Fear of Meditation - Read this.

My drawing of me in my happy place xo © 2004 Jen Berghage
Click on the images if you wish to see them larger.

Meditation - the ability to "go within" and communicate with the very highest sources of guidance and love belongs to all of us and each of us. It is a Celestial Gift that each of us is born with.

There is nothing to fear. But many people do have fear, as a result of other people telling them it is not safe, it is not real, it is not allowed, and it is not good.

That's a bunch of hooey and a powerplay by greedypeeps.

Why do we believe these people? They're people, no more authorized than we are to tell others what is good, what is allowed, what is real, and what is safe. Your authority resides within you. Period. Be aware of who and what put it there, and if it is chosen by your heart and mind, fine; if you have yet to question its origin, go ahead and do that. Lightning will not strike you, and you might find some interesting answers.

Question anyone who advises you against using your very own Celestial Gifts. These are gifts from Heaven, from your Creator, from God, whatever you call that Source of Love. They're free. They're simple, oh so simple. And they rain upon you so much love you wouldn't believe it. That love can stick with you for hours, for days and days and days, until you do it again. 

Meditate. It's incredibly empowering.

Here is my most recent experience. OMG - definitely feelin' the love.

So I belong to this grief group called Grief Resilience on Facebook. It's facilitated by Sheaya Biddle, a young woman whose mother died, which sent Sheaya into the expected tailspin, but something in her heart wanted to live regardless of the pain of this death. She became aware of a sort of fork in the road of grief recovery where she could choose between spinning out for the rest of her life in sadness and despair, or reaching for the light. And in reaching for the light, she started to share, and in sharing, she has given light and life to so many others. Part of what she does is bring outside speakers into the circle of members in this group of people grieving the passing of their beloveds, and these speakers who have also experienced deep grief have also made the choice to reach for the light, and in this way they are also becoming facilitators and teachers, mentors and friends, beloveds.

So one of these people is named Matt Berrier. He has mourned deeply the passing of his daughter, and he has made the choice to reach for the light and to share what has brought him peace as well as Celestial connection along the way. He shares 15 tools for everyday use, and one of these powerful tools is meditation, which he guides for those who are not used to it, and for those who enjoy a "guided trip."

I joined in on one of his guided meditations this weekend - a short 20 minutes that packs a wallop of love that envelopes me and lasts for hours and hours - just puts me totally into serenity. No panic, no sadness, no regret, no guilt, no missing, just LOVE.

I would like to share with you the mystery and magic of this particular meditation as it was for me, though each individual experience will vary, but from the comments in the feedback during the open session I can say it was all most positive. If you'd like to try out some of his guided meditations you can reach him at ON - Multi Dimensional Activation at https://www.facebook.com/groups/893474797447098/  This group is for those who are tired of the "status quo" and for seekers wishing to hasten their own awakening. It is not just "off the wall," but "over the wall." I am totally over that 'effin brick wall. Not over grief, but definitely over the stoppage of that brick wall....

I am not a novice to meditation, have been doing it for 20 years off and on. I LOVE each and every time I do it because I am shown profound things that help me to continue to function effectively in this "everyday" world on Earth. Meditation deals with the "inner" worlds, and those are unique to each individual, but nonetheless, very beautiful and quite profound, though not complex. Meditation is one of the ways our higher sources use to connect with us, guide us, and let us feel what real love feels like. Wow, it feels so good.

The interesting thing about my 20 minutes with Matt was that during the meditation, each thing happened before he said the words out loud to introduce guidance on what we could visualize. This to me, indicates that my inner participants don't function in a linear time; time to them, is simultaneous, so they "know" what he is going to say even before he says it. This is an indication that what is happening in my inner experience is very real. It confirms that they're really with me and aware of every step in my journey whether it's an inner journey or an "Earth" journey or experience. Hallelujah!

He started by having us go to our favorite place in nature (in our minds), and I have one that's very familiar. Have been going there for years, and actually did a beautiful drawing of it at one point. It's a forest area, right next to a tiny stream of clear water. It's where I go lots of times. 

Sister trees and pathway going along to the left of them
that I didn't know was there till this meditation.

Until this meditation I didn't know I could follow that stream to a pathway that opens for miles, and leads to a beautiful mountain. But that is what happened during his guidance. As my feet began to follow this path in the beautiful sunlight of the day, my daughter came to join me and she ran up and took hold of my hand like we'd just seen each other yesterday. She was fit, happy as a clam, and giggly. Dressed in a long flowy skirt and bright red blouse with her hair in two long braids. She was so clear and happy - not sick, not sad, not anything but happy. At first I was not expecting her since I didn't call her or ask her to visit me. But we took hold of each others' hands like we do it every day, and we just might, now that I know we can.

