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Melissa Tipton

T here’s no shortage of scientific data telling us how amazing meditation is for improving our mood, reducing stress, and even changing physical structures within the brain. But even armed with those facts, it can be hard to motivate yourself to stick with a meditation practice. As Witches, though, we have an extra incentive: meditation is a powerful way to ramp up our magical skills. Here are three ways to make meditation truly enjoyable, while reaping the benefits not only of improved wellbeing and brain physiology but also of enhanced magical power.

Working with Spirit Guides

In my personal experience, communing with spirit guides is downright life-changing. Before doing any spirit work, I like to create a sacred space by envisioning an energetic sphere around my body and stating three times, “My protection shield protects me from harm on all levels.” Finish the third round with, “So mote it be.” Set the intention that this sphere permits only beings who enter in perfect love and perfect trust, and spend a few moments tapping into a feeling of safety and security as you visualize this protection shield around you, fully charged.

Now that you have a safe space in which to make spirit contact, you can ask the spirit who is correct and good for you to make itself known. Be patient. In the movies this invitation is usually followed by a flickering of candle flames before all hell breaks loose, but in reality the experience is often much more subtle. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t sense anything out of the ordinary the first time—or the fifth. Make a commitment to keep showing up, even for ten minutes a day, making the invitation to connect. If you called a friend and they were busy and didn’t pick up, you wouldn’t give up and never speak to them again. The same rules apply here.

The other piece of the puzzle is learning how to perceive spirits. Your task during meditation is to remain aware and receptive. If you find your mind wandering, return your attention to something concrete, like your breath. While you are in this state of gentle focus, notice any sensations around or in your body, such as coolness or heat, a breezy or windy sensation (however subtle), or goose bumps. Perhaps the changes are more mental or emotional: thoughts might pop into your head seemingly out of nowhere, you might see images or flashes of color, or you might experience an emotion in the absence of any conscious triggers. All of these sensations can be the first signs of spirit contact.

Experiment with remaining aware and receptive and see if the sensations continue or increase. Then respond and see what happens. For example, you might ask a question, aloud or mentally, such as “Is this cool feeling on my hand a sign of spirit contact?” Remain still and wait for a response. Do the same with any new sensations that arise, slowly building your spirit communication skills.

If your intuition tells you that there is indeed a spirit attempting to make contact, but you are having trouble understanding, here are some techniques to try. As with any human relationship, you can ask for clarification. If you know you’re a visual person, ask that the spirit show you images. If you’re more auditory, ask that they speak telepathically or through other sounds. In my experience, not every spirit is able to communicate in all ways, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. You can also experiment with automatic writing. Before going into meditation, have a stack of paper (number the pages so you can piece together the order later) and a pen or pencil at the ready. Rest the tip of the writing implement on the paper, close your eyes, and ask for messages to flow through you.

A pendulum is another tool that can work wonders when learning how to communicate with spirits. You can use a store-bought pendulum or make your own using a washer tied to a string. I’ve also used necklaces in a pinch. Ideally, cleanse the item before using it. You can do this by holding the item and visualizing it filling completely with white light. Begin by asking the spirit to show you a yes versus a no response. Sometimes a yes will be a clockwise motion, while a no is counterclockwise, but I have also had a yes response indicated by general movement, while a no is stillness. With the latter, I can feel the pendulum go energetically “slack,” as if the power source has been turned off.

Regardless of how you choose to make contact, remember that as with human relationships, it’s important to get to know the being on the other end. If you get an icky feeling, there’s nothing wrong with ending the conversation. Maintain healthy boundaries, just as you would with a person, and allow trust to build over time. Also, just because a being is incorporeal doesn’t mean it knows everything; use your intuition and good judgment before blindly following the advice of a spirit. Over time, you will build strong relationships with your primary guides, and they can help you “vet” other spirits that you meet.

Tarot Journeying

One of the most powerful ways to deepen your connection with the tarot is to journey into the cards’ images. Whether you’re completely new to tarot or a seasoned reader, you’re sure to glean magical insights with this technique. Begin by choosing a card, and settle into your meditation position. Hold the card in front of you and gaze gently at the image. Begin to tune out all distractions as you focus on the card, letting your eyes flow from one part of the image to the next, following whatever captures your attention, from the bright color of a character’s robe to a symbol in the foreground. Soak up the image, and when you feel ready, close your eyes.

