inspiration meditation

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InspIratIonMedItatIon

A Guided Meditation for Writers, Artists & Everyone.

orna rossDesign & Illustration by

orlagh Murphy

http://www.orlaghmurphy.com/

http://www.ornaross.com/


•• Inspiration Meditation ••

IntroduCtIon 1 InspIratIon MedItatIon: theory 5

What Is Meditation? 6 Why Meditate? 7

InspIratIon MedItatIon: CoMponents 16The Words 18The Space 21The All 23

InspIratIon MedItatIon: GuIdelInes 25Posture 27Breath 28When 29

InspIratIon MedItatIon: the praCtICe 31

InspIratIon MedItatIon: suGGestIons 43Every day 44Moment By Moment 46F-R-E-E-Writing 47

InspIratIon MedItatIon: ConsCIous Co-CreatIon 49

Further resourCes 59

Contents

•1•



K n o w - T h i s - T r u t h - I n - M e O p e n - T h r o u g h - A l l o w - I t - B e

Introduction

Towards the end of my first novel, Lovers Hollow, the narrator Jo Devereux has an unexpected meditative experience. By this stage in the story, Jo

has been through a lot: the death of her mother and her best friend, a rekindled love affair with a married old flame; a reluctant return to the small Irish village she fled twenty years before. She is full of misery and confusion, so much so that another part of her mind interjects.

“Stop it, I order myself. Stop thinking. Pull yourself out of your head down into your body, the body that can’t be in tomorrow or yesterday but only here, where it is. Feel the sun on your eyes and the breeze on your skin. I do it. I manage to do it: in the middle of my trouble, I let it go and as I do, I feel a shift in perception that makes the scene before me seem to recompose itself. Now each thing in my sights – the black juts of rock fingering the waves, the grains of sand being flattened by my feet, the sunlight teasing the water – seems more completely itself than usual. More full of its own living presence yet somehow, simultaneously, more connected to me. I kick off my shoes, I slip out of my clothes, I walk into the sea. My skin is porous, no longer a boundary: I am melting into the water and all the world. Deep joy surges in me: the same molecules dance in me and in everything.”

We give the same word – meditation - to both the meditative state (“I am melting into the water and all the world”; “Deep joy surges in me” ) and the practices that take us there (“Stop thinking”; “Feel the sun on your eyes and the breeze on your skin”; “Pull yourself out of your head down into your body” ). Even if you've never formally practiced meditation, you are likely to have experienced the meditative state – perhaps, like Jo, when walking in nature, or during sex. Perhaps when relaxing in the bath or when looking into the eyes

•2•




Introduction

of a child. Perhaps even in the midst of a busy crowd. Moments when the thought traffic that ordinarily stomps through your head ceases and your mind falls into stillness, into mindful being. The Victorian poet, Alfred Lord Tennyson, described it as “a kind of waking trance”. He used to deliberately induce the state by repeating his own name to himself silently, over and over, “…till all at once, as it were out of the intensity of the consciousness of individuality, individuality itself seemed to dissolve and fade away into boundless being. And this is not a confused state but the clearest, the surest of the surest, utterly beyond words, where death was an almost laughable impossibility – the loss of personality (if so it were) seeming no extinction, but the only true life.” A few – lucky - people can access this state of altered consciousness without effort but for most of us, it’s a challenge. We need a method to take us there. A practice. This e-book offers such a practice. I’ve written it because I wanted to share with you this particular method that I have found so practical and effective, called Inspiration Meditation. Mostly, when we think of meditation, we imagine someone sitting cross-legged on a cushion, eyes closed, in deep contemplation. And, because “eastern” cultures have traditionally had a far more sophisticated understanding of meditation, many methods have come to “western” cultures steeped in jargon, ritual and mystique. Inspiration Meditation is different. I can imagine that receiving a particular technique or mantra directly from a spiritual guru is inspiring -- but that’s not how I came to meditation and it is not necessary. Neither is there anything particularly sacred or special about one method over another. There is simply what works for you, tried and tested by your own experience. One key difference is that Inspiration Meditation is a bit more complicated than most others. In working with individuals and groups (and myself!) I have

•3•




Introduction

found that detailed directions, paradoxically, seem to induce the meditative state more easily than other, ostensibly simpler, techniques like focussing on the breath, for example. The American author, Wayne Dyer, who proposes a similar kind of meditation technique in his book, Getting Into The Gap, has also seen this approach succeed where other meditation methods were found wanting. “Everyone I’ve led through this particular gap exercise has exclaimed, in one way or another,” he says, “that it was the first time they were able to silence their mind.” Perhaps people in the busy, work-fixated, technological 21st century need more mental “meat” to still our minds and focus our concentration.

