Before Christ Meditation Techniques

Scores of meditation techniques are available in today's world. Many are derived from ancient practices that have spanned the globe. Religions throughout the world have always incorporated some form of contemplation within their beliefs. The Jewish tradition provides us an age-old practice known as Kabbalah. Through it, spiritual enlightenment and self-autonomy are obtained within higher states of consciousness and reflection.

Before the time of Christ, a number of meditation techniques within the Jewish tradition were derived from the school of Kabbalah. This tradition addresses the mystical aspects of Judaism using reflection and understanding as practices to bring about a closer relationship with God. It's a teaching that emphasizes inner reflection as a means to understanding God's relationship with creation. Kabbalah meditations have been in existence for more than 2,000 years, drawing much of its foundation from the Torah, or Old Testament.

Intense logical reflections are characteristic of Kabbalah meditation techniques. Practitioners enter into deep, trancelike states similar to Buddhist and Yogic exercises. However, understanding, rather than "beingness," is the overall objective. Spiritual enlightenment is reached once a person obtains an analytical understanding of the meditative experience. Old Testament passages serve as focal points for entering into the meditative state. Enlightenment comes in the form of insights regarding the nature of the universe and the nature of existence.

The Kabbalah tradition acts as an integral part of Jewish wisdom and teachings. It works as a system of meditation that leads to profound insights into the nature of God and his purpose for creation. Its techniques are designed to enable practitioners to reach higher planes of consciousness. And while relaxation and a quieting of the mind are part of the process, the experience had at a higher plane is what brings about positive life changes. The power of mind over body is understood and actualized through experiencing these higher planes.

The core principles of Kabbalah are at the center of inherent power contained within words and letters, which are considered the building blocks of creation. Before Christ, meditation techniques worked with celestial patterns of energy through the use of Hebrew letter combinations. These letters are considered to be the "divine DNA" that shapes and forms our existence. Visualizations using the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet represent the supernatural forces, or Sefirot, and are the focal points for meditation.

As words and letters make up the core of these meditation techniques, the effects of this process enable its practitioners to change their lives through the use of words. In essence, the power to change one's life is contained within the words he uses to describe it. This principle is based on the Old Testament creation story in which God created heaven and earth by speaking them into existence. The power of words is an old-age theme that continues to thrive within areas of psychology, business and spirituality.