Meditation: Directive and Non-directive

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By Jill Little:

Fire is an essential element to life. The comfort of a controlled fire used in a constructive manner is warm, healthy and healing. When misused or out of control, it is destructive. This is much akin to the power of our own thoughts. Therefore the practice of meditation is one not to be undertaken carelessly. The mind, when focused in an unceasing state of love and wisdom can work ‘miracles.’ The opposite of this can be severe nervous system disruption. While we do not want to focus on negative aspects as such, they must be brought forward from the start so we understand the nature of the mind and what we are dealing with.

By using methods of introspection (non-directive) meditation we can begin to separate our thoughts from our emotions and look at them objectively. This is vital in situations where we are feeling emotional upheaval and if we are experiencing unwanted negative thoughts and egoism.

For example, if you were holding a grudge against someone and this thought was predominant in your mind and brought about very strong emotions every time you thought about it, you would under no circumstances begin concentrative meditation. Your emotional center, the heart, has it’s own brain, which science has now proven. And while your head may be trying to consciously distract you by being mindful, the deepest desires of the heart will continue to affect your thoughts subconsciously if they are not allowed to surface. In instances such as this, where negative emotions are running very strong in the mind, non-directive meditation and introspection are a must to create equilibrium in the mind and body.

Your thoughts literally shape your world. Emotion is the life force of thought and what we do to others we are essentially doing to ourselves. There is a higher law of cause and effect which we would best know here by the phrase; what goes around, comes around. It is unfailingly just and we can be assured justice comes in due time. Hate does not vanquish hate, only love can do that. If we are truly seeking healing, it is imperative we understand this.

Another technique to release negative energy is through movement. We do this both consciously and subconsciously during practice of the asanas (physical postures in yoga.) The physical release of energy also releases the mental and we are left in a much more stable condition in which to begin concentrative meditation or mindfulness.

Concentrative (directive) meditation must be done in a neutral state of consciousness where the desire of the practitioner is to create positive or benign effects. It is used with focused reason, emotion and intention. When used properly, it can transform the life of the practitioner and others in outstanding ways.

Meditation is truly exciting work that has the potential to heal our bodies and our environment. It can expose the true nature of our world on every level of existence. Knowing this, may we always practice with a deep sense of gratitude for the power that we have been given within our own mind.

Namaste