Inspiration Meditation is of great value to those who want to expand and deepen their creative intelligence. Insight, creative flow, joy, peace, humour, perception, revelation: these are not distant attainments or elite possessions. They are available to us all -- but they do require certain mental and emotional conditions to flourish. Inspiration Meditation creates the freedom within which these conditions arise. Its step-by-step approach invariably stills the mind and allows effortless access to the space beyond thought that is the wellspring of creative power. Once you’ve learned the method (the work of moments) you will be able to use it anytime, anywhere, whenever and wherever you want. Practicing Inspiration Meditation will bring about far-reaching changes in you. You will enjoy spontaneous creative insights and experiences reaching into every corner of your life. You will also come to know, through your own lived experience, that creation is always co-creation -- something that happens both within you and without you. That whatever we are creating – a book, a home, a business, a marriage – in due course also creates us. As one of Europe’s great composers, Gustav

•4•




Introduction

Mahler, put it: “We do not compose, we are composed”. As you become more mindful of this process, you will be able to observe what is being made in the moment of its making. And to consciously create more of the things and experiences you want in your life.

Inspiration meditation has three components: 1. A phrase mantra, composed of nine loosely related words (see the bottom of the page); 2. The spaces between the words of the phrase and 3. The word All, sounded into the space. The All of Inspiration Meditation is not candy-shop all - wanting it all, having it all - but the sacred All. What some people call “God” or “the Gods”. I prefer the term All because it has not gathered so many associations around it. The sacred All includes the things and experiences that we are grateful for and those that we desire --and also those we reject. It includes all that ever was and ever will be and all that never was and never will be. It is the All that is also nothing. No thing. This connection with All is what makes Inspiration Meditation more than just quiet time with words and the spaces between words. This connection with All is what makes Inspiration Meditation a force.

Think of this e-book as an invitation to allow yourself one of the deepest and richest gifts that human life has to offer. Enjoy it, use it. And please do let me know about the creations that emerge from it. Until we connect again, Go Create! Orna

•5•



the theory

“Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.”

- Carl JunG

•6•




a condition, in which thoughts are quieted and transcended – engendering a higher consciousness.

a practice, something you "do", ideally daily

a process, of inner and outer transformation

What Is Meditation?

•7•




Meditation has been a feature of “Eastern” belief systems like Hinduism and Buddhism for thousands of years and is now spreading

all over the globe. It is estimated that 10 million Americans now practise some form of meditation regularly.

There are many different kinds of meditation and all meditation practices bring about a range of physical, mental, emotional and

spiritual benefits.

Some popular forms of meditation include zen meditation, which emphasises sitting in a correct posture to focus on your breath;

transcendental meditation, which requires the repetition of a one-word mantra; and mindfulness meditation, in which your

bodily sensations and thoughts are observed without opinion or judgement.

All meditation practices still the mind, bring awareness to thought, focus concentration and encourage relaxation.

Over time, these four conditions greatly strengthen deeper dimensions of being.

Why Meditate?

•8•




physical Benefits

Reduces physical stress.

Boosts immune system.

Reduces likelihood of stress-related illnesses - including high blood pressure, heart disease, some forms of cancer, some infectious diseases, headaches and migraine and even the common cold.

Eliminates insomnia and fatigue.

Slows the ageing process.

Why Meditate?

•9•




Mental Benefits

Reduces susceptibility to addictions like drug and alcohol abuse.

Eradicates emotional and psychological problems from anxiety to clinical disorders.

Reduces mental stress.

Alleviates depression.

