Three of the most important basic practices of Witchcraft include Grounding, Centering and Meditation. I’m going to address each one separately but the combined practice of these is going to be invaluable to you as a practicing Witch.
Part One:
First, we want to look at Meditation. There are many different ways in which one can meditate. There is trance, relaxation, controlled movement (such as Yoga), artistic, etc. But the important thing to achieve is focus as focus is critical to the success of any magick you hope to be performing.
Below I’m going to give you a very basic meditation sequence to practice. Even if you’re experienced in meditation, sometimes getting back to the basics and practicing the simplest steps can help revive and strengthen you.
Start out by finding a time when you will not be interrupted by anything, be it tv, children, spouses, pets, the phone, etc. Next, find a comfortable place to either sit or lie down, even the bathtub if that’s the only place you can find peace and quiet. Many people want to incorporate music or incense. If that helps you relax and get into the right frame of mind, by all means, do what works for you. Make sure your clothing is comfortable and not too constricting.
Take several deep calming breaths, paying special attention to your diaphragm and where the breath goes. You want to be sure that you’re filling your lungs and not just pushing your abdomen out. (If you’re not sure, the best way to verify this is to lie flat on your back. Place one hand on your belly and the other on your breast bone. Breathe deeply. If only the hand on your belly moves, you’re not filling your lungs properly. Both hands should move, starting with the one on your breast bone.)
Once you’re comfortable and are breathing properly, close your eyes and breathe in deeply counting to three, then exhale slowly counting to six. Do this ten times. The idea is to be completely aware of your body. This may sometimes stimulate a series of yawns. This is completely normal, so don’t worry about it.
Once you’re relaxed and in tune with your body, try to picture something simple. Sometimes when our eyes are closed, we’ll still see flashes of light or color. If this is the case for you, try to focus on one specific color so that only that one is what you see with your eyes closed.
What is it doing? Is it stationary or in motion? Is it linear or amorphous? Does it maintain its saturation or does it fade in and out? How does this color make you feel? If you’re listening to music, is the color’s shape and consistency responsive to the music you’re listening to? How so?
Visualizing is an important skill that is going to help boost the efficacy of your magick which is what this exercise is designed to help you with.
Don’t worry if random thoughts pop into your mind to interrupt you. Even those who’ve been meditating for years will experience this from time to time. It happens to the best of us. Acknowledge the thought, move on, and then re-focus.
Do this meditation for between 20-30 minutes each day for a week and don’t forget to record your results in your BOS or meditation journal. Be sure to include what time of day you meditated, where you were, what kind of mood you were in before you started, and how you felt after you were finished.
Record any feelings, sensations, insights, or visions you may experience. Some people have a very easy time meditating. Others struggle with it. No matter where you fall in this spectrum knows that it does get easier with time and practice.
