Name

Earth Descent Meditation

Purpose/Effects

This is a powerful way to get grounded and in touch with your higher, deeper Self.

Method

Summary
Visualize your awareness dropping deep within the Earth.

Long Version

• Lay on your back in a comfortable position. You may wish to have your knees up and your feet flat on the ground, to relieve tension in the lower back.
• Close your eyes. Breath deeply. Just concentrate on your breath and relax for a few moments. On each in breath, notice any tension in the body. On each out breath, allow all the tension in your body to drain into away into the Earth. Let it dissolve into the ground beneath you.
• Now allow your awareness to drop down into the Earth. Feel your consciousness sinking into the ground beneath you.
  1. Allow your awareness to down about one foot. Imagine that you have roots that go down into the ground. Feel the roots.
  2. Next, allow your consciousness to drop down 10 feet into the Earth. Imagine that the roots of your being go way down in the ground. Feel the strength, solidity, and warmth of the Earth.
  3. 200 feet. Keep falling into the earth. 300, 400, etc.
  4. 1000 feet.Keep falling into the earth. 2000, 3000, 4000, etc.
  5. Now, allow your consciousness to drop down a mile into the Earth. Let go of any resistances or blockages. Open your awareness to this depth.
  6. With each breath allow your consciousness to drop down another 10  miles into the Earth, until you reach 100 miles. You are way down into the earth now.
  7. Now let your awareness simply fall, deeper and deeper, farther and farther. If you run into any barrier or feeling that you can’t fall any further, just let go of that and fall right through it. Keep falling deeper and deeper.
  8. Even though the physical Earth has a limited depth, the depth of this experiential Earth goes to infinity. Allow yourself to fall, or be pulled toward, the infinite depth of the Earth. Think of this infinite depth as the source or origin of all things. This is your true home.
  9. Keep falling, pulled onward by your desire and longing for your true home, the source of being. Keep opening, letting go of any resistance, Keep descending.
  10. Feel your body in contact with the naked, infinite depth of the Earth. Your body is getting extremely relaxed down here.
  11. Now just hang out at the point of infinity beneath you. Let go of any ideas. Just be the infinity beneath you. Let go of any effort. Feel total relaxation.
  12. Notice how your mind feels here. Completely open. Boundless. Without barriers, restrictions, or boundaries.

History

This technique was created by the Buddhist teacher Reginald Ray, drawing upon indigenous sources. See the audio series Your Breathing Body.

Notes

R. Ray makes the point that the human awareness is only apparently bound within the boundary. He says that, according to Tibetan Buddhism, human awareness occupies all of space, and all of time.

Sometimes this is also called "Earth Breathing."

See Also

What Is Meditation?
Meditation Posture

External Links

Reginald Ray - Dharma Ocean