Improves memory.

Boosts IQ and productivity.

Increases concentration, focus and attention span.

Speeds reaction times.

Clears thought patterns.

Why Meditate?

•10•




emotional & spiritual Benefits

Deepens happiness, pleasure and joy.

Induces tranquillity and serenity.

Increases self-awareness, self-confidence and self-esteem.

Improves emotional balance.

Progresses personal relationships.

Expands Creative Capacities.

Boosts Creative Intelligence.

Deepens Spiritual Awareness.

Why Meditate?

•11•




All meditation requires the mind to focus and concentrate - on an object, like a candle or image; on a movement like walking; on a topic

or feeling; on a constructed visualisation; on the breath...

Inspiration Meditation uses words as the object of its attention. Words and the spaces between the words.

The mind’s habit is to focus on thought. Inspiration Meditation teaches a method that counterbalances this habit, by bringing the

mind’s attention to the space between thoughts.

Through this, you come to acknowledge and to treasure space.

You experience directly the formlessness that lies beneath the words, beyond the thoughts.

Why Meditate?

•12•




Inspiration Meditation begins as communication, deepens over time to connection and ultimately blossoms into unity.

Firstly, by setting aside time to be silent, you consciously open a channel to your Deep Mind, that dimension that is routinely obscured by noise and bustle. Deep Mind needs regular silence if it is to “talk” to you, to bring you its insights and intuitions. (Communication).

In strengthening your relationship with your Deep Mind, you become aware that the same life force and consciousness that is in you is in

all. This strengthens your relationship with other life forms – people, animals, the planet, the universe. (Connection).

Ultimately this blossoms into union with that ineffable, timeless, infinite space that lies within, between and beyond all forms -- what

in Inspiration Meditation we call the All. (Unity).

Why Meditate?

•13•




Human beings have personified this All, this eternal, infinite formlessness, giving it many names over the centuries: God, Allah,

Yahweh, Ra, Jehovah, Krishna, Jesus, Zeus, Shiva, Kali…

All such names and personifications are symbols. Understood as such, they form a rich human tradition.

Many people envisage a personal God whom they can love and whom they can imagine loving them, who offers comfort in times of distress

and can be thanked for the miracles of life. Inspiration Mediation does not ask you or believe in, or to reject, such a personal God.

It does recognise that the more set and specific a sacred symbol, the further it has moved from that which it symbolises.

Why Meditate?

•14•




The Tao Te Ching, one of the oldest and most profound sacred texts, explains it best.

What it calls the Tao, the “infinite, eternally present, the mother of the universe”, should not be named, it says.

For that which can be named is not the Tao.

Those who name it do not know it, those who know it do not name it.

Why Meditate?

•15•




In meditation, you come to know it.

Why Meditate?

•16•



the Components

“Naming is the originOf all particular things.”

- lao-tzu

•17•




Inspiration Meditation has 3 components.

the Components

3. The sound of All

2. The Spaces between the

words of The Phrase

1. The Phrase:

Know - Your - Tru th - In - Me - Open - Through -

Al l ow - I t - Be.

•18•




The Phrase we use for inspiration meditation is: Know - Th i s - Tru th - In - Me - Open - Through - Al l ow - I t - Be.

This phrase makes some sense but not complete sense.

Its meanings and emphases are not fixed and change depending on how it is punctuated:

Know Thi s Tru th. In Me Open Through. Al l ow I t Be.

Know Thi s : Tru th In Me. Open Through : Al l ow I t Be

Know: Thi s Tru th In Me. Open. Through. Al l ow I t. Be.

Know Thi s Tru th In Me : Open Through, Al l ow I t Be.

Components: the phrase

•19•




In Inspiration Meditation, each word of the phrase is separated out and repeated many times.

So the phrase should not be approached in the logical, linear, sense-centred way in which we normally approach a sentence.

It is not really a sentence.


•20•




All words come trailing fronds of meaning. Some of the meaning of these words may attach itself to your meditation -- this is fine.

Or you may find that the repetition has the curious effect of detaching them from what they normally mean – this too is fine.

And just as important as the words in the phrase are the spaces in-between.


