I have found, without a doubt, that the best psychic work is done when a person is able to place themselves in an "altered" mental state. At the very least, a simple state of physical relaxation, coupled with the temporary mental release of daily stress and worries, can do wonders for a persons ability to make contact with the spiritual world.

More than that, the benefits of devotion to a regular program of mediatative and relaxation technique, or self hypnosis, can provide impressive positive motivation for a persons daily activities, business and family relationships, and mental well being in general.

Again, let me stress that we will not have to become a yoga master, or guru, in order to enhance our spiritual studies. Just enough technique to guide us in the direction of increased awareness of our spirituality is all we need for starters. Advanced studies in that area are up to the individual.

Personally, my life is way too hectic to be able to reap the same benefits as the monk who may be able to spend countless hours calmly perched on a mountainside, while contemplating his relationship to the universe.

But, I have been able to find ways to take "mini-meditative " moments, some with magical results,by merely taking a half hour of calm, inward directed thinking, while on a secluded place along the beach, a hillside, within a quiet forest area, or even just on the back porch early on a quiet Sunday morning. But here is the point of this article....If you are serious about your spiritual studies, you will experience an immense boost in your psychic awareness and communicative abilities by the use of simple techniques of meditation applied before your psychic sessions. In addition, I have found that the practice of a brief deep breathing and relaxation exercise, coupled with a short statement or prayer, reinforcing your intentions of honesty, purity and love, will enhance your success with EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena) beyond any point you had previously experienced.

TECHNIQUE

Easier than you think.....!

There are certainly many types (and levels) of meditation, and it will not be our task here to write a book on the subject, rather only to devise a simple exercise guaranteed to guide you to an increase in your awareness level while conducting EVP, or other psychic exercises.

BEGINNING RELAXATION EXERCISES

When first learning how to access your energies of higher dimension and spiritual levels, it will be necessary to remove yourself from all distractions of your daily activities....that means no kids, no telephones, no TV......etc., best to start in a bedroom with low light level and no one else at home.

Next you must make yourself as comfortable as possible....for my first learning experiences I chose to lie on a bed, but you may choose a sitting position if it is comfortable for you.

Loosen any restrictive clothing...whatever you can feel, take it off. Unbutton buttons, remove jewelry, shoes and socks, etc. (Now you know why the guru wears a robe ).

Now concentrate on relaxing the muscles of your body, and begin to let your mind wander. If you come back to "paying the bills, or other worldly issues" remove that thought from your mind. Here many people find it beneficial to momentarily focus on a fantasy location, or a favorite place of relaxation for yourself, such as a beach or sitting beside a clear water mountain stream .

Next begin your breathing exercises....focus on your breathing as you breathe in deeply, and slowly exhale to the count of five. As you do this, take your muscle groups (starting with the shoulders), and mentally roll down the shoulders through the muscles as you count down with your exhaling. Silently tell yourself that the muscles are relaxing as you count down, and you will continue moving down to successive areas of the body....all the while relaxing each part of your body as you count down. After the shoulders, then to the arms (lying relaxed at your side) next the back muscles (upper to lower back), the hips, then the upper legs, and finally the lower legs.

For the beginner, it takes 15 or 20 minutes to go through all the process, but as you become more adept at the procedure, you can actually quickly progress from this point to further stages of relaxation and even to actual self hypnosis, if you so desire.

To gain a deeper trance; after feeling all the muscles in your body relaxing, and you find no necessity whatsoever to move your body, your arms, your hands or fingers, then begin to alternate the count down procedure by substituting the words "down...down...down..." for the numbers 3, 2, and 1. Count as you breathe out......... 5.......4..........down...............down..............down......... Feel your body sink as you say the word "down" ! You are now in a light hypnotic state.To completely recover from the light hypnotic state, simply do the five count again while telling yourself that you will wake up refreshed and wide awake at the end of the count. Actually, you can awaken any time you want by just sitting up, or telling yourself that the session is over....it is not possible to remain in this state without your own approval.

