Meditation - The Path of Inner Cultivation
Lee Ann Dzelzkalns

I. THE PATH

A. We are in an era of rapid change in the field of religion, a time in which
there is an opening up of understanding, a flow of new thinking, and a widening
general interest in spiritual subjects. Different religions have likened man to
climbing a mountain from different sides. They are all headed for the same
realization at the peak, but are not familiar with each other’s path.

Each religion adds depth and dimension to our understanding of spiritual values, morals, and integrity. Our ability to be accepting of one another’s difference in practice and study is vital to the overall direction of goodwill in the world.

B. Our path in meditation will not be one way. It will be a compilation of
and synthesis of many philosophies and teachings. It will, however, be based on
the primary principle of focus/concentration and cultivation of our spiritual nature.
I am incorporating my love for ritual and ceremony and offering a format rich in encouraging one’s growth and expansion of self, personally and spiritually. As long
as you are open you shall receive.

C. HINDUISM: The path is “Like the sharp edge of a razor, the sages say,
is the path. Narrow it is, and difficult to tread! (U-K)

CHRISTIANITY: The path is about “Entering by the narrow gate. For
wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many
there are who enter that way. How narrow the gate and close the way
that leads to life! And few there are who find it. (Matt.7:13-14)

BUDDHISM: Therefore, if students of the Way only regard seeing, hear-
ing, feeling, and knowing as their (proper) activities, upon being deprived
of these perceptions, their way towards (an understanding of) mind is
cut off and they find nowhere to enter ….. Exit independently of all that
is above, below, or around you, for there is nowhere in which the Way
cannot be followed. [T p.197 from the teachings of Zen Master His Yun,
A.D. 840]

TAOISM: The man who has learned the Way of Nature has learned to
avoid excess and to live his life walking carefully along the middle road.
If you can create things without feeling the need to own, them; If you
can aid mankind without waiting for reward; If you can learn to act as
a leader while wo/men still look upon you as a sister/brother; Then you
have learned to travel The Way. (10-S)

In the ESOTERIC tradition they refer to the ancient aphorism: “Before
a man can tread the Path he must become that Path himself.” There is
inner and outward significance here. Outwardly a wo/man lives a life
dedicated to serving his fellow man and working toward world betterment. S/he maintains a pure motive, a spiritual outlook, and strives
toward the heights, avoiding fanatical and unreasoned extremes, and
s/he can be said to be treading the Path.

Inwardly, s/he works to create a path that enables a flow of energy from his/her spiritual nature to his/her personality --- a Path that provides him/her consciousness of higher knowledge. This inner path he builds out of himself, and thus he becomes the path. Success in this endeavor results in the true intuitive thinker, who brings down the ideas that change the world and an

-2-

attitude of goodwill that encourages their proper application. Treading the path has been defined as “self-conscious participation by man in the fulfillment of nature’s plan.” (Roland Peterson, “Everyone is Right” 1992)

II. MEDITATION

Meditation takes us beyond the senses to a deeper level of insight and freedom
from within, which affects the without– we deepen into a purity and joy of a
mind and heart free of gripping, released from conditioned patterns, free to
simply ‘be’.

The meditator will seek to find a balance in effort and surrender, to release to the truth of the moment’s experience. Acceptance is necessary which allows the effort to come forth unencumbered. Remember, however, this all takes time and practice.

Softening the mind is difficult to do. It will begin to settle down in a natural way. You will find yourself ‘just being’ in the moment, noticing what you notice from your observer self.

Some of our world religions have different ways of describing meditation.

A. HINDUISM: The self resides within the lotus of the heart. Knowing
this, devoted to the self, the sage enters daily that holy sanctuary. (U-C)

B. CHRISTIANITY: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my
heart, be acceptable in they sight, O Lord. (Ps. 19:14).

C. BUDDHISM: The wise people, meditative, steady always possessed of
strong powers, attain to Nirvana, the highest happiness. (D-23)

D. TAOISM: Those who know do not talk, And talkers do not know. (56-B)
Touch ultimate emptiness, Hold steady and still. (16-B)

EFFORT. FOCUS. SURRENDER. ACCEPTANCE. JUST BE. BALANCE. PURITY.
MINDFULNESS. CONCENTRATION. LIBERATION. DEEP INNER WALKING.
INSIGHT. AWAKENING. ENLIGHTENING. You will find many ways to explore, discover, and describe your meditative experiences.

III. PRECEPTS TO DAILY LIVING

A. We are urged to love and serve humanity (the foundation of goodwill).
To perform our duties with diligence and integrity and honesty. Always
controlling our lower nature.

B. We know that through the scriptures of the world religions that there
is a higher authority transcending the physical world and our existence
is controlled by a body of laws; one of which is the Law of Cause and
Effect.

C. We also know that through the scriptures that man has a spiritual
nature and cultivation of greater rapport with this aspect is the path
of progress and the evolution of one’s soul.

D. One’s inner work and focus (the path of inner cultivation) enhances
spiritual growth.

E. Your point of focus in the PRESENT moment, is key to your inner expansion.

F. All selfish desires and sufferings are left behind to be controlled, purified
and purged into alignment with the True Self; the Oneness of Life. This
is the work of purifying our physical, emotional, and mental bodies,
bringing them into balance, then integrating with our higher aspects
-3-

of self, known as the soul and our intuition.

