PROSE MEDITATION: Inducing Creative Thought

PROSE MEDITATION: Inducing Creative Thought

A NEW form of Meditation that is helpful to induce creative thinking and self-awareness.

The world is meditating.  Meditation has become mainstream.  Infused by scientific research and ongoing qualitative date that arrives in burgeoning feedback from the experiences of millions of people who meditate; each a witness to a myriad of unique experience that informs us – something good when we meditate.

Meditation provides real effectual changes that improve our ability to be present, to approach life situations that would previously have been stressful, with a new sense of calm and perspective; and to improve life quality and thrive with enhanced awareness.

Meditation has always been a spiritual practice; its origins more than 5000 years ago were derived on the inclusion of one’s attention and engagement with the nonphysical aspects of self.  The oldest documented evidence of the practice of meditation are wall arts in the Indian subcontinent from approximately 5,000 to 3,500 BCE, showing people seated in meditative postures with half-closed eyes.

Written examples of meditation was first seen in the Vedas – the most ancient Hindu scriptures, written in early Sanskrit and containing hymns, philosophy, and guidance on ritual for the priests of Vedic religion – around 1500 BCE.

In India at this time, it was believed that the teachings of meditation also occurred in Gurukuls (schools) located deep in the forest, where the tradition was for students (Shishya) to live and study under a learned teacher (Guru).  Source: wikipedia.org

In addition to the many forms of meditation that have risen up from ancient civilizations, religion, and cultural practices; there is a new form of meditation that relies on the engagement of the mind in open contemplation using prose (a literary medium distinguished from poetry by its greater variety of rhythm and closer correspondence to the patterns of everyday speech).

A Prose Meditation is beautiful in its integrity to teach because of the simplicity of engagement, and the ease to which one who meditates may receive and participate in the practice.

In Prose Meditation, a student may forgo the challenge of holding focus of the mind unto a specific point; but rather remain open and to draw upon the words that are spoken together with the embodiment of these words as suggestions for relaxation, presence, and insight awareness.  Prose Meditation may include or be focused upon words of universal truth as inspiration for one’s deeper journeying into the self.

Prose Meditation offers both guidance to the student to place their attention and also the encouraged freedom to allow their experience to unfold as they reflect upon and interpret the meaning of each spoken word and its significance and experiential effect.  This form of meditation guides and encourages freedom of expression and creative thought.  One may focus on breath or an object but it is not necessary.

As a guided practice, Prose Meditation is somewhat different from traditional forms of meditations, as the spoken word is meant to stimulate ideas, a different perspective and new thought paradigms for exploration and contemplation.

The point of offering a guided practice of meditation in a passage of prose (direct speaking) is to incite information and experiential thought ideas and in a forum of relaxation where the mind is better attuned.  In the form in which it is delivered, prose meditation is soothing and relaxing; and, similar to yoga nidra, it encourages a deeper expression of awareness and learning as one’s mind is able to float between the conscious and subconscious; leading one to higher states of awareness and self-expression.

Through the nature of perceiving and of surrender; whether focus is held onto one’s breath or as each new word incites creative thought; the meditation student receives a source of personal meaning that becomes the meditative experience.  You may think of prose meditation as an interactive means of focusing attention and simultaneously allowing for the mind to be open, drawing from the prose spoken to effect and facilitate the experience of meditation.

This is why Prose Meditation can be so helpful; it allows the person meditating to have a broad focus of perspective and thus to open themselves to what insights, offerings, and truth may be revealed.  Prose Meditation is also a wonderful meditation for accessing one’s inner wisdom; as the student, engaged in the receiving of spoken prose directives, reflects on these words and their specific meaning and importance, evoking further insight, revelations and learned teachings that guide and support a spiritual practice.  Prose Meditation may therefore be spiritual in teaching or secular.

In Meditation Prose you listen; taking in the flow of words offered as guidance, inspiration, and (practical or spiritual) teachings.  These become an instant download of informative content during a relaxed state, that can be immediately integrated into one’s life.  Prose Meditation is therefore wonderful for all student levels, and particularly for those who desire a direct witnessing and revelation of the deepest source of wisdom as pure consciousness.  Here we may access the unconscious mind; and be guided deeper into pure awareness; transcendent of space and time.  Prose Meditation in this way is helpful to begin and deepen one’s spiritual practice.

The Science and Benefits of Meditation

Like the many other forms of meditation, meditation delivered in prose has many positive benefits.

