For the Files: Notes on Nomad Meditations Week 3

My experience of the meditation exercises for Week 3 of the Spiritual Nomad course was tepid at best. Part of the assignment was to integrate a piece of writing, song or chant into the meditation. I had no difficulty in deciding which author's works I would use, although I did have some trouble choosing a specific piece. After much reading & rereading of a handful of work from Æ's Selected Poems, I chose "Oversoul"as the poem du jour. It is a very contemplative poem & made for a lovely reading. The trouble was not with the reading per se (although I confess it was a wee bit disruptive to the rhythm of my breathing-rocking to stop & open a book) but with the additional accoutrements I needed to do this outside in the dark. I found myself wishing I had a basket to tote all the stuff. Instead, I clattered out, into the Darkness with resins, burner, charcoal, lighter, book & candlestick. 

Somehow, I keep winding up with stuff.

Oversoul 

-- Æ, aka George William Russell

THE EAST was crowned with snow-cold bloom
And hung with veils of pearly fleece:
They died away into the gloom,
Vistas of peace—and deeper peace.
And earth and air and wave and fire
In awe and breathless silence stood;
For One who passed into their choir
Linked them in mystic brotherhood.
Twilight of amethyst, amid
Thy few strange stars that lit the heights,
Where was the secret spirit hid?
Where was Thy place, O Light of Lights?
The flame of Beauty far in space—
Where rose the fire: in Thee? in Me?
Which bowed the elemental race
To adoration silently?

I made some fascinating discoveries regarding mudras & postures which I will reserve for a separate post. My notes on the individual meditations follow.

Notes on Meditations at the Night Altar Week 3:

Night Altar Day 1:

So tired. Sleep.

Night Altar Day 2:

So very tired. Sleep.

Night Altar Day 3:

+ 1 Glass of cool water
+ 1 Incense burner, charcoal, Dragon's Blood incense powder (not resin)
+ Candlestick, candle, Selected Poems, by Æ

Lots of stuff with new assignment: Book & candle, candlestick & lighter to read in the Darkness.

The stuff causes me to forget the glass of water. (Though I do not realize it at the time.)

Remember.

Monkey says: This Dragon's Blood powder burns quickly, too quickly, resins are better...
Breathe in. Breath out.
Having a desire to focus on elementals.
Breathing with Earth: Feel the soil beneath my feet.
Breathing with Fire: Feed the charcoal.
Breathing with Water: Bah.
Inside for a glass of water because the monkey brain won't let it go.
Breathing with Water: Being with the water in my belly.
Breathing with Air: Cold breezes in my lungs, nostrils filled with sweet, scented smoke.
Cannot ground well, but I read anyway.
After reading, I look to the stars...

"Where rose the fire: in Thee? in Me?
Which bowed the elemental race
To adoration silently?"

Night Altar Day 4:

+ 1 Glass of cool water

+ 1 Incense burner, charcoal, sticky, sweet-smelling, black resin (a dark variety of myrrh(?) from the box of unlabeled resins)
+ Candlestick, candle, Selected Poems, by Æ

Remember.
I can't remember, except that it was cold. Cold, dark & silent. Every noise was a distraction. Despite my adoration for Æ's poetry, what I really wanted was not to read, but to just be.

Night Altar Day 5:

Didn't take notes, but I remember a shooting star.

Night Altar Day 6:

+ 1 Glass of cool water
+ Candlestick, candle, Selected Poems, by Æ

Skipped the incense because it felt too complicated tonight.

There was a cow bellowing from the Eastern corrals. She was in labour or perhaps some other kind of pain. Gates rattled, cries & moans rang out, echoing off the canyon walls. I tried to stay. Where are they? Why isn't someone checking her? 
It made me sick & I had to go inside. No breathing, no reading, just jaw set & stomach tight.

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