If we hold on to the desire to ‘attain’ – it will become a barrier to our
awareness. Please take note of this. Trust in the moment and allow
everything to be as it is to be, free of pushing, expectations, and wanting
things a certain way. Let that go, detach from it all, and allow ………

IV. EVERYTHING IS ENERGY

A. We are energy. We are hooked up to the universal generator and run
with immense power, nadis, meridians, chakras, subtle bodies/fields, and
planes of consciousness and an infinite supply of quantum mechanical
connections.

In the undeveloped person these forces within us are relatively inactive.
As a man or woman evolves, various centers (chakras) become active or
‘opened’ . In the more evolved individual these centers come into full
functioning activity. These centers of energy are said to be formed of
streams of force from the higher aspect of self, or soul, which in turn
responds to the higher levels. Their main functions are the following:

1. To vitalize the physical body.
2. To bring about the development of self-consciousness in wo/man.
3. To transmit spiritual energy and sweep the entire wo/man into a
state of spiritual being.

B. Energy Follows Thought.

1. Esotericists say that energy can be controlled by thought. Taoists
say that the mind leads Qi (life force)..

2. In agreement with the statement of the Hindu scripture: “God
meditated and the worlds were formed.” Behind each visible
structure or form in all of the kingdoms of nature is said to be an
invisible pattern of energies and forces that serves to direct the
formation of the form.

3. The Christian recognition of God as “Light” [which is synonymous
with energy in scientific terms]. And Upanishads find “Primal
energy is Brahman” – Brahman in Hindu scriptures is God in manifestation.

V. PRIOR TO BEGINNING A MEDITATIVE PRACTICE

A. Be conscious of your lower nature, physically, emotionally and mentally,
cultivating more control of it, rather than it controlling you. Sincerity
of purpose, compassionate altruism, pure intention, and serene applica-
tion of the work to relax the physical body, calm the emotional, still
the mind, and connect at the higher/inner levels, a balance within self and in conscious relationship to the Creative Forces will be met.

1. The practice of DETACHMENT was embodied many sages and mystics of old. Detachment implies something more than
control of desire of things, it also includes a spiritual focus.

2. Detachment is discussed by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount,
Hindu scriptures teach it in the Bhagavad Gita, Christians call
it ‘holy indifference’ and Hindus refer to it as ‘non-attachment.’

3. Lao Tzu states the concept clearly as shown above in the de-
finiton of “The Path” exclaiming, “If you can create things.…

-4-

4. Buddhist scriptures discuss in the Dhammapada, “Let, therefore,
no man be attached to anything …. Those who are attached to
nothing, and hate nothing, have no fetters.”

5. Esoterists stress the importance of detachment as the cultivation
of what is termed “the attitude of the observer” – that is men-
tally stepping back and silently taking note of the activities of
your own concrete mind and emotions and their interactions with
the outside world. Practice is done with a “evening review.”

6. To Control Thoughts is about being aware of them first and then having the willingness to make a change. St. Paul said, “Be ye therefore transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Quite simply, if we “Guard The One” (as in the Daoist tradition) and stay steady in consciousness by keeping the mind steeped in divine things, we will begin to instill an energy directing us into
the ‘greatness of Being”.

B. Awakening to One’s Truth of Being takes commitment and perseverance
when stepping upon the path of meditation. Be patient.

C. Again, learn to embody the foundational precepts of goodwill, love and
service toward humanity.

D. Develop energy (movement of Qi) within, concentration, awareness and
mindfulness. Without these tools we simply act out the patterns of our
conditioning.

E. As we cultivate spiritual expansion the emergence of wisdom presents it-
self. Wisdom is the clear seeing of impermanence – knowing that what-
ever arises has the nature to cease. When we recognize this, we no
longer cling to attachments and come closer to releasing our inner battle
and suffering.

F. Prior to beginning a practice in meditation, we should follow the example
of the saints and not withdraw from the world; nonattachment must not
become detachment from life.

The Upanishads sound a strong warning about this, “To darkness are they doomed who devote themselves only to life in the world, and to a greater darkness those who devote themselves only to meditation.” From the Zen monks to Humanistic Transpersonal psychologists, the sacred is in the ordinary, that it is to be found in one’s daily life, in one’s loved ones, friends, family and play time. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO BEHOLD.

VI. YOUR MEDITATIVE EXPERIENCE
A. Keep a meditation journal. This will assist you in exploring and discover-
ing insights along the way, thus opening you up to the vastness within.

B. Symbols and recognitions of patterns of behavior will present themselves.
Try not to be in your head too much, but allow the gentle focus of truth to unfold before you. Symbols are carriers of truth for you to discover their meaning and language for you personally.

C. Everyone’s experience is unique to them. Try not to compare yourself
to anyone else.

D. You are always in control of your experience. BE FILLED WITH GRATITUDE.

Syinthesis™ catalyzing personal integration

© 2008 Lee Ann Dzelzkalns

Lee Ann Dzelzkalns is an author, teacher, and interfaith minister. The focus of her work is on Personal Integration, Soul Evolution, Vibrational Healing, Relaxation & Guided Meditation, Ritual & Ceremony. She is a lecturer/instructor at The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in expansion of consciousness and integration of self. Lee Ann
Resides in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. For more information see her website:
www.leeanndz.com. You will find her book “View From the Mountaintop: A Journey Into Wholeness” – her NEW CD “SYNTHESIS: A Meditation of Vibrational Transformation, and her first guided meditation
“View From the Mountaintop: A Journey to Self- Renewal” displayed on the website.

You may want to visit Lee Ann's website

Leeanns site