For an enhanced effect, play a tape of waves from a beach rolling in and out in the background. In fact, there are many self hypnosis tapes of this sort which will guide you through the whole process. I love them....they are also most useful for completely deleting the tension of daily life, or to use for getting a good nights sleep. I have even personally used these techniques while at the dentist for a remarkable benefit of "tuning out" while in the chair !

This is the basis for the technique which will train you to quickly gain a more effective awareness of the spirit realm, even when you are in the field conducting EVP sessions or other psychic operations. While you are learning, in the comfort zone of your own home, you will be training yourself to eventually access your spirit awareness in the field as well. It will be, indeed, a type of "post hypnotic" suggestion, as you are actually indulging in the early stages of self hypnosis when you go through the breathing and relaxation techniques described above.

Oh yes...and not to worry......you cannot put yourself into a deep trance this way and cause yourself any harm whatsoever. You could, and probably will, go into consecutive deeper levels of trance, but you will always be aware of your situation except for occasionally when you may actually just fall into a normal sleep. And this can be a good thing ! For you will have just learned a beneficial method of going to sleep on nights when you are having difficulty. Of course, it goes without saying to be careful that anytime you enter a deeper trance, be sure you are in a safe place if you should fall asleep !

NOW...FINE TUNING THE PROCESS FOR PSYCHIC FIELD WORK

When conducting any psychic or EVP session, use a brief version of the above relaxation technique (which after practice will quickly bring you to a higher spiritual awareness simply by always asking that the session be designed to bring you to a higher level of spiritual awareness after having attained your relaxed state.This is called a post hypnotic suggestion) . The idea behind the whole practice session and procedure in the field, is to give your mind this suggestion that you are very open now to spiritual communication.

SAMPLE PREP FOR AN EVP SESSION

1. DIRECT ALL PRESENT TO PARTICIPATE IN A SIMPLE, BRIEF, DEEP BREATHING EXERCISE, WHILE SUGGESTING THAT ALL WILL RELAX, FOCUS, AND TUNE IN TO THEIR HIGHER SPIRITUAL AWARENESS DURING THE FOLLOWING SESSION. (Those who practice meditation or self hypnosis will likely achieve a more communicative state)

2. CONDUCT A PRAYER TO HELP PROTECT ALL FROM THE INVASION OF ANY NEGATIVE ENERGY

(SUGGESTED PRAYER)

We ask for no darkness or fear ..... We ask only for love and comfort of the Light to surround us all in our communication.

I am the Light ...The Light is within me.... The Light moves throughout me...... The Light surrounds and protects us all.....

I AM the Light.

WE are the light.

In the name of the supreme creator and source of love and Light ....Amen

3. SPEAK NOW FOR THE GROUP AS YOU DIRECTLY ASK FOR COMMUNICATION FROM THE SPIRIT WORLD

(SUGGESTED SPIRITUAL REQUEST)

Hello, I am (NAME), I am _____, I am _____, I/We seek communication with spirits who have passed on from their lives on this Earth. If **there are spirits present who have passed on, or who reside in another dimension and can see or hear us now, Please speak to us now. Our intention for this communication is to promote for all present here today, the greatest atmosphere of spiritual awareness, knowledge, and love. Please speak to us now.

** or.... if the spirit of _____ is here now and can see or hear me...

** or....if there are spirits here now who can contribute to answering the questions we have before us this day.....etc etc

The above suggestions are no more than a brief outline, and are meant to send you in the direction of more reading on the subjects of meditation and self hypnosis. My point here is that this is a way to enhance the psychic experience, and it's not difficult to learn.

Certainly with hypnosis, it is advised to not attempt any post hypnotic suggestion involving behavorial or personality changes without competent professional guidance.

In your studies, you will find that meditation easily leads from one level to the next. Meditation begins at the awake state of mind called beta, to a slightly altered state called alpha. From here the techniques of hypnosis can take one to theta, and finally even to delta, which is the sleep state.