Monograph 21:

Pathworking

In Monograph 16 we looked at meditation and we mentioned a very special kind of meditation called PATHWORKING. Just to recap, we said that pathworking, also known as Guided Meditation or Guided Imagery, refers to a guided journeys undertaken within your own mind. 

Pathworking seeks to enhance our awareness of our existing unconscious imagery and help us learn tools to mobilise their innate healing and magickal abilities.

In its simplest form we simply close our eyes and imagine a picture that represents a part of our development. We are then guided in an imaginary dialogue with the image to explore and reveal its meaning. Such images can provide information about our problems, as well as our beliefs, hopes, fears, and resources.

In this monograph you will be given a guided meditation which we hope will be of benefit to you in your spiritual development.

Guided imagery frequently employs audiotapes and other methods to help the meditator imagine specific images, such as a calming or element balancing situation. If possible you should record the text of the meditation onto audio tape and play it back to youself in a quiet and relaxed atmosphere.

The difference between being told about it and actually working the path is the vividness with which the path is created within your imagination. To assist in having this vividness certain aids can be used to help in the creating of 'specialness'. Scent is one of the most primitive of the senses and hence very close to the unconscious mind. 


PREPARATION

Wash your hands and face and rinse you mouth with clean water. Then go into a quiet place where you will not be disturbed. 

Turn off the main lights. You can use a small, dim lamp, or candlelight. Candlelight is helpful because it is both soft and inspiring. Its flickering light can stimulate the imagination. 

Keep the tape recorder close by so you can turn it on easily without getting up or moving your body more than absolutely necessary.

You can either sit or lie down when you meditate but don't get too comfortable unless you know you will not fall asleep.  But don't worry because if you do nod off you can't come to any harm (unless you have to go back to work afterwards!).

If you choose to sit you can use a comfortable, straight backed chair.  Posture is important. You should sit bolt upright with your spine straight and you head held so your chin is level with the ground. Don't allow yourself to slouch. Your hand should lie idly in your lap, palms up. Do not cross your legs, not even at the ankles.

It is also fine to sit on the floor.  If you know any yoga then adopt a full or half lotus. If you don't know how to do this don't worry. In fact you shouldn't worry about anything. Just relax and put all day to day thoughts out of your mind. 

Now perform the counting down procedure you have been practicing for several weeks with your Hall of Miracles exercise.

When you have finishes counting down, turn on the tape recorder.

The PATHWORKING

You are in a valley, it is a lush green place, with a small river flowing down the length of it. The river, clear and sparkling in the sunlight, is
just deep and wide enough to swim in, whilst the far bank is dominated by trees. They merge into a forest which stretches back to the mountains looming in the distance but on your side of the river.

Now follow the curve of the rock round to where a stone guards the
entrance to a cave. The stone is smooth and flat, perfectly round, but warm to the touch and just a little tingly. There is a faint blue glow surrounding it.

In the centre of this gate-stone is a symbol. Look at this symbol and remember.  You may need it again.

The symbol is inlaid into the stone itself, and composed of a black volcanic glass. It is shiny and smooth, yet glows a bright blue as you
move your hand in front of it. The stone rolls back, slowly and
quietly.

Now walk inside and notice how perfectly smooth the edges of the
gate-stone are, almost as though they had been cut in one smooth motion. As you pass on into the cave, look around at the walls and floor.  

There are steps leading down. The top of the steps is dark until you
approach, then a sudden flare of light glitters on the walls and ceiling, where a million tiny sparkles seem to catch and reflect a silver light. The effect is magical.

As you slowly descend the steps, pause on each one and notice how the silver light follows you.  

Eventually you reached the bottom stair, the 10th, and see a tunnel ahead of you. It is short and curving, lit by dancing firelight at the other end but dark apart from this. 

Walk through the patch of darkness into the Hall. The hall is round. When you enter you are above the level of the floor, on a kind of walkway, formed by the low wall of the sunken floor.

You have to stoop as you pass a flaming torch bracketed to the wall.

Look around you and notice some of the things you see there. On the
wall a few antique swords hang, at regular intervals, with tapestries.
There are also a few statues, incredibly lifelike, of people you know.
Look and these statues and recognise them. Ask them why they are there and remember their answers.

Take a final look around, for it is time to return.

Return to the stairway and ascend the 5 steps to the walkway. .  Go through the entrance to the tunnel. It is dark, but a silver glow comes from the stairs. Again the walls and ceiling fascinate you with their covering of flowing silver light.

Ascend the ten steps to the entrance to the cave

Close the gate-stone and return along the path, round the rock, until you reach the river. 

Slowly open your eyes.  You are back in the waking world, feeling wonderful, refreshed and relaxed.

This pathworking was sent in by one of our students. Thank You.