully the love which is enfolding me

15.1

i am invited to bathe in the love of alaha, which surrounds me

15.2

with each breath, i breathe into my being the unconditional love of god

15.3

repetition

15.4

the unconditional love of god ows throughout my body, my mind, and my soul

16.1

my whole being is full of the unconditional love of god

16.2

what else did i expect?

16.3

repetition

16.4

i cannot live simply when i am resisting a call from you, alaha

17.1

initiated by the love of alaha, the golden door, the unknowing, alaha, absorb me into sacred unity

17.2

i believe it is possible for me to be set free

17.3

repetition

17.4

alaha, release me from the control of all agitations and cares

18.1

in this place of union with you there are no limits to what is possible

18.2

may my unripeness sprout as beautiful owers, marking the path of my divine pilgrimage

18.3

repetition

18.4

in which ways have I recently been kind?

19.1

may my unripeness ower into garlands for the way

19.2

may the owers of alahas blessings for me sprout gardens of joy for others

19.3

repetition

19.4

may alaha remove all my judgemental tendencies

20.1

i desire and long to emanate your goodness throughout the cosmos for all eternity

20.2

may i be free from past prejudices, and expectations of the future

20.3

repetition

20.4

i embrace the awareness i have been given

repose day 21.1

i embrace the consequences of this awareness both known and unknown

repose day 21.2

unripeness, that is all

22.1

my ripeness which has always been within is rising up

22.2

ending this time of spiritual formation i go forth to heal others by .................

22.3

ending this time of spiritual formation i go forth to heal others by .................

22.4

i embrace the awareness i have been given

repose day 23.1

i embrace the consequences of this awareness both known and unknown

repose day 23.2