This week’s spiritual focus for the 21 Stages of Meditation moves onto the Crystallized Self. This is an interesting and complex concept. Crystallization is about becoming solid in ALL that you are. To date, what you are is the summation of all you have experienced. This is your current state of consciousness. If you are solid in who you currently are (whether you like who you are or not), then you have a firm launch pad as you move into the future. The future can still include you “working on yourself.”
Yogis Bhajan was a big advocate for showing up with a sense of Self to project from as we enter the Age of Aquarius where global, religious, political, and financial frameworks of society are being shaken. Already, we are losing our ability to define ourselves by things outside of our self because those things keep shifting. Our belief systems based on our religious, political, and cultural upbringing are failing. There are millions of choices, millions of fears, and millions of threats. It is imperative to cultivate a relationship with the Self…your God Self, so that you can stand with strong footing as your own foundational principles of the past ingrained in your psyche fail and become whimsy.
Yogi Bhajan warned that if we did not have a firm foundation in Self, we would slip into a cold depression and information overload. I see this happening all around me. I personally feel this too as if sometimes I’m sinking in a big pit of mud and muck called “other people’s expectations…societal demands…the way everyone else does it.” There seems to be an odd need to keep up, show up, and be up that is in conflict with my core nature. My core nature needs quiet, calm, meditation, sweetness, softness, understanding, and support. The external is noisy, messy, interfering, harsh, demanding, and needing support. The imbalance creates a suction that wants to be quickly filled.
Day 50 – 57 of my spiritual cleanse are going to be about releasing the things that are currently being imposed upon me by others, societal norms, and culture (if I can go that deep in 7 days).
Take a pause and make a list of the exterior demands being placed upon you and figure out some appropriate boundaries to put in place. A simple example would be something like the following:
1. Scheduling time to check email only once or twice a day vs. constantly checking and distracting yourself.
2. Planning for back to school and communicating that each child gets to do one after school activity and that’s all.
3. Setting aside time to meditate each day and not letting others or the demands of life interfere with that time.
Feel free to share your suggestions! Om, Pamela
*The sole purpose of these articles is to provide information about the tradition of ayurveda, yoga, and meditation. This information is not intended for use in the diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any disease. If you have any serious acute or chronic health concern, please consult a trained health professional who can fully assess your needs and address them effectively. Check with your doctor before taking herbs or using essential oils when pregnant or nursing.