•21•




Everything that exists arose from nothing, is surrounded – inside and out – by nothing and will return to nothing.

Inspiration meditation draws attention to the nothingness within and around us by drawing attention to the space between

and around words.

To silence.

Unlike words, silence cannot be grouped or defined.

Unlike sound, silence cannot be categorised or explained.

Silence is uniquely whole and pure.

Components: the space

•22•




When we notice silence, a shift happens within us. The silence is connecting us to the infinite space that surrounds all things.

Awareness of this space expands our consciousness, deepens our awareness, brings us into the presence of the mystical that

Albert Einstein referred to as “the most beautiful emotion we can experience…the power of all true art and science.”

In Creative Intelligence Workshops, we call this shift becoming “spaced in”.

Components: the space

http://www.ornaross.com/writing-advice/inspiration-meditation/

•23•




The third component of Inspiration Meditation is the word that will be sounded when we are in that space, the gap between the words.

All.

All shares the vowel sound that is at the heart of almost all the names given to god over the centuries: Yahweh, Allah, Ra, Jehovah, Krishna,

Kali, Yeshua, Tao, Shiva.

The word God, too.

It is also the sound in Mama, Dada, Papa. The sound of satisfaction. The sound in art. The sound in heart.

Which is nice and fitting.

But much more important than the nature of the sound is the intention behind it.

Components: the all

•24•




In Inspiration Meditation, the intention is conscious contact with the source of All.

As All is sounded into the space between the words of The Phrase, new meanings emerge.

Again, we let them be.

We do not weigh them with any more thought.

Components: the all

•25•



GuIdelInes

“And silence, like a poultice, comes to heal the blows.”

- olIver Wendell holMes snr.

•26•




Meditation is not an accomplishment but a practice.

Inspiration is not an outcome but a process.

Know that when you meditate, your mind will wander. Thoughts are the breath of the mind and you cannot put a stop to your thoughts,

any more than you can put a stop to your breathing.

As you embark upon Inspiration Meditation, fold away your judgments – of what is happening in the session, of yourself.

Lay down your expectations. Allow what is to be.

Guidelines

•27•




posture

Inspiration Meditation can be performed sitting in a chair with the feet flat on the floor, or lying flat on your back, or on the floor in the

classic, cross-legged seven-point posture.

If sitting, your hands should be cradled, one on top of the other below the navel, elbows held slightly out from your body.

If lying, keep your arms by your side, in a relaxed position, palms turned upwards, facing the ceiling.

If you find yourself falling asleep during meditation, it means that you are sleep deprived. Try to get more, or better quality, rest.

In all positions, keep your spine straight and your shoulders relaxed.

Make adjustments with small micro-movements to ensure that you are comfortable.

Guidelines

•28•




Breath

Breathe in and out through your nose.

Keep your eyes gently closed, your lips in a half smile, your teeth unclenched, your jaw relaxed, your tongue loose in your mouth, the

muscles of your face at ease.

As you move into meditation, your breath will naturally slow down. Don’t try to make this happen. Just notice it.

You will also find the sounds in your mind synchronise with the breath. Again, don’t work for it. Just notice it as it arises.

Guidelines

•29•




When?

A session should take about 20 – 30 minutes, depending on how many times you reverberate the words, how many breaths you take in the

space, how many times you sound All.

If you wish to increase your time spent in meditation, it brings more benefit to introduce a second session in the evening, rather than going

beyond 30 minutes in the morning.

In yogic tradition, the times around sunrise and sunset are thought to be when we are most naturally in a meditative estate. (This works better in countries close to the equator where sunset and sunrise are

relatively uniform.)

My favoured times are 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Pick the times that best suit your own schedule.

Guidelines

•30•




When?

Zen masters recommend that the moment you open your eyes, before the first half-conscious thought has time to surface in your mind, you

should get out of bed and begin your meditation.

Doing it first has many benefits, not least that it sets the tone for your day.

And meditation is a nebulous thing to hold beside the pressures and demands of other people and the activities of a busy day. Leaving it

until later generally means it gets squeezed out.

What we do first, gets done.

