Hello, started Koetting’s book about a week ago and soon after began the meditation exercises. I’ve only done the first a handful of times, but I’ve noticed that I can’t visualize for shit and for this reason I haven’t wanted to progress further. The essential part of it where you’re supposed recreate and bring your environment to your mind’s eye is where I’m having trouble. I’m able to focus my mind and "imagine’ my surroundings like the bookshelf, couch, coffee table, etc. but all I’m seeing is the same foggy blackness behind my eyelids. I usually continue on and attempt to breathe in the darkness in around me (though I still can’t “see” it) like E.A instructs, and from here I get feelings of energy running through my body and heat (like I’m about to sweat) but nothing more notable than that.
I am also decently experienced in meditation and mindfulness. I suppose I’m just looking for some opinions, advice, or thoughts on how I can improve and help make this meditation more “vivid”.
@NailOH is right. This isn’t something that catches on after a few sessions. It’s something that gets better with time.
Keep in mind that some of the imagery and words used are to convey the concept and focus the will. If you can’t do much more with the imagery, then work on focusing the will. Also keep in mind that with this stage, you don’t have to be perfect at it to get a result. The result will/should get better as you do.
First of all, relax and try not to over think it. It has taken me years to do this, and i still can’t quiet my mind sometimes and I’m fidgety on the move type A person to begin with. I started with faces, people that I cared about. Then I went from there. Anything really, that was very familiar to me, such as my cat. Then I began visualizing a friend smiling at me , or my cat licking her paws. A friend handing me a $100 bill, you get the idea. Start small, and with practice you will get better.
Makes sense. It did occur to me that perhaps I’m holding myself to unrealistic standards based on my limited experience. It’s also probably showing that I hold a more natural affinity for clairsentience or clairaudience rather than clairvoyance, and that I should work on this field more in particular.
Keep in mind that the purpose of the initial rituals is to condition the individual to be able to perform more advanced/complicated rituals later. The help build a base from which the practitioner can build upon. It’s a good idea to revisit these exercises from time to time to build up this base as we move along and maybe get into areas that use these skills less, say herbalism or some forms of divination.
These are important. I grew up with similar affinities. They help immensely when communicating with different types of entities, in different ways. You’ll see a lot of posts on here about early practitioners having trouble communicating with or sensing entities in meaningful ways. This MAY come more easily to you.
What I found works well for me, is to put neural beats on my headphones usually a gamma-theta state, I let it play for around 40 to 50mins while I am reading, then I proceed to light up some incense + candles and go on. and even then it takes me around 5 mins to 10 before I feel a presence so to say
You’re welcome, clairaudience is my skill as well, undeveloped skills or ones that don’t come naturally to you, are the most difficult, but with time you’ll improve. I dont think any human being can master these skills.
The imagination is it - you’re already doing it just fine,
You don’t see anything with your physical eyes, and your eyelids stay black, that’s normal.
When your senses develop, you will ‘see’ but this is not physical, it’s the same parts of the brain lighting up via energy input not from the eyes. That’s why it’s called a ‘sixth’ sense or clairvoyance, it’s different from the sense of sight.
This reminds me of the energy work by Robert Bruce I was looking into a couple years ago. I remember him mentioning that essentially, visualization really comes down to imagination and that’s all it really is. And as you work with it more you will begin to “see” more in detail.
I will keep doing the exercise daily and see how it develops. You’ve reassured me, so thank you.
Start with a simple object. During meditation: Drop the mind little by little, then come back to it.
Ask yourself this about the object, eyes open:
What is it? the shape, the color (This basically will be the connection to the physical element of it.)
How does it feel? Texture. Any memories related to it (the emotional link.)
What are your thoughts about it? This is you connecting the object to your mental plane.
What do you do with it? Think about how you’ve used that object in the past, but focus on the actions.
Finally, think and feel about the object as a part of you. That with every breath you inhale and exhale you’re giving life to it. But still is a part of your essence.
Now, do that with your eyes closed. It will be easier to visualize.