The Living Tree

This set of exercises is intended to make you more aware of the impact of our thoughts, where and how they arise and how they can be used as effective tools towards self-knowledge, growth and dialogue with all parts of our spiritual and human natures.

 Opening to The Thinking Self

As you move through your day, take a few  minutes in the morning, at lunchtime and before bed to check in with your thinking  self.  Try to be aware of where some of these perceptions and thoughts have originated. Were they the products of interaction with others? Were they the products of you sitting quietly and mindfully "brainstorming" the solution to a problem? Were they the products of inspired reading or did they seem to flow from the muses themselves? Although we  use the faculty of thought regularly throughout the day, the quality and receptivity of that process are often the results of being on auto-pilot, without much attention to what is actually happening. Try to set aside some time each day (15minutes is a good starting point) to sit quietly and be fully engaged in what thoughts, ideas and inspirations are moving through you. Write down these ideas. They are often the seeds of a great  idea or even potential answers to something that at a subconscious level may have been of concern. By establishing a routine time to simply "be" with your thoughts, you are facilitating a greater opening to the Universal and Cosmic ideology that surrounds us. And, once that connection is made, you are then opening to the Divine.

Observing Your Thoughts

Mindful Meditation

• As you sit in a meditative state, allow whatever thoughts that wish to present themselves to flow.

• As each thought comes into your realm of awareness, take a moment to acknowledge it. Give attention to the nature of the thought and what action or response it may provoke. Do not judge or give inner dialogue around this thought, just simply observe it and then let it pass, if another presents its self.

• Repeat this process for each thought that arises.  Giving it attention, making note of its qualities and centering awareness in your present state of mind.

Journaling

Analyzing a Goal

•  Pick a simple goal

•  Record each step necessary towards completion of that goal

•  Analyze each step, look more closely and see how much further you can organize the process into the most effective means of manifestation

 Meditative Focus 

Meditation on the Magickal Image of Hod

"A Hermaphrodite" 

Build in your mind’s eye the image represented  as completely as possible. Engage as many of your senses as possible to make this image as real as possible.  As you focus on the image, open your awareness to the greater implication of the hermaphrodite. Awareness that this is the point of union of both male and female energies and creative processes. This is the wholeness of a being holding within the points of balance self-contained within the one. What are the greater mysteries of this balance?  Allow the image to present and give rise to whatever thoughts may occur.  Follow the sequence of these thoughts.

It is within the potential of the Hermaphrodite that life may be brought forth. It is within the potential of the Hermaphrodite that we may realize are union with self and come to the place of the "middle pillar".