Guidelines

•31•



the practice

“We are ever broadening our consciousness,

ever seeking a higher & higher unity, ever approaching nearer to the one universal truth which is the All.”

- raBIndranath taGore.

•32•




preparation

Close your eyes.

Take a deep breath in through your nose, letting your belly swell as the air enters your body. Hold it for a moment then release it slowly

through the nostrils.

Repeat as necessary, for as long as it takes for you to feel settled. Then say the entire Inspiration Meditation phrase once, slowly, in

your mind with equal emphasis on each word:

Know - Th i s - Tru th - In - Me - Open - Through - Al l ow - I t - Be

the practice

•33•




Begin

, Keeping your eyes closed, bring your attention to the left side of your left eye and hold it there, “seeing” the first word of the

phrase - Know – on your mind’s eye. Put all your attention on the word. Repeat it five times: Know Know Know Know Know. Allow its

meaning to convey itself to you.

, Shift your attention to the right side of your right eye and see the word Thi s. Repeat it five times: Thi s, Th i s, Th i s, Th i s, Th i s. Allow

its meaning to convey itself to you.

, Bring your attention to the centre, to the place where Eastern tradition places the “third eye”, and focus on the space between the words. Put all your attention there in that space between Know and Thi s. Notice how it feels, to be immersed in this space, this nothing.

Hear its silence, rest within it. Breathe.

, Now, while in the space, say the sacred sound: All.

the practice

•34•




next

, Behind your eyelids, bring your attention to the left side of your left eye and hold it there, “seeing” the second word of the phrase – Thi s - on your mind’s eye. Put all your attention on the word.

Repeat it five times: Thi s, Th i s, Th i s, Th i s, Th i s. Allow its meaning to convey itself to you..

, Shift your attention to the right side of your right eye and see the word Truth. Repeat it five times: Tru th, Tru th, Tru th, Tru th, Tru th.

Allow its meaning to convey itself to you.

, Bring your attention to the centre, to your “third eye” and focus on the space between the words. Put all your attention there in that space between Thi s and Truth. Notice how it feels, to be immersed in

this space, this nothing. Hear its silence, rest within it. Breathe.


the practice

•35•




next

, Behind your eyelids, bring your attention to the left side of your left eye and hold it there, “seeing” the third word of the phrase - Truth

– on your mind’s eye. Put all your attention on the word. Repeat it five times Truth, Tru th, Tru th, Tru th, Tru th. Allow its meaning to

convey itself to you.

, Shift your attention to the right side of your right eye and see the word In. Repeat it five times: In, In, In, In, In. Allow its meaning

to convey itself to you.

, Bring your attention to the centre, to your “third eye” and focus on the space between the words. Put all your attention there in that space between Truth and In. Notice how it feels, to be immersed in



the practice

•36•




next

, Behind your eyelids, bring your attention to the left side of your left eye and hold it there, “seeing” the fourth word of the phrase - In – on your mind’s eye. Put all your attention on the word. Repeat it five times: In, In, In, In, In. Allow its meaning to convey itself to you.

, Shift your attention to the right side of your right eye and see the word Me. Repeat it five times: Me, Me, Me, Me, Me. Allow its meaning


, Bring your attention to the centre, to your “third eye” and focus on the space between the words. Put all your attention there in that

space between In and Me. Notice how it feels, to be immersed in this space, this nothing. Hear its silence, rest within it. Breathe.


the practice

•37•




next

, Behind your eyelids, bring your attention to the left side of your left eye and hold it there, “seeing” the fifth word of the phrase - Me – on your mind’s eye. Put all your attention on the word. Repeat it five times: Me, Me, Me, Me, Me. Allow its meaning to convey itself to you.

, Shift your attention to the right side of your right eye and see the word Open. Repeat it five times: Open, Open, Open, Open, Open. Allow its


, Bring your attention to the centre, to your “third eye” and focus on the space between the words. Put all your attention there in that space between Me and Open. Notice how it feels, to be immersed in this space, this nothing. Hear its silence, rest within it. Breathe.


the practice

•38•




next

, Behind your eyelids, bring your attention to the left side of your left eye and hold it there, “seeing” the sixth word of the phrase

- Open – on your mind’s eye. Put all your attention on the word. Repeat it five times: Open, Open, Open, Open, Open. Allow its


, Shift your attention to the right side of your right eye and see the word Through. Repeat it five times: Through, Through, Through,

Through, Through. Allow its meaning to convey itself to you.

