Conscious Breathing

A good friend of mine has a saying, something to the effect of, 'imagine if you had to consciously draw every breath!' The context of his statement, of course, being the religious man that he is, was that there is a 'God' out there somewhere, a 'Man in the Sky' ( though He most certainly would NEVER put it that way! ) Who watches over us, in this case particularly, while we're sleeping & helps us to continue to draw breath while we are in a state of unconsciousness, so to speak. While this is true, from a human standpoint, at least, that there IS a 'God' ( consciousness ) that watches over us ( while we sleep ), It is NOT some 'Person' in the heavens ( 'Heaven'? ) that does this, though it IS most certainly a Higher Intelligence than is normally attributed to humankind ( even someone like Albert Einstein or Nikola Tesla )!

The subject of meditation may, at it's most basic, be said to focus, first & foremost, on one's breathing. By calming oneself, by focusing ones attention on their breathing, one is enabled to willfully breathe; that is to say, rather than allowing ones body to clamor for attention by some some 'need to breathe' ( which I do not deny, by the way ), one allows their Higher Consciousness to control their breathing, thereby becoming calm. Some people, as mentioned previously, both above & in a post on the same subject, focus their attention on a Power outside them which enables them to breathe unconsciously: I will not say this is wrong, though it does detract from personal responsibility & tends to lead to a sense of unworthiness & even self-loathing! No, it is not wrong ( by any means ) to look outside oneself for necessary sustenance ( whether physical, emotional, or spiritual ), but once one realizes, through whatever means, that the Power is within, it becomes less & less necessary ( even harmful ) to look outside oneself.

Some may accuse me of haranguing against, in particular, Christianity! Although I'm not the only one ever harmed, spiritually or emotionally ( which can both lead to physical harm ), by ( institutional ) religion, neither am I trying to imply that ALL Christians, even some within the bounds ( 'bonds'? ) of institutional Christianity, are wrong. Some Christians rightly practice the Principles of the Christ, even though they may still be entrenched in religion! For the most part, though, those particular Christians are on the move & will not be content to stagnate, or 'wallow in the mire' with the rest of their fellows!

The Power of Prayer is another subject which has come under consideration, particularly of late. Having written on this subject previously as well, I will simply reiterate & expand on my previous statements. While prayer is most often made to some 'God' above ( I do not deny a 'God' Above ), in many places, it is voiced aloud & quite publically, to whatever effect. In some cases, this 'effect' is that some who hear the uttered request or need, if it be in their power to answer that request or fulfill that need, will do so, thus acting the part of 'God'. In other prayers, the supplicant may focus on health issues or concerns, such as a cancer of some type, that only 'God' can take care of. In such a case, however, although modern medicine, to a degree, is often, in the long run, worse than the cure; it has enjoyed some degree of success in dealing with many ailments. On the other hand, here too, as in many other cases, physical issues, including cancer, can be resolved by voicing ones concerns aloud.

Unlike prayer, which is focused on a Power outside oneself ( which also tends to alleviate or even negate personal responsibility ), meditation usually focuses on the Power within, helping one to realize that they do have have the Power, as well as the responsibility, to maintain & sustain the physical vehicle they incarnate. Without going into the science of the matter ( much information on the subject is easily accessible, thanks to the internet ). suffice it to say that it IS within the realm of possibility, even probability, for humanity to cure itself of ANY type of cancer! ( Strong statement, I know, but the Power really IS within us to heal ourselves, naturally, without the aid of artificial 'drugs' )

Modern science, to whatever extent, has discovered ( 'uncovered' might be a better word for it ) many of the wonders of this human vehicle, leading to ( for those willing to 'see' it, anyway ) the knowledge that, contrary to popular opinion, we don't need all the 'drugs' that Big Pharma is selling us to 'cure' ourselves! The Earth ( Mother ) has all the necessary resources to help us sustain & maintain this physical vehicles. This may come as a bit of a surprise to some ( Christians? ), but even the Hebrew Scriptures intimate this glorious fact!

Meditating on this glorious fact has lead many to the even more glorious realization that the Power is all around us, within our grasp, so to speak. Thanks to Big Pharma, in large part, most of these resources are not readily available ( or acceptable ), but the tide is turning as we speak: more & more people ( for the most part, those outside the bounds of 'religion' ) are realizing those natural cures, putting them to good use & bettering their own lives, as well as those of others!

Christianity ( organized religion ) has not done much, sadly, to educate the Greater Community to this glorious fact. With its focus on the Power in the heavens & its commitments to 'saving souls for the Afterlife', it has failed to enable its adherents to realize their own Power, 'God-given', no less; to 'save' themselves, to cure their own physical vehicles by making the best use of the resources this Good Earth has to offer. This, again, is NOT to say that no one within the bonds of organized religion, in particular, Christianity, can, does, or will ever realize this glorious truth, although it surely can be detrimental to this realization!

Back now, to the subject at hand; proper meditation ( on the Power Within ) calms our spirit, our true nature, if you will, enabling us to look past the trials of this life ( including 'cancer' ) to see that, indeed, we ARE More than what meets the eye! The illusion that 'what you see is what you get' being destroyed, we are enabled to more clearly see the available resources, including ourselves. It all starts, physically speaking, with consciously & purposefully taking every breath.The realization that our fate is not dependent on the whims of some 'God' out there somewhere, but rather on our own personal choices is empowering!

'Is meditation, then, the cure for everything; is that what you're saying?' My readers will have to decide for themselves; I'm not saying either way, but I will say that it is WHOLLY dependent on themselves! By the choices you make & the actions ( both directly & indirectly ) that follow; YOU determine your own fate, as well as influencing that of others, to whatever extent. Yes, this goes both ways; anyone may be influenced by the choices & actions of others, but it is OUR choice that most affects our destiny. How we react ( or not ) to someone else's actions determines our own personal course. Focusing on our own personal Power has the effect of realizing that it is what WE do, the choices WE make, that really matter in the Grand Scheme of things!

Namaste'
Charles Haddon Shank