Set the intention to journey into the tarot card in a way that is correct and good for you. Begin to call up the image of the card in whatever way works best. Perhaps the entire image will come into view slowly, or it might be easier to start with one feature, such as a character, and fill in the image around it. See the card’s image in life size, and mentally project yourself into the scene. You might imagine yourself opening a door and stepping into the image, or simply reach out to touch one of the objects. Once you’re inside, look around and interact. If there’s a character in the scene, watch what they do. Ask them questions, such as “What are you reading? What does that symbol mean?” and so forth.

You can also ask if they have any messages for you, and if you are using this technique in the context of a tarot reading for someone else, you can inquire whether they have any messages for the querent. If there’s an element of a card that you’ve always had trouble grasping, now is a great time to ask questions! This is especially helpful if there are cards that you inwardly dread seeing in a reading, either because of their negative connotations or because you always seem to draw a blank when you see them. Use this opportunity to get to know the cards, and your reactions, in new ways.

Be patient if answers aren’t immediate; give yourself time to stay in the image, noticing any changes and receiving any messages. Once the experience feels complete, exit the image in the same way you entered (e.g., through the door, letting the image fade), and take a few moments to feel grounded and present in your body. It’s helpful to keep notes from your tarot journey in a special journal that you can reference when doing a reading. I have found that the insights gathered in these meditations are an amazing supplement to any information I might find in a tarot book.

Symbol Walking

Symbols are, in themselves, a powerful way to connect with the unconscious and the divine, and meditation facilitates an even deeper
connection. To begin, obtain or draw a representation of the symbol you wish to work with. Sit in your meditative position and focus your attention on the symbol, allowing all other distractions to gradually fall away. When you feel ready, close your eyes. Picture the symbol on the screen of your mind and set the intention to walk the symbol. Allow some time for an image to suggest itself spontaneously, but if nothing arises, experiment with one of the following:

• See an aerial view of the symbol in the form of a hedge maze. Project your awareness to the entrance of the maze and begin to follow the path, deeper into the symbol.

• Imagine the symbol created in sand on a temple floor, and feel yourself walking barefoot along the sand lines.

• Visualize the symbol as a crop circle, or a path circling a mountain, or a stream, or luminescent rocks creating a forest path.

As you walk the symbol, don’t worry so much that you’re tracing the shape precisely; trust the experience and give yourself time to notice details. Perhaps you encounter a bird in the hedge maze—introduce yourself and ask if it carries any messages for you. Notice any sensations in your body or emotions that arise; make a note of them when you come out of the meditation. These feelings can be used later to tap into the energy of the symbol. For example, as you walk the Reiki symbol commonly called Cho Ku Rei (aka the power symbol), you may get a feeling of deep serenity, which is one form of power. Later, if you are using the symbol in a healing, you can mindfully cultivate that feeling of deep serenity to reinforce the inherent power of the symbol. As with the tarot cards, it’s helpful to keep a journal of your experiences, compiling your own personal dictionary of symbols.

I like to treat everything as a potential meditation focus. If I go hiking and a certain area resonates with me, I’ll return to that place in meditation and explore. You can do the same with vivid dreams, returning to scenarios to glean more insights or to experiment with different outcomes. If a painting really sticks with you, visit it in meditation and ask for messages. These are wonderful ways to transform knowledge of the external world into knowledge of yourself, cultivating deeper wisdom. Meditation is your time for magical explorations and personal transformation—have fun!

Melissa Tipton is a massage therapist, Reiki Master, and professional tarot reader who loves helping people discover their soul path through energy work and tarot. She writes extensively about happy living through yoga and Witchcraft on her website, www.yogiwitch.com. When she’s not on her yoga mat or hiking Missouri trails with her husband, she’s in her studio sculpting tiny food for her dollhouse miniatures business, the Mouse Market.

Illustrator: Rik Olson

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