, Bring your attention to the centre, to your “third eye” and focus on the space between the words. Put all your attention there in that space between Open and Through. Notice how it feels, to be immersed in this space, this nothing. Hear its silence, rest within it. Breathe.


the practice

•39•




next

, Behind your eyelids, bring your attention to the left side of your left eye and hold it there, “seeing” the seventh word of the phrase – Through – on your mind’s eye. Put all your attention on the word. Repeat it five times: Through, Through, Through, Through, Through.

Allow its meaning to convey itself to you.

, Shift your attention to the right side of your right eye and see the word Allow. Repeat it five times: Allow , Al l ow , Al l ow , Al l ow ,

Al l ow. Allow its meaning to convey itself to you.

, Bring your attention to the centre, to your “third eye” and focus on the space between the words. Put all your attention there in that space between Through and Allow. Notice how it feels, to be immersed in this space, this nothing. Hear its silence, rest within it. Breathe.


the practice

•40•




next

, Behind your eyelids, bring your attention to the left side of your left eye and hold it there, “seeing” the eighth word of the phrase

- Allow – on your mind’s eye. Put all your attention on the word. Repeat it five times: Al l ow , Al l ow , Al l ow , Al l ow , Al l ow. Al l ow its


, Shift your attention to the right side of your right eye and see the word It. Repeat it five times: I t, I t, I t, I t, I t . Allow its meaning


, Bring your attention to the centre, to your “third eye” and focus on the space between the words. Put all your attention there in that space between Allow and I t. Notice how it feels, to be immersed in



the practice

•41•




next

, Behind your eyelids, bring your attention to the left side of your left eye and hold it there, “seeing” the ninth word of the phrase - It – on your mind’s eye. Put all your attention on the word. Repeat it five times: It, It, It, It, It. Allow its meaning to convey itself to you.

, Shift your attention to the right side of your right eye and see the tenth and final word of the phrase: Be. Repeat it five times: Be, Be,

Be, Be, Be. Allow its meaning to convey itself to you.

, Bring your attention to the centre, to your “third eye” and focus on the space between the words. Put all your attention there in that space between It and Be. Notice how it feels, to be immersed in this

space, this nothing. Hear its silence, rest within it. Breathe.


the practice

•42•




Conclusion

Remain in the perceptive and receptive meditative condition for as long as you wish.

If a thought wanders in, observe it. Do not judge. Surround it with awareness. Watch it come, watch it go.

If you have something in particular that you desire to bring into being, this is the perfect time to do some creative visualisation

(see "Inspiration Meditation & Conscious Creation" pp 49).

the practice

•43•



suGGestIons

“The aim of life is to live,and to live means to be aware;

joyously, serenely, divinely aware.”

- henry MIller

•44•




Do a formal inspiration meditation, working through the entire phrase, from “Know” to “Be” each day.

Or better, twice daily.

You may need to work up to this.

At the beginning, you may feel restless, bored, anxious or even upset. Meditation doesn’t produce these feelings; quieting the mind

just makes you more aware of them.

This is why we resist meditation, this is why we keep ourselves busy and distracted.

Stay with the practice and soon you will move beyond the restlessness, boredom, anxiety or upset to what lies beyond.

You will come to treasure the joy and peace you can only find in meditation.

suggestions: every day

•45•




There is no such thing as a bad meditation. Any time spent sitting or lying or standing in silence is (in)valuable, even if thoughts keep

twirling throughout. Just observe them

There is no right or wrong length of time to spend meditating, no right or wrong way to sit, or breathe, or be, during meditation.

But many people find freedom only in discipline.

If you need a certain posture, or cushion, or to be with a group in order to meditate regularly and well, then you must have it.

Know yourself. Meet your own needs.

suggestions: Meet your needs

•46•




Once you have learned how to do it, the meditative state can be induced at will, not just during formal meditation sessions.

