What is the difference between Meditation and Visualisation

There is a great deal of difference between Meditation and Visualisation, notwithstanding the fact that they both require the practitioner to enter into the silence and stillness of self. These are two distinct mind disciplines and should be kept entirely separate and should not be used in the misguided assumption that it is possible to contact people living in the spirit world by either of these two practices.

So what is Meditation?

“Meditation is an ancient technique which is used for physical and mental relaxation as well as for personal and spiritual growth. It can be described as sitting quietly, keeping the mind alert, focused and concentrated while the body is totally relaxed.” (D Fontana)

How is it applied in spirit communication?

It teaches mind discipline and helps you to quickly enter the stillness which will assist when moving your consciousness in order to link with the mind of a discarnate spirit.

Meditation itself, however, has nothing whatsoever to do with discarnate spirit contact. It is about quietening the mind and contacting the spirit within.

There are many benefits found to occur through the practice of meditation and these can include:

“A decrease in:

Tension and anxiety

Stress related physical problems such as high blood pressure, palpitations and abnormal heart rhythms, insomnia, stuttering and tension headaches

Drug addiction and drug dependence

Depression, irritability and other negative psychological states

And an increase in:

Feelings of peace, optimism, and self-worth

Creativity, efficiency, productivity and energy

Emotional release, spontaneity and contact with emotional life

Openness to the unconscious and to repressed memories, aspirations etc

Independence, self-discipline and sense of identity.” (D. Fontana)

By prolonged Meditation it is possible to achieve the Siddhis (supernatural powers or psychic gifts).

 “Buddhism teaches that after a practitioner achieves a certain degree of realisation, spiritual power develops. A person at the level of an Arhat  is said to possess six supernatural powers. Even so, it is understood that it is through Enlightenment that supernatural powers are manifested, rather than that supernatural powers enhance Enlightenment. Furthermore, it is acknowledged as well that supernatural powers are not attainable exclusively JUST by Buddhists and Buddhists only. It is possible for anyone who has deep religious and spiritual cultivation to develop some kind of "super-normal powers."  (Siddhis II: Personal Insights into Supernormal Perceptual States)

It can be seen, therefore, that while Meditation is to discover the inner spirit, practice of it will enhance psychic ability to the extent that when the practitioner wishes to sit to link with the people in the spirit world, such enhancement will be of great assistance.

There are two types of visualisations - Focus or concentration visualisation and the attunment visualisation.

Both visualisations are mind disciplines and the focus visualisation is mainly to help the practitioner to be in control, while using, his imagination.

The best way of enjoying such a visualisation is to sit with a group of friends and appoint a leader, if this has not already been done. The leader will then describe a ‘mind journey’ which the practitioners will endeavour to bring to mind as the leader takes them down various avenues of thought; introduces them to smells, sights, sounds, tastes and touch – all the five senses. Not all leaders include all senses but normally use 2 or 3.

The object of the exercise is to stay with the leader, and with the mind, carrying out any instructions given. It is not permissible to wander off down your own thought tracks or to go so deep, no memory is retained. It is also very discourteous, in fact, to go to sleep. This is a mind enhancing exercise and will not help if people’s minds are closed off to it.

With all things, practice, practice and more practice, helps. The day will come when the practitioners will have no difficulty in visualising a tree when asked to do so; will have no difficulty in feeling the cold when dipping toes in icy pools; will have no difficulty in having farmyard smells invading the nostrils.

When the time comes to practice mediumship, the practiced visualiser will find that as the spirit people draw close the links between them will be so much stronger because of this discipline. The medium will feel stronger sensations as the spirit indicates various information to him, such as how they passed or the kind of personality the spirit had. Do not, therefore, be in too much of a hurry to use this valuable visualisation time by trying to go into deep states, thinking perhaps this will enable trance to occur more quickly; it could, in fact, have the opposite effect.

With the attunement visualisation the leader may set the group of trainee, or novice, mediums on a short journey and leave them at a point where they can make a connection with the spirit world. Initially, of course, this will not happen but as the individual trainees enhance their psychic abiliies, the visualisation will help them make that connection they are seeking.