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Article Specs Article ID: 13824 VoxAcct: 268744 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 153 Times Read: 936 RSS Views: 13,118 Meditation and Sweat Lodge as Affirmative Prayer Author: Alfred Willowhawk, BMsc, RMT, CTM, Shaman [a WitchVox Sponsor] Posted: February 28th. 2010 Times Viewed: 936 Over the years I have been honored to facilitate many ceremonies in many different paths. Often, I am asked questions by true seekers and participants in these ceremonies for my reasons, and from “where” these ceremonies come. I welcome them, because I too have asked the same questions of myself in meditation and sweat lodge as affirmative prayer, and self-healing. Since the early 90's I have been practicing these and other techniques that can be traced in this country back to the indigenous peoples. I have also learned the eastern techniques as taught by the Yogi's and Swami's in India and Metaphysicians of Hatha, Bhakti, Karma, Jnana, Raja and Kriya Yoga. Finally these same techniques are present in Christianity (as prayer) , Kabbalistic Judaism, and other “non mainstream “ spiritual practices. Ceremony According to Dictionary.com it is defined as: A formal act or set of acts performed as prescribed by ritual or custom. This definition includes any process that an individual or group of individuals utilizes for any purpose. In other words, much what an individual does to “connect” with their higher power, Goddess, God, Sky Father, Sky Mother, Great Mother or their own inner God Consciousness is considered ceremony. Spirituality The best definition of spirituality I have found is from Living Words of Wisdom, and states: that which relates to or affects the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things. Spirituality touches that part of you that is not dependent on material things or physical comforts. Notice the critical part: affects the human spirit as opposed to the material. So spirituality can be the motive force behind ceremony. Notice also that there is no particular singularly defined process; it is what YOU desire and feel for yourself. So, combining Ceremony and Spirituality we come to a new definition of "ceremony": A formal act or set of acts that is done by oneself or a group of people for the purpose of affecting the human spirit. Meditation According to Dictionary.com meditation is defined as: A devotional exercise of or leading to contemplation. Metaphysics adds to this definition and says that deep meditation is a vehicle to connect with “ real contact with our Inner True Selfhood ”, one of the courses that I teach Meditation Dynamics ©, utilizes many techniques to achieve deep meditational consciousness, some of which can be classified by our definition, as spiritual ceremony. Its purpose is achieve God /Goddess/Universal Consciousness by becoming ONE with it and to feel and be able to practice unconditional or agape love, sometimes called oneness. Sweat Lodge Most individuals of western culture today recognize that the sweat lodge is a wonderful ceremony that helps individuals to connect and honor the spiritual process of creation, and to connect and honor ones ancestors, teachers, and progenitors. We utilize this to connect with the spirits that want to speak with us by entering a deep meditation trance that is physiologically caused by the release of naturally occurring self-induced from their own body of DMT. Spiritually it allows one to “cross the veil”, and to hear and possibly see messages that our inner consciousness and other positive messengers seek to send. In a metaphysical sense, it allows one to be one with our God (dess) /Christ/Goddess/Buddha/ Consciousness. Conclusion ~ Affirmative Prayer Affirmative prayer is different than petitional prayer. In an affirmative prayer we accept and confirm that that which we are “praying” is already accomplished. In some Christian circles this is not an acceptable prayer to “receive” a desire. It is used as a “thanks offering” after what one has asked for has been “granted” by God. In our article we have explored a different viewpoint. Historically the Jewish people have utilized affirmative prayer since the earliest time of their spiritual ceremony. During the Day of Atonement (Yom Kipper) , each of the many prayers during the 24 hr fast starts with THANK YOU GOD FOR GRANTING THIS PETITION. Notice that this is the beginning of the prayer, not after a time, when the congregants have seen the physical manifestation of the request. This is in line with the New Testament as well when Jesus tells the disciples that they “will do greater things than I” (John 14:12) . If you believe in the father – this I choose as many others do, to accept metaphorically as one who is connected to the God Consciousness within. In new age philosophy it is called manifestation of desires. Metaphysically, if we are all part of the universal consciousness, then we direct to and send from us what we desire all the time. We call this your vibrational spirit frequency. When one thinks of a magnet one says opposites attract. In spiritual matters, it is like attracts like. If one feels inadequate, lost, alienated from society and spirit, then that is what others will affirm for you. If you radiate selfishness then you will receive selfish responses from others. If you radiate Love of Self, then others will love you as well. If we take these same concepts and apply them to the spiritual realm, we can see disaster in the making. If one loathes oneself, will not one attract negative loathsome contact from the spiritual realms? If one loves oneself and seeks to honestly love all of creation, does not creation love you back equally? In metaphysical terms our vibrational energy as part of the universal consciousness attracts other parts of the universal consciousness that are like US! Each ceremony we have discussed in this article shows that there are many names for the same set of practices. Each has the “stamp” of the particular people that are part of the group. No group has any more direct line to the One/God/Great Father/Great Mother/Sky Father/sky Mother/ Universal Consciousness than any other. After all, are we not all part of the creation? Each of these spiritual ceremonies is a gateway to finding the strength to be part of the solution for ourselves and all of creation. However you define your own quest and finding of your spiritual path, utilize and be open to feel the “rightness” for you while knowing that your way is just that, YOUR WAY. No individual wants someone else to tell him or her that they are not following the ‘true’ path. What is TRUTH? Hmm.. another day perhaps. For now, let us all agree that each of us is adult enough to choose our walk. SO WALK IT! Do the ceremonies that you are led to be a participant or facilitator. LEARN, how best to HONOR the Ceremony and with which you are seeking contact. Show RESPECT for yourself, the Universal Consciousness, and all of creation. Take personal responsibility for your actions and your life. BE what your SAY you are, and hold to your interpretation of your life as LONG AS IT HONORS, RESPECTS, and BLESSES THE CREATOR/IX and ALL of creation. Bright Blessing, Alfred. Footnotes: http://www.dictionary.com http://www.livingwordsofwisdom.com/definition-of-spirituality.html http://spiritualcoachwillowhawk.com/index.php?option=com_content and view=article and id=52 and Itemid=53 Yom Kipper Prayer Book The Holy Bible Copyright: all universal rights reserved by Alfred Willowhawk ABOUT... Alfred Willowhawk, BMsc, RMT, CTM, Shaman Location: Lawrence, Kansas Website: http://www.spiritualcoachwillowhawk.com Author's Profile: To learn more about Alfred Willowhawk, BMsc, RMT, CTM, Shaman - Click HERE Other Articles: Alfred Willowhawk, BMsc, RMT, CTM, Shaman has posted 8 additional articles- View them? Other Listings: To view ALL of my listings: Click HERE Email Alfred Willowhawk, BMsc, RMT, CTM, Shaman... (Yes! I have opted to receive invites to Pagan events, groups, and commercial sales) To send a private message to Alfred Willowhawk, BMsc, RMT, CTM, Shaman ... 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