An Experimental Meditation using NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) Approaches

This meditation is built on the idea of trance identification with a future idealised, or present higher realized, self. Deep Trance Identification is a concept derived from the fields of NLP and hypnosis, but has its origins in shamanism, spiritual and religious practices of all kinds. Shamanic practices of identification with spirit beings and deities would appear to go back to pre-history. More recently, some forms of the mystical Christian practices of the Stations of the Cross encourage identification with Jesus at stages from his being condemned to die through to his resurrection.

In Sogyal Rinpoche's book, The Tibetan Book of living and Dying, he describes a meditation he calls Guru Yoga. I have adapted this meditation with an emphasis on some of the submodality distinctions. I would be interested in people's thoughts or experiences with this meditation.

It seems to me that one should be able to future pace (nlp jargon) the insights and resources from the meditation back to the future self. This then creates a feedback loop, because the resources develop in the future pacing and become increasingly expanded and available to the trance identification. So as one carries out the meditation below, one can become aware of the insights that develop in "the now" contributing to the spiritual development of the future guru self being meditated upon. This further develops the guru self and results in accelerated insights in "the now".

I am constantly amazed by the obvious familiarity in buddhist writings with submodalities, given that they don't appear to have an explicit model of such.

Recieving the Wisdom of the Wisdom Self

1. Invocation
   
   Sit quietly. Imagine yourself at some point in the future having acquired the spiritual wisdom and experience that you currently seek. Picture yourself as having all the qualities of compassion and wisdom and allow that image to fill the sky.
   
   
   As you attend to that image, of your future self benignly and compassionately aware of your self now, allow the image to take on the qualities of translucence like a rainbow, so you can see the sky through the image of the guru self.
   
   
   Holding the image in mind, allow yourself to feel the presence of a superbly compassionate and wise being, and in your mind, address the guru self with the following words "Help me, inspire me to reach forward to my goals of spiritual development. Teach me to progress as the I that is you have progressed and to realise the true nature of
   my being".
   
   
   Now, whichever is easier, allow the guru self to fill your being from within, or allow yourself to expand and merge with the image of the guru self. Become aware of the transparency of self as you grow and simply rest, still, within the mind of the guru self.
   
   
   In your mind, say now "Fill me now with the love and devotion I have learned in the future, guide me to the resources I have acquired in the time of my future self. I am my own Buddha teacher, and the pull of my own inspiration is inspired to flower and to blossom, as a flower in the sun".
   
   


2. Maturation
   
   Within the mind of the guru self, simply practice whatever form of meditation is most familiar to you, whether it be single pointed concentration on an external object or a mantra meditation, or whatever form is most natural to you. Simply offer this meditation up with devotion and love to the future guru self and your own spiritual aspirations.



3. Empowerment
   
   Separating your self from the future guru self, see the guru self again as filling the sky, translucent as a rainbow. Now imagine thousands of rays of light pouring from the image of the guru self, into you, filling you with love, healing, purifying and sowing the seeds of your future spiritual growth. As these lights continue to pour forth, imagine a swelling of intense white light emanating from the forehead of the guru self, between the eyes, and bursting forth and entering and filling you through the same point.
   
   
   Then, imagine a ruby red light originating from the throat of the guru self, growing and then pouring forth into you entering at your throat.
   
   
   And then, imagine an intense blue light pouring from the heart of the guru self, filling your heart, and cascading through your body.
   
   
   Relax and sit still in the knowledge of having been imparted the body, speech and heart of your spiritually developed guru self.
   
   


4. Integration
   
   Now, allow the image of the guru self to dissolve into light, filling the sky and the space around and within you, allowing the sense of your own presence to dissolve into the light. Rest for a while in this state of integrating, sensing any shifts in energy that occur, not making intellectual judgements but simply allowing the experience to occur.