Meditation in its various forms improves brain focus; and specific mindfulness training has been found to protect against proactive interference thus improving short term memory as it is related to increases in hippocampal density.  Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) has been associated with changes in gray matter concentration in brain regions involved in learning and memory processes, emotion regulation, self-referential processing, and perspective taking indicating the effects of neuroplasticity as enduring changes in brain structure that could support improved mental functioning.

Meditation may provide a longer term reduction in sleep needed, roughly equal to the time spent in meditation.  Regular meditation can help control our emotional responses, and nurture compassion, directed both to our self and others.  It can also promote self-awareness and self-inquiry making us more attuned to our needs and able to affect adaptive change and formulate new habits reflected by mindful and informed thinking.

Another well known effects of meditation is stress reduction.  A regular mindfulness meditation practice can reduce symptoms of anxiety in people with stress-triggered medical conditions.  Meditation and mindfulness practice also reduces symptoms such as phobias, social anxiety disorder, paranoid thoughts, obsessive-compulsive behaviours and panic and anxiety disorders.

Meditation can diminish the perception of pain in the brain. This may help treat chronic pain when used as a supplement to medical care or physical therapy.

Mindfulness meditation has been reported to enhance numerous mental abilities, including rapid memory recall.  Some researchers believe that meditation might be the key to help ease off dependency on pharmaceutical drugs.  Source: Psychcentral.com

How Prose Meditation Can Induce Creative Thinking: 

Unique about Prose Meditation is how it provides a point of focus for the student and simultaneously an expressive experience in open awareness.  The benefit of this is an improvement in divergent (what may be called creative) thinking as compared to other forms of meditation which teach the focusing of attention onto a single point or object.  In Prose Meditation, an idea, concept, or experiential suggestion in offered; allowing for divergent focus including guidance into pure awareness and spontaneous ideas of insight and clarity.  Using Prose Meditation, one may focus on the words being spoken and also the imprinting of felt sensations and emotions that is cultivated from the meaning and experience of these words.  This includes receiving information from both the subconscious and unconscious mind.  It may be said that Prose Meditation induces inspired thoughts, creative thinking and positive emotional reactivity based on the experience of heightened awareness coupled with a meaningful interpretation of what is heard.

A ‘Prose‘ Meditation is one that acts as both inspiration for the listener and guidance for the seeker. Different from other forms of meditation, prose is most alike the sharing of poignant information; akin with storytelling, and acts of forethought that guide and direct your experience of accessing presence, expansiveness in what you are; conscious awareness and inner peace.  Prose Meditation is contemplative; it’s purpose is to introduce concepts and teachings that one may focus upon whilst deep breathing and allowing the body and mind to rejuvenate and relax.

The words that you take in become the experience that you live; all of which guides you deeper into yourself, into the specific subject matter of the meditation; allowing you to invoke vibrant imagery and a personal journey of discovery that may not be as easily found on one’s own.

Meditation Prose is wonderful for teaching the experience as one simultaneously is guided in the experience.  In prose meditation, I can help the student as they experience their nature as love, as they transcend in pure awareness; into the source of consciousness – before all thought.  This is the simultaneous witnessing of your self as (energy) and oneness with all living beings.

Your ability to experience all that is suggested in each meditation prose, is based on the flow of words – guiding, directing, and opening you to something new and different.  Prose (when of this particular form) leads you on a sacred path to a destination that is both of spiritual and practical wisdom; a path that reflects your sacred offerings of oneness with the divine. 

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All that is needed is for you to find a comfortable posture; to choose to remain open in mind and heart in order to take in the words as they flow into and of you; and to allow yourself to exist in the present moment as you experience revelation, insight, ideas, and greater awareness of your true potential – your eternal expression of oneness with source. ✨

*When the meditation is complete, you may wish to record what insights and revelations you are aware of as well as and physical sensory experiences.  All of which are important in guiding you along your sacred journey. 

Here Are a Few Examples of Prose Meditation.  Some secular, others spiritual in nature.  Please Find A Full Collection of Meditations and Mindfulness Musings here: The Wisdom Archives.

https://dorothyzennuriyejuno.com/portfolio-items/a-love-message-to-my-soul-a-prose-meditation-to-inspire-eternity-%e2%9c%a8-with-dorothy-ratusny-wisdom-archives-030/

https://dorothyzennuriyejuno.com/portfolio-items/in-my-heart-a-spoken-word-inspiration-wisdom-archives-021/

https://dorothyzennuriyejuno.com/portfolio-items/i-am-love-in-all-moments-a-guided-prose-meditation-wisdom-archives-034/