Then my Lynx appeared. He is my totem animal and has been for years ever since I did a card reading and that animal card jumped right out of the deck when I asked to know my own totem animal. Lynx is always there when I imagine him - whether I'm in a dangerous or fearful "life" situation like a doctor's office, or whether I'm exploring in meditation - Lynx is there just radiating strength, confidence, love, and abiding loyalty. So Jess and I and Lynx are walking up this beautiful trail leading to a gorgeous mountain.

Then Grandfather comes and takes my left hand. He is my Earth guide. He helps me when I encounter difficult people, obstacles in Earth life, etc. and he ensures that no wayward spirits can come into my zone uninvited in my inner life. He is loyal as the day is long - I trust him with my soul, and he is wise and worthy of my trust. He loves me unconditionally and I love him without reservation. To have a guide like this is like water to a person coming off the desert. It is so beautiful. He has been with me for many lifetimes. 

So now I'm walking up to the beautiful mountain with my spirit daughter holding my right hand, my Grandfather holding my left hand, and Lynx right beside me. The wind is blowing softly over me and through me, taking all my cares along with it. It feels like pure cleansing. I am dressed in very soft fabric, forest green, but cannot see the whole of it because I can feel myself but I'm sort of "in" myself so can't see the whole of me from outside. I can feel it though, and it feels GOOD. 

I am aware that my Earth father who has died is joining us and I don't want him to hold my hand, but I don't want him to walk behind us so he starts walking a bit ahead of us, jovially. He's happy to be with us. 

We climb the mountain and along the way we pass a huge, strong, magnificent waterfall to our left. Gorgeous water tumbling over beautiful smooth boulders. We can hear it, smell it, feel its spray upon our faces. We keep going. 

We can hear birds. A mountain lion watches our passing. A bear watches our passing. A bee flutters around us, (these are Matt's totem animals) and a hawk soars above us. The forest is alive with loving creatures. The earth feels soft under my feet. 

We reach the top and I see a fire ring. It is made of stones and the ring itself is bigger than any I have ever seen before. It must be 12 feet across, and there's a beautiful bonfire burning. The ring is surrounded by seating made of logs and big boulder-like benches. There are people sitting on almost all of them - they have been awaiting our arrival. We go and sit down. 

I feel welcomed like I've never been welcomed at a party before. It's like a homecoming of sorts. We are so glad to see you. Welcome, welcome, many hugs. 

With all of us sitting in this circle around the fire there is no sound of talking because all communication is telepathic. We sort of just feel it. A beam of love goes up simultaneously from all of us and it goes way up into the stars in the night sky above. It beams for miles and miles. And we can feel love beaming back to us from it. We just do this communion thing for a while. 

Then it is time to go back down the mountain. To leave my beloveds. I feel some reluctance but find that my daughter again takes my hand, and Grandfather, and Lynx pads along next to us as we go down the trail. All of my beloveds (wow there are many more than I knew of) follow behind us. 

As we near the bottom of the mountain and Matt starts to signal the awakening of my Earthly body, or the grounding in this "reality" I should say, my beloveds hug me, first my daughter, "I am always with you Momma," she says, then Grandfather, "I am with you," he says, and all the beloveds behind us say "we are with you, always and all ways." 

I am beloved. And I know it. Thank you my kindred spirits.

Under the moon and the pines, by the water, with the fire, barefoot,
and the wind is singing through the trees. I am beloved.

That is what meditation can look like, and I can find no words to describe the love that comes along with it other than to say that when you feel this kind of love you have touched what is really real, and it stays with you for a long, long time. You carry it with you while you're doing your regular day. It gives these tasks a lot of light, much serenity and satisfaction in accomplishing them, whatever they are.

Don't be afraid to meditate. It is the language of the soul. 

If you'd like guidance, and guided meditations by really good practitioners are excellent, get in touch with Matt. If any practitioner introduces fear into the process blow them a kiss goodbye and walk the other way. Anyone tying you to them through fear is not in any way connected to the otherworlds in ways that will help you to grow.

Another EXCELLENT resource for meditation is a free app you can get on your phone called Insight Timer. With this app you can choose from hundreds of different guided meditations, from nature sounds to music to healing, forgiveness, and any number of things. I use it a LOT and adore it!

Side note - research shows that meditation can help with health issues of all kinds. Use your Celestial gifts and bask in the love!

Thank you for sharing in my wonderful meditational experience. Many blessings to you as you explore your own!

Namaste,
Jen