As you go through your day, whenever you think of it gently pull your attention away from full immersion in the task or situation that

you are in.

Become aware of the silence and the space surrounding you.

Just repeating the word “All”, or any of the word pairs from the Inspiration Meditation phrase, will be enough to generate an

interlude of peace, joy and creativity.

Aim to spend less and less of your time each day in the grip of thought and more and more in this state of mindful awareness.

Build slowly, no pressure. In these matters, infinite patience delivers instant results.

suggestions: Moment By Moment

•47•




F-r-e-e-Write your responses

Another wonderful practice to deepen and develop creative intelligence is F-R-E-E-Writing.

Putting your thoughts about meditation on paper, tracking your responses, impressions and insights and, your growth over time, will

deepen the experience for you.

It will also ensure you recognise and appreciate the many subtle but powerful effects Inspiration Meditation will be having in your life.

suggestions: F-r-e-e-Writing

•48•




F-r-e-e-Write your responses

So every so often after an Inspiration Meditation session, take some time to F-R-E-E-Write answers to some of the following questions:

, How do I feel now after an Inspirational Meditation session?, Does my body feel different than it did before I started?, Is there any difference in my mood?, What was most enjoyable about the session?, What was most challenging?, Did anything interesting arise in my thoughts during or after

this meditation?, Was there anything interesting or important about the

experience itself?, Am I noticing any changes in my daily life? Physical health?

Emotional well-being? Habits and inclinations? Relationships?, Why do I (continue to) practice Inspiration Meditation?

(More information on the F-R-E-E-Writing Page and instructions on how to do it in the F-R-E-E-Writing Tutorial).

suggestions: F-r-e-e-Writing

http://www.ornaross.com/2009/07/f-r-e-e-writing-tutorial/

http://www.ornaross.com/writing-advice/f-r-e-e-writing/

•49•



ConsCIous Co-CreatIon

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud

was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

- anaIs nIn.

•50•




Inspiration meditation puts us into the perfect condition for attracting and manifesting our deepest desires.

Not the surface cravings, urges, addictions, demands and must-haves that diminish us, bringing worry, tension and anxiety.

Rather, the true wants that, with their challenges, grow us emotionally and spiritually and yield ever-deepening levels of joy and

peace in us.


•51•




We are all, always, creating -- bringing situations, experiences and things into being.

Most of the time, we create unconsciously.

Inspiration Meditation provides a way to become conscious of what – and how – you are creating.


•52•




Inspiration meditation puts us into the perfect condition for attracting and manifesting our deepest desires.

Not the surface cravings, urges, addictions, demands and must-haves that diminish us, bringing worry, tension and anxiety.

Rather, the true wants that, with their challenges, grow us emotionally and spiritually and yield ever-deepening levels of joy

and peace in us.


•53•




Decide what you would like to create – a job, a book, a house, a relationship, a change in yourself …whatever. Choose something easy to begin, so you can see the process in action. As you become more adept at creative visualisation, you can tackle bigger, deeper desires.

Create a clear picture in your mind of what it would be like to enjoy this thing in your life. Visualise it happening.

Smile as you imagine it coming into being,

Now hold it in your mind. Focus in on the imaginary experience of having or doing whatever it is.

Bring all your attention to it.


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Use each of your five senses to imagine it: not just how it looks but also how it tastes, smells, sounds and feels.

Especially how it feels. What emotions arise when you imagine it in being? Describe them to yourself. Consciously let yourself feel them.

Having clearly visualised your creation, say to yourself: “This (or something better than I can imagine) will now come into being -- with ease and harmony, for my good and the highest good of all.”

Then let it go.


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Do this often and one of two things will happen -- your desire will be fulfilled or your desire will fade away.

Be patient: the timing is not yours.

If fulfilled, acknowledge its arrival and the process that brought it into being. Appreciate and enjoy its presence in your life.

If the desire fades, let it go. A want dropped is just as satisfactory as a want fulfilled.

Dropping old desires makes way for the new.

One feature of regular Inspiration Meditation is that what you want in life will change – sometimes quite radically.


