| My own life challenges began at age five. Within one year, my life changed from being the center of attention within an adoring family to almost being alone. All grandparents died, and other family members moved away leaving me alone with an aunt. Even my dog died that year. As I was held up to view each body in the casket, I asked questions about death. The answers always had something to do with someone named God. At age five, my search for God began since no one else was said to have answers. The search began at church In time, I came to realize that no one there really seemed to know anything either. During my middle to late twenties, I became a member of the Franciscan Third Order. It is a religious Lay Order following the teachings of St. Francis of Assisi. Each day as I recited the prayer of St. Francis, I puzzled over the last line… “It is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life”. Eventually, I left the Christian church and began studying with other religions. Without realizing it at the time, each new religion moved me to the next. These changes continued over a period of more than fifty years. During those years, I also became a physical science teacher with a life-long interest in studies about consciousness. This continued interest led to the discovery of this meditation which was listed at the end of a book discussion on levels of consciousness. Does the Universe have a sense of humor? This meditation has led to a realization into the last line of the prayer of St. Francis. The irony that my life-long search for God, in order to get answers about death, has led to self-destruction in order to live – makes me smile slowly and then laugh out loud. Does the Universe have a sense of humor? What was your biggest challenge? The biggest challenge began at the beginning of meditation in April 2016. A change in location required driving 60 miles to and from meditation through heavy traffic. This condition made it highly unlikely that I would continue. Most memorable moment? The most memorable moment was the realization that traffic and distance, as if non-existent, had ceased to matter. Although the conditions remained the same, the drive became easy. With continued meditation came the experience of a gradual unfolding inner awareness. Within this awareness were peaceful rational thought and a change in consciousness that continues. This ongoing experience has had the most tremendous impact on the success of my meditative process. Although this description of the process may sound simple and easy, it is not. In fact, this process is quite challenging. The reward is in allowing it to take place. My advice based on personal experience is to stay with the process and allow the challenges to unfold. |