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Life is something that happens to you and something that you make happen…both.

In this understanding, inspiration is not an outcome or a technique, it is a state of consciousness.

And creativity is not just about clever ideas, innovations or artistic works.

It is about how you live each moment.


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As Eric Fromm put it, “Not only medicine, engineering, and painting are arts; living itself is an art.”

Those whose lives are most creative, in most spheres, are those who are courageous enough to bring their conscious awareness to the

challenging, miraculous, moment-by-moment art of living.

They know, or have learned, that we must balance what we are made of with what we make of ourselves.

Balance All which has been given to us with All we have to give.


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Sit to silence,hear a singing,

Hold the silence,know the song.

Know the silentme is singing,

In the silenceI am sung.


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BooksArmstrong, T. (1993). Seven Kinds of Smart – Identifying and Developing Your Multiple Intelligence.

Brande, Dorothea. (1935) Becoming A Writer.

Cameron, Julia. (1990) The Artist’s Way (1995) The Vein of Gold & (2001) Walking in the World

Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience.

Chekhov, Anton: Notebooks

Chopra, Deepak. (1993) The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.

Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of Mind.

Hillman, J. (1996). The Soul’s Code.

Jacobsen, M.E. (1999). Liberating Everyday Genius.

De Salvo, Louise. (1995). Writing As A Way of Healing: How Writing Our Stories Transforms our Lives.

DiCarlo, Russell E. (1998). Towards a New World View: Conversations at the Leading Edge.

Fitzgerald, F. Scott: The Crack up

Gawain, Shakti. (1978) Creative Visualisation & (1995) Creating True Prosperity.

Goldberg, Natalie (1990) Writing Down The Bones & (1995) Wild Mind

Hanh, Thich Nhat. (1991) Peace in Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life.

Kabat-Zinn, Jon. (1995), Wherever You Go, There You Are.

Krishnamurti, J. (1999) The Limits of Thought.

Marshall, Ian & Zohar, D. (1994) Spiritual Intelligence

Miller, William. (1999) Flash of Brilliance.

Murphy, Michael et al. The Physical and Psychological Effects of Meditation

Pink, D. (2005). A whole new mind.

Rainer Maria Rilke: Letters to a Young Poet

Ray, P.H., & Anderson, S.R. (2000). The Cultural Creatives – How 50 million People are Changing the World.

Shekerjian, D. (1990) Uncommon Genius – How Great Ideas Are Born.

Tolle, Eckhart. (1999). The Power of Now: A Guide To Spiritual Enlightenment & (2001) A New Earth

Ueland, Brenda. (1938) If You Want to Write: A Book about Art, Independence & Spirit

Further resources

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Further resources

research Kabat-Zinn et al. (1985). “The Clinical Use of Mindfulness meditation for the self-Regulation of Chronic Pain”.

In Journal of Behavioural Medicine.

Kabat Zinn et. al. (1998) “Influence of A Mindulness Meditation-based Stress Reduction Intervention on Rates of Skin

Clearing in Patients with Moderate to Severe Psoriasis Undergoing Phototherapy and Photochemotherapy”.

In Psychosomatic Medicine.

Miller, JJ. Et al. (2004). Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

WebYou can find a bibliography of all the scientific research studies into meditation published

in English at http://biblio.noetic.org/

http://www.namiscc.org/Research/2002/Creativity.htm

http://biblio.noetic.org/



author & publisher

Orna Ross is a novelist and nonfiction writer. She spent most of her adult life in

Dublin, where she freelanced for a wide variety of newspapers and magazines and

taught creativity, freewriting and creative writing to disparate groups — from

addicts in recovery to Women’s Studies MA students.

She also taught and mentored through Font Writing Centre, Dublin, which she

founded, and brought many Font students and other writers to publishing success

through Font Literary Agency. She now lives in London and writes fulltime, as well

as blogging and speaking to groups about Creative Intelligence. Her most recent

novel is A Dance in Time (Penguin 2009).

Feel free to pass on this e-book by inviting friends or family

to sign up for The Creative Intelligence Blog.

Design & Illustration by Orlagh Murphy

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